I’m sure that if you’ve turned on the TV or have been on social media lately then you’ve seen something about Super Bowl Sunday, which is this weekend!
For football fans, it’s one of the best days of the year.
But even if don’t know a single thing about football, or you’re a fan of one of the 30 teams who didn’t make it to the big game, the Super Bowl can still be exciting to watch!
The atmosphere surrounding the big day is one of competition and anticipation.
Maybe you’re looking to learn a little about football so you’re not so left out on Sunday? You’re in luck! We’re here to help.
You might as well enjoy the game while waiting for Katy Perry to blow your mind during the half time show!
Let’s start with the basics.
The teams playing in the Super Bowl are the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks (the defending Super Bowl Champs).
Tom Brady is the quarterback for the Patriots, and some argue he’s the best quarterback in the league (but we all know it’s actually Peyton Manning).
Russell Wilson is the quarterback for the Seahawks.
Now on to the actual game itself. Here’s a quick run down thanks to sheknows.com.
The game starts with a coin toss and the winner chooses to be on offense or defense first.
The team that’s on offense (trying to score a touchdown) receives the ball — the other team’s kicker is responsible for kicking it to them.
The player who catches it (the kick returner) may either run with the ball toward his end zone (the one he’s facing) or kneel to indicate they’d like to take the ball at the 20-yard line.
The offense has four chances (called downs) to get at least 10 yards toward their end zone with the ball.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “first and 10” before. This means they’ve started the first run of their first down and have 10 yards to go before they get the next one.
You might also hear them say “second and eight,” etc. The first number indicates which down they’re starting (first through fourth) and the second indicates the number of yards they have to take the ball to get the next down (10 yards or fewer unless penalties or lost yards are involved).
If the team doesn’t think they can get a touchdown (because they’re not in the “red zone” — within about 20 yards of the end zone), they may kick a field goal if they’re close enough.
This is done by a special group of players (special teams) featuring a kicker.
This is usually done if at the end of the third down, they feel they’re unlikely to get a touchdown in the fourth down.
After the attempt, whether it’s for a touchdown or a field goal, the team on offense must kickoff to the team on defense and then they switch being on offense and defense.
This exchange continues over and over until the end of the game and there is a winner.
Although there is a lot more to understand about football, this quick explanation is enough to get you by!
So sit back and enjoy some game day snacks while enjoying one last Sunday of football until fall.
Having a veiwing party with your girls? Snap a pic and tweet us @HerCampusWVWC!