NFL Football Glossary
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quarterback:
the leader of a team’s offense, he takes the snap from the center and either hands the ball to a running back to run with, passes it to a receiver or runs with it himself; he also communicates each play to his teammates.
reading the defense:
recognition by the quarterback of the defensive formation; he may then call an audible to adjust the offense.
receiver:
an offensive player who catches or attempts to catch a forward pass .
recovery:
to gain or regain possession of a fumble .
red shirt:
a designation given to a college player who did not play in any games during a particular year due to injury or coach's choice; such a player is permitted to practice with the team during that season and is granted an additional year of eligibility; most often used to describe college freshmen who are held out of games their first year to mature, becoming "red shirt freshmen" in their second or sophomore year of college.
red zone:
the imaginary area between the defense's 20-yard line and its goal line from which the offense is most likely to score points.
return:
an attempt by a player who has just caught an interception , punt, or kickoff to advance the ball the other way.
roll out:
when a quarterback runs parallel to the line, looking for a receiver .
rookie:
a first-year player in the NFL .
rush:
a running play; also, a pass rush .
sack:
a tackle of the quarterback behind his line of scrimmage .
safety:
when a ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone after bringing the ball there under his own power; the defense earns 2 points and receives a free kick from the offense’s own 20-yard line.
scrambling:
evasive movements by a quarterback to avoid being sacked .
series:
the group of 4 downs a team has to advance 10 yards.
sideline:
the boundary line that runs the length of the field along each side; a ball carrier or ball that touches or crosses the sideline is out of bounds .
single-elimination:
a tournament where a team is eliminated after one loss.
snap:
when the center while facing forward quickly hands the ball between his legs to a player standing behind him (usually the quarterback ) to start each play.
special teams:
the group of players who participate in kicking plays.
spike:
when a player throws the ball at the ground to celebrate a touchdown .
spiral:
a ball passed or kicked with a spin which propels it further with more accuracy; the ball points the same direction throughout its flight.
spot:
a location on the field, determined by an official, to mark forward progress or the place of a foul .
stiff arm (or straight arm):
a push by a ball carrier to ward off a tackler .
succeeding spot:
where the next play would start if no penalty was called.
Super Bowl:
the championship game of the NFL , played between the champions of the AFC and NFC at a neutral site each January; it is the culmination of the NFL playoffs .
tackle:
a player position on both the offensive and defensive lines; there is usually a left and right offensive tackle, and a left and right defensive tackle; See also tackling .
tackling:
contacting a ball carrier to cause him to touch the ground with any part of his body except his hands, thereby ending the play.
territory:
the half of the field a team protects against its opponents.
third-and-long:
when the offense faces a third down and is more than a short running play away from a first down ; usually third-and-5 or greater.
touchback:
when a player who gains possession of a ball in his own end zone kneels to the ground and automatically starts the next play at his own 20-yard line; also awarded if his opponent kicks the ball across the > end line .
touchdown (TD):
when a team crosses the opponent’s goal line with the ball, catches a pass in the opponent’s end zone , or recovers a loose ball in the opponent’s end zone; earns a team 6 points.
turnover:
the involuntary loss of possession of the ball during a play, either by a fumble or by throwing an interception .
2-point conversion:
when a team that just scored a touchdown starts a play at the opponent’s 2-yard line (3-yard line in college) and crosses the goal line to earn 2 points; when successful, it looks just like a touchdown; introduced to the NFL in 1994.
Wild Card:
a team that makes the NFL playoffs by having one of the 2 best records among non- division winners in its conference .
winning percentage:
the percentage of its games a team has won during a period of time, given by the following formula:
winning Percentage = (#wins + #ties/2)/(#games played)
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