The American football as we will call it for the purpose of this article owes its origins to soccer and rugby but is a game structured along similar lines but different in many other aspects. The differences are so much that those who are quite familiar with soccer and rugby might still find it difficult to follow the game of football like the NFL ties shown on Wager Bop a website that showcases the game.
For developing a deeper understanding of the game, we will talk about the basic rules and goals that would provide the foundation for knowing the game more deeply. American Football is similar to soccer in that teams consist of 11 players and played in a rectangular field having goal posts at the two ends.
The field
The rectangular field measures 110 yards x53 yards demarcated at the edges by a white border. Across the field there are white lines drawn at an interval of 5 yards and between two successive lines at every 1-yard mark along each side of the field there are small white lines drawn. The scoring area of 10×53 yards is marked on each end of the field. The uprights or goalposts are set up at the middle on the farthest boundary of each end zone. The uprights have 30 feet high posts on the two sides maintaining a width of 18 feet 6 inches between them and the height at the lowest point is 10 feet.
Teams – the attacker or offensive side
Of the two teams of 11 players on each side, one is the attacking or offensive team while the other is the defending team. The center of the offensive side together with the quarter back and other players like the offensive guards and tackles play a passing game amongst themselves with the target of scoring goals.
The defensive side
A number of line backers, defensive tackles and defensive ends are engaged in blocking runs and passes of the offensive team players as well as try to break through the offensive line to tackle the quarter back before he can release the ball. Corner backs and safeties are the other players of the defensive team who also follow the opponents in an attempt to thwart their moves.
The scoring system
The scoring system awards points for various actions like any team earns 6 points if they are able to make the ball reach the end zone of the other team. A kick taken from the defending team’s m2 yard line that goes through the upright earns additional 1 point and pass or run in the end zone earns 2 points. If a player possessing the ball is tackled in his own zone it earns 2 safety points. Kicking the ball through the opponent’s upright from a distance constitutes the field goal worth 3 points.
Four quarters of 15 minutes is the playing time of the game. It begins with a kick off taken by a team that sends the ball to its own 30-yard line and the other trying to catch the ball and run with it as far as possible.
