American Football for Dummies

Dr. Giganto

Yes...you have to drop someone from one of the other positions. It's usually the tight end or the fullback when they add extra recievers

Yes...one of the assistant coaches who is in charge of the defense usually watches the other team to see if they are changing the personnel on the field, and the defense will adjust accordingly

That's exactly it. It doesnt happen very often, since most teams are good enough to not allow themselves to be in that position

It does not matter what they score, touchdown, field goal, or safety. Usually teams settle for a field goal, because when they get close enough to kick an easy field goal, they don't want to take the risk or running more plays, and having maybe an interception or a fumble.

You can get thrown out of the game, but it would have to be something REALLY bad. Since it's such a physical game, there's a fine line between what's acceptable and what isn't. Most of the time, if you do something bad, your team will get charged with a 15-yard penalty. And if a player does get ejected, the team can replace him. It's always 11 on 11

3 in each half, and unused time outs do not carry over to the 2nd half

Usually the 1-point. It's succesful almost every time, whereas the 2-point is successful about 50% of the time.

There is one big league...the NFL (National Football League).

Within the NFL, there are two conferences: The AFC and NFC.

Each conference has four divisions: East, West, North, and South.

The winner of each division makes the playoffs. Also, the two best non-division-winners in each conference make the playoffs. So, it is 12 teams total, 6 in each conference. As such, the top 2 teams in each conference get to skip the first round of the playoffs (obviously, a HUGE advantage). The playoffs are basically a single elimination tournament...one loss and you're done. And the Super Bowl is one team from the NFC, and one team from the AFC.

The roster is composed of 53 players. There's usually at least one back-up at each position, except there's only one punter and one kicker. There are usually 3 quarterbacks on the roster also.

The draft is designed to improve the poorer teams, so that the same teams don't win every year. Basically, any person who is at least 3 years removed from high school can declare themselves eligible for the draft. The way it works is that the team with the worst record this year gets the first pick in the draft, the team with the second worst record gets the second pick, and so on. There are seven rounds in total. Also, draft picks can be traded, either for other draft picks, or for actual players.

No point system...it's just a win is a win is a win. You get nothing for a loss.

It happens from time to time, but usually not. Most NFL coaches prefer their players to focus all their attention on one position, to maximize their potential at that one position. Players will occasionally multi-task, but not that often.

NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!

Lou

No way man! San Francisco 49ers!!! They'll be good again... someday....

Dr. Giganto

It seems like we have an inordinate number of 49ers fans on here...

Joseph T. Cool

Administrator

What's wrong with that?

:pirate2:

Dr. Giganto

It's just surprising, is all...

Joseph T. Cool

Administrator

There are more of us out there than you think.

We're just ashamed of our team right now lol.

Lou

Well, I may live in San Diego now, but I did grow up in San Francisco and a 49er fan.

One day.... they'll be good... one day...........

Freak

I think the 49ers were the first team I ever cheered for, but that was because I liked their gold helmets.

That said, I think the first year I was ever really into football was the year San Francisco beat San Diego in the Super Bowl, and I was cheering for the Chargers in that one. I was probably about 8.

I will always remember Alfred Pupunu drinking the football like it was a pineapple.

Tyler Durden

More questions (I'm getting there), Mister D and TJ have been extremely helpful thus far.

1 - So where do the Oklahoma Sooners play and why does JR bash on about them if they're not even in the pro leagues? Is there lots more leagues beneath the NFL? Are they pro leagues too? Can they get promoted to the NFL? Can teams get relegated out of the NFL?

2 - What happens if say you're a franchise and you are in Atlanta in the South and you move to, I don't know somewhere up North, does everyone else have to shift division to accomodate your move?

3 - What happens is two teams qualifying for the play offs are tied? What decides who goes through? They play 16 games in a season. What against just the three other teams in their own division?

4 - When does the season run from. They've all played what 11 out of 16 games now so it must have started a while back? So the Superbowl is at what time of the year each year? Does the venue of it change each year or is it in the same place? Does it have to be held at a neutral ground or might one side end up playing the Superbowl final at home?

5 - Can players be transferred from one team to another (presumably for cash)? Can they be transferred at any time of the year?

6 - How long will a game actually last. So if I sit in front of my telly at 1pm, how long would you expect me to have to sit in front of it to watch the whole game?

7 - How often are the games played. They played the other night didn't they? Do they play every Monday? Isn't that the Football Night Stateside?

I'm quite excited about this, I'm seriously going to get into this stuff. Still don't know which team to pick though. I guess it should be one of the New York ones since I go there at least once a year. I've also been to quite a few other places but the only other one that appeals is Philadelphia since my soccer team's nickname is the Eagles but, as with my soccer team they don't seem to be having a good year this year (should have picked them last year!!). Really I'm going to have to go down the gloryhunting route of picking someone I'm pretty sure will make the Play Offs since I don't want to have a disappointing first year and jeopardise any enjoyment.

K Jay

1. The sooners are a college team (U-21 type thing).
3.Each team within a division will play 14 common opponents as follows:


Each team will play home and away against its three division opponents (six games).

Each team will play the four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).

Each team will play the four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games).

Each team will play a pair of intraconference games based on the prior year's standings (two games), i.e. first-place teams in a division will play against the first-place teams from another division within the same conference, etc.
6.ABout 2 hr 45 mins
7. Sunday afternoon and monday night

I had a sig, once.