Questions tagged [american-football]
Questions about the sport of American football. This should not be confused with the [football] tag, which only applies to the sport called "soccer" in most of North America.
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Why do quarterbacks lick their hands even when sitting on the sidelines?
I understand why most QB's lick their hands when they’re on the field. I guess it helps with the grip. But why so many of them keep licking their hands even when they are on the sidelines? Is it a bad ...
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Has a field goal or extra point attempt ever hit both uprights and the crossbar?
During the 6 January 2019 NFL wild card playoff game between the Eagles and Bears, Bears kicker Cody Parkey missed a game-winning FG that hit the left upright and then the crossbar.
I found a video ...
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What is the difference between a offside and a neutral zone infraction in the NFL?
Throughout many NFL games, there is almost always one pre-snap call, and many of those are on the offense for a small flinch. During all of the games that I have watched, I see refs calling out mostly ...
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Are you down if your head touches a defender who is laying on the ground?
It's my understanding that if you touch the ground with your head (while in contact with a defender) you are down. Are you down if your head touches the defender who is sitting/laying on the ground (...
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Why is the ball moved back during a field goal attempt?
Why isn't the football placed at the last yard line where it was if a field goal is attempted? In the Eagles/Bears playoff game on 6 January 2019, the ball was run to the 11 yard line. Then they ...
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Can a team sign an NFL player during the playoffs?
I was watching the Seahawks playoff game on 5 January 2019 and the kicker got injured. For instance, if the Seahawks won that game, could they sign a new player to replace the injured kicker or is the ...
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If a ball carrier falls to the ground, how many seconds will the umps allow the clock to run? [duplicate]
If a ball carrier falls to the ground, and the other team wishes to run the clock because they are leading, how many seconds will the umps allow the clock to run?
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Can you call a coach's challenge when you do not have a timeout?
In close game situations in the NFL, if for example the opposing quarterback completes a pass to one of their receivers, can you challenge the ruling on the field with no timeout? This is questionable,...
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Reviewing a penalty in the NFL
The referees ruled that the Jets had too many defensive players on the field by a review in their game on December 23, 2018.
Can you review offside, holding, or any penalty for that matter?
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Why is the plane of the goal line not applied on punts?
Why is the plane of the goal line not applied on punts? Ball can break the plane on a punt and player can knock it back into the field of play and it is considered not to be a touch back. This seems ...
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What is the distinction between a play that counts after the whistle is blown and doesn't count in the National Football League?
Let's say the following scenario occurs. A quarterback throws a screen pass, and the player drops it. There is a whistle for an incomplete pass, and a player on defense grabs the ball and returns it ...
user16493
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How does the RB know when to grasp the ball on a read option and when the QB is selling the fake?
In American football, on read-option plays, how does the RB know when to fully grasp the ball and when not to because the QB "pulls" the ball?
Commentators praise the QB on plays where he sticks the ...
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Does a sack count as a Tackle For Loss, and/or a Tackle?
I like to look at player statistics, and I always see the Tackle stat, the Sack stat, and sometimes the Tackle For Loss stat. Is there some overlap in the stats so that a Sack counts as a Tackle?
ie) ...
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Which players have played against one team three times during one regular season?
In 2018, Golden Tate played against the Cowboys as a member of the Lions in Week 7. He will play against the Cowboys as a member of the Eagles in Weeks 10 and 14.
Which players have played against ...
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Can a quarterback pass the football even if he is running forward and gaining yards?
At school, we were playing football and I was quarterback. I'm not really good at football so I took off, and then I threw it while running.
They said it didn't count but I think it does. Can the ...
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Nfl overtime rules [duplicate]
What happens if the team receiving the kickoff in overtime drives the ball for almost 10 minutes (unlikely but possible) and then kicks a field goal as the 10 minutes run out? Do they win?
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Most overtime games for a team during a season
With the Browns just finishing their third overtime game this season (in week 5), does anybody know what is the most overtime games played by a single team during a season?
This page seems to have a ...
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When was the last time the Bills, Lions, Browns, & Jets won on the same day?
On October 6, 2018, the Bills, Lions, Browns and Jets all won. When was the last time the Bills, Lions, Browns, & Jets won on the same day? Or even the same week?
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Is a running back allowed to toss the football out of bounds to stop the clock?
This question applies to all levels of American football from pee wee football all the way up to the NFL.
If a running back is past the line of scrimmage and is running towards the sideline with the ...
user16128
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When was the last time the Lions and Browns both won on the same weekend?
When was the last time the Lions and Browns both won on the same weekend? They both won on September 23rd, 2018, but they are notorious for being the two 0-16 teams in NFL history.
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Has anyone been "guaranteed" a Super Bowl ring because they played for both teams during the season?
I was reading this answer to the question "Who gets Super Bowl rings?" which says
Also, in some cases, players traded during the season will get them too, if they suited up and played during they ...
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Why does the game stop after the kicking team catches a punt?
I am a occasional football watcher from Europe, so please excuse my stupid question.
My question is the following: The standard outcome of a punt is a catch by the defending team and some running ...
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Center Hikes Ball- Football
Question here. I know quite a bit about football but don't actually know this specific rule.
Here is the scenario:
QB says "Ready Set Hike"
Center lifts ball of ground to hand to QB
QB acts like he ...
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Is it a reception if a receiver hops twice on one foot?
Assuming an NFL receiver catches a ball and maintains possession, if he hops twice on the same foot before going out of bounds, does it count as a catch? Does the rule book specifically say it needs ...
