Mega-Event Super Bowl
Rules, attempts, touchdowns: that’s what matters in American football
Half the world watches the Super Bowl, but many don’t even know the rules. Football veteran Maximilian von Garnier explains what is important.
“Hi, I am Max von Garniercoach of the Hamburg Blue Devilsand we’ll get you ready for the Super Bowl.”
“American football is basically about gaining space. The ball has to be moved across the field. Every team has one attack and one Defense eleven players each. They are never on the field at the same time. Team A’s offense plays against Team B’s defense – and vice versa. The game is played in four quarters of 15 minutes each. However, this is not continuous time either, because the clock keeps stopping. A game like this can easily last 2.5 hours, maybe even three hours – there are also a few commercial breaks.”
“The Football-Feld in American football is a little narrower, but also a little longer than a football field. It is divided into so-called Yard-Markings, there is the center line with the 50 yard markings, and then 40, 30, 20, 10 in both directions. The last zones back here, which are also ten meters long, are the End zones. That’s where the ball has to go.”
“As I said, it’s about gaining space. Your team’s attack has to get the ball into the opponent’s end zone. The Quarterback is the most important playmaker/captain in the attack. He gets the ball first and then distributes it to his teammates. Either through the air or by handover (Hand-off) to his runners. To keep things organized, you have four attempts to cover ten meters, in American yards. If they succeed, they have another four attempts. Until they have either reached the opponent’s end zone or haven’t made it. Then it’s the other team’s turn to attack.”
“In addition to the attack of the Offense and the defense of the Defensive Of course there are also those Special Teams. Among other things, they are used at the very beginning of the game when it comes to… Kick-off goes, the so-called “kick-off”. Team A shoots the ball towards Team B. Team B can then carry it back as far as possible. Where the so-called Returner has been stopped, the offense starts and the first attempt and 10.”
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“In American football, points are awarded the moment the attack manages to carry the ball into the opponent’s end zone. That’s what it’s called Touchdown. That’s what it’s for 6 points, 1 additional point can be scored immediately afterwards by shooting the ball from the 3-yard line through the large “U” through the goal posts. You can also do this from the course of the game Field goal be shot. This is usually set a little further away from the opponent’s end zone and that scores 3 points.”
“Of course there is American Football also Punish. Seven referees are spread across the entire field and watch closely to see if any penalties are incurred anywhere. If they see a penalty, they throw one yellow flag (Yellow Flag) to the exact spot where the penalty was committed – but let the move continue to the end. The fouled team then has the option of either taking the result of the move or the penalty, which is counted as a loss of 5, 10 or 15 meters of space. A very common foul is the so-called Holding – holding on to an opponent. If I as an attacker, as Blockermean Quarterback I’m shooting, and a defender wants to get past me, then I’m not allowed to grab him and pull him down. This is immediately seen as a penalty and the flag is placed exactly at the point by the referee and normally it goes back 10 yards.”
“The Tacklethe so-called stopping of the ball carrier, is usually done with the shoulders of the defender. Often at the hip of the ball carrier, but the legs can also be attacked. An attack with the helmet and against the attacker’s helmet is not permitted and will be severely punished.”
“The Quarterbackthe playmaker in attack (Offense), of course, exposes himself to great danger the moment he wants to throw a pass. If he gets the ball and goes back and looks for one of his passing spots, and one of the defenders manages to take him to the ground before he throws the ball, that’s called a Quarterback–Sack. Of course, if the quarterback has thrown the ball loose, it is always possible that someone from the defense will intercept the ball. That’s what you call it Interception. The person who intercepted the ball has the opportunity to bring the ball into the opponent’s end zone and score a touchdown. If he is stopped or runs out of bounds, the play ends and the attack comes onto the field and tries to move the ball forward.”
At the time of filming, Maximilian von Garnier was the coach of the traditional Hamburg Blue Devils. He resigned from the position in 2014. The article first appeared in February 2014.
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