Football is a team sport played on a field where players attempt to advance the ball across the opponent’s goal line. The game is divided into four periods of fifteen minutes each, each of which has a two-minute break in the middle. A team’s score is determined by the number of points they receive. If a team scores a touchdown, they earn six points. Alternatively, they can choose to kick an extra point, which results in three points.
Each team has a quarterback and a defensive line. Their quarterback is the person who carries the ball. Defensive line members are the people who try to stop the other team’s offense.
Each team has a playbook containing dozens to hundreds of plays. The head coach calls the field plays for his or her attacking team.
After the ball is placed in play, the offense is given four chances to gain at least ten yards, which are referred to as “downs.” If the offense does not gain at least ten yards, they turn the ball over to the defense.
Once the defensive team regains possession of the ball, they begin to attempt to block the offense. They will often try to tackle the quarterback or running backs.
When a player runs into a defender, the defensive team is awarded two points for a tackle. In some cases, the defense can also receive an automatic first down by being offside.
An offensive team can kick the ball in order to start a play. Usually, the quarterback will hand the ball off to a teammate.