Throwing a perfect football pass requires 3 things: the position of your hand to the ball, the release of the ball and the timing and movement of your body at the moment when the throw is made.

The way to grip the ball really depends on you. But cost coaches recommend gripping the ball with your index finger near the tip of the ball, middle finger on the first lace of the ball and ring finger and pinky right down the lace. Hand size and preference can become a factor in the way to grip the ball. Grip the ball tight but not too tight or else, you will lose control. To release the ball, hold it near your ear and keep your eyes on the target. The amount of energy you exert to reach the desired distance depends on your judgment. This is similar to shooting a hoop. Your shoulders should be parallel and your plant foot should be pointed towards the direction where the ball is heading to. Release the ball in a circular motion to make a spiral while shifting your weight forward. The secret here is achieving the spiral motion it is more stable and easier to catch.

One more thing, have you heard of the saying, “monkey see, monkey do?” Improving the way you throw the ball does not rely on the number of times you throw the ball but on the proper way to execute the throw. If you are learning on your own, take instructions from the best passers in the league. Watch videos of different NFL quarterbacks who are throwing good plays. The internet is a good source. See how these players move their hands and how the ball responds to it. Imitate these movements and remember the 3 factors mentioned above to master the art of throwing a perfect football pass.

Throwing a Perfect Football Pass originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

In American football, a touchdown which equals to six points, is the primary method used to score. This can be done by rushing the ball towards the opponent’s end zone or goal line. This can also be done by way of passing the football from one player to another until it reaches the goal line. A receiver may also use a combination of rushing and carrying the ball towards the goal line. He may catch the ball a couple of yards from the end zone and try to run towards it.

In most cases, a touchdown is made by the offense. Nonetheless, the defense can also earn a touchdown by intercepting a pass or by recovering a fumbled ball and driving it through the opposing end zone. The special team may also score this point during a punt return or kickoff as well as a return after a blocked punt or missed field goal.

A team who has earned a touchdown can also earn an extra point or two extra points. An extra conversion point can be made by kicking the ball through the posts located at the rear end of the football field. Two extra conversion points, on the other hand, may be scored by running the football through the goal line. Most teams opt for the extra conversion point instead of the two conversion points not only because this is easier to make but also because the benefits of getting two extra conversion points oftentimes do not outweigh those of the one point conversion.

A field goal, shorthand for the “goal from the field”, is a score earned during a general play.

Finally, to score a safety which is worth 2 points is generally made by the defense team by tackling the possessor of the ball from the other team. After which, the offense will get to kick the ball towards the defense.

The Varieties of Football Scores originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The football officials in the field could be distinguished by their uniform. They wear black and white vertical striped shirts, white pants and black or white caps. These people, composed of 6 to 7 members, are the ones who maintain the rules as outlined by a specific league. They keep the game going smoothly, call penalties when necessary, and ensure that all players are playing fair and don’t hurt other players unnecessarily. They are also tasked to keep watch of the play and game clock as well as record all infractions against the rules.

They are oftentimes called referees. However it should be noted that there is only one member of that group which could be properly called as referee. Each of these officials has his areas of responsibilities as discussed below:

Referee – The main guy on the field. He is the official that has the final authority in most concerns of the game and the official interpretation of the rules, he announces the penalties, explains them to the team captain and the coach, he safeguards the Quarterback from any hits beyond those tolerated by the rules. He is distinguished by his white hat, other officials wear black.

Umpire – He is the official that rules over the conduct of the players as well as their equipment. He ensures that each team only has 11 players on the field at any given time, aids the referee in determining the legality of ball possession, and records all the scores, the winner of the toss coin and timeouts. He normally stands 5 yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Head Linesman – This official is responsible for all violations committed across the line of scrimmage. He also monitors the downs as well as controls the chain crew.

Line Judge – Apart from keeping the clock, he also helps in monitoring activities within the line of scrimmage.

Side Judge – This is the official whose main domain is in the sidelines. Any violations committed concerning the sidelines such as out of bounds will be called by this official.

Field Judge – This official is responsible for keeping track of the clock and calling delays. He also rules on plays that crosses the goal line of the defense as well watch for violations on the use of hand during play, catches and passes.

Back Judge – This official’s main concern apart from what was already mentioned on other judges is to confirm or deny point made through goal posts.

The Officials in the American Football originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The first NFL season was only composed of 11 teams but only 4 finished the season schedule (Akron Pros was the first champion). A year later, in 1921, the membership grew to 22 teams but the league was unstable and the teams came and gone throughout the 1920s. Over the years, the NFL gained its popularity, established its rules and expanded its membership.

Teams are currently divided into 2 conferences: The American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). This is not similar to National League in Major League Baseball. The winners of the two conferences do not play for the World Series; they only play for the Super Bowl or the NFL Championship.

Two original members are still in existence today: Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) and the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals). While founded in 1919, the Green Bay Packers did not play until 1921. The Indianapolis Colts traces its roots from several predecessors including the one of the founding teams, the Dayton Triangles. Other original teams from Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Buffalo no longer exist but are replaced by other franchises on the same cities

The NFL has 32 teams: 16 from the AFC and 16 from the NFC, each conference is subdivided into 4 divisions. (The number on the right represents the total NFL titles the team has won.)

AFC – American Football Conference

East
Buffalo Bills (2)
Miami Dolphins (2)
New England Patriots (3)
New York Jets (1)

North
Baltimore Ravens (1)
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns (4)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5)

South
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts (5)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans (2)

West
Denver Broncos (2)
Kansas City Chiefs (3)
Oakland Raiders (4)
San Diego Chargers (1)

NFC – National Football Conference

East
Dallas Cowboys (5)
New York Giants (7)
Philadelphia Eagles (3)
Washington Redskins (5)

North
Chicago Bears (9)
Detroit Lions (4)
Green Bay Packers (12)
Minnesota Vikings (1)

South
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)

West
Arizona Cardinals (2)
St. Louis Rams (3)
San Francisco 49ers (5)
Seattle Seahawks

NFL Season
The NFL season runs for 17 weeks, with each team playing a total of 16 games. This runs from September to December or early January. 12 teams will play for the playoffs which begin in January. The top team from each conference will play at the Super Bowl that is scheduled in early February.

The National Football League originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

* A pass is ruled complete if one of the feet of the receiving player remains inbounds at the time of the catch. This is different from the NFL rules where both feet must be inbounds to declare the catch as complete.

* If any part of the body touches the ground (except the hands and feet), NCAA rules say a player is considered down

The American College Football Basics originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Usually, this pass is opted when there are still too many yards left to cover but there is too little time left or there are no other means to make the game clock stop. During these conditions, this pass is the best and oftentimes the only option. During this play, the offensive team will require as much as 5 eligible receivers who would try to run down the field as fast as they can. Other teammates such as running backs will try to rush towards the quarterback to protect him. Since the Quarterback doesn’t have much time to choose which receiver to target, he will make a long shot such that the receiver will have enough time to cover as much distance as he can when he catches the ball.

As the name would suggest, this pass only has a very slight chance of making a touchdown because there are several factors that could affect the outcome of each pass. More often than not, players only have very little time to actually prepare and execute the play of this pass. Also, the team who’s playing the defense usually expects that the other team would attempt to earn more points at the end of the game so any window of opportunity is instantly avoided.

The defense of this pass is oftentimes easy to execute. The main objective here is to keep a strong defensive block behind the receivers. Once the ball is received, the defense players will try to tackle the ball carrier or knock the ball from him.

While the pass has a low chance of success, this can be improved by the offense team by breaking through the defense of the opponent or making their defense weak.

Say Your Prayers for the Hail Mary Pass originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The Field
* The field is 50 yards long and 85 feet wide with 8 yards end zone.
* The sideline barriers are 4 feet high and made from high-density foam padding.
* The goal post is 15 feet high and 9 feet wide.
* The goal side rebound nets are 30 feet wide and 37 feet high and are made from tightly strung mesh.

The Players
* Each team should have 8 players in the field.
* 20 players should be in active roster and 4 players in inactive roster.
* Players are allowed to play both the defense and the offense either by choice or by replacing an injured player. Open substitution is applied.
* 4 offensive players must be on the line of scrimmage. A receiver may move forward before the ball is snapped.
* 3 defensive players must be down linemen (2 or more yards from the line of scrimmage). A linebacker may blitz.

Movement of the Ball and Scoring
* 4 downs are allowed to gain 10 yards for a first down.
* Touchdown = 6 points
* Conversion run or pass = 2 points
* Drop kick conversion = 2 points
* Conversion place kick = 1 point
* Safety = 2 points
* Failed conversion returned by defense = 2 points

The Rules
* The game runs for 60 minutes and is divided into four 15-minute quarters. A 12- to 15-minute halftime break is observed.
* The player is still considered inbound if he receives the ball with one foot inside the field (same as the NCAA rules).
* The rebound net can be used to bounce the ball to the intended receiver. The ball is alive until it touches the playing surface.
* In case of a tie at the end of the regulation time, there is a 15-minute overtime period. Each team has one possession to score. If the teams are still tied after they had possession, the next team to score wins.
* Punting is illegal. Kickoff is from the goal line (the kicker may use a one-inch tee).
* One a fourth down, the offence may go for a field goal, a touchdown or a first down.
* An out-of-bounds ball from a kickoff will be placed either on the place where it went out of bounds or on the 20 yard line, whichever is more advantageous to the receiving team.

