Football. Learn to: Tackle football basics and enjoy America s favorite sport. Howie Long. with John Czarnecki. Making Everything Easier!

Transcription

1 Making Everything Easier! 4th Edition Football Learn to: Tackle football basics and enjoy America s favorite sport Grasp the rules and regulations, positions, plays, and penalties Appreciate the different aspects of the game at the professional and college levels Howie Long Pro Football Hall of Famer with John Czarnecki Pro football consultant

2 Get More and Do More at Dummies.com Start with FREE Cheat Sheets Cheat Sheets include Checklists Charts Common Instructions And Other Good Stuff! To access the Cheat Sheet created specifically for this book, go to Get Smart at Dummies.com Dummies.com makes your life easier with 1,000s of answers on everything from removing wallpaper to using the latest version of Windows. Check out our Videos Illustrated Articles Step-by-Step Instructions Plus, each month you can win valuable prizes by entering our Dummies.com sweepstakes. * Want a weekly dose of Dummies? Sign up for Newsletters on Digital Photography Microsoft Windows & Office Personal Finance & Investing Health & Wellness Computing, ipods & Cell Phones ebay Internet Food, Home & Garden Find out HOW at Dummies.com *Sweepstakes not currently available in all countries; visit Dummies.com for official rules.

3 Football FOR DUMmIES 4TH EDITION by Howie Long with John Czarnecki

4 Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ Copyright 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) , fax (978) Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) , fax (201) , or online at Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/ or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITH- OUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZA- TION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at , outside the U.S. at , or fax For technical support, please visit Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN: Manufactured in the United States of America

5 About the Authors Howie Long is a former Oakland/Los Angeles Raider defensive end with eight Pro Bowl appearances, a Super Bowl XVIII victory over the Washington Redskins, and many other accolades to his credit. His size ( pounds), combined with his speed, strength, intensity, durability, and explosive quickness, set him apart. He retired from the NFL after the 1993 season. Long is currently a commentator on the Emmy Award winning FOX NFL Sunday program, which is the most-watched NFL pregame show in America. His previous television broadcasting credits include ESPN s Up Close, on which he had a regular segment discussing current sports issues, HBO s Inside the NFL, the weekly NFL Diary, NBC s NFL Live as a guest studio analyst, and Costas Coast to Coast. He also wrote the opening chapter to Bo Jackson s book, Bo Knows Bo (Jove). Long is no stranger to the limelight, as he s been involved in many commercials and campaigns for Nike, Hanes, Coca-Cola, and Pizza Hut. He also made his big-screen debut in the action-adventure film Broken Arrow with John Travolta and Christian Slater and was featured in the 1998 film Firestorm. At Villanova University, Long was a four-year letterman in football as a defensive lineman. He was All-East and honorable mention All-American as a senior, and was tabbed the Most Valuable Player in the 1980 Blue-Gray Game. He was also a champion boxer as an undergraduate, and graduated with a degree in communications in John Czarnecki has reported on the NFL for 32 years. He has consulted for FOX NFL Sunday since the program began in 1994, and he previously consulted for NFL Today. A former newspaperman with such dailies as the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Dallas Morning News, Czarnecki is currently one of 44 selectors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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7 Authors Acknowledgments From Howie Long: First, I d like to thank my wife, Diane, and my three sons for their support. I d also like to thank my former coach at the Los Angeles Raiders, Earl Leggett, who taught me not only how to be a great football player but also how to be a man. And I can t forget my coauthor, John Czarnecki, for all his hard work and dedication to this project. Thanks also to my friends around the NFL, Terry Robiskie, Hudson Houck, and Artie Gigantino, who contributed to this book. Finally, I d like to thank all the people at John Wiley and Sons who participated in this project. From John Czarnecki: Thanks go to my proofreading wife, Vicki, and to my daughters for staying clear of me on my bad days. To my mom, who knew that I would do a book one day. To Ben, my computer expert, and Kathy, my transcriber, and John and Mike at Clone Copy. To the coaches, Earl Leggett, Terry Robiskie, Fritz Shurmur, Hudson Houck, and Ernie Zampese. To Barry Meier, my neighborly coaching expert. To Artie Gigantino, a special teams/television expert. To Garrett Giemont, a very special strength trainer. To two helpful workers, Don Seeholzer and Bryan Broaddhus. To Ron Wolf, for all his insightful football knowledge these past many years, and to my good friend, Peter King, for all his advice. And to my best friend, Pat, for not calling me for three months.

