1) Flag or Penalty: When there is a penalty during a football game (either during a play or between plays) a referee will throw a yellow flag onto the field where it will be visible for everyone. Penalties will come if something illegal happens caused by players, coaches, or anyone on a teams sideline. Players can get a flag by doing something illegal during a play, like holding an opponent. Players can also get penalties along with coaches or anyone on a sideline with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which can occur in between plays. When there is a penalty there is of course a punishment, and in football most penalties result in a loss of yards. The most common amount of yards that are taken away after a penalty are 5, 10, or 15 yards. Depending on the severity of a penalty, players or coaches can be thrown out the game and may be suspended but this does not happen as often.
There are many penalties so I would suggest you look some up at your own pleasure. Some penalties happen more than others, so depending on how much you watch football you may need to know a lot, or only a few. Here are a few penalties and their definitions, and also there is a link to NFL.com's rule book.
- False start: Where a player on offense moves before the ball is snapped.
- Encroachment: Where a defensive player moves and makes an offensive player move before the ball is snapped.
- Holding: Holding can occur on offense or defense, and it happens when a player holds an opponent illegally so that they can't get to where they need to be.
- Pass interference: Occurs when an referee judges that either a receiver (offense) or a defensive back (defense) interferes with the opponents ability to catch the ball before the ball arrives to them.
- Roughing the Passer: Roughing the passer is where a Defender hits the Quarterback after the Quarter back throws the ball.
- Roughing the Kicker: Similar to roughing the passer, roughing the kicker happens when there is a hit on a kicker after the ball is kicked and before the kicker is done with the kicking motion.
- NFL Rules
2) Downs: A very important aspect of the game is knowing what down it is. A down is just a different way to say a play, and there are four downs (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th down). Have you ever seen the bright orange things on the away team's side line? Well those orange things are what mark what down it is. The chains, or the two taller sticks that are connected at the bottom by a 10 yard chain mark how many yards it's going to take to get a first down. The down marker is a single stick with a number on it, this marks what down it is and where the ball is at the start at each play. When the down marker moves past the chains, it's called a first down. The offense has four downs (plays) to get a new set of downs, so they can continue down the field. If an offense goes through 4 downs without getting a 1st down or touchdown, then they turn the ball over and it is the other teams ball.
3) End-Zone: The end-zone is located at both ends of the football field where the players can score touchdowns by crossing the ball from the regular field to the end-zone.
4) Goal line: The goal line is the white line that separates the regular field from the end-zone.
5) Touchdown: A touch down is where a team scores 6 points by getting the ball to pass the goal-line by either caring it into the end-zone or by catching it inside the end-zone.
6) Play Clock: The play clock keeps track of the time in between plays so the offense knows how much time they have to start the next play.
7) Goal Post: The goal post are the tall yellow or white poles at each end of the field, there purpose is for field goals or extra points.
8) Field Goal: Is a play where a kicker kicks the ball through a goal post.
9) Line of Scrimmage: Where each play starts, this is where the ball is ball is placed.
10) Yards: The units used to mark the field.
11) Routes: Routes are what WR's and RB's run to try to catch the football.
12) Blitz: A blitz is where the defense sends extra players to try to sack the QB.
13) Redzone: The Redzone is the last 20 yards of field before reaching the end-zone. Once in the Redzone then the chances of an offense scoring goes up.
14) Coverage: Is the term given for the DB's and LB's to tell them who or where to guard.
For example: In a cover 3, the CB's and the S each cover a third of a field or a zone.
15) Audibles: Are the adjustments a QB makes at the line of scrimmage in order to try to run a successful play
16) The Gridiron: Another name for the Football Field!
3) End-Zone: The end-zone is located at both ends of the football field where the players can score touchdowns by crossing the ball from the regular field to the end-zone.
4) Goal line: The goal line is the white line that separates the regular field from the end-zone.
5) Touchdown: A touch down is where a team scores 6 points by getting the ball to pass the goal-line by either caring it into the end-zone or by catching it inside the end-zone.
6) Play Clock: The play clock keeps track of the time in between plays so the offense knows how much time they have to start the next play.
7) Goal Post: The goal post are the tall yellow or white poles at each end of the field, there purpose is for field goals or extra points.
8) Field Goal: Is a play where a kicker kicks the ball through a goal post.
9) Line of Scrimmage: Where each play starts, this is where the ball is ball is placed.
10) Yards: The units used to mark the field.
11) Routes: Routes are what WR's and RB's run to try to catch the football.
12) Blitz: A blitz is where the defense sends extra players to try to sack the QB.
13) Redzone: The Redzone is the last 20 yards of field before reaching the end-zone. Once in the Redzone then the chances of an offense scoring goes up.
14) Coverage: Is the term given for the DB's and LB's to tell them who or where to guard.
For example: In a cover 3, the CB's and the S each cover a third of a field or a zone.
15) Audibles: Are the adjustments a QB makes at the line of scrimmage in order to try to run a successful play
16) The Gridiron: Another name for the Football Field!
Another thing that would help us non-footballers would be to explain the signs the refs do after a penalty!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea for another post Maddie. One thing to note is that when the refs are doing the signs, they should be saying what the penalty was at the same time. Hearing them on the other hand depends on if they have a microphone or noise level. But I'll try to find a video of some of the more common penalties.
DeleteI've heard all of these terms except "The Gridiron" that's a new one for me.
ReplyDelete