Playing the Arena Football Way originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The offense is the team that usually makes the scores by passing the ball from one offense player to another or rushing the ball towards the goal line by any of the offense players. In fact, most scores are restricted to them. This team is composed of the Quarterback, Receivers, Running Backs, and Offensive Linemen.

* The Quarterback or the QB is the player who acts as the field leader. He sends the ball to Receivers or hands it to Running Backs such that points are secured.

* The Receiver catches the ball thrown by the QB. There are two types of receivers which are distinguished by their positions in the field namely the Tight Ends Receiver or RTE and the Wide Receiver or WR.

* The Running Back runs the ball given by the QB towards the goal line. There are three kinds of Running Backs based on the formation of the offense team namely the Fullback or FB, the Halfback or HB and the Tailback or TB.

* The Offensive Linemen are the shield of the Quarterback or the Running Backs, so to speak. There are three of them, who are again distinguished by their position the Center, the Left and Right Guards and the Left and Right Tackles.

The defense team is the team that prevents the other team from scoring. They are divided into the following:

* The Defensive Linemen function contrary to the Offensive Linemen. They prevent the Quarterback from throwing the ball to his receivers or the Running Backs from getting close to the goal line. They have individual functions and positions namely Left and Right Ends, Nose tackle or NT, and Tackle.

* The Linebackers provide backup to Linemen, protection to receivers and hinder the runners of the other team.

* The Cornerbacks intercept the ball from the Quarterback or to the receivers.

* The Safeties prevent the other team from making a Safety, a score which earns 2 points.

Some teams have special teams, some don’t. There are basic special teams that include the following:

The Returner intercepts the ball that was kicked by the other team and rushes it toward the goal line of the other team. A touchdown could be earned in this manner.

The Placekicker is the one who kicks the ball on all occasions that requires ball kicking. To score two conversion points after a touchdown, he kicks the ball through the goal posts. To start the game, he kicks the ball towards the other team. He kicks the ball right after score possessions.

The Punter also performs kicking, but only when his team can no longer advance the ball downfield.

Players on the Field originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Proper equipment

In any football game, proper equipment is required. Make sure that all your players are equipped with padded shirt, shoulder pads, helmet with face mask, gloves, mouthpiece or mouth guard, cleats, leg and ankle braces, and protective pads for hips and thighs.

In flag football, the necessary gears are: mouth guard, cleats, head gear and flag belt.

Warm up

Warming up before the game reduces the risk of injuries. Also, warming up increases metabolic rate, raises body temperature and increases respiratory and heart rate.

Warm up exercises for kids may include stretching, running and performance drills.

Playing hurt

Just like in any sports, a player must not be in the field when he or she is injured. Kids are especially vulnerable to getting hurt. If you are the coach, take out anyone from your team who is hurt. If you are a parent or a spectator who notices that there is something wrong with a player, inform the coach to take the player out. For kids, common injuries such as bruises, scratches or body pain can be a serious matter that needs serious attention.

In some cases, kids are afraid to tell adults that they are hurt so make sure that your players know how the importance of telling when he or she is injured.

Know and understand the rules of the game.

The rules of the game are partly created for the safety of the players. As an adult, you are responsible in carrying the message to your players about the importance of following the rules. Teach your players about the rules, safety and proper conducts on and off the field.

Before playing any kid, make sure that he or she is physically fit. A player may be wearing all the gears, have warmed up before the game and know and understand the rules of football, if he or she is not physically fit, you still put him or her at risk. Apply some fitness program, speed training and strength development exercises in order to prepare your players for the games ahead.

Kids Football: Safety First originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

1. Be in proper shape and physical condition when you play the sport. Many believe that physical activities will get people in shape. While this is true, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Proper conditioning and regular exercise is important if you will engage in any physical activity. Make sure that your body is conditioned well by adequately training for the specific activity. If you are playing football, building strength and improving stamina are two of the most important things you should do.

2. Wear appropriate protective gears. Helmet, gloves, mouth guards, protective pads and other football equipment are there for a reason. Wear them whenever you go out and play football. If you are just playing football for fun and you don’t have any protective gears, do not engage in full physical intensity with your opponent. Play touch ball instead.

3. Warm up before playing. Never start any physical activity, especially football, without warming up. Cold muscles are more susceptible to injuries so make sure that you take it slow at first. Do specific stretching. Warming up is also helpful for athletes with history of injury. Stretching the previously injured part of the body will help lessen the risk of chronic problems.

4. Do not play if you are tired or in pain. Tiredness and pain is a sign that there is something wrong in your body. It is how the body communicates to you. If you need rest and DON’T play.

5. Rest. Constant training will improve your game. One of the more important factors that players often overlook is resting. Make sure that you rest as much as you train. Period.

6. Know and follow the rules of the sport. “Rules are made to be broken,” as saying goes. But in football, if you break the rules, you’ll probably end up breaking a bone or two, whether your own or your opponent’s. Know and abide football rules especially the ones for proper blocking and tackling. They are designed, partly, to keep players safe.

7. Do not act like a pro. The athletes you see on the television are well-trained, properly conditioned and most of all are paid to play football so they spend most of their time improving their game. The way they tackle and sack another player may prove to be very painful to beginners.

These are actually not very complicated. All it takes is a little of your common sense and you’ll reduce the risk of football-related injuries.

How to Prevent Football Injuries originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Take a good pick. Right at the start, pick a team that is the best in the league. Pick your country or a player from your country. Americans may not be fond of soccer so much but we have produced caliber individuals who play for different clubs in international leagues.

Hang around with buddies who are interested in soccer. Not only they are fun to be with, they can give you very useful insights about different leagues, teams and players.

Avoid watching dubious games between subpar teams. Watching such games will not help and they are very boring. I think this is also the reason why most do not watch the game; they do not know how to differentiate good leagues from bad ones. Watch premier leagues instead. The best leagues are in Europe. Barclays Premier League and Spanish Primera are excellent choices.

Watch World Cup games. It happens once every four years but it is a worldwide spectacle. The World Cup features the best teams and the best players around the world.

Familiarize with good strikers and attacking midfielders. They are often the most popular players in the league. Name such as Ronaldinho of Milan, Van Nistelrooy of Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney of Manchester United and Francesc Fabregas of Arsenal are the best in the league today.

Play the FIFA 09. If you have PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360, Windows or PlayStation 2, then you better have the FIFA 09 or any football game that is part of the FIFA series. The game features different leagues from different countries. The Manager Mode allows you to take the helm of a football franchise and play the entire league of your choice and freely buy and sell players to and from different clubs. Other game modes include Challenge and Be a Pro among others. The game has stunning graphics and excellent game play that will surely kickoff your interest in the game.

How to Jumpstart Your interest in European Football originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

First, there is a physics involved in curving the ball. You, however, do not have to be master’s degree holder in Physics to do it. Just remember the basic principle: the more you spin the ball from a kick, the more it will curve.

Second, know where you want to get the spin. The ball that is spinning to the right will curve to the right. The ball that is spinning to the left will curve to the left. The movement of your foot hitting the ball will give the curve its character. Know how the ball moves with respect to the way you kick the ball. You have to be mentally aware of the ball’s behavior on every kick so that you will know how to deal with your future kicks.

Finally, kick the ball right on the spot. The keys to curving the ball are how strong you kick it and how much spin you place on it. The internet cannot teach you how strong you have to kick the ball to get the desired distance or how much spin you have to give to the ball to get the right curve; you need to go out and try it. Practice hard and improve on every kick.

You need to watch videos and games where top players curve the ball. Roberto Carlos, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the top players who can curve a ball right. Try to imitate them as much as you can. Websites with free videos over the internet are good sources.

One more thing. Since kicking hard is an element to make the ball curve, you need to invest on strength. Do several leg exercises at the gym or practice different drills that develop leg muscles and increase leg strength.

Last point: Curving the ball is easier on a dry day than on a wet day. Either way, it can be done. All you have to do is to hit the ball hard off-center and give it lots of spin; control the direction of the ball by knowing how your foot affects the ball’s movement; and practice several times.

How to Curve a Soccer ball originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Start young. Enroll in high school with a football program. Master your craft while still young. Contact a college recruiter or become a star right in your high school years so that you will have a greater chance of getting noticed. Remember that competition is fierce. Only 6% of high school players will go on to play for the NCAA; and only 2% of NCAA players will go on and be drafted to play for the NFL.

If you need financial assistance to go to college, apply for athletic scholarship to as many colleges or universities with a football program. Do not delay your entry to college. Start right away. Once you become an NCAA player, stand out. Become the best in your position. You create more stir on the eyes of the crowd and scouts if you excel in your position.

Scouts will surely find you if you are an excellent player. But it will always help if you submit press kits to get noticed. A press kit includes resume of achievements, high quality photographs, newspaper or articles where you appear and video clips featuring your playing skills.

Participate in an NFL draft. Send notice of availability for draft to the NFL. If you are not selected, you can become a free agent and you can try out for any teams.

NFL guys are not just a bunch of testosterones banging over a ball. They are professionals too. If you are going to try-out for positions in the NFL, CFL or AFL, be courteous, respectful and act professionally.

