The words you will hear
- Quarter (Q1 to Q4)
- The game is four quarters of fifteen minutes. “Q4 12:58” means the fourth quarter, with 12:58 left on its clock.
- Down
- A team gets four tries, called downs, to move the ball ten yards. Make the ten and the count starts again at first down.
- Fourth down
- The fourth and last try. Most teams kick instead; a team that “goes for it” and falls short hands the ball over on the spot.
- Punt
- Kicking the ball away on fourth down to push the other side back. Nobody cheers a punt, so neither should you.
- Touchdown
- Six points for carrying or catching the ball over the far line, followed at once by a try for one or two more.
- Extra point
- The one-point kick after a touchdown. It is meant to be automatic, which is why a missed one gets mentioned for weeks.
- Two-point conversion
- Instead of the kick after a touchdown, one more play from two yards out, for two points. Brave or desperate, depending on the score.
- Field goal
- A kick between the posts for three points, usually on fourth down when a touchdown looks unlikely. Over fifty yards, say “from distance”.
- Turnover
- Losing the ball to the other side without kicking it: an interception, a fumble, or failing on fourth down. The side with fewer usually wins.
- Interception
- A pass caught by the wrong team. Say “picked off” if you want to sound as though you have watched for years.
- Fumble
- Dropping the ball while running with it. Whoever falls on it keeps it, which is less dignified than it sounds.
- Sack
- The quarterback tackled behind the line before he can throw. Bad for him, worse for the yardage.
- Safety
- Two points to the defence for tackling a player with the ball in his own end zone. Rare; mention one and people assume you know things.
- Taking a knee
- The quarterback drops to one knee on purpose to run the clock down, usually at the end of a half or the game. Everyone just has to wait.
- Overtime (OT)
- An extra ten-minute period after a tie in the regular season. If that ends level too, it is a tie, and nobody is happy.