The superbowl, some questions

[adrian29uk]

I caught some of the Superbowl last night, while eating some doritos lol
I have to admit I just don't get it, so I have a few questions?

The player brings the ball forward a few metres, gets tackled and then the player celebrates. Play stops for what feels like 10 minutes, whats all that about?

What is going on in this pause while they advertise doritos, because all I say was loads of different players coming on?

To me looking from the outside it look as though there is no skill involved. You put on some pads, and you try to get the ball forward. What skill is involved in this game?

Could a Rugby player play American football and vice versa?

 

[Easy 10]

I'm no expert, but I know the basics, and hugely enjoyed the game last night.

Basically the team in possession has 4 downs to progress 10 yards up the field. So you start with a 1st and 10 (1st down, 10 yards to go). If the team gains, say 4 yards then they have a 2nd and 6 (2nd down, 6 yards to go). If they make another 2 yards, then it'd be 3rd and 4 (3rd down, 4 yards to go) and so on. To progress, a play must be "complete", ie the receiver must be in possession of the ball when he's brought down. If he drops it, then its incomplete, and another down is played from the same position.

Course they might make those 10 yards with their 1st down, in which case they get another 1st and 10, meaning they've got another 4 downs to make 10 yards.

If they fail to make 10 yards in 4 downs, then possession goes to the other team who pick up with their own 1st and 10. Ultimately both teams are looking to work their way up the field with a succession of downs, to get within range for either a Touchdown or a field goal. Or the quarterback could throw a pass enabling his receiver to run straight through for a Touchdown.

There is a HUGE amount of skill involved, particularly for the quarterback, who dictates the plays, the strategy, and has to have the accuracy to find his receivers without the ball bing intercepted (which puts the other team in possession).

Oh, and Rugby and American Football are very different sports with completely different tactics and patterns of play. Its like asking whether a soccerist could play hockey.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I thought the Doritos adverts were more interesting. Lovely with some cool salsa.

 

[strings]

I know nothing about American football also and found Easy's explaination quite helpful.

Could American footballers get the ball up the field by the means of a rolling Maul a la rugby?

 

[Norman Potting]

I know nothing about American football also and found Easy's explaination quite helpful.

Could American footballers get the ball up the field by the means of a rolling Maul a la rugby?

From my limited recollection yes, also that they could pass it rugby style and advance it that way. However, as soon as they lose the ball the game would stop and the it would then be the oppositions turn to move the ball 10yds, so they rarely, if ever do that. I am sure that I saw a televised game once whereby the ball was advanced rugby style briefly.

..Am I confusing matters here??

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

I know nothing about American football also and found Easy's explaination quite helpful.

Could American footballers get the ball up the field by the means of a rolling Maul a la rugby?

Not really. If a players progress is halted (but not tackled) the officials are pretty quick to call a halt. Also, because possession is a lot more precious you don't want to hand the ball to others because of the risk of it dropping it and the opposition getting it.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

I thought the Doritos adverts were more interesting. Lovely with some cool salsa.

Not as good as the Coke ad featuring the Simpsons and a bankrupt Mr. Burns

 

[Easy 10]

From my limited recollection yes, also that they could pass it rugby style and advance it that way. However, as soon as they lose the ball the game would stop and the it would then be the oppositions turn to move the ball 10yds, so they rarely, if ever do that. I am sure that I saw a televised game once whereby the ball was advanced rugby style briefly.

..Am I confusing matters here??

I don't think thats correct. There can only be one pass in a play. The quarterback can throw it to a receiver to catch it, or he can hand it to someone (ie the receiver 'collects' it straight from the quarterbacks hands), but they can't then start chucking it around to each other rugby-style. It has to be ONE pass per play, and then the receiver runs like f*** before he gets smashed.