Do not forget to improve your skills. Becoming a professional football player is not a walk in the park because if it is, everyone will be doing it. Couple your dream with constant practice. Know what you want. Become better every day and every time you play. If you believe in the power of prayers, pray.

Although this is not a surefire way to become a pro football player, it will open your chances to become one. One more thing, football is not for all so you have to treat it as your own. Right attitude can make a world of difference.

Dream big! Play hard!

How to Become a Pro Footballer originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Each team may consist of more than 50 players, some even have as much as 100 hundred players. Because of the large roster of players in any given football team, most leagues adopted a certain numbering system to prevent confusion as well as to provide a more definite system of choosing a number for a player. The choices of numbers for football players range from 1 to 99. However, each position is restricted to a range of number.

The more popular and commonly used system of jersey numbering is the NFL uniform numbering system. In this type of system, each position or player can choose from a range of numbers specific for that position such that:

Numbers 1 to 19 are reserved for Quarterbacks, Punters, Wide Receivers and Kickers. (Take note that only in 2004 did the NFL allow Wide Receivers to use numbers found in this range.)

Numbers 20 to 49 can only be used by Cornerbacks, Running Backs, Safeties and Tight Ends. The latter can only use this number whenever numbers 80 to 89 are not available

Numbers 50 to 59 are restricted to Offensive Linemen and Linebackers.

Numbers 60 to 79 can only be given to both the Defensive and Offensive Line. Thus, Centers, Guards, Tackles, Defensive Ends, Nose Guard and defensive Tackles are the only players who could wear these jersey numbers.

Numbers 80 to 89 are available only to Tight Ends and Wide Receivers. These players can also use numbers 40 to 49 in case 80 to 89 are not available.

Numbers 90 to 99 can be worn only by Defensive Linemen and Linebackers.

Prior to 1973, the numbers 0 and 00 were used but for some reason these numbers were removed from the list of numbers that could be used. In summary, this NFL numbering system encourages or limits the players to certain numbers on the basis of their position in the team.

How the System of Uniform Numbering Works originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Technically, punting the ball is the last option to play on a fourth down. But it has become the more preferred choice since it assures the team that the ball will be sent out as far back as possible where the opponent has to begin its play. This is very straightforward and is proven to be very effective on many occasions whether during the regular season or in the Super Bowl.

The team punts for one reason: there is too much ground to cover and there is little or no chance to advance the ball and take the first down. Strategy is another reason why the team would decide to punt the ball. Usually, when the offensive team is in the lead, the clock is running down and there are too much ground to cover punting the ball instead of going for it is a better choice since they will not risk turning the ball over on a scoring distance in case the fourth down play fails.

Speaking of “going for it,” the team who decides to resume the normal passing or running play on a fourth down has to push the ball to reach the first down line. While this is more dangerous, the offensive team that successfully completes the play and crosses the first down line can keep possession. Meanwhile, if the offensive team fails to cross the first down line, their opponent will begin the possession on the last line of scrimmage. Choosing this kind of play is depends on the score and the time remaining in the game. Usually, the team that decides to go for it has little time remaining on the half and there is no way for the opponent to score in case the offensive team fails to cross the first down line.

If the goal post is near enough, the offensive team can choose to kick a field goal. In most situations, field goals are attempted within 35 yards from the end zone but the distance really depends on the skill of the kicker.

Football: What to do on a Fourth Down? originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Under the rules of the American Football and the NCAA, there are actually two types of line of scrimmage: the offensive and the defensive. Both lines restrict each side until the ball is at play. The space between the 2 lines is called the neutral zone and no one, except the center, the player in the offensive team who snaps the ball, is allowed to have any part of his body on the neutral zone. For the play to be legal, certain number of players including the eligible receivers must be inches near the line of scrimmage. Although it is technically incorrect, the entire neutral zone is commonly referred to as the line of scrimmage. In order to be specific and avoid confusion, referees, when calling a penalty, often use the term “the previous spot” instead of “line of scrimmage.” Others use the term to refer only to the defensive line of scrimmage since it is the line relevant to the measurements of the progress of the offensive team towards the goal. Under the Canadian Football rules, the players from the defensive team must not go nearer than one yard from the line of scrimmage.

Once the ball is snapped and the play begins, any player from each side is allowed to cross their respective line of scrimmage either to push the ball to the end zone or to stop the ball hander from pushing forward into the field.

On a television broadcast, the line of scrimmage is often indicated with a colored line, usually in blue, through a computer system called 1st & Ten. This is made to help commentators guide their viewers on the progress of the play and for the viewers to clearly see the distance that the ball must travel to get the first down (the yellow line is often used to indicate the distance of the first down from the line of scrimmage). In most broadcast today, the yellow line is changed into red to indicate 4th down.

Football: What is the Line of Scrimmage? originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Direct Free Kick

Direct Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offenses:

* Holds, trips or pushes the opponent
* Jumps at an opponent
* Kicks or attempts to kick the opponent
* Charges an opponent from behind unless the opponent is obstructing
* Charges an opponent in a dangerous or violent way
* Spits at an opponent
* Strikes or attempts to strike at an opponent
* Or, carries, propels or strikes the ball using his hand or arm

In a direct free kick, the player can strike the ball directly towards the goal of the opponent to score.

If the offending player commits any violation mentioned above within the penalty area, the team is penalized with a penalty kick.

Indirect Free Kick

Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if the goalkeeper in his own area commits any of the following violations:

* Touches the ball with his hands after his teammate kicked the ball deliberately towards him
* Takes more than 4 steps in any directions while bouncing the ball up and down or throwing and catching the without releasing it into play
* Engaging in tactics where the referee feels that it holds up the game and gives the opponent an unfair disadvantage

Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits one of the following violations:

* Plays in a manner, by which the referee feels as dangerous, intentionally obstructing the opponent when the latter is not playing the ball, charging the goal keeper except when he is outside the goal-area, obstructing an opponent or when he is holding the ball or charging the ball.

In an indirect free kick, a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been played or has been touched by other players other than the kicker.

Football: Understanding Soccer Free Kicks originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Fumble

When the player on the offensive side drops the ball during play, it is called fumble. He or anyone from his team can recover the ball. However, if any of the defensive players grabs the ball first, it is considered a turnover and they will gain possession. In any case, the location where the ball died will become the start of the play (defensive touchdown is not included).

Interception

The ball may be intercepted by the defensive player in mid-air between the intended receiver and the passer or the quarterback. When this happens, the defensive player may run the ball towards the opponent’s end zone. If he is able to reach the end zone, it is considered a defensive touchdown. If he is tackled before he reaches the end zone, the location where the ball died becomes the place where the first down is played.

Down

The offensive team has to move the ball 10 yards from the line of scrimmage in 4 attempts in order to get another set of downs. But usually, the team who is unable to gain 10 yards after 3 downs has to kick the ball as far back as possible. If the offensive team has decided to go for it on the fourth down and has failed, they will turn the ball over and their opponent will begin its first down at the location of the last play. Either way, the offensive team who has failed to get first down must give up possession to their opponent.

Safety

This happens when the offensive team is pushed back to its own end zone. Not only will the opponent score 2 points, tackled team will be forced to punt the ball and the tackling team will have the possession.

Missed Field Goal

No matter where you are on the field or what down are you in on the play, you can attempt to score 3 points through a field goal. But if you miss the attempt, your opponent will automatically take the possession.

Football Turnovers originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The reason why they are called special team is not because they are neither offensive nor defensive and there are no other names to be given, but because they possess unique skills. They can play good offense as they are the ones who receive the ball from the punt and rush the ball as far as possible so that the offensive team will start on a good distance from the opponent’s end zone. They are a good defensive team as they are responsible in keeping the punt return team from advancing in the field and prevent the field goal team from scoring.

The special team’s tasks are to punt the ball, kick the ball off, return the ball from a kick, block the punt return team, take the field goal and block the field goal team.

Here are the specialized positions in the special team:

Long snapper – is the player who snaps the ball for field goal attempts or punts. The counterpart of the long snapper in the offensive team is the center. Long snappers must throw the ball accurately as the punter or holder must handle the ball cleanly to execute the play.

Holder – the player who catches the snap from the long snapper (center) and puts it down for the placekicker. A holder is used during a field goal attempt.

Placekicker – the player who kicks the ball for field goal attempts, extra point attempts and kickoffs. The placekickers can kick the ball off the tee or while it is being handled by a holder.

Punter – the player who catches the ball behind the line of scrimmage from the center. After catching the snap, the punter drops the ball towards his foot and kicks it as far back as possible. The punter is commonly seen during the fourth down.

Punt returner – the one that is positioned farthest down the field who catches the ball from punt. Sometimes the punt returner is also the kick returner.

Kick returner – similar to punt returner. The only difference is that he returns the ball from a kick.

Gunner – a specialized position in the punting and kickoff team that is responsible in running quickly down the field to block or tackle the punt returner (or returner).

Football: Special Team originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Yellow card serves as a warning. In soccer, the referee used yellow card to indicate that a player is officially cautioned. After receiving a yellow card, the player can continue to play the game but on the second booking in the match, he will have to get off the field and the team has to play one man fewer. That is why, some coaches replace players who has been booked with a yellow.

