About This Quiz
America's favorite pastime (hey, there's no law that says it has to be baseball) is full of terminology and rules. We bet you don't know them all. Test your knowledge and find out!When a team has the ball, it is the offense. This is easy to remember - just remember "O" is shaped like a ball.
Did we get you on this one? A standard football field is actually 120 yards, including both end zones.
Play begins at the line of scrimmage. Both teams line up on opposite sides of the ball.
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To use the goal post to score, the ball must go over the crossbar and between the uprights. It's ok for the ball to hit the goal post, as long as it goes over the crossbar and between the uprights.
When a player steps outside the edge lines of the field, that player is out of bounds. What happens when a player goes out of bound depends on the play.
From goal to goal, there are 100 yards. Can you run 100 yards at once?
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When the other team has the ball, your team is the defense. They are defending against a score by the other team.
There are four periods in a regulation football game. A period, called a quarter, is 15 minutes long.
This is false. Whether the clock continues to run, or stops, between plays depends on the result of the play.
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A football field is divided into five-yard sections. A yard line divides each section.
The timing system that tells teams what limited time they have between plays is called a play clock. Letting the play clock run out may result in a penalty.
Each team is allowed 11 players on the field at one time. Substitutions may be made between plays.
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The period after the first two quarters and before the second two quarters is called halftime. At halftime, teams meet in the locker room to review strategy (and fans go get a hot dog).
The 50-yard line is at the very center of the field. Each team's "territory" is half of the field.
There must be seven offensive players on the line of scrimmage. The rest of the defense must be at least one yard behind the line of scrimmage.
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Hashmarks divide the field into yards. They are along the sideline of the field.
This is false. Although the four offensive players cannot move, other players can.
A team's time on offense is divided into downs. The team gets four downs to move the ball at least ten yards.
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Each offensive play starts with a snap. The Center snaps the ball.
A football field is 53.5 yards wide. Who knew?
The four periods in a football game are called quarters. Each quarter is 15 minutes in length.
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Each time the offense moves the ball at least ten yards, they get a first down. Then they get four more tries to get another ten yards.
The offense can either run or pass the ball down the field. Running is also called rushing.
A fumble occurs when an offensive player drops the football. This may allow a defensive player to recover the ball.
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A false start occurs when an offensive player moves before the snap. There is a five-yard penalty for this move.
A player is called offside if he is on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. This is forgiven if they don't touch another player and they move back into position before the ball is snapped.
Grabbing another player's face mask can cause injury. This will result in a penalty for the offending team.
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A team's strategy is called a game plan. Game plans are discussed before the game, at halftime, and after the game.
Holding occurs when a defensive player grabs the offensive player with the ball. This may result in a penalty.
Running the ball gives the offense more control. Running the ball uses more time on the clock.
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Using five defensive backs in passing situations is called a nickel defense. The number of defensive backs can vary on a play.
A blitz occurs when a player, who would not normally do so, rushed the passer. This can be a great strategy against the pass.
A passing game means that the team must have a great quarterback. Passing uses up less time on the clock.
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Only one quarterback is on the field at one time. The quarterback is an offensive position.