Help me get into NFL and understand the sport.

[pauk]

As a European I want to give NFL a shot and see what the fuss is all about, it is afterall maybe the most popular sport in USA? Which is extremly mindbogling to me, because i think (and the world thinks) basketball is so much better, especially in the USA.

I have seen NFL games a couple of times... and i have to say it was very boring... But that is perhaps because here in Europe this sport is not popular so to say... i mean i have not much knowledge of the game, so maybe thats why i dont appreciate it, maybe thats why i cant see the beauty in the game... But i want to learn, i dont have anybody to show me / tell me afterall... need to read more about the rules and so on...

All i know is they have to "touchdown" and have to stop eachother physically from doing so... is it that simple? I just cant help it, i have forced myself trying to watch a NFL game and i always end up finding it extremly boring, its to slow for my taste, there are stops all the time (which most of i dont even understand why), cant feel any action/entertainment.... But i am trying!

What am i missing here? Why is this sport so good? What is it that you see which i dont?

Help! :)

[TheMarkMadsen]

To many rules to really list out, i'm sure somebody will though.

However, the beauty of the game IMO comes from the chess like tactics implemented by the coaches.

Football is much more than people running into eachther & catching a ball, every yard is a struggle. All of the big plays you see on ESPN are the result of weeks of gameplan & execution. It isn't just one player being better than all the rest, in fact, a great player can be rendered practically useless if not in the right system.

Their is so much preperation that goes into a football game from both sides, it's not like in basketball, where 1 or 2 days of a light practive is sufficient enough to win you a game, you must plan against the strength & weakness' of the defense/offense, heavily study game film trying to pin point a spot in the oppossing defense/offense that could give you even the slightest advantage.

I'm not suprised of the NFL lack of popularity in other countries though, the games we put over in London have been horrible the past couple of years.

[pauk]

I need to know a bit about the players to.. for example:

Who is the best NFL player today?
What team is the best today?
Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball?
Could a player be "on fire"?

Have alot of stupid questions like that lol

[irondarts]

I need to know a bit about the players to.. for example:

Who is the best NFL player today?
What team is the best today?
Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball?
Could a player be "on fire"?

Have alot of stupid questions like that lol

Who is the best NFL player today? - Opinion, Aaron Rodgers (Packers QB), Tom Brady (Patriots QB)
What team is the best today? - I'd probably say Packers and Patriots, but the NFL is full of parity, each year a bunch of teams make the playoffs that didn't the year before. One of the many reasons the NFL is awesome.
Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball? - More of a team game, it's pretty hard to take a game over by yourself in the NFL.
Could a player be "on fire"? - I suppose, yeah.

[pauk]

To many rules to really list out, i'm sure somebody will though.

However, the beauty of the game IMO comes from the chess like tactics implemented by the coaches.

Football is much more than people running into eachther & catching a ball, every yard is a struggle. All of the big plays you see on ESPN are the result of weeks of gameplan & execution. It isn't just one player being better than all the rest, in fact, a great player can be rendered practically useless if not in the right system.

Their is so much preperation that goes into a football game from both sides, it's not like in basketball, where 1 or 2 days of a light practive is sufficient enough to win you a game, you must plan against the strength & weakness' of the defense/offense, heavily study game film trying to pin point a spot in the oppossing defense/offense that could give you even the slightest advantage.

I'm not suprised of the NFL lack of popularity in other countries though, the games we put over in London have been horrible the past couple of years.

Thanks dude and yes i wish NFL was more popular here, i mean for gods sake at least send one NFL game on TV per month.... but you wont find even that in many countries. USA is big, so many people cant be wrong....

[pauk]

I understand also that if i had a favorite team, things would make it extra fun, i want start following a team to, but... thats a huge problem as a noob NFL fan, should i just jump some bandwagon? :D

[johndeeregreen]

I understand also that if i had a favorite team, things would make it extra fun, i want start following a team to, but... thats a huge problem as a noob NFL fan, should i just jump some bandwagon? :D
Why not? If you have no regional allegiance then you sort of have to.

I remember when I was young and didn't know what was going on, I found football extremely boring. Now it's one of my favorite sports and I always look forward to NFL season. So I can see where you're coming from. Most sports are difficult to enjoy if you don't really understand what's going on, no doubt.

[pauk]

Who is the best NFL player today? - Opinion, Aaron Rodgers (Packers QB), Tom Brady (Patriots QB)

Cool, im gona look them up a bit and see their highlights to.
I assume both are QuarterBacks right?

Which leads me to another question, could a non-QB be a more impactful player overall? I am not just talking one game, but over a season for example.. Could a non-QB be "the best player in NFL"?


What team is the best today? - I'd probably say Packers and Patriots, but the NFL is full of parity, each year a bunch of teams make the playoffs that didn't the year before. One of the many reasons the NFL is awesome.