The following are conducts of the player that is considered a yellow card offense:
* Holding an opponent (i.e. holding the jersey or any part of the opponent’s body)
* Steadily infringing the Laws of the game,
* Guilty of ungentlemanly conduct,
* Showing by action or by words the opposition from any decision of the officials,
* Leaving the field when the ball is still at play; or enters or re-enters the field to rejoin his team when the ball is at play without receiving authorization from the referee.

Aside from the yellow card, the referee will award an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the place where the offense is committed.

A red card is used by the referee signaling that the player has been sent off. Once given a red card, the player has to leave the field immediately. The player that is thrown out cannot be substituted nor participate throughout the rest of the game and the team has to play with one man fewer.

Players who receive a red card either receive 2 yellow card violations (2 caution able offenses) or receive a violation that is considered serious offense. Such are:

* Guilty of serious foul play (i.e. seriously tackling the opponent by the foot or seriously injuring the opponent),
* Uses abusive, insulting and foul language or gestures,
* Guilty of violent conduct (i.e. elbowing the opponent),
* Spitting at anyone including the officials, or
* Deliberately preventing the goal-scoring opportunity using his hands (except the goalkeeper)

Note: Yellow and red cards are also used in other sports like canoe polo, fencing, bandy, Australian football, field hockey, volleyball, water polo, rugby union, rugby league, handball and mixed martial arts.

Football/Soccer: Yellow and Red Cards originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Forwards (or more commonly called as strikers) have only one main job: to score a goal. They play nearest to the opposing goal and posses speed, strength, ball control and accuracy in striking the ball. Other duty of forwards is to set up other players for scoring opportunities. Because they score more goals than any other players in the field, they are usually the most popular, highest paid and superstars of the game. There are 3 varieties of forwards: centre forward (CF), deep-lying forward (SS) and striker (S).

Midfielders are excellent defenders and attackers. They play in the middle of the field where they can provide defense from the attacking team and great scoring options when they advance the ball. Midfielders’ main job is to keep possession of the ball, take the ball from the other team and receive the ball from the defenders and feed it to the forwards.

A soccer team usually has 4 midfielders during the game. The attacking midfielder (AM) who is stationed in the middle of the field, the defensive midfielder (DM) who is in front of the back defenders for defensive purposes, the center midfielder who plays several roles and is the link between the defenders and the attackers, and the winger or wide midfielder who is positioned on either side of the midfield.

Defenders or Fullbacks are usually positioned behind the midfielders. Their main tasks are to prevent the attacker of the opposing side from scoring and to provide assistance to the goalkeeper. Defenders usually remain within the team’s side of the field. Taller defenders move forward, near the opponent’s goal during corner kicks to provide extra passing options.

Specific positions for the defenders are sweeper or libero (SW), full-back (FB/RB/LB), center-back (CB) and wingback (WB/RWB/LWB).

Goalkeeper (GK) is the only person who can use his hands while the ball is at play. He is the one stands and defends the team’ goal post and prevent the opponent from scoring. “Goalie” is also used as a term for the same position.

Football: Soccer Positions originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

What I learned from that experience is that no matter how well I played during high school, jumping off the couch to kick a penalty kick is not the best thing to do. Of course, I will not end this on a sad note, at least on my part. Because just like a good Cinderella story, I had my redemption. The next game was a d

Football: Shooting a Penalty Kick originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

How to score

There are actually several options in order for a player to score. The most basic ways of scoring are the following:

* Deliver the ball beyond the goal line of the opposing team
* Catch the ball and rush it to the goal line
* Kick the ball through the opposing team’s goal posts which are located in the end zone of the field

What are the types of scores

Like in many ballgames, there are several kinds of scoring system in football. The most popular in this game is the touchdown which is equivalent to 6 points. The first two ways of scoring mentioned above often lead to a touchdown.

Another type of score is the two point conversion score. The team who was able to make a touchdown can opt to avail two extra points. If the team decides to get two more points to add to their touchdown points, the players will line up along the two-yard line. They will then elect the manner by which they would earn the extra point/s, thus they would either attempt to run across the field or strategically pass the ball from one player to another until the ball is delivered to the goal line of the opponent. If they somehow make it, they would be awarded the points. If they don’t, then they get no extra point. Not really bad for an extra chance at getting a much higher score.

If the team decides not to get the two point conversion score, they still have the option of getting an extra point by way of extra point conversion score. This will be done by kicking the ball through goal posts at the two-yard line.

A field goal, which is equivalent to 3 points, can be made by kicking the ball through the goal posts at the opponents’ end zone.

Finally, the team can also score by doing safety, which is worth two points. This can be done by tackling the possessor of the ball at one’s own end zone.

Football Scoring System originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The nickel defense is the basic and the most common defensive formation that is specifically designed to stop the pass. With five defensive backs, two line backs and four down linesmen, all players from the offensive side is checked including the all-important wide receivers.

However, playing aggressively by running a full blitz creates an opportunity to stop the passing game even before the quarterback releases the ball.

To do this, set the down linesmen on the edge of the offensive line. This will give enough room for the blitzers to rush to the quarterback. Remember that it takes time for the defensive backs to reach the quarterback so it is vital to move quickly at the snap of the ball.

As the down linesmen take care of the offensive blockers, rush the defensive backs from the outside of the field, going around and reaching the quarterback.

One or two defensive backs can squeeze through a space middle of the field since it is closer to the quarterback. Ideally, the offensive blockers who are occupied with the down linesmen cannot prevent the incoming blitzers from the middle of the field. For the down linesmen, it is important to design the attack in a way that will create a space for the blitzers to run through.

Attacking in this manner, the defense has all the options to block the quarterback – coming from all three directions (left, right and middle). The intimidating nature of this play may be enough to make the quarterback miss its intended receiver. The rushing blitzers also keep the pressure on the quarterback to make a play immediately.

Be careful though, a miss-played blitz can have a severe result. If the blitzers fail to reach the quarterback on time, the wide receivers from the offensive side are left with all the room to run down the field without defenders. Nonetheless, a properly executed full blitz in nickel defense can put a lid on the offensive team. As they say, the key to winning a football game is running a good defense.

Football: Running a Full Blitz in Nickel Defense originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

False start – Any unnecessary behavior intended to simulate the actual start of the game will call the attention of the officials in the field. This foul is committed if one player moves before the snap.

Illegal motion – Committed when a player moves forward during a snap.

Illegal shift – A player who is not necessarily moving but is not set prior to a snap; or at the time of snap, two or more players are in motion.

Illegal Formation – Depending on the league, more than or less than 7 players are on the line of scrimmage; when 5 ineligible players do not line up along the line of scrimmage; also applies to when eligible receivers do not line up in the farthest sides on the formation.

Delay of the game – This violation happens when there is failure to snap the ball before the time runs out.

Illegal touching of a forward pass – This happens when a forward pass first comes in contact with an ineligible receiver. In the case where the defender first touches the ball, any other player of the team will then be allowed to touch it.

Illegal touching of a free kick – After the free kick, no player from the kicking team can touch the ball if it hasn’t covered at least ten yards.

Intentional grounding – This is a violation committed when the quarterback intentionally make an intentionally incomplete throw in order to avoid being tackled by the defensive players of the other team. This is also done to conserve time and to avoid losing yardage.

Offensive pass interference – This is committed when an offensive player clearly hindered the defensive player from a fair attempt to intercept the ball.

Illegal forward pass – This happens when a player throws a forward pass after a change of ball possession or from beyond the line of scrimmage. It may also occur if a team commits a second forward pass in a single play.

Ineligible receiver downfield – This is committed if an ineligible receiver catches a forward pass. It should be remembered that only the eligible receivers can catch a forward pass.

Football Rules – Fouls Committed by the Offense originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Encroachment – This is contact of a defender to the offensive player prior to a snap.

Neutral Zone Infraction – Occurs when a defensive player who enters the neutral zone and causes a player on the offense to commit a false start.

Delay of game – This occurs on three occasions: when a time who already used up all their time out calls for another; when a team intentionally delays the snapping of the ball thus causing the clock game to expire, or when a team has more than 11 players on the field.

Running into the kicker – This is a milder version of the penalty called roughing the kicker. This is committed when a player or players make contact with the kicker after a successful kickoff or punt.

Defensive pass interference – This occurs when a defensive player impedes an offensive player’s chance of catching a forward pass.

Illegal use of hands – There are many occasions that precipitate this violation including:

Defensive holding – A defensive player grabs an offensive player to cover a recover or ward off a block.

Illegal hands to the face

Football Rules – Fouls Committed by the Defense originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

It utilizes the combination of the short punt and spread formations with 6 down linemen covering the quarterback. The rest of the offensive team is composed of one running back that is lined up next to the quarterback and 3 wide receivers, 2 on the left of the field and one on the right. Another variation of the shotgun formation has 3 wide receivers on the same side.

The most common scenarios where the shotgun is used is during the 2nd-and-long and 3rd-and-long situations. One notable NFL team that is very efficient in running this play is the New York Jets during the later part of the Joe Namath era. The Dallas Cowboys with Roger Staubach at the helm used shotgun effectively in the 1975 season. The 2007 New England Patriots used shotgun in majority of their plays. In fact, they are the only team who effectively used the shotgun formation as base play in the history of the NFL. However, the shotgun formation can also be used to utilize the speed of the wide receivers, just like the Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Manning as the quarterback, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison as wide receivers.