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Mississippi St. QB Fumble
Watching Miss ST @ Kansas ST on 9/8/18. Miss ST QB loses control of the ball while in the process of throwing a pass when hit by a Kansas ST defender. Initial call on the field was "fumble". Kansas ST ...
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How much does a dropped NFL player earn while with a team during the pre-season
In the latest episode of NFL Hard Knocks the Browns are dropping players to get to the 53 that are allowed during the regular season.
As I understand it, if a dropped player isn't picked up by ...
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Returning a blocked extra point for a score: who kicks off to whom?
Suppose an extra point gets blocked, and the defense returns it for two points. Who kicks off to whom? The defense who just scored the two points, or the offense who scored the TD?
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What happens if a team returns a blocked extra point a long way, but not all the way to the end zone?
Suppose a team blocks an extra point. I realize that if the defense returns the ball to the end zone, it counts as a two-point score. However, what if the defense returns the ball to, say, the ...
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Can a linebacker make contact with a receiver before a pass is thrown to him?
I know this is a simple question, but in a cover 3 defense where the outside linebacker has the Curl/Flat zone, can the OLB make contact with a receiver on a flat before a ball is passed? I’m in 8th ...
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Can a traded player play for two teams in one week?
Suppose a player in a Thursday Night Football game catches the eye of a team playing on the Sunday or Monday of the same Week, and a trade is quickly completed in the interim. The player is able to ...
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What yard shows on scoreboard if the ball is between yard lines?
If the ball is located between yard markers, which yard line is displayed on the scoreboard and is the running back credited for a yard gain or not?
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What prevents a player/team from agreeing to a long-term contract after the franchise tag deadline?
This afternoon is the NFL franchise tag deadline. I keep hearing radio hosts talking about it as the deadline to sign a long-term deal. However, I was under the impression that once this deadline ...
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Is it legal to ice your own kicker?
In the NFL a Coach can call a timeout right before the kicker kicks the ball in order to affect the kicker's chance of succeeding. In many cases, the kicker will take the kick twice, once right after ...
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Are there any other instances of a coach's challenge backfiring?
My title just refers to "coach's challenge" so it will be shorter. I intend to also include other non-neutrally-initiated replay review, such as for example manager's challenges .
The one instance ...
user7737
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How are NFL division titles determined when a team has best record within division, but not in overall games?
Can a NFL team win their division games and have the best record for games within the division, however not have the best overall record, and be the division champion?
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What determines the spot of a field goal kick in the NFL?
Is there a limit to how close the ball gets spotted behind the line of scrimmage during a field goal attempt?
I regularly watch the NFL and on the field goals the holder awaits for the ball about 8 ...
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After a missed field goal, where does the next drive start?
In Superbowl LII, at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, New England drove to the Philly 8 and kicked a field goal. Gostkowski missed (hit upright).
The ensuing Philly drive commenced at their 20-yard ...
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Can an intercepting player be down by contact that occurs before the interception?
Consider a scenario where a receiver runs a post route to the goal line. A linebacker drops back into coverage, jumps, and tips the pass right before the goal line. In the act of deflecting the pass, ...
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Did any player on Eagles Super Bowl winning roster play on the 04 season Super bowl?
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 to win their first Super Bowl.
The last time the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl was during the 2004 season, also against the ...
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Better to fall down after interception in end zone?
As I understand it, if a team intercepts the football in the end zone and is then tackled or falls, it is a touchback and the ball is moved to the 25.
However, if the player who makes the ...
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Super Bowl MVP winners from the losing team
How many times a player from the losing team was named the super bowl MVP?
Please list all these MVP winners, year it occurred, as well as the team and position they played.
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Is there a minimum number of players needed on the field in the NFL?
In the NFC Divisional playoff game on 2018-01-14 between Minnesota and New Orleans, Minnesota's Stephon Diggs scored a touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter to take the lead and thus win the ...
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Scoring by offense on a blocked extra point
In American football, if an extra point kick is blocked can the offense pick it up and advance it or recover it in the end zone? Would they score 1 point or two? Does it matter where the ball lands ...
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Is there any guideline the NFL uses to refrain from calling a penalty due to unusual celebrations or mass reactions?
In the NFL's NFC Divisional playoff game on 2018-01-14 between Minnesota and New Orleans, Minnesota's Stephon Diggs scored a touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter to take the lead and thus ...
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NFL conference top seed hosting divisional round playoff game as an underdog
The Philadelphia Eagles hosted and beat the Atalanta Falcons on NFC's Divisional playoffs round of the 2017-18 NFL season. The eagles became the first top seed team since the 70's to host a playoff ...
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Can a forward pass be thrown after a handoff made in front of the quarterback?
The quarterback hands the ball to a receiver; the handoff is in front of the quarterback but behind the line of scrimmage, which is a legal play.
Can the receiver now throw a forward pass?
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Is there such a thing as an ineligible runner in football?
In American football, there is such a thing as an ineligible (pass) receiver. That is, a "lineman" (center, guard, tackle) is not allowed to catch forward passes. Are they similarly prohibited from ...
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Quarterback pass to self
In the wild card round of the 2017-18 NFL season, Marcus Mariota, quarterback of the Tennessee Titans, made a pass to himself for a 6-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
This makes me ...
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Why did the hash marks in American football get moved inwards in 1935 and 1945?
According to Wikipedia, the hash marks in American football were introduced in 1932, at which time they were placed 10 yards in from the sidelines. They have since migrated inward to 15 yards in 1935 ...
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What is the NFL record for starting field position by kick returner
Can anyone find the NFL record for starting field position attributed to the primary kick returner? I've looked through several websites listing NFL records, to no avail.
Specifically looking for ...
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