Why is that? Why cant a team simply just consistently dominate like in basketball? I mean if you have the same team and same awesome or bad players then what is that happened which made them miss or make the freakin playoffs next year? Sounds like the game is alot about luck & bad luck or something due to it being such a super strict team game... or something else..

[DonDadda59]

You= The Student, Burt Reynolds= The Master (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwDx3wDvSbE&feature=related)

[DFish]

pauk, it's bad enough that you bandwagon the NBA. Stay away from football, thanks.

[pauk]

You= The Student, Burt Reynolds= The Master (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwDx3wDvSbE&feature=related)

Yea something like that could be very helpful actually, thanks.

[pauk]

pauk, it's bad enough that you bandwagon the NBA. Stay away from football, thanks.

Haha.. nah, i have to see who you overrate and "-tard" about there and who you are butthurt about there to... :D

...and to be honest with you, i dont "bandwagon the NBA", i dont have a favorite team whatsoever... I didnt have a favorite team since the 90s Pacers (Was more of a fan of the actual team/lineup, when Reggie finally left everything was different).... I view the game strictly as a basketball fan first and foremost, i watch and appreciate all teams & players (including Kobe, but many of his fans are ridicilous, especially with their opinions about Kobe, Jordan, Lebron, that irks me to stay away)...

I do have favorite players though (Lebron, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Durant, Wade, CP3 and some others) and ofcourse, i would like to see them succeed... and for that to happen, their team has to succeed... so i have to be favoring that team over the other in a specific playoff series or games....

on NFL its different, as it is a strict team game i assume your priority will have to be as a first and foremost team fan...

[alwaysunny]

Imagine the dynamics of the game inbetween soccer and basketball. Soccer is a very slow paced game where scoring oppotunities are low, whereas basketball is an ultra-fast paced game in a smaller space that averages shit load of possessions per game. To non-basketball fans' eyes players are constantly running up and down the court, which can be tiresome. Football is perfectly balanced compared to those two sports, so if you are a fan of both soccer and bball you should appreciate the game and see the appeal of it in no time.


I understand also that if i had a favorite team, things would make it extra fun, i want start following a team to, but... thats a huge problem as a noob NFL fan, should i just jump some bandwagon? :D

Follow Denver. Peyton Manning is basically the LeBron James of football, although he's well aged at this point.

[colorz]

Just keep watching, you'll start picking up on the rules.

I used to hate the NFL, but I watched a full season and loved it by the end of the season.

[DFish]

i dont "bandwagon the NBA", i dont have a favorite team whatsoever...

:oldlol: Yeah, you're a player bandwagoner. The worst kind. LeBron has tons of them, and they almost always lack knowledge of the sport and just copy/paste random stats they find from other sources.

If you tried to follow the NFL, I'm sure you'd attempt to bandwagon Rodgers, Brady/Gronk or Calvin Johnson. Probably CJ. "Yeah, go megatron!! Best WR since Jerry Rice!"

[pauk]

Dallas Cowboys just got screwed, 27-7.... i would assume thats a blowout right?

[CAstill]

I need to know a bit about the players to.. for example:

Who is the best NFL player today?
Aaron Rodgers
What team is the best today?
Packers
Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball?
Yes a player could take over, it has happened before.
Could a player be "on fire"?
Yes of course. WR could catch every ball thrown at them.
QB could make every throw.
RB could break every tackle and make large runs.
DE can dominate the line and ruin a whole game.
CB and Safties can intercept everything around them.


Have alot of stupid questions like that lol

I'm a Packer fan if you can't tell :pimp:

[pauk]

:oldlol: Yeah, you're a player bandwagoner. The worst kind. LeBron has tons of them, and they almost always lack knowledge of the sport and just copy/paste random stats they find from other sources.

If you tried to follow the NFL, I'm sure you'd attempt to bandwagon Rodgers, Brady/Gronk or Calvin Johnson. Probably CJ. "Yeah, go megatron!! Best WR since Jerry Rice!"

Empty empty accusations... those accusations suit yourself much better though...

[CAstill]

Dallas Cowboys just got screwed, 27-7.... i would assume thats a blowout right?


Not really just a low scoring game from the girls.
A blow out is like 45-7

[ballinhun8]

There's no flopping so I'm not sure if you'd like it.....



Haha


Oh, and you say games can take too long? The last three to four minutes of a bball game (especially with referee darlings like lbj, wade, kobe, cp3, durant, westbrook, griffin) can take 15 mins. You can play a whole NFL quarter in the time it takes to see the last few minutes of a Heat/Clippers game.

[IGotACoolStory]

No, we prefer to keep the football board pauk free.

Seriously tho, play fantasy football. I know a bunch of women who started off like that and now are pretty knowledgeable about the sport. Heck, **** around on Madden probably helps.