Aside from them, fewer NFL teams today use the shotgun formation for one good reason: it is an obvious passing play. When this play is called, the defense can adjust their formation to check the receivers from running down the field. In most cases, this is called as play when the team is behind and need to pass in order to catch up, or when the team is pushed back way behind the line of scrimmage on the last play and need to get the first down on the next. Needless to say, it is a risky play. With an accurate quarterback and good wide receivers, the team can definitely run an excellent play and gain more yards or even a touchdown.

Football: Playing the Shotgun originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The game is played on a rectangular field. The Length is not less than 100 yards but not more than 130 yards. The width is not less than 50 yards and not more than 100 yards. The length is always longer than the width.

The game is divided into 2, 45-minute halves. A stoppage time may be added after each half.

There are 11 players on each side, usually composed of 1 goalkeeper, 2 forwards, 4 defenders and 4 midfielders.

The first possession is decided by a toss-coin. The winner of the toss shall have the choice of kick-offs or ends.

The game starts in the middle of the field. All the players from each side must be in their respective half.

When the goal is scored, the game is restarted in the middle of the field with the team losing the goal in possession.

The goalkeeper is the only player who can touch the ball by his hands when the ball is at play.

The ball that goes out of bounds must be thrown-in by a player from the team that did not touch the ball last.

The player must have both feet grounded during throw-in.

A corner kick is awarded to the attacking team if the ball is last touched by the opposing team and goes out of bound in the goal line without scoring.

A goal kick is given if the ball is last touched by the attacking team and goes out of bound in the goal line without scoring.

In case of a bad tackle inside the penalty area, the offensive team is awarded a free kick.

A free kick is considered a goal and is equivalent to one point.

Off-side is called against the attacking team if at least one of its players is caught nearer to the opponent’s goal line. A player is not penalized if is just merely caught in the off-side position or if he receives the ball direct from corner kick, throw in, or corner kick. A penalty is called if the player receives the ball in the off-side position or his teammate passes him the ball while he is in the off-side position.

A yellow card is given to a player when a player is guilty of committing an offense that is more serious than a foul. Red card is received if the player has committed a yellow card for the second time, or is guilty of committing a severe violation. Red card means automatic ejection from the game without a substitute.

Football or Soccer: Basic Rules of the Game originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Counter-Attack

Your opponent’s desire to score a goal can be an advantage. The key to counter attacking is to have as much opponents as possible inside your half while leaving a man or two further up the pitch. Once they have too many men committed to the attack, all you need to do is to play a good defense and take the ball away from them. Once you have the ball, pass it to your striker who has few players to negotiate.

While this type of play is very risky and require solid defending of all players in the field, it can lead to scoring opportunities when executed well. This is often the type of play used by teams with 4-5-1 formation (4 defenders, 5 midfielders and 1 striker up in the field).

Wide Play

The key to this offence is the wide midfielder attacking at the side of the field. A wide play can place the defenders of the opposing side out of position; create a number of opportunities for the winger; allow a different angle of attack; whip a cross; or cut inside, drive and attack.

Wide play relies on the winger’s ability to create the right play at the right situation.

Long-ball

Any team who can exploit their opponent’s mistake can benefit on this type of play. The main element for long ball is accurate passing. To execute, a defender can directly pass the ball to the striker who is further up the pitch or, you the defender can pass it to the midfielder who will rely the ball quickly to the striker.

Set play

For a team that has an exceptional striker with great accuracy to kick the ball towards the net, the set play is very useful. Free kicks, throw-ins and corner kicks can be utilized to create a play or score a goal.

Possession

The principle in football is simple: you cannot score a goal if you do not have the ball. To put it in other words, you have a greater chance of scoring if you have the ball. There is logic behind this. If you keep the ball in your possession, the other team is always in pursuit. Eventually, the frustration of chasing the ball and the frustration to catch the ball can lead to small spaces where you can create scoring opportunities.

Football Offensive Tactics originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Quarterback is the heart and soul of the offensive team. Quarterbacks may pass the ball to the receiver, hand the ball off to a running back, or run with the ball. The quarterback must be an excellent passer and quick thinker for split-second decision making. He must also be able to see the field clearly and read the defense to run an effective play.

Running backs are players lining in the backfield (beside or directly behind the quarterback). Their main job is to carry the football but they must need to be a good blocker during a passing play. Running backs should be strong in order to protect the quarterback from incoming tacklers and fast to run the ball down the field.

Wide receivers’ role is to catch the ball during passing play. They must be fast runners and great catchers. Usually, wide receivers are small and very athletic. They line up on or rear the line of scrimmage, far away from where the ball is placed.

Tight end doubles as a wide receiver (to catch passes) and an offensive lineman (to create spaces for runners or protect the quarterback), depending on the play. They line up just outside the offensive line.

If the quarterback is the heart and soul of the offense, the offensive line is rib that protects it. Their main job is to protect the quarterback by creating a wall to prevent the charging defense from tackling the quarterback. They also work to create space and clear the way for the running backs or the quarterback to pass through the defensive line. The offensive line is crucial for the completion of the play. Without it, the offense will struggle. The players of the offensive line are usually strong and big to keep the player with the football safe from tackle.

The offensive line is made up of 5 players/positions: center, right and left guard, and the right and left tackle.

The center stands on the middle of the field. He is the one who gives the football to the quarterback at the start of the play. The center is the only player that can be at the neutral zone before the ball is snapped.

The right and left guard are the players beside the center. The guards’ role is to keep the defense off the player who has the football.

The right and left tackle are 2 offensive linemen that are next to the guards.

Football: Offensive Players originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

To add to this length of game play, there would be two-minute breaks in between the first and the third quarter to give time for the switching of sides for both teams. After which, the game would begin where it left off. Two minutes don’t sound much but that doesn’t end the list of extra minutes. To allow rest to players and to give time for the audience to buy their snacks, not to mention to provide enough time for the cheerleaders to take their 15 minutes of glory, there is a 15- or 30-minute intermission after the second quarter. This is known as the half-time. It will be called regardless of who possesses the ball or what the current engagements of the players are. Once the half-time expires, the players would start fresh and they would again pick up from where they left.

Technically, the game should only take an hour, if the calculation is based on the four 15-minute quarters. But it should be remembered that the clock doesn’t continuously run through the game, so the 15 minutes on the clock do not expire within 15 minutes. In fact, those fifteen minutes only signify the length of each quarter. There are lots of stops that may happen during a touchdown, the first downs, time-outs, referee calls, players taking their positions, commercials, and others.

Given the right conditions, say there is no tie breakers, the length of the game would be close to three hours as was mentioned earlier. But with a sudden death or overtime, some games last for more than 6 hours, some even took days to settle the tie. Even without overtime, some games could stretch for as much as 4 hours.

Apart from the factors given above, the length of a football game also depends on the kind of football being played. Like for high school football, there are only 12 minutes per quarter. College football runs as long as professional football. But with all the “commercials” and “breaks”, the average football game will commonly last for three hours.

Football: How An Hour Becomes Three originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

To accomplish this objective, players will go through the following sequences of events:

The game would begin with a toss coin. The captains of each team plus the referee will go to a certain spot on the field, usually at the center, to accomplish the tossing of the coin. This determines who goes to kick the ball first. By principle, the captain of the team who won the tossing of the coin will decide whether to kick the ball towards the other team or to receive the ball from the other team. The game would officially begin when either of the teams kicks off the football.

The receiving team will then try to catch the ball and advance it towards the goal line of the opponents. The team who is playing the offense will be given four chances to advance the ball to the other side of the field, this amount to at least 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage. Each chance, attempt or try is called a down. This starts from the moment the play begins or when the ball is put into play until the moment the ball dies or when the player handling the ball was tackled or was run out of bounds.

In order to make a score, the minimum of which runs anywhere from one point to 6 points, the players of the offensive team can opt for passing the ball from one player to another to get close to the goal line of the opponent or run the ball directly into the same zone. The team who is playing the defense, however, can intercept, catch or knock the ball that was passed or kicked, or tackle the player who’s holding the ball or make him run out of bounds. This normally happens when the player who currently possesses the ball is made to step on the sidelines. Each play ends when the player it tackled or knocked down to the ground or when a player successfully makes a knockdown.

The spot on which the player was tackled or the ball was intercepted will then be the new line of scrimmage. Once the players take their positions, the offensive squad will again try to advance the ball towards the goal line.

Football from the Beginning of the Game to the End originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

4-4-2
The four-four-two is the most basic and widely used type of football formation simply because it distributes the players equally across the field. The four defensive players and four midfielders that can effectively support the goalkeeper from any offensive attach, whereas the two attackers up the pitch can create scoring opportunities with the support of the midfielders. The notable weakness of this type of formation, however, is that it puts a lot of pressure to the midfielders as they are hugely burdened to take care of both the defense and offence.

4-5-1
The four-five-one is used as a defensive formation with four guys on the defense and five midfielders protecting the center of the field. However, this has gained a lot of popularity as it can also be used to create attacking opportunity, especially in counter attacks. All five midfielders can become attackers, with wingers being the key support of the lone striker. That said, the formation is very effective if the team has great passing midfielders and excellent wingers.

