FOOTBALL BASICS

The field is 100 yards long, 53 1/3 yards wide. The offensive team can score a touchdown (6 points) by crossing the other team’s goal line; a field goal (3 points) by place-kicking the ball between the other team’s goal posts; a safety (2 points) by tackling the other team in its own end zone, or a conversion (1 point after a touchdown) by place-kicking the ball from the two-yard line or running or passing into the opponent’s end zone. In college football, teams scoring a touchdown have the option of going for 2-point conversions by running or passing. The pros and colleges play four 15-minute quarters. In pro playoffs, tied games are played out until somebody scores to win. There are 11 men on the field for each team on each play. On offense, the ball is handled almost exclusively by the quarterback, running backs and receivers. On defense, the linemen and linebackers make most of the tackles against the runs and the defensive backs defend against passes. Teams keep the ball by gaining 10 yards or more in four plays. On fourth down, if their prospects of making a first down are poor, they punt to the other team. Each half is started by a kickoff, the kicking and receiving teams decided by a coin flip before the game.