American Football Laws, The way American football is played is by holding the ball and running it 9.15 meters and crossing the line by running the ball or passing it to another teammate, and each team has four chances to do so, as once the ball crosses the line of the field a new attack is started in an attempt to reach the finish line again, and with opportunities running out without the team being able to skip the nine meters, the play of the ball moves to the other team automatically, and the team that registers is considered to be the team that registers The most points are the winning team in the game.
read: History of American Football
How points are calculated
Points in American football are calculated according to specific laws, which are as follows:
Six points: 6 points are counted for the team if the players advance the ball until they cross the finish line in the opponent’s area without stopping.
Three points: 3 points are calculated for the team if the player throws the ball over the crossbar, which is the presence of two columns at the end line of the team area when it is close to the end and in a position to throw the ball, and the goal recorded in this way is called field goal.
One point: An additional point is calculated for the team if the player throws the ball and crosses the goal of the opposing team.
Two points: Two points are calculated for the team if the ball is flown towards the finish line of the opposing team’s stadium again, but this movement is rare and difficult to happen, and the team can earn two points by extracting the ball from the opposing attacking team at the finish line.
The team that scored the most points at the end of the last half is the winner of the game, and if the points are equal between the two teams, an extra half will start until one of the teams wins.
Players in American Football Laws
Each team in American football has 45-50 players (including reserve players), while on the field there are 11 key players who play together at the same time, each player has his own position in attack or defense, and the top players specialize in preventing the opposing team from reaching their stadium, while young players of size run, run or catch the ball, and middle-sized players are able to perform tasks. Other players (running with a ball or defending).
Duration of the match
One game in American football lasts one hour (60 minutes), divided into two halves; each half is divided into two halves, each called a quarter of an hour (15 minutes), the break time between the first and second half is 12 minutes, two minutes by the end of the first quarter and the third quarter, the timing of the game begins with the kick-off, 40 seconds are determined for each team to pick up the ball, and the team that fails is punished, and the timing of the game begins with the kick-off, and 40 seconds are determined for each team to pick up the ball, and the team that fails to do so is punished, and the timing of the game begins with the kickoff. The match in the event of a penalty call or the departure of the player of one of the two teams from the limits of the stadium or the presence of an injury, to be resumed play again by order of the referee of the game, and sometimes the two teams resort to an additional 15 minutes in the event of a draw between the two teams in the result of the game during the two halves, and the team that will acquire the ball first by conducting the method of throwing the coin, and the team that scores the point first is considered the winning team in the game.
Free kick in American Football Laws
A free kick is one of the laws of American football and occurs when the attacking player is stopped in his touchline, the direction of play is changed, and the team that was then stopped plays a free kick to the opposing team, and the person who announces the kicking of this blow is the referee of the game and requires to complete the process successfully all the players of the team behind the ball at least four and a half meters, and there must be at least four players from the team on each side From the sides of the field.
Arbitration in American Football Laws
American football is managed by a group of referees ranging from 4 referees to a crew of 8, and sometimes the game may take place under the supervision of three referees, in exceptional circumstances such as travel delays, an emergency, or injury to a member of the refereeing staff, and the referees seek to keep the game regular and free of randomness, by following the laws and regulations mentioned in the Guide of American Football Referees, which Published by the International American Football Officials Association, it can be abbreviated by the letters ‘IAFOA’, and some of the provisions of this guide are excluded in the case of international (non-domestic) matches, i.e. matches between clubs from different countries, and the competent sports authorities seek to encourage official bodies and national federations to use the provisions of the referees’ guide in various games under their departments.
Mistakes and penalties
American football rules a set of laws and regulations, and anyone who violates these laws and those who make mistakes is subject to the punishment that is determined based on the type of error committed, and the referee decides the penalty by throwing a yellow cloth (flag) on the floor of the game field, and the players know that something has happened, and the most famous mistakes and penalties involved in the American football game are mentioned:
Clipping error: This error is when a player attacks another player from behind or on an area below the waist, often when the attacking player tries to stop the defenseman by hitting him from behind, and the penalty for this error is that the team goes 13.7 meters back.
Chop Block: This error occurs when an offensive player tries to confront a defensive player while the defender is already involved with another offensive player, and this error leads to the loss of the opposing team by 13.7 metres.
Delay of Game delay error: This error occurs if the attacking team delays sending the ball for more than 40 seconds, and the penalty for this error is the team’s loss of 4.6 meters.
Defensive offside: This error occurs when one of the team’s defenders crosses the line and reaches the striker before the ball starts, and the penalty for this error is the team’s loss of 4.6 meters.
Facemask: This error occurs when one of the team’s players removes the helmet of another rival player, and the penalty for this error is the team’s loss of 13.7 meters.
Failure to Report: This error occurs when changes to the referee are not reported, and the team loses 4.6 metres.
Pitch in American Football Laws
The American football field consists of a rectangular shape, with a length of 109.7 meters, a width of 48.8 meters, the lines at the end of the stadium are called the finish lines, the lines on the sides of the field are called the side lines, the parallel lines of the finish line are called the lines of the goal and the finish lines and the sidelines are the end area, and the area between the sidelines and the target lines is called the field of play, and the area between the goal lines and the finish lines is the end area, and represents the areas bordered by the end zone. Target lines, in addition to 27.6 metres of parallel lines from each side of the pitch, are located in the side areas, and white lines are found throughout the stadium, separating each from a distance of 9.1 metres.
American football equipment
American football requires a range of key equipment, and the equipment is mentioned:
Oval ball: Ovoid ball is used in American football as an oval ball, brown, 28cm long from edge to edge, and its circumference from the center is 55cm and weighs 450g.
Helmet protects the player’s face and head, including jaw pads, chin strap, integrated face mask, mouth protector, and shock absorber that reduces the impact of the ball.
Shoulder Pads place this stomach on the shoulders of the players, giving them a greater view of the shoulders, consisting of an external plastic surface and a shock-absorbing foam layer.
Arm Pads protect the players’ arms and are characterized by their flexibility and lightweight.
Elbow Pads protect the players’ elbows and are fastened with a leather belt.
Rib pads protect players’ internal ribs from injuries and maintain body temperature.
Hip & tailbone pads wear this tool under the pants, protecting the hip, and bones in the lower body.
Thigh & knee Pads are found in the pockets of the player’s pants, made of plastic and shock-resistant foam.
Gloves protect gloves, players’ fingers and hands, and wearing this tool is optional for players.
Cleats have screws on the bottom of the players’ shoes, known as ‘cleats’, which help to bring cohesion to the grass floor of the stadium.
Jersey shows all American football players in a large loose-fitting outer shirt, made of nylon, including the player’s name and number on the team.
Pants: All players wear nylon colored pants, including four pockets, and pillows for bone and hip protection.
About American Football
Gridiron football is a sports game, and it first appeared on the North American continent, specifically in the United States of America, and over time became the most popular and famous game in the country, and later appeared in Canada, but it was not as popular as in the United States, and despite the proliferation of American sports such as basketball and baseball in the world, American football has not been as popular outside America.
Since the 1980s, the National Football Association has been seeking to spread the game further by establishing teams and federations in the continental european countries, and broadcasting matches on television, and this has contributed to the increased popularity of the game further, and it should be noted that American football represents a sophisticated version of English rugby, which is different from allowing each team to control the ball alternately, and differs from the famous football game, mainly that touching the ball is available and throwing it Hands are available to American football players.