4-3-1-2
The four-three-one-two or more popularly known as the diamond formation employs four defenders, three holding midfielders (with two winger), one attacking midfielder and two forwards. This is used as an attacking formation where the wingers move up-field to support the strikers and the attacking midfield. One of the more notable teams that used the 4-3-1-2 is the 1966 World Cup-winning English national team.

4-3-3
The four-three-three is made as an attack formation, which is basically 4-5-1 but with wingers acting as true forwards. This type of formation is used by Barcelona to accommodate strikers such as Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, and other midfielders like AndrTs Iniesta, Thiago Motta and Xavi.

5-3-2
The five-three-two is purely defensive with five defenders to support the goalkeeper, leaving three in the midfield and two players up-field. Since, most of the players are placed in-field, there is not much options to attack. As a result, this type of formation is rarely used.

There are other varieties of formation which is used by different football club. Often, the use of a particular formation depends on the type of lineup the team has to utilize the players’ skills.

Football Formations originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

In summary, the football team who has covered more distance is more likely to win the game. Thus, the team who has conquered more yards gets to score more often and the team who has allowed the other team to conquer their yard will lose more possibilities of scoring.

The entire playing field is 100 yards taken from the entire length of the football field which is 120 yards. You would notice that a football field has markings, which are distinguished by their measurement in yards. These guide the players and the viewers on how much distance one team has covered. In the middle of the field is a horizontal line that divides the playing field into two this is the original line of scrimmage. As the game goes along however, with advances and retreats from both teams, the line of scrimmage will be changed depending on where the ball was last seen during the previous play.

From the original line of scrimmage, the yardage is indicated by how close a specific line is to the end zone. Thus, from the mid-field or original line of scrimmage, the yardage starts at 40 yards down to 10 yards. On the other hand, yard lines are measured by fives; however, markings are made every 10 yards. Each yard is indicated by the hash marks which are located on both sides of the field.

At all sides of the playing field are the boundary lines, the shorter ones are called the end lines while the longer ones at the sides are called sidelines. The end zone, the area where touchdowns are scored, cover a stretch 10 yards from the goal lines to the end lines. Located behind the end zones are the goal posts.

As one would realize, all players have to conquer each other’s zone, either to score or to prevent the other team from scoring.

Football Field: The Principle of Conquering by Inch or by Yard originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Head and Face Protection

* Helmet – The most important gear that the player must have. Serious head injuries can be prevented while wearing a helmet.

* Mouthpiece protects the teeth from crashing blows. Players can prefer to attach it to the facemask or not.

* Facemask protects the player’s face from accidental contact. The styles of facemasks depend on the position of the player.

* Chin straps are used to secure the helmet to the head.

* Jaw pads are attached directly to the helmet, which provide cushioning between the jaw area and the helmet. Many players mistakenly treat these as ear pads.

Body Protection

* Shoulder pads provide protection from the impact during contact with the shoulder. Some shoulder pads are designed with rib pads and neck roll.

* Shock pads are worn under the shoulder pads to provide extra cushioning from the impact during the contact with the shoulder.

* Rib pads are used to provide protection on the rib area during contact. Some designs provide protection of the lower back from a blind side hit.

* Elbow pads are used to provide elbow protection.

* Arm pads are used to provide forearm and wrist protection.

* Receiver gloves are worn to improve the catching ability of the player.

* Linemen gloves are special gloves that are designed to protect the linemen’s knuckles during contact, particularly when their hands are caught between two shoulder pads or helmets.

Leg Protection

* Football cleats can either come with screw on tips or non-screw on tips. Cleats with screw on tips are great for quick changes depending on the field’s condition. One major drawback, however, is that it wears out pretty quickly. The non-screw on tips commonly referred to as “turf” shoes may be artificial or natural.

* Knee pads and thigh pads are designed to protect the knees and thighs respectively. These come along with girdle, which are secured by the football pants. The pants are designed to be tight to keep the pads and girdle in place.

* Tailbone and hip pads are designed to protect the tailbone and hips from contact. They are made from lightweight foam and are held on a girdle to maintain them at the right position on the body.

Football Equipment Essentials originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The Field

The professional, college and large high-school football have identical field dimensions. Minus the end zone, the regulation football field is 100 yards long and divided into 10, 10 yards parts (the field is 53 1/3 yards wide). On each end, there is a goal post that stands 10 feet high and 18.5 feet wide for the NFL. NCAA uses a much wider goal post measuring at 23 feet and 4 inches wide. The yards are measured from each respective end zone until they meet in the middle field indicated with a 50-yard marker. In arena football, the indoor field is much shorter with just 50 yards long with 2 eight-foot end zone at opposite ends. The goal post for the arena game varies in widths.

The Clock

A professional football game runs for 60 minutes which is divided into four 15-minute quarters. This is also used for the college and arena game. High school football game, on the other hand, runs 12 minutes shorter at four 12-minute quarters. Another difference is the amount of time that is allowed for the team to consume in between plays.

The overtime system varies widely. In case of a tie at the end of regulation, the professional game goes into sudden death. That is, the first team to score is the victor within the 15-minute overtime period. In most college games, both teams trade possessions in a “shootout.” The team who scores without the other team doing the same wins the game. The arena football uses both the college and professional football overtime systems.

The Play

The professional, NCAA and other large secondary schools employ 11-man players on the field on each side. The arena games and other smaller secondary schools have only 8 players on the field. Moreover, the term “out of bounds” is used differently from each league. For example, the player from NFL has to have both feet inside the field to be considered inbound and to score a touchdown if at the end zone. An NCAA player only has to have a foot inside the field to score a touchdown at the end zone.

Football Differences: NFL, NCAA and AFL originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

There are two main ways of defending: man-to-man defense and zonal defense.

Man-to-man defense is pretty straightforward; all 10 players in the field are assigned to guard a particular opponent. Man-to-man is very effective alongside a sweeper who has a free role and can provide defensive assistance to any of his teammates who is having trouble with his assignment. A sweeper can prevent through-balls and over the top ball wherein the forward players can run onto.

Man-to-man has a weakness, though. If a slower player is assigned to defend a fast striker, the result may be very grim. The manager has to decide carefully the individual match ups.

Zonal is another straightforward defensive tactic. Each player has to protect an area in the field. Unlike the man-to-man, zonal doesn’t rely on the individual ability of the players to fulfill their roles. Instead, the players have to protect the field as a team to prevent attackers from moving the ball forward. This compensates the lack of pace and technique of the team or the players in the field.

Ideally, the attackers will have to face two lines of four players, with the defensive line being the most important. With team chemistry and synchronized movement, the defensive line using a zonal defense can force the attacking team to commit off-side and prevent through-balls and long-balls. The midfield has to defend and as much as possible, intercept the ball before it gets into the defenders. Zonal defense is very easy to execute but if one player fails to do his role, attackers can easily penetrate and create a scoring chance.

Since scoring chances are high during set pieces such as corner kicks, crosses, and free kicks from shot range, the defensive team has to execute either man-to-man or zonal.

Attacking team that crosses the ball (or kicks the ball from the corner) has a great tendency to score with a header. It is important, therefore, for the defensive team to use man-to-man defense to prevent their opponents from getting into a good position to receive a header. In free kicks at shot range, the defense has to create a wall. The number of player that will comprise the wall defends on the angle of the kick and the skill of the striker. The players, therefore, have to carefully judge what type of play to use during free kicks.

Football Defensive Tactics originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The defensive line is usually made up of 3 to 5 players. They are composed of the defensive end players and defensive tackle players. They line up on the defensive line of scrimmage, opposite the offensive line. Their job is to crash the offensive line and try to reach the quarterback before it can make a pass. The defensive line prevents the surge of the offensive players on a rushing play.

A nose guard or often known as the middle guard is located at the middle of the defensive team (just behind the two defensive tackle players). He is extremely strong and usually quick with a job to stop the rushing player of the offensive team in the middle of the field. A nose guard can sack the quarterback or make a tackle of the player with the football.

Linebackers are normally located just behind the defensive line. Their role depends on a specific type of play that the offensive team runs. They must be quick to read the offensive play and respond in order to stop the play. There are 3 types of linebackers: left or right outside linebacker which must protect the middle of the field; middle line backer which is often referred to as the quarterback of the defense; and weak side line backer which is often the quickest as his task is to run around the offensive line and sack the quarterback, commonly called blitz.

Cornerbacks are located on the farthest left and right of the offensive formation. Their primary role is to cover the wide receivers.

Safeties (free and strong) are players located at the back of the formation and are considered to be the last line of defense. The free safety is typically the faster one which provides extra cover to the wide receivers. The strong safety is usually the stronger and larger one to be able to provide extra cover for the running play. Traditionally, safeties are considered to be hard hitters but today, they are combination of strength and speed.

Football: Defensive Players originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Their main difference is the number of players for particular position. The first number represents the number of down linemen; whereas the second number represents the number of linebackers. So in 4-3 defensive alignment, there are 4 down linemen and 3 linebackers; while in 3-4, there are 3 down linemen and 4 linebackers, to make up the required front 7.

