NFL Football Glossary
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goal line:
a line drawn across the width of the field, 10 yards inside each end line , which a team must cross with the ball to score a touchdown .
goalpost:
a tall metallic structure that stands at the back of each end zone ; consists of a crossbar and two uprights that extend upward from it, supported directly above the end line by a base; teams try to kick the ball above the crossbar and between the uprights to score a field goal or extra point .
going for it:
when a team facing a fourth down decides to try for a new first down instead of punting ; if it fails, it loses possession of the ball.
hand-off:
a running play where the quarterback hands the ball to a back .
hang time:
the length of time a punt is in the air.
Heisman Trophy:
an award presented annually by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York to the best college football player in the country.
holding:
a foul where a player impedes the movement of an opponent by grasping or hooking any part of his body or uniform; punishable by a penalty — 10 yards if against the offense, 5 yards (10 yards in college) plus a first down if against the defense.
home field advantage:
the benefit a team gets by playing games in the area where it is based, due to fan support, familiarity with its surroundings and the lack of required travel.
home game:
a game played in a team’s own stadium.
in bounds:
the region of the field inside the sidelines and end lines .
incomplete pass:
a forward pass that touches the ground before being caught.
intentional grounding:
a foul called against a quarterback who purposely throws an incompleteforward pass solely to avoid a sack ; cannot be called if the pass lands at or beyond the line of scrimmage .
interception:
a pass caught in the air (picked off) by a defender whose team immediately gains possession of the ball and becomes the offense.
kickoff:
when a player kicks a ball from a tee at his own 30-yard line (35 in college) to the opposing team, whose player tries to advance it the other way; used to start the game, the second half and overtime, and to restart play after each score.
lateral:
a pass thrown to a teammate backwards from the team’s line of scrimmage or parallel to it; unlike a forward pass (which can be thrown only once per play), players may lateral the ball as often as they want.
line of scrimmage:
an imaginary line which no player may cross before the snap ; each team has its own line of scrimmage, separated by the neutral zone .
lineman:
a player who starts each play within 1 yard of his line of scrimmage .
live ball:
a ball becomes live as soon as it is snapped or free kicked (as in a kickoff ); opposite of a dead ball .
loose ball:
a ball that is not in possession of either team, such as after a fumble or a kickoff ; it can be recovered by either team.
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