Football Rules

Learning basic football rules is the foundation for both playing the game and enjoying it as a spectator. It's almost impossible to learn the basic football rules, understand football positions, and really know every single one of the many football game rules by simply watching the game.

Understanding Football Positions
The first step towards understanding basic football rules is to understand the various football positions. The quarterback is the most important of all of the football positions. In many ways, the quarterback leads the players who play the other football positions, much as a pitcher leads his players on a baseball team. His job is to take the snap from the center, call signals for players in other football positions, and decide what to do with the ball when the offense is in control. Here are some other offensive football positions:

• Fullback - The fullback runs, blocks, and does some receiving.
• Running Back - The running back carries the ball for most running plays and may do the role of a short-yardage receiver.
• Center - The center blocks the linemen football positions and is responsible for the snap.
• Offensive Guards and Tackles - Guards and tackles block passing and running plays.
• Wide Receiver - The wide receiver's job is to get open to receive a pass.

The major defensive football positions include:

• Linebacker - Linebackers, cover receivers, defend against running football positions, and rush the passer.
• Safety - The safety will protect against deep passes that land near the goal line.
• Cornerback - The cornerback covers the wide receiver and tries to stop quarterback passes.
• Defensive Ends and Tackles - Defensive ends and tackles work to stop the passer or run the defense along the edges of the line of scrimmage.
• Nose Guard - The nose guard will stop players in the quarterback or center football positions.

Basic Football Rules
Now that you understand the basic football positions, you are ready to understand the basic football rules. A "snap" is the action that initiates play of the ball. According to football game rules, the offensive team has four downs, or snaps, to move the ball ten yards on the field. If they are able to get ten yards on the field, they keep possession of the ball. Basic football rules dictate that the opposing team gains possession if the offense does not get the ten yards in four downs. Getting the ten yards is called "gaining a first down." This gives the team a new set of four downs to attempt to move the ball another ten yards.

Under basic football rules, the goal of the game is to get the ball to the end zone, either by running it across the goal line for six points (a touchdown) or kicking it through the uprights for three points (a field goal). If either a field goal or touchdown is scored, basic football rules allow the team to kick for an extra point. If the kicker can get the ball through the uprights, one point (extra point) is scored.

The ball can be moved down the field by passing or running it. The defensive football positions work hard to stop the ball from moving, either through intercepting it or stopping a runner or passer. Play stops when possession of the ball is lost.

Basic football rules allow for penalties when certain rules are broken. When a player breaks certain football game rules, the referee will throw a yellow flag on the field. The referees will penalize the offending team by charging them with a specific number of yards. This means they have to move away from their target goal by this number of yards, and a new down starts.

Rules to Football Squares
Football Squares is a gambling game that spectators play while watching a football game. The rules to football squares are quite simple. To set up a game board, create a 10 by 10 grid, and write the numbers 0 through 9 on the top and side of the grid. Then, let each player "buy" a square. When the game is over, look at the last digit of each team's final score. If the final score was 21/14, then the gambler who bought the grid that is labeled with 1 and 4 (1 along the top and 4 along the side) is the winner. The rules to football squares mean he gets to take home the money gathered when players bought squares.

The rules to football squares vary from game to game, as each group makes up their own rules. Some will say the rules to football squares require all squares to cost the same amount, like $500. Others will allow players to "bid" for squares that are more likely to be winners. Some will vary the rules to football squares to allow a payout at the end of each half or quarter. If you choose to play football squares, just have fun, and don't worry too much about technical rules to football squares.