8 Publisher s Acknowledgments We re proud of this book; please send us your comments at For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at , outside the U.S. at , or fax Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Composition Services Development Project Coordinator: Nikki Gee Update Author: Peter Weverka Layout and Graphics: Lavonne Roberts, Project Editor: Jennifer Tebbe Brent Savage, Corrie Socolovitch (Previous Edition: Stephen R. Clark) Proofreaders: Laura Albert, John Greenough, Executive Editor: Lindsay Sandman Lefevere Leeann Harney Copy Editor: Sarah Faulkner Indexer: Ty Koontz (Previous Edition: Jessica Smith) Assistant Editor: David Lutton Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen Technical Editor: Phil Richards Editorial Manager: Christine Meloy Beck Editorial Assistant: Rachelle S. Amick Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South Cover Photos: istockphoto.com/ Nick M. Do Cartoons: Rich Tennant ( Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

9 Contents at a Glance Introduction... 1 Part I: Football Chapter 1: America s Greatest Game...9 Chapter 2: Meet Me on the Gridiron...19 Chapter 3: Them s the Rules (And Regulations)...33 Part II: Go, Offense! Chapter 4: The Quarterback, Football s MVP...61 Chapter 5: The Passing Game...77 Chapter 6: Hitting the Ground Running...91 Chapter 7: The Offensive Line at Work in the Trenches Chapter 8: Examining Offensive Plays and Strategies Part III: The Big D Chapter 9: These Guys Are Huge: The Defensive Line Chapter 10: The Secondary: Last Line of Defense Chapter 11: Delving into Defensive Tactics and Strategies Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team Chapter 12: Special Teams, Masters of the Kicking Game Chapter 13: Coaches, General Managers, and Other Important Folks Part V: Football for Everyone Chapter 14: Armchair Quarterbacks and Other Fabulous Fans Chapter 15: Youth Leagues and High School Football Chapter 16: College Football Where It All Started Chapter 17: Taking a Look at the NFL (And Other Professional Leagues) Chapter 18: Playing Fantasy Football Part VI: The Part of Tens Chapter 19: The Ten (Or So) Greatest Defensive Players of All Time Chapter 20: More Than Ten Top Offensive Players Chapter 21: The Ten Greatest Coaches in the History of the Game Chapter 22: The Ten Best Teams of All Time Chapter 23: The Ten Most Intense College Football Rivalries...341

10 Part VII: Appendixes Appendix A: Football Speak Appendix B: Get Your Tickets Here Index

11 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 About This Book...2 Conventions Used in This Book...2 What You re Not to Read...3 Foolish Assumptions...3 How This Book Is Organized...3 Part I: Football Part II: Go, Offense!...4 Part III: The Big D...4 Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team...4 Part V: Football for Everyone...4 Part VI: The Part of Tens...5 Part VII: Appendixes...5 Icons Used in This Book...5 Where to Go from Here...6 Part I: Football Chapter 1: America s Greatest Game Why Football Is the Best...10 Who s Playing Football...11 How Football Began...11 Camp defines the rules...12 Grange helps spread the popularity of pro ball...13 How the Football Season Is Set Up Today...14 How Television Helped Increase Football s Popularity...16 Why Millions Cheer Each Year for College Football...16 What Makes the Super Bowl Number One...17 Chapter 2: Meet Me on the Gridiron The Big Picture: Stadiums...19 Getting Down to Business: The Field...20 Field dimensions...20 The marks on the field...21 The playing surface...23 Goalposts and other on-the-field equipment...24 Looking at That Funny-Shaped Ball...25 Meeting the Cast of Characters...26