 

[Da Man Clay]

I don't think thats correct. There can only be one pass in a play. The quarterback can throw it to a receiver to catch it, or he can hand it to someone (ie the receiver 'collects' it straight from the quarterbacks hands), but they can't then start chucking it around to each other rugby-style. It has to be ONE pass per play, and then the receiver runs like f*** before he gets smashed.

Nope that's not true Easy, you can have as many backwards passes as you like but are only allowed one forward pass per play (and that has to be taken before the "line of scrimmage"[where the ball is "snapped"]).

For example one of my favourite plays is called a "flea flicker" where the quaterback hands the ball to the running back who starts off as if he's on a run, he then turns round and throws the ball back to the QB who throws it forward and usually towards the endzone. Looks awesome when it comes off!

 

[Easy 10]

Ah, I stand corrected then, thanks DMC.
Was going to say, I didn't see any plays last night where the ball was changing hands more than once. Backwards is a BAD thing.

 

[Brovion]

I don't think thats correct. There can only be one pass in a play. The quarterback can throw it to a receiver to catch it, or he can hand it to someone (ie the receiver 'collects' it straight from the quarterbacks hands), but they can't then start chucking it around to each other rugby-style. It has to be ONE pass per play, and then the receiver runs like f*** before he gets smashed.

Not quite right. There can only be one FORWARD pass in a play and that must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage (i.e. where the offensive/defensive lines line up. You can throw it backwards or sideways as many times as you like.

Re the rolling maul query, I guess in principle you could do it but the play will be deemed to have stopped when there is no more forward momentum. It's better to think of it as being more akin to rugby league with four downs instead of six tackles and the play stops with each tackle.

Oh, and there's no concept of a knock-on.

Edit: Bugger, too slow.

 

[Simster]

I don't think thats correct. There can only be one pass in a play. The quarterback can throw it to a receiver to catch it, or he can hand it to someone (ie the receiver 'collects' it straight from the quarterbacks hands), but they can't then start chucking it around to each other rugby-style. It has to be ONE pass per play, and then the receiver runs like f*** before he gets smashed.

I don't think that's true. There are one or two preprescribed moves where the ball is switched from QB to one of the blokes behind the scrimmage who then hands it to the bloke running the opposite direction.

But I think you're right with the basic premise. The ball is generally not passed more than once because of the risk of the ball being dropped. A turn over can be punished heavily. This is why a punt is usually the course of action on the final down if it looks like the yards aren't going to be made.

 

[Easy 10]

Learning all the time. Thanks chaps.

I think I am now a SAINTS fan after last nights game. They won me some wonga with that heroic comeback.

*gloryhunter*

 

[Da Man Clay]

Ah, I stand corrected then, thanks DMC.
Was going to say, I didn't see any plays last night where the ball was changing hands more than once. Backwards is a BAD thing.

No worries fella. As you say backwards does tend to be bad and there are so many risks involved in that type of play that it's just not worth it a lot of the time.

 

[sten_super]

Nope that's not true Easy, you can have as many backwards passes as you like but are only allowed one forward pass per play (and that has to be taken before the "line of scrimmage"[where the ball is "snapped"]).

For example one of my favourite plays is called a "flea flicker" where the quaterback hands the ball to the running back who starts off as if he's on a run, he then turns round and throws the ball back to the QB who throws it forward and usually towards the endzone. Looks awesome when it comes off!

Michael Vick has made the field for a few plays this season for the Atlanta Falcons where he's lined up at full back. Then the quarterback can either throw himself or pass it back to Vick who can then opt to pass or run. Must be a bitch to defend against.

 

[Skint Gull]

An extremely rare event, and even more extraordinary because it was succesful, probably the most famous 'rugby' style play in NFL history:

[yt]A2I4_UP8_2M[/yt]


And as Da Man describes, a flea flicker:

[yt]r1s4ReSvjyA[/yt]

 

[Skint Gull]

Michael Vick has made the field for a few plays this season for the Atlanta Falcons where he's lined up at full back. Then the quarterback can either throw himself or pass it back to Vick who can then opt to pass or run. Must be a bitch to defend against.