In the 4-3 system, the main responsibility lies on 4 down linemen: 2 defensive tackles, known as nose tackles, and the 2 defensive ends that are positioned on either side of the defensive line. Since there are several players on the offensive line, the down linemen need not to attack the quarterback. Instead, they have to create some space in the middle of the field for the blitzers to penetrate. The 2 defensive tackles have one gap responsibility. That means the defensive tackle has 2 assignments – lining on the shoulders of 2 offensive guards. The defensive ends’ task is to put pressure on the running backs and the quarterback.

If the offense is running a passing play, the defensive line with the help of the line backers sack or tackle the quarterback before he can pass the ball to any of his wide receivers. If the offense is rushing the ball, the both the defensive line and the line backers are responsible in preventing the running backs or the quarterbacks from advancing. Usually, the defensive line guys are very large, weighting at least 280 lbs. Since it is very difficult for a team to find at least 4 very large and strong players, the 3-4 system can be used.

The 3-4 system employs very athletic but not so large linebackers to attack the offensive line and put pressure on the quarterback. One or two linebackers can play alongside the 3 down linemen, depending on the type of the play. There are weaknesses in this type of play, particularly, if the offense is playing a passing game. However, coaches have developed a system (i.e. zone blitz) where it can effectively counter any attack from the offensive team.

Football Defensive Line Alignment: 4-3 and 3-4 originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The possession of the ball is probably next to conquering yards when it comes to the degree of importance. The team who possess the ball is called as the offense. The other two units of the team will then protect the offense unit to create scores. The defense team, on the other hand, will try to delay the other team’s chances of making scores by tackling their offense unit or by intercepting the ball.

The offense maintains the possession of the ball until one of the following occurs:

Failure to advance ten yards for the first four downs or one play – Each team is given four attempts to complete the 10 yards. If they do so, they will be awarded another 10 yards until they score a touchdown. However, there are many occasions that would make it impossible to get the first 10 yards. In this case, the ball will be given to the other team.

After a touchdown – Once a touchdown is completed, a team will be given a chance to get two conversion points by advancing the ball towards the end zone or one conversion point by kicking the ball through the goal posts. Most teams choose the latter. After either of these, the team who was playing the defense will receive a kick off from the other team.

Through a punt – There are two occasions when a punt is used, one is when completion of the fourth down is impossible and two, by kicking the ball when it accidentally falls to the ground. A punt can be forfeited by the defense to earn their touchdown.

Through an interception – During a forward pass, the defensive team can catch the ball, called interception. The player or team who catches the ball can run with it until he scores, gets tackled or chased towards the sidelines.

Through a fumble – A fumble is made by the defensive player who recovers a ball from the offense team. Again, the player who catches a fumble can maintain possession of the ball until he makes a score, commit an out of bounds penalty or gets tackled by the defense team.

There are other ways to take possession of the ball such as when the defensive team fails a field goal attempt, when a safety was made or during a rare occasion of fumbling the ball towards the end zone in which case the possession of the ball goes to the other team and the game will be reset at their 20-yard line.

Football Basics: Change of Ball Possession originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Rushing or Running

Rushing or running the ball is basically holding the ball and running it as far as possible without being tackled. At the beginning of the play, the center snaps the ball to the quarterback who has the option to either run the ball or hand it to any of his running backs. The ball handler will then try to rush the ball either to the side or right towards the middle of the field, depending on the type of play that is called. Running the ball is the more preferred type of play on most situations since it yields to high probability of completion. When the defense is scattered across the field, rushing the ball will effectively lead to better scoring chances or getting the first down.

Passing

Passing play, another option in advancing the ball, is when the quarterback passes or throws the ball to his teammate. Depending on the type of the play called, the quarterback (who is the specific player who does the passing) can throw the ball to anyone. Technically, anyone who has the ball can pass it as long as the player is beyond the line of scrimmage (the line of scrimmage is an imaginary line that marks the beginning of the play). When executed properly, passing can be a very exciting and can yield to gaining several yardages. The pass is considered “complete” when the receiver catches the ball successfully. The pass is “incomplete” if the receiving player fails to catch the ball.

A passing play can be dangerous, though, as the defensive team can intercept the ball in mid-air. With this into consideration, the coaches and the quarterback must decide carefully on when to use this type of play in the game.

Kicking

Kicking the ball is often associated with field goal and punt. Field goal is an attempt to score right after a touchdown for an extra point or an attempt to score 3 points if the offensive player is near the end zone but could not score a touchdown. In punting, the ball is kicked by the punter 10 yards back where the ball is snapped. The receiving team will then catch the ball. The player who receives the ball has 3 options: field the punt, call of fair catch or let go of the ball.

Football – Advancing the Ball originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Encroachment is a violation where any of the defensive players crosses the neutral zone and touches any player from the offensive side before the ball is snapped.

Excessive time out is a penalty where the team calls more than 3 time outs during a half.

Delay of the game can be called against the defense but is more commonly committed by the offense. The delay of the game is called if the offensive team doesn’t snap the ball within the play clock. For the defensive team, the penalty is called if the referee feels that they do not allow the offensive team to execute the play in time for any reason.

A False start is called when the player is caught moving before the ball is snapped. The receivers, quarterbacks and the running backs are referred to as the “players in motion.” These players are allowed to move parallel to the line of scrimmage. Aside from them, no other players are allowed to be in motion before the play starts.

“Too many men on the field” is called if the players of either of the teams exceed 11 men while the play is alive.

Player out of bounds at snap. All eligible players must be on the field at the snap of the ball.

Illegal substitution. Any substitution must be made when the ball is not in play.

Illegal formation is called if the offensive side does not have 7 players on the line of scrimmage.

Illegal use of hands or defensive holding is a penalty called if the defensive player pushes or holds the receiver from the offensive team.

Illegal shift is called when a player makes a motion as if the ball is alive if he is just changing his position.

Illegal motion is similar to illegal shift except the player continues to move.

A five yard penalty is also called if one a player from the offensive team throws the ball pass the line of scrimmage. The penalty is referred to as forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage.

Other 5-yard penalties include: second forward pass behind the line, running into kicker, pass touched by receiver after he has gone out of bounds, invalid fair catch signal, illegal return, and face mask.

Football 5-Yard Penalties originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Clipping – This violation is called if the player blocks his opponent from behind.

Chop block is similar to clipping except the player blocks another person below the waist.

Fair catch interference is when the defensive player touches the receiver in any way after he signals for a fair catch. What the defensive player must do is to give the receiver at least 2 yards to catch the ball.

Faking a roughing is a rarely called penalty but it is committed by the passer or the kicker when he fakes being roughed in an attempt to get a foul called against his opponent.

Illegal low block is called if a player blocks his opponent below the knees.

Kneeling or kicking is similar to illegal low block. A player who commits this violation can be disqualified if the foul is flagrant.

Roughing the kicker is similar to the 5-yard penalty, only the foul is more severe. The player can be ejected from the game. Automatic first down is called.

Slapping, punching or hitting an opponent using the fist can be subject to a 15-yard penalty. If the act is flagrant, the player can be ejected from the game.

Spearing is when a player lean with the top of his helmet when tackling his opponent.

Roughing a passer is when the defensive player hits the quarterback 2 or more steps after the ball is passed. In other words, the defense can only tackle the quarterback 1 step after the ball has been released from his hands. Otherwise, the penalty is called. If the foul is flagrant, the tackler can be thrown out. Automatic first down is called as well.

Roughing an official in anyway (kicking, tackling, attacking, slapping, punching, pushing, etc) will disqualify the player.

Unnecessary roughness is called if the official feels that the tackle or the block is totally unnecessary in the play. If it is flagrant, the player can be ejected.

Unsportsmanlike conduct is called if the player commits unnecessary roughness while the ball is dead. If flagrant, the player is disqualified for the rest of the game.

A player that removes his helmet while on the field when the ball is alive and uses it as a weapon or to argue, celebrate, etc is prohibited. This is automatic disqualification.

Football 15-Yard Penalties originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Penalties often result to loss or gain of yardage, depending on whether it is committed by the offensive or the defensive side. The severity of the violation is determined on the number of yards of penalty. Penalties can be 5 yards, 10 yards or 15 yards. It can either be for or against the offensive or the defensive team, with the line of scrimmage being closer or farther from the first down line. Here, we will look at the violations with 10-yard penalties.

A ten-yard penalty can be called to the offensive side if any of its players helps the person with the ball by pushing or pulling them forward.

Intentional grounding is called against the quarterback of the offensive team if he is in between the offensive tackles and he throws the ball out of bounds or into the grounds if there is no chance of completing the play. To put it in other words, the quarterback must throw the ball where there is a player on the area. Otherwise, a ten-yard penalty will be marked off from the area where the quarterback threw the ball.

A deliberate punching, kicking, or batting a loose ball is not allowed. Otherwise, a ten-yard penalty can be called against the team.

Players, either on the defensive or the offensive side, cannot put their hands down to another player’s face to block the play. They also cannot hold their opponent’s jersey neither can they block another player from the back.

A player cannot trip his opponent to block or tackle him.

The offensive pass interference is called if the defensive player interferes of pushes the offensive player while catching the ball.

