Down:
A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the play has stopped. The offense (team with the ball) gets four downs to move the ball 10 yards towards its end zone. If they fail to do so, the offense must give up the ball to the opponent. They do this, usually, by punting on the fourth down.
Encroachment:
To make contact with a player from the opposing team before the ball is snapped. There is a five yard penalty for this call.
End zone:
A 10-yard-long area at each end of the field — the promised land for a football player. You score a touchdown when you enter the end zone in control of the football.
Extra point:
A kick, worth one point, that’s usually attempted after every touchdown (it’s also known as the point after touchdown, or PAT). The ball must land between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good. Officials signal that a PAT is good by throwing their hands straight into the air. If it is not good, the officials will wave their hands in front of them.
Field goal:
A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. Like an extra point, a kick must land above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be ruled good.
Fumble:
This is where the offense (team with the ball) looses possession of the ball while running with it or being tackled. Members of the offense and defense can recover a fumble. If the defense recovers the fumble, the fumble is then called a turnover.
Hash marks:
The lines on the center of the field that show 1 yard increments on the field. Before every play, the ball is spotted (placed) between the hash marks or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preceding play.
Interception:
A pass that’s caught by a defensive player, ending the offense’s possession of the ball.
Kickoff:
A free kick (the receiving team can’t make an attempt to block it) that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the start of the first and third periods and after every touchdown and successful field goal.
Offsides:
When a player lines up over the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.
Punt:
A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down when the offense must give up possession of the ball to the defense because it couldn’t advance 10 yards to make a new set of downs.
Return:
The act of receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent’s goal line with the intent of scoring or gaining significant yardage.
Sack:
When a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of yardage.
Safety:
A score, worth two points, that the defense earns by tackling an offensive player in possession of the ball in his own end zone.
Snap:
When the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs) by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. When the snap occurs, the ball is officially in play and action begins.
Touchdown:
A score, worth six points, that occurs when a player in possession of the ball crosses the plane of the opponent’s goal line, or when a player catches the ball while in the opponent’s end zone, or when a defensive player recovers a loose ball in the opponent’s end zone. In order to count as a touchdown, the player must have possession of the ball when making the touchdown.
Two Point Conversion:
When a team opts to go for two points after a touchdown instead of having the kicker try to kick the ball for one point through the uprights. To receive the two points, the team lines up and either throws or runs the ball into the end zone again.