Errr..... not likely

 

[simmo]

From my limited recollection yes, also that they could pass it rugby style and advance it that way. However, as soon as they lose the ball the game would stop and the it would then be the oppositions turn to move the ball 10yds, so they rarely, if ever do that. I am sure that I saw a televised game once whereby the ball was advanced rugby style briefly.

..Am I confusing matters here??

The only time you may see the rugby style move is virtually the last play of the match (and where time maybe expires on the play) where a team will be less than a TD down but more than a field goal. After maybe the one forward pass a player if not in the end zone when tackled will pass the ball to a teammate backwards (and he then maybe might pass it on again and again) rather than taking the hit and gaining the yards because it is pointless to do so.

 

[Acker79]

I caught some of the Superbowl last night, while eating some doritos lol
I have to admit I just don't get it, so I have a few questions?

The player brings the ball forward a few metres, gets tackled and then the player celebrates. Play stops for what feels like 10 minutes, whats all that about?

What is going on in this pause while they advertise doritos, because all I say was loads of different players coming on?

To me looking from the outside it look as though there is no skill involved. You put on some pads, and you try to get the ball forward. What skill is involved in this game?

Could a Rugby player play American football and vice versa?

general aim of the game

The point of the game is to get the ball in the end zone. If you can do it in one go, great, but it is very rare, it usually goes in increments.

You get four chances to move the ball at least 10 yards. If you do this, you get another four chances. These chances are called downs. "1st and 10" means it is your first chance to move the ball, and you have ten yards to go. If you move it 10 or more yards, it becomes first and 10 again. If you move it three yards, it becomes 2nd and 7.

With the fourth down comes a choice. If you don't make the 10 yards after the fourth attempt, your opponents get the all where you are. So if you don't make it, you could be handing them the ball in a position which means they don't have to go as far to get to the end zone.

So, unless it's only inches shy of 10 yards, most teams will punt the ball on fourth down. That way they kick the ball into their opponent's half, and the opponent can catch it, then they get possession of the ball. They then have to move the ball up the field and get it into the endzone.

When the ball is in the endzone a touchdown (6points) is scored (it only has to break the plane of the endzone, i.e. there's an imaginary wall coming up from the line at the edge of the endzone, if you touch it with the ball, it's a touchdown). You then have the choice to kick it for an easy one point. Or, you get one chance to put run or throw it into the endzone for two points (most teams kick it, but the 2 point conversion is used depending on score).

If a team is close enough to the endzone on fourth down instead of punting, they will go for a field goal, where they try to kick it between the upright (like a penalty kick in rugby). This gives them 3 points. If they miss, possession goes to the opposition at the spot of the last play.

After every score, the team that scored kicks the ball back to their opponents (hoping to give them the ball deep in their own half so they have as long a distance as possible to get to the endzone).


Moving the ball
To move the ball there are two main tactics: passing, running the ball.

Each chance to move the ball is known as a "play".

In a play the ball will be placed on the line corresponding to how far up the pitch it was moved.

The teams will line up. You have the linemen who are the row of people who face off. The QB will receive the ball, and then there's the other players. I'm not entirely sure of the names of positions, and it depends on what play they are going for.

There are receivers and running backs. The running backs will stay behind the linemen and and QB will hand the ball to them and they will try to run with it. The receivers will make a run up field and the QB will throw the ball.

If the ball is punted, the kicking team can try to catch it only after the opponents have touched it. If they take possession that way they get another first down (i.e. retain possession).

The clock stops if a thrown ball hits the ground, or if the player with the ball runs out off the side of the pitch.

The ball is in play only after it has been "snapped" (that is, picked up by the attacking team). Until then neither team is allowed to move ahead of the ball (the line of scrimmage - where the linemen jockey at each other, with the defensive linemen trying to get at the quarter back, and trying to block the path of any running backs, and the forward (attacking) linemen try to protect the QB and create channels for the running backs).

