Hellraisers
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Glossary
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L |
| M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
A
Audible: A play called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage to change the play that was called in the huddle.
Automatic First Down: For several of the most severe penalties, including pass interference and all personal fouls, a first down is rewarded to the offensive team even if the yardage of that penalty is less than the yardage needed for a first down.
B
Back: A position behind the offensive line, or behind the linebackers on defense.
Ball Security: The ability of a player to maintain control over the football during play and thus avoid a fumble.
Blitz: A defensive maneuver in which one or more linebackers or defensive backs, who normally remain behind the line of scrimmage, instead charge into the opponents' backfield.
Blocking: When a player obstructs another player's path with his body.
Bomb: A long pass
C
Center: A player position on offense. The center snaps the ball.
Clipping: An illegal block in which the victim is blocked from the back and below the waist; the penalty is 15 yards. Originally, clipping was defined as any block from the back, but is now restricted to blocks below the waist. Other blocks from the back are now punished with 10-yard penalties.
Cornerback (CB): A defensive back who lines up near the line of scrimmage across from a wide receiver. Their primary job is to disrupt passing routes and to defend against short and medium passes in the passing game, and to contain the rusher on rushing plays.
Cut: A sharp change of direction by a running player. Also called a cutback.
D
Dead Ball: A ball which is no longer in play.
Defensive Back: A cornerback or safety position on the defensive team; commonly defends against wide receivers on passing plays. Generally there are 4 defensive backs playing at a time.
Defensive End (DE): A player position on defense who lines up on the outside of the defensive line.
Defensive Tackle (DT): A player position on defense on the inside of the defensive line. When a defensive tackle lines up directly across from the center, he is known often as a nose tackle.
Defensive Team: The team that begins a play from scrimmage not in possession of the ball.
Direct Snap: A play in which the ball is passed directly to the presumed ball carrier by the center. Contrast with an indirect snap play in which the ball is first handed to the quarterback, who will then pass or hand it to the eventual ball carrier.
Down: One of a series of plays in which the offensive team must advance at least 10 yards or lose possession. First down is the first of the plays; fourth is the last down in American, and third in Canadian, football. A first down occurs after a change of possession of the ball, after advancing the ball 10 yards following a previous first down or after certain penalties.
Drive: A continuous set of offensive plays gaining substantial yardage and several first downs, usually leading to a scoring opportunity.
Drop Kick: A kick in which the ball is dropped and kicked once it hits the ground and before it hits it again; a half-volley kick.
Dual Threat Quarterback: A quarterback who is skilled at both passing and rushing the ball. These quarterbacks may be difficult to defend against since the defensive team cannot focus on one threat to the exclusion of the other.
E
Eligible Receivers: Players who may legally touch a forward pass. On the passer's team, these are: the ends and the backs. All players of the opposing team are eligible receivers, and once the ball is touched by a player of the opposing team, all players become eligible.
Encroachment: An illegal action by a player: to cross the line of scrimmage and make contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped, or to line up offside and remain there when the ball is put in play.
End: A player position, either on offense or defense.
End Zone: The area between the end line (or deadline in Canadian amateur football) and the goal line, bounded by the sidelines.
Extra Point: A single point scored in a conversion attempt by making what would be a field goal or a safety during general play.
F
Fair Catch: An unhindered catch of an opponent's kick. The player wanting to make one must signal for a fair catch by waving an arm overhead while the ball is in the air. After that signal, if he gains possession of the ball it is dead immediately and opponents will receive a fifteen yard penalty for hitting him.
Field Goal: Score of 3 points made by place- or drop-kicking the ball through the opponent's goal other than via a kickoff or free kick following a safety.
First Down: The first of a set of four downs. Typically, teams need to advance the ball 10 yards to receive a first down, though penalties or field position (i.e. near the opposing end zone) may change this.
Flag Guarding: The ball carrier attempts to block, with arms, hands or ball, the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag belt. It usually considered illegal in most leagues, including the NGFFL.
Flea Flicker: A trick play in which a running back laterals the ball back to the quarterback, who then throws a pass to a wide receiver or tight end.