12 x Football For Dummies, 4th Edition What Football Uniforms Are All About...27 The jersey...28 Helmets and face masks...29 Pads...30 Shoes and cleats...30 Chapter 3: Them s the Rules (And Regulations) The Ins and Outs of the Game Clock...33 The Coin Toss and Kickoff...35 Downs Plus Yardage Equals Excitement...37 Scoring Points...38 Touchdowns...38 Extra points and two-point conversions...39 Field goals...40 Safeties...40 The Role of the Officials...41 Referee...41 Umpire...42 Head linesman...42 Line judge...43 Back judge...43 Field judge...44 Side judge...44 Familiarizing Yourself with Referee Signals...45 Penalties and Other Violations...50 Looking at 5-yard penalties...50 Surveying 10-yard penalties...53 Recognizing 15-yard penalties...54 Identifying specific pass-play penalties...57 Disputing a Call: The Instant Replay Challenge System...58 Part II: Go, Offense! Chapter 4: The Quarterback, Football s MVP Taking a Look at the Quarterback s Job...61 Determining What a Quarterback Needs to Succeed...64 Arm strength...64 Competitiveness...64 Intelligence...65 Mobility...65 Release...66 Size...66 Vision...67 Quarterbacking Fundamentals...68 Settling into the stance...68 Dropping back...69

13 Table of Contents xi Handing off...70 Getting a grip...70 Reading a Defense...71 Calling Plays and Audibilizing...73 Acing Quarterback Math...74 Chapter 5: The Passing Game Getting to Know the Passing Game...77 Recognizing the Role of Receivers...78 Achieving the proper stance...80 Lining up correctly...80 Catching the ball...81 Beating man-to-man coverage...82 Defining Important Passing Terms...83 Looking at Passing Patterns...85 Getting into the Shotgun Formation...88 Chapter 6: Hitting the Ground Running An Overview of the Ground Game...92 Meeting the Men Who Play the Ground Game...93 The halfback, a team s principal ball carrier...93 The fullback, protector of the halfback...94 Recognizing that Running Backs Come in All Sizes and Shapes...95 Exploring Running Back Fundamentals...96 The basic skills...96 The job description...97 The stances...99 The number one priority Lining Up: The Formations Walking You through the Basic Running Plays Chapter 7: The Offensive Line at Work in the Trenches Looking Down the Line Centers Guards Tackles The Lineman Physique: Fat Guys Doing the Job Understanding the Keys to Successful Offensive Line Play The proper stance A solid base Leverage Toughness Repetition Uncovering a Lineman s Worst Offense: Penalties Getting Acquainted with Blocking Terms...120

14 xii Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Chapter 8: Examining Offensive Plays and Strategies Understanding That Offense Begins with Players Zeroing in on Specialized Pass Offenses West Coast offense Shotgun offense Looking at Some Newfangled Offenses The wildcat The spread The pistol Beating a Defense Battling a 3-4 front Running against a 4-3 front Defeating the four-across defense Beating press coverage Passing against a zone coverage Selecting an offense versus a zone blitz Throwing the post versus blitzing teams Gaining Better Field Position Throwing a field position pass Opting for possession passes Moving downfield with play-action passes Surveying Offenses for Sticky Situations Deciding whether to gamble on fourth-and Making a first down on a fourth-down gamble Running a quarterback sneak Doing the two-minute drill Scoring Offenses Making the best run play on the goal line Scoring inside the opponent s 10-yard line Going for two-point conversions Disguising a Successful Play Part III: The Big D Chapter 9: These Guys Are Huge: The Defensive Line Those Big Guys Called Linemen Looking closely at the D line Identifying types of defensive linemen Understanding what makes a good defensive lineman Delving into D-line lingo Unlocking the keys to a defensive lineman Linebackers: The Leaders of the Defense Figuring out what linebackers do Dealing with the senses Naming all the linebackers Defensive Alignments Sacks, Tackles, and Other Defensive Gems...162

