American Football Guide

The​ ​Field
Football is played on a rectangular field 120 yards long by 53 1/3 yards wide. The boundary lines
are​ ​called​ ​sidelines.​ ​Near​ ​each​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​field​ ​is​ ​a​ ​goal​ ​line;​ ​they​ ​are​ ​100​ ​yards​ ​apart.
A scoring area called the end zone extends 10 yards beyond each goal line. At the back of each
end zone are two goal posts (also called uprights) Yard lines cross the field every 5 yards, and
are numbered from each goal line to the 50-yard line (midfield). Two rows of lines, known as
hash marks, run parallel the side lines near the middle of the field. All plays start with the ball on
or​ ​between​ ​the​ ​hash​ ​marks.
Scoring
To score points a team must advance the football into the opposing team's end zone. The ball can
be advanced by carrying, throwing or handing it from one teammate to the other. Points can be
scored in a number of ways, including carrying the ball over the goal line, throwing the ball to
another​ ​player​ ​past​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​line​ ​or​ ​kicking​ ​it​ ​through​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​posts​ ​on​ ​the​ ​opposing​ ​side.
A​ ​team​ ​can​ ​score​ ​points​ ​in​ ​the​ ​following​ ​ways:
A touchdown (TD) is worth 6 points. It is scored when a player runs the ball into or catches a
pass in his opponent's end zone. After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts an extra point
conversion. The ball is placed at the 2-yard line. The team can kick the ball through the goal
posts for 1 point, or run or pass it into the end zone for 2 points (a two-point conversion). A field
goal (3 points) is scored by kicking the ball through the goal posts. A safety (2 points) A safety is
scored by the defense when the offensive player in possession of the ball is forced back into his
own​ ​end​ ​zone​ ​and​ ​is​ ​tackled​ ​there.
Yanks​ ​Guide​ ​-​ ​The​ ​#1​ ​Guide​ ​to​ ​American​ ​Football
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