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[quote=Anonymous]Agree with the advice above, but also found it is helpful to have a basic understanding of what's happening.  Showing interest may impress your BF (but also don't be obnoxious about it or you'll look dumb).  I'm a woman, and here's the 2 min summary of football:

A team has four tries (called "downs") to get 10 yards, when the team gets 10 yards (or more), the downs start over.  The tries are called first down, second down, etc.  So the team will be at first [down] and 10 [yards], then second and however many yards are needed to get to 10 (eg, "second and eight").  After the first down, it could be more than 10 yards if someone with the ball gets tackled (or the in quarterback's case "sacked") behind the line where the ball started on the down.  On the TV screen, there will be a blue or black line which is the line of scrimmage (where the ball starts each down - if you don't get the ball at least past the line of scrimmage on a down, you have lost yards).  There also will be a yellow line shown which is where the team has to get for a new set of downs.  These lines are only on TV.  On the field, the starting point and the 10 yards are marked on the side of the field with the orange sign things connected by chains.

If you don't get to 10 yards on the third down, often the team will punt (kick) the ball to the other team on fourth down.  Otherwise, if the team didn't get to 10 yards on the fourth down, possession of the ball would turn over to the other team at the spot where the ball was.

At the beginning of each half and after any score, one team kicks off to the other.  Someone on the non-kicking team will be at the other end of the field to catch the ball.  He can either try to run forward or call for a "fair catch" which means the other team can't tackle him and he won't advance the ball, but the team will start at the 25 yard line.  One of the most exciting (and dangerous) plays in football is when a player catching a kickoff or punt tries to "return" it by getting as many yards as possible.

A touchdown is worth 6 points.  After a touchdown, the team can kick the ball through the uprights for the extra point or "go for two" by having a player take the ball into the end zone (by running it in or catching a pass).  If a team is somewhat close to the end zone on third down but likely won't get the yards needed on fourth down, they will use the fourth down to kick a field goal through the uprights which is worth 3 points.  A safety is worth 2 points.  A safety is when a team is tackled with the ball in its own end zone (ie, the end zone it protects, not the one it scores in).  (Safeties are pretty rare.)

That's the very basics.  I grew up with no football knowledge (brother didn't play it, family didn't watch it).  I married someone who is a big football fan and decided to give the game a chance.  Now I love it and probably know more about the game and players than my husband.

If a quarterback's pass is caught by someone on the other team's defense, that's an interception and the intercepting team takes over possession of the ball.  If a player receives or catches a ball and has possession of it but then drops it, it is a "live ball" and either team can take it.  That's called a fumble.

Players on offense include the quarterback who starts each down with the ball.  Running backs generally (but not always) run passing plays or catch fairly short passes.  Wide receivers catch passes.  Tight ends usually catch short to mid-range passes but also can block.  [/quote]

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