15 Table of Contents xiii Chapter 10: The Secondary: Last Line of Defense Presenting the Performers Cornerbacks Safeties Nickel and dime backs Studying Secondary Tricks and Techniques Doing a bump and run Staying with a receiver Stemming around Making a Mark: A Good Day in the Life of a Defensive Back Examining the Two Types of Coverage (And Their Variations) Man-to-man coverage Zone coverage Eight men in the box The Nickel 40 defense Chapter 11: Delving into Defensive Tactics and Strategies Choosing a Base Defense Examining the Different Defenses front front eagle Dallas Flex Zone blitz Over/under Cover two (and Tampa two) Tackling Tricky Situations Stopping a superstar Stopping the two-point conversion Stuffing short yardage Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team Chapter 12: Special Teams, Masters of the Kicking Game Finding Out Who s Who on Special Teams Understanding What s So Special about Special Teams Placekicking Kicking off Returning the kickoff Kicking field goals and PATs Blocking field goals and PATs...214

16 xiv Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Punting Setting up and kicking the ball Meeting the key performers on the punt team Reviewing punt rules Punting out of trouble Examining the dangerous art of punt returning Chapter 13: Coaches, General Managers, and Other Important Folks A Team s Fearless Leaders: The Coaches Discovering who does what on the coaching staff Exploring the different coaching styles and philosophies Looking into what coaches do when they re not yelling on the sidelines The Team s Public Face: The Owners An Owner s Eyes and Ears: General Managers The People Responsible for Finding Talent: Scouts Keeping Players Strong and Healthy: Trainers and Team Doctors Part V: Football for Everyone Chapter 14: Armchair Quarterbacks and Other Fabulous Fans Deciphering the Announcers Slang Following a Game on Television or Radio Watching a game on television Listening to a game on the radio Attending a Game Picking the best seats Knowing what to focus on Enjoying the halftime show Keeping Up with Your Favorite Teams The Internet Magazines Newspapers Visiting the Football Halls of Fame Chapter 15: Youth Leagues and High School Football Determining When to Start Playing Signing Up Your Kids for Youth Football Pop Warner and similar programs Punt, Pass & Kick The NFL s USA Football Player Academy...251

17 Table of Contents xv Realizing What Sets High School Football Apart Rule differences Style of play Player lineups Making the Most of the High School Game Players Coaches Parents Thinking Ahead to a College Football Career Chapter 16: College Football Where It All Started Why People Love College Football Big, Medium, and Small Big-time schools Small college powers Examining College Conferences The Bowl Championship Series Understanding the basics of the system Seeing how the BCS teams are selected Considering the controversy surrounding the BCS Those Father Figures: College Coaches The Heisman and Other Trophies All-American and Other All-Star Teams Chapter 17: Taking a Look at the NFL (And Other Professional Leagues) The Birth of Pro Football Dividing the Ranks: The NFL Conferences Getting to Know the Pro Football Schedule The regular-season games The playoffs The Super Bowl Building a Team: It s More than Drawing Straws Drafting players out of school Trading to get who you want Going the free agent route Status Is Everything: Determining Player Designations The Business of Professional Football Show me the money: Player salaries The salary cap levels the playing field Collective bargaining agreements Big business and the TV connection Making the Players Health a Priority Peeking at Other Pro Leagues...289

18 xvi Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Chapter 18: Playing Fantasy Football Exploring How Fantasy Football Leagues Work Figuring Out How to Play Starting a league Choosing a fantasy football site Drafting a team Filling out your roster Managing your team after the draft Figuring your point total and winning Finding Information to Help Your Team Considering Tips for Fantasy Football Success Part VI: The Part of Tens Chapter 19: The Ten (Or So) Greatest Defensive Players of All Time Doug Atkins Dick Butkus Kenny Easley Joe Greene Jack Ham and Ted Hendricks Mike Haynes Ken Houston Sam Huff and Ray Nitschke Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen Jack Lambert Dick Night Train Lane Bob Lilly Gino Marchetti Chapter 20: More Than Ten Top Offensive Players Terry Bradshaw Jim Brown Earl Campbell Dave Casper Mike Ditka and John Mackey Otto Graham John Hannah Don Hutson Hugh McElhenny Joe Montana Jim Parker Walter Payton Gale Sayers Art Shell Gene Upshaw...321

