Offense - controls the movement of the ball and attempts to score touchdowns (worth 6 points) by passing or rushing.

The Offensive Team tries to move the ball down the field by passing or running. The Defensive team tries to prevent the Offense from scoring.

Touchdown- 6 points. You know this happens when everyone goes crazy.
A touchdown is scored when:

Point After- is scored when a team scores a touchdown and is given one more play to either kick the ball through the uprights (one point) or run into the End Zone or catch the ball in the End Zone (2 points).

If the Offensive Team is unable to score a Touchdown, they can attempt to kick a Field Goal (3 points).

The Goal Posts are located in the End Zone. When a Field Goal is attempted, the actual kick is calculated like this:

The ball is on the 25-yard line. Add 10 yards to reach the post within the end zone. Add 7 yards from where the ball holder tosses the ball back to the kicker. A try from 25 yards is actually a 42-yard field goal attempt.

Safety - 2 points.
A safety is scored when the player with the ball is tackled in his own End Zone. Examples are:

The Field -
The playing field is in the shape of a rectangle; it is 360 feet long by 160 feet wide.

At each end of the rectangle is a 10-yard long box. This is the End Zone.

There is an eight-inch line at each end zone separating the end zone from the playing field; this is called the Goal Line.

The field between the end zones is 100 yards long. The lines you see running across the field are spaced 5 yards apart and are called the five-yard markers.

The middle of the field is the 50-yard line.

Downs -
It seems to me that most of the women I've talked to feel that football "downs" cause endless confusion for them.

If you think of downs in the same way you think of strikes or outs in baseball, you'll see that the concept is very simple to understand. In baseball it's three strikes and you're out; in football, three downs and you're out if can't gain the necessary yards.

The team with the football (offense) has four chances (downs) to move the ball in 10-yard increments down the field. (Fourth down is explained below).

So when they start to move the ball, they are starting their drive downfield on "First and Ten". If they fail to move the ball ten yards (let's assume they moved it six yards) they then are on second down, with the balance of the ten yards needed, or "Second and four".

If they are able to move the ball the necessary yards and gain the four yards needed, they keep the ball and continue their drive down the field, getting another "fresh set of downs", meaning they can keep the ball and start on first down again.

If, they are unable to gain the four yards needed, they will get another opportunity, making this their final attempt or "Third Down and Four".
If they fail to gain the four yards they will have to give up possession of the ball and punt the ball to the other team. The other team now has possession of the ball and will begin their drive down the field.

*Although the game allows the offense to attempt to gain the first down yardage on fourth down, most teams will not try to convert on a fourth down attempt unless they are desperate or very sure that they can gain the needed yardage on the fourth down. Why? Because if they fail to gain the necessary yards (or inches) on fourth down, the other team gets the ball at that spot, and has gained a field position advantage.

Game Clock -
Each game is divided into four 15-minute quarters. At the end of the first and third quarters the teams switch ends of the field.
Why, you ask, does a 60-minute game last three hours?
Because, there are various reasons to stop play.
The clock stops when:

The Positions:

The Quarterback - considered the leader of the team, the general. The "QB" is perhaps the most important player on the team and is the focus of the action. A "QB" must be smart, and a strong and accurate passer. The QB must also be agile, tough and resilient.

When the offense calls a running play:

When it's a passing play:

The Running Backs - Halfbacks must have speed, quickness and the ability to change direction quickly. The Fullback must be big, strong and run with power.

When it's a running play:

If it's a passing play:

Offensive Linemen - Must have great strength, quickness and balance. Their job changes depending on whether their team is calling a running play or passing play.

If it is a running play they must:

If it is a passing play they must:

Offensive Receivers - Must have great speed, hand-eye coordination and agility. The Tight End, who is a bigger receiver, must have strength, speed and balance.

If it is a running play:

If it is a passing play the Wide Receivers and Tight End will try to:

Center - lines up over the football, in the center of the offensive line; snaps the ball to the QB to begin each play.

Guards - each offensive team has two tackles that line up outside the guards.

Tackles - each offensive team has two tackles that line up outside the guards.