Digest Of Football Rules Articles | Gambling

By: Richard Bleuze

I thought that I'd provide a brief overview of the football rules since many sports bettors do not know why a certain call is made during a game.  These rules apply to American football.

1)  Chucking:  Warding off an opponent who is in front of a defender by contacting him with a quick extension of the arm and then followed by the return of the arm(s) to a flexed position, thereby breaking the original contact.

2)  Clipping:  Throwing the body across the back of an opponent's leg of hitting him from the back below the waist while moving up from behind unless the opponent is a runner or the action is in close line play.

3)  Close Line Play:  The area between the positions normally occupied by the offensive tackles, extending three yards on each side of the line of scrimmage.  It is legal to clip above the knees.

4)  Crackback:  Eligible receivers who take or move to a position more than two yards outside the tackle may not block an opponent below the waist if they then move back inside to block.

5)  Dead Ball:  Ball not in play.

6)  Double Foul:  A foul by each team during the same down.

7)  Down:  The period of action that starts when the ball is put in play and ends when it is dead.

8)  Encroachment:  When a player enters the neutral zone and makes contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped.

9)  Fair Catch:  An unhindered catch of a kick by a member of the receiving team who must raise one arm a full lenght above his head and wave his arm from side to side while the kicked ball is in flight.

10)  Foul:  Any violation of a playing rule.

11)  Free Kick:  A kickoff or safety kick.  It may be a placekick, dropkick, or punt - except a punt may not be used on a kickoff following a touchdown, successful field goal, or to begin each half or overtime period.  A tee cannot be used on a fair catch or safty kick.

12)  Fumble:  The loss of possession of the ball.

13)  Game Clock:  Scoreboard game clock.

14)  Impetus:  The action of a player that gives momentum to the ball.

15)  Live Ball:  A ball legally free kicked or snapped.  It continues in play until the down ends.

16)  Loose Ball:  A live ball not in possession of any player.

17)  Muff:  The touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession.

18)  Neutral Zone:  The space the length of a ball between the two scrimmage lines.  The offensive team and defensive team must remain behind their end of the ball.  EXCEPTION:  The offensive player who snaps the ball (usually the center).

19)  Offside:  A player is offside when any part of his body is beyond his scrimmage or free kick line when the ball is snapped or kicked.

20)  Own Goal:  The goal a team is guarding.

21)  Play Clock:  40/25 second clock.

22)  Pocket Area:  Applies from a point two yards outside of either offensive tackle and includes the tight end if he drops off the line of scrimmage to pass protect.  Pocket extends longitudinally behind the line back to offensive team's own end line.

23)  Possession:  When a player controls the ball throughout the act of clearly touching both feet. or any other part of his body other than his hand(s), to the ground inbounds.