19 Table of Contents xvii Chapter 21: The Ten Greatest Coaches in the History of the Game Paul Brown Joe Gibbs George Halas Jimmy Johnson Vince Lombardi John Madden Bill Parcells Knute Rockne Don Shula Bill Walsh Chapter 22: The Ten Best Teams of All Time Chicago Bears ( ) Cleveland Browns ( ) Dallas Cowboys ( ) Green Bay Packers ( ) Miami Dolphins ( ) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1946 and 1947) Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders ( ) Pittsburgh Steelers ( ) San Francisco 49ers ( ) Washington Redskins ( ) Chapter 23: The Ten Most Intense College Football Rivalries Alabama versus Auburn Army versus Navy California versus Stanford Florida versus Georgia Harvard versus Yale Lafayette versus Lehigh Michigan versus Ohio State Minnesota versus Wisconsin Notre Dame versus USC Oklahoma versus Texas Part VII: Appendixes Appendix A: Football Speak Appendix B: Get Your Tickets Here Index

20 xviii Football For Dummies, 4th Edition

21 Introduction Millions of people across the United States are intrigued by football all types and levels of it. These people may have friends or family who have made the football season a ritual, from the last weekend in August, through the college bowl games in December, until Super Bowl Sunday at the start of February. To be a part of that experience, you need to have a working knowledge of the game. Football For Dummies, 4th Edition, serves to give you that knowledge and help you better facilitate interaction with your friends, family, or whoever you watch football with. For many people, on the surface, football seems to be a complicated game. Twenty-two players are on the field at one time, plus a number of officials. The intricacies of first down, second down, and third down, and everything from how many offensive linemen there are to what the quarterback really does or doesn t do all need to be explained and simplified. This book will help; that s why I decided to write it. I think football is far less intimidating when you have a basic working knowledge of the game. After you break through that initial fear of being overwhelmed by football and what you don t understand, everything else about the game falls into place. You begin to see the game clearly, like when you wipe the early morning dew off your windshield suddenly everything becomes crystal clear. Today I know a lot more about the game as a whole than I did when I was a player. I played in high school and in college, plus I played for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). But being a television analyst 2011 will be my eighteenth season working for FOX Sports has forced me to learn even more about this game that I love. As a player, I had a working knowledge of the passing game, of how a secondary works in coverages, and of the offensive and defensive line formations. I also had a working knowledge of general managers, scouts, and head coaches. But working as an analyst, I ve been forced to cover the entire game. I no longer view football from a defensive lineman s perspective. Instead, I look at football as a whole. And I m still learning every day. That never changes. I don t think you ll ever stop learning when it comes to football. It s the same for everyone the players, the fans, the coaches, and the television experts. So don t feel alone out there.

22 2 Football For Dummies, 4th Edition About This Book I wrote Football For Dummies, 4th Edition, to help you find out what you want to know about football. Therefore, I don t expect you to read every single page in order. Sure, you can read the book from front to back if you want, but if you d rather skip around and just read about the topics that interest you, that s fine, too. And I don t make you remember obscure facts from earlier chapters to make sense of later chapters. If you need to know something that I cover in an earlier chapter, I either define it again or refer you to the chapter that contains the information. Also, if you don t know certain football jargon, you can turn to Appendix A, which explains some of the most common terms. What could be simpler? Conventions Used in This Book To help you follow along, this book uses a few conventions: Boldface indicates the key words and phrases in bulleted lists. Italics indicate words I m defining for you or (occasionally) emphasizing. Monofont lets you know that you re looking at a Web address. (After all, not all of them start with I also use diagrams you know, those X and O things to show you what I m talking about when I describe lineups, formations, and plays. So you aren t left wondering what all those little symbols mean, here s a key to the diagrams used in this book: O X Offensive player Offensive center Offensive player with defender lined up on left shoulder Offensive player with defender lined up on right shoulder Defensive player Path of offensive player Spot where offensive player stops to block or catch a pass Pass Pitchout