Formation: An arrangement of the offensive skill players, usually is described in terms of how the running backs line up or how the wide receivers line up. There are rules limiting what is legal in a formation. All five offensive linemen must be on the line of scrimmage. Also, there must be one receiver lined up on the line on either side of the offensive line, with a total of no fewer than seven players on the line. A receiver who is on the line may not go in motion.
Forward Pass: A pass that touches a person, object, or the ground closer to the opponent's end line than where it was released from, or is accidentally lost during a forward throwing motion.
Fourth Down: The final of a set of four downs. Unless a first down is achieved or a penalty forces a reply of the down, the team will lose control of the ball after this play. If a team does not think they can get a first down, they often punt on fourth down or kick a field goal if they are close enough to do so.
Free Safety (FS): A player position on defense. Free safeties typically play deep and often have the pass defense responsibility of assisting other defensive backs in deep coverage.
Fullback (FB): A player position on offense.
Fumble: A ball that a player accidentally lost possession of.
G
Goal: A surface in space marked by a structure of two upright posts 18 feet 6 inches apart extending above a horizontal crossbar whose top edge is 10 feet off the ground. The goal is the surface above the bar and between the lines of the inner edges of the posts, extending infinitely upward.
Goal Line: The front of the end zone.
Guard: One of two player positions on offense.
H
Hail Mary: A long pass play, thrown towards a group of receivers near the end zone in hope of a touchdown. Used by a team as a last resort as time is running out in either of two halves (usually by a team trailing in the second half).
Halfback: A player position on offense. Also known as a tailback.
Hand-Off: A player's handing of a live ball to another player. The hand-off goes either backwards or laterally, as opposed to a forward pass.
Hash Marks: The Lines between which the ball begins each play. The lines are parallel to and a distance in from the side lines and marked as broken lines. If a play is blown dead while the ball is between the hash marks, the ball is spotted where it is blown dead for the following play. If the play ends outside the hash marks, the ball is spotted at the nearer hash mark.
Hike: Synonym of "snap" - the handoff or pass from the center that begins a play from scrimmage.
Holding: There are two kinds of holding: offensive holding, illegally blocking a player from the opposing team by grabbing and holding his uniform or body; and defensive holding, called against defensive players who impede receivers who are more than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, but who are not actively making an attempt to catch the ball
Hook And Ladder: A trick play in which a receiver (usually a wide receiver) runs a hook pattern (i.e., moving toward the line of scrimmage to make a catch), and then laterals the ball to a second player (generally another receiver or a running back) going in a different direction.
Huddle: An on-field gathering of members of a team in order to secretly communicate instructions for the upcoming play.
Hurry-Up Offense: An offensive strategy designed to gain as much yardage as possible while running as little time off the clock as possible. Often involves making plays without a huddle.
I
Incomplete Pass: A forward pass of the ball which no player legally caught.
Indirect Snap: A play in which the ball is handed to the quarterback rather than thrown directly to the ball carrier by the center as in a direct snap play. So named because the quarterback acts as an intermediary in relaying the ball to the ball carrier.
Ineligible Receiver: Certain players on the offense are not allowed to catch passes. For example, in most situations offensive linemen cannot be receivers and they may cause their team to be penalized if they catch the ball. An exception is if the ball has already been tipped by a different player.
Intentional Grounding: An illegal forward pass thrown beyond the line of scrimmage without an intended receiver and no chance of completion to any offensive player, for the sole purpose of avoiding a sack. This foul costs the offense a loss of down and 10 yards. If it occurs 10 yard behind the line of scrimmage, then the 10 yards is taken from the spot of the foul. If the foul is committed in the end zone the penalty is a safety.
Interception: The legal catching of a forward pass thrown by an opposing player.
J
K
Kick: As a verb, to strike the ball deliberately with the foot; as a noun, such an action producing a punt, place kick, or drop kick.
Kickoff: A free kick which starts each half, or restarts the game following a touchdown or field goal.
Kick Returner: A player on the receiving team who specializes in fielding kicks and running them back.
Kneel-Down: A low risk play in which the quarterback kneels down after receiving the snap, ending the play. Used to run out the clock.
L
Lateral: A pass thrown to the side or backward.
Line of Scrimmage: One of two vertical planes parallel to the goal line when the ball is to be put in play by scrimmage. For each team, the line of scrimmage is through the point of the ball closest to their end line. The two lines of scrimmage are called offensive line of scrimmage and defensive line of scrimmage. Often shortened to "line".
