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| | American Football Rules:
The offence team tries to use its strengths to advance the ball forward. The team with strong backs may prefer to advance the ball along the ground. The team with strong receivers and quarterbacks will do a lot of passing. Normally, the offence team tries to change the down types to keep the defense team guessing about the down type, thus not giving them enough time to prepare for it. Depending on the situation, the offense team uses a variety of initial positioning. Some initial positioning is more suited for running plays and some - for a game of passes. The team can have more receivers on the field if the ball is to be advanced to a great distance at any cost or more "heavily-built" linemen if ball is to be advanced to a shorter distance, for example, to score a touchdown near the end zone.
Basic rules during offense play:
It is necessary to have 7 players on line of scrimmage.
Before the start of a down, none of the offense team's players have the right to move. The only exception: one player can move in the beginning of a down along the line of attack.
Only two players, closing the line of attack, and all the players, positioned behind, can receive the ball. If the ball is lost (the so-called, "fumble"), this restriction is withdrawn and all the players can take possession of the ball.
Defense team:
Defense team is the team that does not have the ball in possession in the beginning of a down.
Unlike the offense team, the defence team is not restricted by rules in positioning of the players on the field. The only limitation - all players must be on their side of the line, on which the ball is kept for a down (forward line). However, most teams include a defence line, consisting of defensive tackles and ends, linebackers, standing behind and defensive backs - quarterbacks and a safety.
Ddefensive ends - Two players, standing on the edge of a defensive line. Their task is to try to get closer to the passer and also stop the players with the ball, trying to pass the ball along the edges. The much quicker end usually positions himself to the right, to be in the blind zone of the right-handed quarterback.
Defensive tackles - the players, positioned between the ends. Their task is to attack the quarterback and avoid breaches with the ball in the middle.
Linebackers - the players, positioned behind the line of defense. Linebackers - the key defence players, who perform many functions depending on the situation. The task of linebackers could include attack on the quarterback, cover the receivers and attack the player running with the ball. Sometimes, a central linebacker is called the "defensive quarterback". His task is to think like an opponent and select the correct positioning of the defensive players.
Defensive backs:
Cornerbacks - the players covering the receivers, trying to disrupt or intercept the ball. If the offense team has chosen a running down, the cornerback attacks the players with the ball.
Free safety and strong safety - the players, who are positioned behind all the defense players. They help cornerbacks in covering the receivers, especially during long-passes.
The defensive team, trying to predict the type of attack, selects the most suitable defense arrangement. Usually, the arrangement contains the following elements:
Blitz - the linebackers or defensive backs, who try to disrupt the pass,
Zone defense - the defensive player, covering a specific area of the field,
Personal defense - the defensive player, covering certain offense players.
The basic rules during defense:
Defense players cannot disturb the offense players in receiving the ball during a pass, if he is 5 yards away from the line of attack and if the defense players are not capable of receiving the ball. For example, a foul is when the cornerback delays the receiver without noticing the ball in the air.
It is not permitted to hold the helmet.
It is not permitted to attack the passer or punter when the ball is not in his possession.
It is not permitted to cross the line of attack during the start of down.
Special teams:
Special teams are players, who enter the field, when the ball is to be kicked - during the initial down, during the fourth attempt, when the offense team kicks the ball during the attempts to score a goal or earn extra point after touchdown. Most of the players of special teams - reserve players for other positions of attack or defense.
Special players, who are included in the special teams:
Kicker (place-kicker) - the player, who kicks the ball during initial downs and during the attempts to score a goal.
Holder - the player, who should receive the ball, place it on ground and hold it for kicker. Usually, the holder is positioned at 7-8 yards from the line, on which the ball is placed. The reserve quarterback or punter fulfills the role of a holder.
Punter - the player, who hits the ball with his hands in situations, when it is necessary to give the ball to the opposite team but as far away as possible from his own end zone (usually during the fourth attempt.)
Long snapper - the player, executing the role of a center in a special team.
Returning (kick returner and punt returner) - the player of a receiving team, who catch the ball and tries to take the ball as far as possible.
In the case of special downs, kickers (the kicker with holder or punters) are positioned at a considerable distance from the line of attack, not to give a chance to the defense team players to block the kick. In this case, the long snapper throws the ball through the gap between the legs. |
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