23 Introduction 3 What You re Not to Read You may want to know everything there is to know about football. Or you may want to know only what you need to know to get by so that you don t look dumb in front of your friends and family by yelling Touchback! when you really mean Touchdown! Because I can t be sure what you want to know, I ve set things up so you can see what to skip if you want only the basics. Throughout the book, I include sidebars gray boxes that give background information, tell stories about famous players of yesterday, explain more technical concepts, and so on. Skip these boxes if you just want a working knowledge of the game. Foolish Assumptions Here s what I m assuming about you: You re interested in football and want to get familiar with the sport, including its history, so you can watch games in person and on TV, follow all the action, and enjoy football games to the hilt. You may not know much about football, but I know that you re no dummy either. You may, however, have burning questions like these: Is the ball really made of pigskin, or is that an inside joke? Why do you get six points for a touchdown but only three points for a field goal? Does it really matter how all those guys line up on the field? Does it really mean something when the officials do those funny signals with their arms, or are they just bored out there? This book answers all these questions and more. How This Book Is Organized Football For Dummies, 4th Edition, is organized into seven parts, and each part focuses on a major aspect of football. Part I: Football 101 If you re a total newcomer to the game of football, this part of the book is a good place to start. In it, I talk about why football is the best game there is. I also explain what all those marks on the field mean; tell you, in general, how the game is played; and list the rules that govern the game and keep all those big guys from maiming each other.

24 4 Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Part II: Go, Offense! Offense is the exciting part of football; unless you witness a very unusual game, neither team will score if the offense doesn t make it happen. So, in this part of the book, I introduce you to the offense the passing game, the running game, the offensive line, and the strategies that players and coaches use to achieve various goals on offense. You also find out about all the offensive positions and what each player does (or at least is supposed to do). Part III: The Big D Without defense, offense wouldn t be all that exciting who would stop the offense from scoring a touchdown on every play? This part describes all the things the defense does to keep the contest (and the score) a little more evenly balanced. It explains player positions, from the defensive line to the secondary, and lists some strategies that defenses use against various offenses and in particularly sticky situations. Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team No team is complete without its kickers, punters, coaches, managers, trainers, and so on. This part of the book talks about all the folks who don t fit neatly into the category of offense or defense. This part not only gives you insight into the techniques of highly skilled kickers but also explains the difference between the owner, the general manager, and all those other folks who seem to be in charge of things in some way. Part V: Football for Everyone Sure, I m a little biased since I played in the NFL and now work as an analyst for NFL games. But that doesn t mean I don t appreciate football at all levels. After all, I ve been a high school player and a college player, and I m certainly a fan. This part shares all the ways you can get involved with football: as an armchair quarterback, in youth leagues and on high school teams, by watching or playing in college or in the NFL, or by participating in fantasy football leagues.

25 Introduction 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens No For Dummies book would be complete without a Part of Tens those short chapters that contain top ten lists. In this part, I include chapters about all-time greats: defensive players, offensive players, coaches, teams, and even college football rivalries. You may not agree with every one of my selections, but top ten lists are made to be contested! Part VII: Appendixes This part, all the way at the back of the book, is home to two appendixes. The first one explains football jargon; turn to it when you re baffled by terms such as audible, fair catch, and pick-six. The second one lists NFL teams and NCAA Division I FBS college football teams, their locations, and their Web site addresses. Icons Used in This Book To help you navigate your way through this book, I place icons in the margins. These little pictures point you to a particular type of information. Here s a list of the icons in this book and what they mean: A book about football wouldn t be the same without tales of the sport s greats. This icon flags stories about the game s greatest, most recognized players. Being a commentator, I can t help but want to throw in my two cents once in a while. When I have my own tale to tell on a subject, I mark it with this icon. When you see this icon, you know you re reading a piece of information that s especially important to remember. If you take away nothing else from this book but the paragraphs flagged with this icon, you ll have a solid understanding of football. Look for this icon if you want to know all the helpful tidbits of info that can make you a more informed fan.