Linebacker: A player position on defense. The linebackers typically play 1 to 3 yards behind the defensive linemen and have both run and pass defense responsibilities. However they are often called on to blitz, and in some formations a linebacker may be designated as a "rush linebacker", rushing the passer on almost every play.
Lineman; A defensive or offensive position on the line of scrimmage.
Live Ball: Any ball that is in play, whether it is a player's possession or not. The ball is live during plays from scrimmage and free kicks, including kickoffs.
Loose Ball: Any ball that is in play and not in a player's possession. This includes a ball in flight during a lateral or forward pass.
M
Man-to-Man Coverage: A defense in which all players in pass coverage, typically linebackers and defensive backs, cover a specific player. Pure man coverage is very rare; defenses typically mix man and zone coverage.
N
National Football League (NFL): The largest professional American football league.
National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL): Governing body of gay and lesbian flag football.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): Governing body of college sports including college football.
Neutral Zone: The region between the lines of scrimmage or between the free kick restraining lines
No-Huddle Offense: A tactic wherein the offense quickly forms near the line of scrimmage without huddling before the next play.
O
Offensive Team: The team with possession of the ball
Offside: An infraction of the rule that requires both teams to be on their own side of their restraining line as or before the ball is put play. Offside is normally called on the defensive team.
Onside Kick: A play in which the kicking team tries to recover the kicked ball.
Option: Usually, a type of play in which the quarterback has the option of handing off, keeping, or laterally passing to one or more backs. Often described by a type of formation or play action, such as triple option, veer option, or counter option. Teams running option plays often specialize in them.
P
Pass Interference: When a player illegally hinders an eligible receiver's opportunity to catch forward pass.
Passing Play: A play in which a forward pass is made.
Pass Protection: The use of blocking by the offensive line and backs to allow the quarterback time and space to throw the ball.
Play: The action between the snap of the ball, and the end of play signaled by the official's whistle for a tackle or out of bounds.
Play Action: A tactic in which the quarterback fakes either a handoff or a throw in order to draw the defense away from the intended offensive method.
Play Clock: A timer used to increase the pace of the game between plays. The offensive team must snap the ball before the time expires, or receive a 5 yard delay of game penalty. Currently, the NFL uses 40 seconds (60 seconds after a time out).
Pocket: An area on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage, where the offensive linemen attempt to prevent the defensive players from reaching the quarterback during passing plays.
Possession: Having the ball on offense for a number of downs, ultimately resulting in either a score, a turn-over, or the end of the half or physical control of the ball after a pass or fumble.
Pump Fake: When the quarterback fakes a pass and keeps the ball in his hand in an attempt to fool the defensive team.
Punt: A kick in which the ball is dropped and kicked before it reaches the ground. Used to give up the ball to the opposition after offensive downs have been used, as far down the field as possible.
Punter: A kicker who specializes in punting as opposed to place kicking.
Q
QB Sneak: A play most commonly used in very short yardage or goal line situations. The Quarterback quickly snaps the ball and runs right behind or beside the center.
Quarterback (QB): An offensive player who lines up behind the center, from whom he takes the snap.
R
Reception: When a player catches (receives) the ball.
Red Zone: The area between the 20 yard line and the goal of the defensive team.
Referee (R): The official who directs the other officials on the field, He is one of seven officials.
Reverse: An offensive play in which a running back carries the ball toward one side of the field but hands or tosses the ball to a teammate (almost exclusively a Wide Receiver) who is running in the opposite direction. Contrast to an End Around, in which the ball is handed off directly to a Wide Receiver (usually the man in motion), so the direction of the play never reverses.
Road Game: A game played in the opponent's home stadium. Games at neutral sides are generally not considered road games although they are "away from home".
Running Back: A player position on offense. Although the term usually refers to the halfback or tailback, fullbacks are also considered running backs.
Running Play: A play where the offense attempts to advance the ball without passing.
Rush: Trying to tackle or hurry a player before he can throw a pass or make a kick.
S
Sack: Tackling a ball carrier who intends to throw a forward pass. A sack is also awarded if a player forces a fumble of the ball, or the ball carrier to go out of bounds, behind the line of scrimmage on an apparent intended forward pass play.