Position of the ball

The field has markings for every yard. The centre of the field is the 50 yard line, then each way it counts down to 0, which is the end zone.

The ball is placed at the spot furthest forward during the play, unless the attacking team/QB are tackled behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a loss of yardage. (Which can result in, say 2nd 17 - a loss of seven yards means you have to move it those seven, plus the original ten to get your next first down)

Fouls can also affect the distance.

Some fouls by the defence will move the ball and result in an automatic first down. Others will move the ball which means the ball has travelled bast the ten yards, meaning a first down is then award. Some will just mean there isn't as far to go to the first down.

Fouls by the attacking team can result in a loss of down (they lose one of their chances to move the ball) while also adding yards.

This is why where they spot the ball doesn't always appear to be in line with where the last play ended. (Something that confused me when I tried to watch it when I was younger, but with mic-ed up refs and better instant replays it's a lot clearer these days).

Timing

The game is 60 mins, but they stop the clock a lot, so they tend to last 2-3 hours.

As I mentioned earlier if the ball is carried out off the field, the clock stops. If the ball is thrown and not caught (or spiked - deliberately thrown at the ground at the feet of the QB) the clock is stopped. It gets stopped for injuries, it gets stopped for time outs, it gets stopped 2minutes from the end of each half (the two minute warning). It also gets stopped for challenges (coaches can challenge a ruling, they get two challenges per half, and if they challenge and are wrong, they lose a time out).

If the clock doesn't stop, I think there's 40 seconds for teams to decide on their next play, then line up and snap the ball. Failure to do so results in a penalty (and loss of yards - so they have to move it more than 10 yards).

If the clock stops, they still have 40 seconds to talk tactics, line up, snap the ball, but the game clock doesn't run down until the ball is snapped.


Tactics
There are various tactics involved.

The plays tend to be pre-planned. Each team has their own selection of plays. These include the movements of the running backs and receivers, whether they go straight, zigzag, etc. Kinda like the trickier freekicks, where each player has to make a certain run to try to fool the defence and make space for the player with the ball.

Obviously, there is also the reverse side of this, the defence and their tactics, trying to draw the QB in a certain way, i.e. make it look like he has a clear pass to one receiver, then block that pass, etc.

There's also the time management aspect. The ability to stop the clock means sometimes the last 2 minutes can actually last 10-15 minutes. Slowing the clock down gives them more time to get the points they need.

Conversely, if you're winning, you run plays up the middle so you can't step out of bounds, you wait as late as possible before snapping the ball so the clock runs down while you're in position giving your opponents as little time to get the points back should they regain possession.

There's also a degree of tactics involved when deciding whether to go for the one point conversion (kick after a touchdown) or the two point conversion (try to run it into the endzone again). This depends on the score, and the time of the game. It's often done late in the game, so that either you need only one more touchdown or field goal to tie/win the game, or if you're already winning, it means your opponents need two touchdowns/touchdown+field goal to win.


teams
Each side has three teams:
Offence - they're the players that try to move the ball forward
Defence - they are the team that try to stop your opponents moving it forward
Special Teams - These are the guys that do the kicking - kick offs, field goal attempts, one point conversions - and include some players from the offence and defence teams.


Breaks

Because the clock stops frequently, there are lots of moments where the camera is just watching people stand around talking tactics to each other.

This is dull. Even in soccer, it's dull. When there's someone getting treatment for an injury we get bored watching the captain talk on the side of the pitch with the manager. Imagine that happening every thirty seconds or so.

Some breaks have definite times which allow the TV companies to put in commercial breaks. Others have general times, which gives the TV show a few seconds to cut away and analyse the last play (which isn't really any different to soccer showing replays during injury breaks).

As for if a rugby player could make the switch? I don't know. There are some similarities, but it could done with the right player, I suppose.

 

[sten_super]

Errr..... not likely

Oh bollocks, knew I was going to do that. The Philadelphia Eagles.