Football 10-Yard Penalties originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

The very first thing to remember when catching a football is to get in the right position. You may want to place your body facing where the ball is coming from. This way, you will be able to react properly on the ball’s movement. Once you get the position, slightly bend your legs with your feet, shoulder-length apart. If the ball is moving above your head, raise your arms with your elbows slightly bent. Your index fingers and thumbs on both hands touch, forming a spade-shape to catch the nose of the ball. It is important to lock your eyes on the target to catch the ball properly. If the ball is moving towards your midsection, you can either catch the ball with your hands (with thumbs and pinkies on both hands touch) or using your arms and abdomen although this is a bit dangerous. Either way, you should maintain the right body position with knees slightly bent and eyes lock on the target. Be ready to catch any type of ball, though. If you are catching the ball that is below your knees, you may want to use your body.

There are instances where you have to catch the ball running. To do this you have to outrun all your opponents and get a clear path. Run on a straight direction while looking back in split seconds to calculate the speed of the ball against your forward motion. You should be able to know how fast you have to run in order to make the catch. This type of passing play takes more practice and the skill required is more advanced. The best way to catch the ball running is to allow the ball to drop in front of you. This way you can stretch your arms and use your hands.

In all cases, defenders will do everything to intercept or take the ball away from you. You have to make sure that you separate yourself from the defenders and protect the ball once you have it.

Catching a Football originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Strength is a good investment. In football, speed is a major role regardless of the position you play. Strength training exercises and drills will help increase your strength. Lift weights.

Speed and agility are essential. The aim of the game is to get to your opponent’s end zone. If you run poorly and always laying on your back at the end of every play, then you need to improve your speed and agility. Speed allows you to run the ball without getting caught. Agility allows you to avoid the defensive players and stay on your feet. If you have both of these, you can become a good running back.

Endurance training increases your performance in the field. It takes a lot of energy to go up against your opponent who is either protecting the ball or trying to take the ball from your team. If you are not fit enough, fatigue comes easy. And if you are breathing like a cheetah who just had failed to catch lunch, you are in big trouble, big guy. Off the field, improve your endurance with aerobic training exercises.

Playing with subpar players will get you nowhere. If you are serious about becoming a better football player, you have to play against individuals with skills better than yours. Try-out on different football teams to get proper training and compete against players with different skill levels. Enroll and try-out to a school football program.

Playing without thinking is like running without any knowing where to go. Football players are not just a bunch of guys with armored suits banging against each other over an elongated ball. A single football play involves technical skill and tactical execution. You when you are in the field think and play with your team, especially if you are playing defense since you have to study each movement of your opponent.

You cannot become a good football player overnight. You need to practice, study the game, improve your physical conditioning and practice some more.

Becoming a Good Football Player originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

1. The field is 100 yards long and 53.5 yards wide but the field extends 10 yards on each end for the end zone.

2. There should only be 11 defensive players and 11 offensive players on the field.

3. Each football team is composed of an offensive team, defensive team and special team.

4. The offensive team is the one responsible in pushing the ball to the opponent’s end zone. The defensive team is responsible in stopping the opponent’s offensive team from scoring. The special team is the unit on the field during field goal, free kicks, extra point attempt and kickoffs.

5. The game is divided into four 15-minute quarters. In case of a tie at the end of the fourth quarter, the game goes into sudden death where the first team to score wins (NFL) or into “shootout” where each team exchanges possession and attempts to score (most college football) – the team who scores without the opponent doing the same wins the game.

6. Every offensive play begins on a first down from a kickoff, a punt or a turnover. The offensive team is given 4 attempts (or downs) to move the ball 10 yards forward and grab another set of downs. The quarterback (the player who has the ball at the beginning of the play) can either pass or throw the ball in order to advance. A team can always exceed 10 yards. If it has not able to reach 10 yards after 3 down, the offensive team can either punt the ball or go for it.

7. A missed pass is called incomplete play.

8. There are several ways to score in a football match: touchdown (6 pts.), extra point (free kick after a touchdown which is equivalent to 1 point), 2-point conversion (running the ball to the end zone right after a touchdown), field goal (3 pts.), and safety (2 pts.).

9. There are several ways for the defensive team to take ball from its opponent: interception, fumble, safety, down, and missed field goal.

10. The team with the highest score after the end of the game wins.

Basics of Football originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Although the game seems complicated for people who don’t know a thing about football, it is actually a very simplistic game by nature, complicated only by current advances in strategies and game play. Thus, if one understands how the basic football goes, it would be easy to traverse through the complicated image it often gives to football dummies.

The main objective of the game

The game’s main and only objective is to score points by advancing the ball towards the goal line of the opponent. There are two ways by which this can be facilitated. First is by carrying the ball over the goal line of the other team and second, by throwing the ball to a teammate who is in a strategic zone or somewhere near the goal line.

The scores can be earned through different means as there are different types of scores. The most popular is the touchdown which embodies the whole idea of delivering the ball mano-a-mano towards the opposing team’s goal line by painstakingly tackling opponents. Other types of scoring are extra point conversion, two point conversion, safety, field goal and the rarely used method of fair catch kick.

The Football Field

If you’re trying to learn football just for the sake of understanding the game, then it is not important to learn the technicalities of the field, the measurements and the exact dimensions. But for basic knowledge, the following details might be helpful:
- The entire field is 120 yards by 160 yards but the playing field occupies only 100 yards.
- The stripes running across the entire field have 5 yards interval but markings are made every 10 yards.
- At both ends of the field are the goal line, this is where all players go to score.
- The goal posts are located at the most rear section of the playing field.
- The entire playing field is divided by the 50-yard line from which descending yardage markers begin.

The Teams

There are two teams for each game, each with a maximum of 11 players each. Each team may be composed of specialized teams such as defense team, offense team and other teams with special objectives.

How does the game begin?

The game will begin by first determining which team is on the offensive. The ball will then be kicked by either team. The game will end when the time runs out. The winner is the team with the higher score.

Basic Football for Dummies originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

Overview

Object of the game – The main goal in football is to score points, usually by way of a touchdown, by dominating the field as much as the team can. The team which has earned more points will certainly win the game.

Duration of the game – The entire game may last for up to 3 hours which consists of four 15-minute quarters, half time break, time-outs and clock stopping due to violations of the rules, incomplete passes and others.

Overtime – One of the things that significantly add to the duration of the game is the overtime. This happens when the score of both teams are tied at the end of the fourth quarter. Various leagues have different rules for overtime. For NFL, overtime or sudden death can take as much as 15 minutes. The first team to score during those 15 minutes wins.

Starting the game

Coin toss – To officially begin the game, captains from both teams will meet in the middle of the field for a toss coin. Whoever wins in the toss coin will get to choose who will receive the ball from a kickoff.

First downs – Each team at the beginning of the game will be given four attempts to advance ten yards. If the team who is on the offense has not covered ten yards at the end of the fourth down, they will have the option of “going for it”, meaning completing the fourth down, or by kicking the ball to cover as much distance as possible. The receivers near the end zones will then have to make a touchdown. Failure to do so will lead to yielding the ball to the other team.

Downed player – The ball carrier is downed if the following takes place:
- Down by contact or by tackling
- When the player falls down to the ground, usually by slipping
- Intentionally downing the ball
- When the runner walks over to the sidelines or when goes out of bounds
- These result to the death of the ball.

Scoring

There are several types of scores in football. They are as follows
Touchdown – 6 points
Field goal – 3 points
Extra point attempt – 1 point
Two-point conversion – 2 points
Safety – 2 points
Fair catch kick – 3 points

Officials of the game

The Referee
The Umpire
The Head Linesman
The Line Judge
The Back Judge
The Field Judge
The Side Judge

Players
There are three units in each team namely offense, defense and special team.

Offense – Quarterback, Receiver, Running Back, Offensive Linemen
Defense – Defensive Linemen, Linebackers, Cornerbacks, Safeties
Special Team – Returner, Placekicker, Punter

Fouls and Penalties – Football has very strict rules and violation of each lead to penalties.

A General Picture of American Football originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.

There are several ways by which possession of the ball can be done including receiving the ball from a kickoff, by way of safety, punt, turnover and turnover on downs.

The team which possesses the ball will be given 4 attempts or downs to advance the ball for 10 yards. If this was successfully made, the team will be given another four downs to move the ball 10 yards or more, and so on until a touchdown is made or until the other team successfully intercepts the ball. After every play, the officials will measure the distance covered or lost by the offense team. Yards can be lost if the ball carrier is tackled behind the line of scrimmage. This may happen if the player steps back and the defense team tackle him down.

If on the third down the offense team has not yet covered 10 yards, they may opt for a punt. Most teams choose to kick the ball in order to cover as much distance. However, there is a danger to this. Once the ball is set off the air, the Returner of the other team can intercept it and run it back down the field. The offense of the kicking team will then have to tackle the Returner before he comes back to the field or successfully makes a touchdown. If, however, the offense team chooses to continue with its fourth down, they will have to complete the ten yards, failure to do so will force them to surrender the ball to the other team.

The game will reset for the other team. The same number of downs will be awarded and the same rule of awarding more downs will apply. However, this time the line of scrimmage will be changed according to where the ball was last spotted.

The play would end once either of the team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball towards the end zone such that the possessor of the ball crosses the opponent’s goal line.

Advancing the Ball Towards the End Zone originally appeared on Free PLR Articles on November 13, 2009.