A game played between two teams, each of eleven players, on a field with goal lines at each end and in which points are scored by getting the ball over a line into the opponent’s end zone either by running, passing or kicking. The rules are complex and varied, but the basic idea is to push forward your team’s player with the ball while preventing the other team from advancing.
To do this, each team has sets of offensive and defensive players, and the person with the ball (known as the quarterback) is protected by a group called the offensive line. The quarterback can run the ball himself or pass it to a teammate. On each play, the ball must advance 10 yards downfield or the play is over. The place where the ball goes down becomes known as the line of scrimmage and the next play begins there.
The defense tries to prevent the other team from scoring by tackling the player with the ball or blocking his or her forward progress. The ball-carrier can be tackled anywhere on the field, but if he or she is tackled in their own end zone, that’s called a safety and the other team gets the ball. Penalties for illegal contact by the defending team with the quarterback during or after a pass are called roughing the passer and can result in a 15-yard penalty.
Once a team has exhausted its four attempts to move the ball ten yards, or “downs,” the ball is turned over to the other team. This continues until the offense scores, or the defense takes away the ball from the offense before the final whistle blows.
In addition to touchdowns, a team can earn extra points by kicking the ball between the goal posts for one point or by scoring a two-point conversion by running or passing the ball into the end zone from the five-yard line. A field goal is worth three points.
To watch live football games you’ll need a smart TV, a streaming device like a Roku or Amazon Fire TV and a subscription to a service that offers NFL games. Services such as Peacock, Paramount+ and Prime Video offer live NFL games for a much lower cost than a traditional cable TV package. You can also save hundreds of dollars a season by using a digital antenna with a streaming service and a free broadcast TV app such as CBS All Access or NFL Sunday Ticket.