Safety: A player position on defense pr a method of scoring (worth two points) by downing an opposing ball carrier in his own end zone, forcing the opposing ball carrier out of his own end zone AND out of bounds, or forcing the offensive team to fumble the ball so that it exits the end zone. A safety is also awarded if the offensive team commits a penalty within its own end zone.
Scramble: On a called passing play, when the quarterback runs from the pocket in an attempt to avoid being sacked, giving the receivers more time to get open or attempting to gain positive yards by running himself.
Screen Pass: A short forward pass to a receiver who has blockers in front of him. The receiver in this play is usually a running back, although wide receiver and tight end screens are also used. Although they are both called screen passes, the wide receiver screen and the running back screen are used for very different reasons.
Shotgun Formation: Formation in which offensive team may line up at the start of a play. In this formation, the quarterback receives the snap 5-8 yards behind the center.
Sideline: One of the lines marking each side of the field.
Slot: The area between a split end and the offensive line. A pass receiver lined up in the slot at the snap of the ball may be called a slot back or slot receiver.
Snap: The handoff or pass from the center that begins a play from scrimmage.
Special Teams: The units that handle kickoffs, punts, free kicks and field goal attempts.
Spike: A play in which the quarterback throws the ball at the ground immediately after the snap. Technically an incomplete pass, it stops the clock. Note that a spike is not considered intentional grounding if it is done with the quarterback under center and immediately after the snap.
Stiff-Arm: A ball carrier warding off a would-be tackler by pushing them away with a straight arm.
Strong Safety (SS): A kind of safety on defense, as opposed to a free safety. This is a central defensive back; originally, the term indicated that he lined up on the strong side of the field and covered the tight end.
Sweep: A running play in which several blockers lead a running back on a designed play to the outside.
T
Tackle: The act of forcing a ball carrier to the ground
Tailback: Player position on offense farthest ("deepest") back, except in kicking formations.
Tight End: A player position on offense, an eligible receiver lined up on the line of scrimmage, next to the offensive tackle. Tight ends are used as blockers during running plays, and either run a route or stay in to block during passing plays.
Time of Possession: The amount of time one team has the ball in it's possession relative to the other team. Since there are 60 minutes in a non-overtime game, and one team or another always has possession of the ball, the two teams divide up the time with which they have the ball out of the 60 minutes. Teams that dominate time of possession usually have good defenses and solid offenses.
Touchback: The act of downing the ball behind one's own goal line on a kickoff or punt after the ball had been propelled over the goal by the opposing team. This can be accomplished by one of several ways: the receiving team player catching the ball in the end zone and dropping down to one knee; by the ball touching any part of the end zone; the ball carrying out of the end zone in any way without being possessed by either team. After a touchback, the team that downed it gets the ball at their own 20-yard line.
Touchdown: A play worth six points, accomplished by gaining legal possession of the ball in the opponent's end zone. It also allows the team a chance for one extra point by kicking the ball or a two point conversion.
Two-Point Conversion: A play worth two points accomplished by gaining legal possession of the ball in the opponent's end zone, either via a run or pass, after a touchdown has been made.
U
Unbalanced Line: Usually refers to an offensive formation which does not have an equal number of linemen on each side of the ball. Done to gain a blocking advantage on one side of the formation; typically one tackle or guard lines up on the other side of the ball.
V
Veer: A type of option offense using 2 backs in the backfield, one behind each guard or tackle, allowing a triple option play.
W
Wide Receiver: A player position on offense. He is split wide (usually about 10 yards) from the formation and plays on the line of scrimmage as a split end or one yard off as a flanker.
Win-Loss: The ratio of wins to loses, usually expressed as a pair of numbers.
Wishbone: A formation involving three running backs lined up behind the quarterback in the shape of a Y, similar to the shape of a wishbone.
X
Y
Yard: One yard of linear distance in the direction of one of the two goals. A field is 100 yards. Typically, a team is required to advance at least 10 yards in order to get a new set of downs.
Yardage: The amount of yards gained or lost during a play, game, season, or career.
Z
Zone Defense: A defense in which players who are in pass coverage cover zones of the field, instead of individual players. Pure zone packages are seldom used; most defenses employ some combination of zone and man coverage.
