At the beginning of each game, the referee tosses a coin
in the presence of the two team captains to determine
which team kicks off or receives the kickoff. At the
start of the second half, these conditions are
reversed—that is, the team that kicks off in the first
half receives the kickoff to start the second half.
During the kickoff, the ball is put in play by a
place-kick from the kicking team's 35-yd (32-m) line, or
the 30-yd (27.4-m) line in the National Football League
(NFL). The NFL kickoff was moved from the 35-yd line in
1994 to increase the importance of the kickoff return.
The kicking team lines up at or behind the ball, while
the opponents spread out over their territory in a
formation calculated to help them to catch the ball and
run it back effectively. If the kick stays within the
boundaries of the field, any player on the receiving
team may catch the ball, or pick it up on a bounce, and
run with it. As the player runs, the player may be
tackled by any opponent and stopped, known as being
downed. The player carrying the ball is considered
downed when one knee touches the ground. Tacklers use
their hands and arms to stop opponents and throw them to
the ground. After the ball carrier is stopped, the
referee blows a whistle to stop play and places the ball
on the spot where the runner was downed. Play also stops
when the ball carrier runs out of bounds. A scrimmage
(action while the ball is in play) then takes place.
Before scrimmage begins, the team on offense usually
gathers in a circle, called a huddle, and discusses the
next play it will use to try to advance the ball. A
coach either signals the play choice to the team from
the sidelines, or the team's quarterback chooses from
among the dozens of rehearsed plays in the team's
repertoire. The defensive team also forms a huddle and
discusses its next attempt to slow the offense. Each
play is designated by code numbers or words, called
signals. After the teams come out of their respective
huddles, they line up opposite each other on the line of
scrimmage. If the quarterback analyzes the defensive
alignment and decides that the chosen play should be
changed, the quarterback can call an audible and shout
the coded directions for a new play.
Play begins when the center crouches over the ball and,
on a spoken signal, snaps it—generally to the
quarterback—by handing it between his legs. Based upon
the chosen play, the quarterback can pass the ball, hand
it off to a teammate, or run with it. During the
scrimmage, the players on the offensive team may check
the defenders using their bodies, but they are
constrained by specific rules regarding the use of their
hands or arms. The player running with the ball,
however, is allowed to use an arm to ward off potential
tacklers. The offensive players check defenders, or try
to force them out of the way, by performing a maneuver
known as blocking. Good blocking is considered a
fundamental technique in football.
Perhaps the most spectacular offensive play is the
forward pass, in which the ball is thrown in a forward
direction to an eligible player. The ball is nearly
always thrown by the quarterback, and those who may
catch it include the other three backs and the two ends.
A forward pass may be made only during scrimmage, and
then only from behind the line of scrimmage. A lateral
pass may be made anywhere on the field anytime the ball
is in play.
The defending team tries to prevent the attacking team
from advancing the ball. The defending players may use
their arms and hands in their attempt to break through
the opponents' line to reach the player with the ball.
The defending team tries to keep the offense from
gaining any distance, or to stop the offense for a loss
by tackling the ball carrier before the ball carrier
reaches the line of scrimmage. The offense must advance
the ball at least 10 yards (9 m) in four tries, called
downs. After each play, the teams line up again and a
new scrimmage takes place. If the team on offense fails
to travel 10 yards (9 m) in four downs, it must
surrender the ball to its opponent after the fourth
down.
A team will often punt on fourth down if it hasn't
gained at least 10 yards (9 m) in its previous three
tries. In punting, the kicker drops the ball and kicks
it before it touches the ground. By punting, a team can
send the ball farther away from its own end zone before
surrendering it, thus weakening the opponent's field
position. |