26 6 Football For Dummies, 4th Edition Where to Go from Here So you re geared up and ready to play, metaphorically speaking. Where you go from here depends on the type of information you re looking for. If you want a primer on football starting at square one, head to Chapter 1. If you want to know about how a particular phase of the game say, the offensive line or the kicking game works, head to that specific chapter. And if you want to read about some of the greatest players in football history, head to Part VI. Wherever you start, enjoy the game!

27 Part I Football 101

28 In this part... If you don t know a touchdown from a touchback or an interference penalty from an interception, this part is for you. Here, I tell you why football is the greatest game on earth and explain the nitty-gritty of how the game works.you find out who the players are, how the field is set up, and what happens in a game. I also introduce you to some common football rules and penalties.

29 Chapter 1 America s Greatest Game In This Chapter Discovering why football is America s passion Looking back on football s progression throughout the years Figuring out how the modern football season works Recognizing what makes college games so much fun and the Super Bowl such a major event When I was 14, a sophomore in high school, I moved out of Boston to live with my uncle. During my first weekend in Milford, Massachusetts, I saw my first high school football game. I had never seen anything like it. Before the game, an antique fire engine led a parade on the track around the football field while the crowd clapped and cheered. The players then thundered across a wooden bridge over a pond and burst through a banner to enter the stadium. I said to myself, Wow, this game is for me. I wasn t necessarily drawn to the game itself; I simply loved what came with the sport: respect. For me, football was an opportunity to belong to something, giving me confidence for the first time in my life. It was more of a personal thing than it was about playing football. It wasn t so much the football, but what football did for me. Football gave me a sense of self-worth, which I ve carried with me throughout my life. Sure, I experienced down periods when I first started playing, but I never thought about quitting. My first high school coach, Dick Corbin, was great to me and encouraged me to continue playing the game. Believe me, coaches are important. I ve always had the support of football coaches, both on and off the field. Football is responsible for everything that I ve accomplished in my life. The discipline and hard work that made me a successful athlete have helped me in other areas of my life, allowing me to venture into new careers in movies and television.

30 10 Part I: Football 101 Why Football Is the Best Baseball may be America s pastime, but football is America s passion. Football is the only team sport in America that conjures up visions of Roman gladiators, pitting city versus city, state versus state sometimes with a Civil War feel, like when the Jets play the Giants in New York or the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins. Football is played in all weather conditions snow, rain, and sleet with temperatures on the playing field ranging from 30 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Whatever the conditions may be, the game goes on. And unlike other major sports, the football playoff system, in the National Football League (NFL) anyway, is a single-elimination tournament. In other words, the NFL has no playoff series; the playoffs are do-or-die, culminating in what has become the single biggest one-day sporting event in America: the Super Bowl. Or, in simpler terms, anytime you stick 22 men in high-tech plastic helmets on a football field and have them continually run great distances at incredible speeds and slam into each other, people will watch. Football has wedged itself into the American culture. In fact, in many small towns across the United States, the centerpiece is the Friday night high school football game. The NFL doesn t play on Fridays simply to protect this great part of Americana, in which football often gives schools and even towns a certain identity. For example, hard-core fans know that tiny Massillon, Ohio, is where the late, great Paul Brown of the Cleveland Browns began his coaching career. To this day, Massillon s high school has maintained a tremendous high school football tradition. With so many factions of the student body involved, plus their families, a strong core of fans is built. For many, this enthusiasm for football continues in college. You may not think it now, but millions of people are familiar with the strategy of the game, and most of them pass it down through their families. A lot of fathers coach their sons, and on rare occasions, their daughters. Although the focus may have changed in today s society, at one time the only team that mattered in high school was the football team. The pace of the game stoppage after every play with a huddle is perfect for most fans because it allows them time to guess what the team will try next. On two particular holidays, sitting down and watching football has become an American tradition: Thanksgiving Day is reserved for a turkey dinner with the family, followed by a pro football game. The Detroit Lions started the tradition in 1934, and in 2010 they played in their 71st Thanksgiving Day game. There have been at least two pro football games on Thanksgiving Day every year since New Year s Day has long been the day for college football bowl games, which generally match up some of the nation s finest teams.