[pauk]

Not really just a low scoring game from the girls.
A blow out is like 45-7

Oh ok, thanks...

[pauk]

Watching the last few NFL games right now, thank god for firstrow


PS: Love the steelers uniforms, love that color combination.

[Jackass18]

Try posting in the relevant forum.

[pauk]

Fantasy Football huh? I will give it a whirl

[pauk]

Try posting in the relevant forum.

lmao, all my time here and i forgot there even is one, well played sir... but then again OTC has more people that can respond and that more quickly.

[pauk]

You= The Student, Burt Reynolds= The Master (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwDx3wDvSbE&feature=related)

Is there any more videos like this you could recommend? This was very helpful, will rep, I like watching/listening and learning rather than reading and learning... :)

[Kevin Love]

Why do you spend so much time and effort trying to troll the NBA forum?

[pauk]

Why do you spend so much time and effort trying to troll the NBA forum?

Excuse me?

[G-Funk]

It's one if not the most difficult sport to win a game in. U need to have a dog in the fight tp enjoy it and get into it. Find a team, bet money on the team to begin with. That would lead you to know about what goes into winning a game.

[G-Funk]

BTW, the comebacks are sick as fauk! The players are freakishly athletic and u get to see some crazy shyt and once u have a team, the talk trash is crazy against the teams rivals.


Also the NFL has more rivalries.

[pauk]

Cool G-Funk... what team do you follow?

[G-Funk]

Cool G-Funk... what team do you follow?

Raiders, Rivals to Dallas Cowboys(Yankees,Lakers of NFL), SF 49ers & SD Chargers.

They played in L.A and that's how I became a fan.

[AK47DR91]

This is the team to root for. :cheers:

http://cdn.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-product-image/san-francisco-49ers-super-bowl-champions-unsigned-banner-1-t676118-500.jpg

Read up on their history and watch some old clips on the greatest American football franchise.

[MiamiThrice]

If you have a video game system, I would seriously recommend you play Madden.

When I was really young I would play sport video games and it would really help me understand what players/teams were good and what not with the ratings the video game hands out to their players.

Most of my early NBA experience was actually playing NBA Courtside with Kobe Bryant on the cover for N64. I did the same thing with MLB with Ken Griffey Jr slugfest. Those games were really fun to play, let me make franchises, and I learned which players were good. If you want to become a serious NFL fan it's definetly worth the money to purchase the game and you'll learn more playing a game than you will reading forums or what not where you'll just become bored instantly.

I havn't bought a sports video game in years though, but when I was starting out it helped me a lot.

[G-Funk]

The most basic rule is.... U have 4 downs(tries) to advance the ball 10 yards or more, but teams use their 4th one to make a punt return. A punt happens on the offensive team's 4th down, when they don't think they'll be able to either score or earn a first down on their last remaining try. Rather than chance turning the ball over to the other team so close to their own goal, they elect to use their last down to punt the ball away, thus securing worse field position for their opponents, but sacrificing their final attempt to gain ground themselves.

[Math2]

pauk, it's bad enough that you bandwagon the NBA. Stay away from football, thanks.

:lol

[Maga_1]

I jumped on the RGIII bandwagon, since i'm from Europe too and i saw some of the Baylor games in the NCAA football. So i'm a Redskins fan per said.

Just watched both of their games this season, and one pre season game.

[DonDadda59]

Is there any more videos like this you could recommend? This was very helpful, will rep, I like watching/listening and learning rather than reading and learning... :)

Offensive Positions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkaglOt91UI&feature=related)

Defensive positions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x180hhl2whs&feature=relmfu)

Basic Offensive Formations (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjIt591oMew)

Basics of Defense (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hgu7hExdjQ)

[KingBeasley08]

I jumped on the RGIII bandwagon, since i'm from Europe too and i saw some of the Baylor games in the NCAA football. So i'm a Redskins fan per said.

Just watched both of their games this season, and one pre season game.
good choice, RG3's gonna be a beast :cheers:

[Sarcastic]

As others have said, start betting on it. Football is by far the best and easiest sport to bet on, which is really the main reason behind it's popularity.

[The Iron Fist]

Not sure theres enough room for Peytons cawk in your mouth.

[FillJackson]

The most basic rule is.... U have 4 downs(tries) to advance the ball 10 yards or more, but teams use their 4th one to make a punt return. A punt happens on the offensive team's 4th down, when they don't think they'll be able to either score or earn a first down on their last remaining try. Rather than chance turning the ball over to the other team so close to their own goal, they elect to use their last down to punt the ball away, thus securing worse field position for their opponents, but sacrificing their final attempt to gain ground themselves.

It's a basically a field position game.
As stated above. You have the 4 downs to go 10 yards (just shy of 10 meters), but in reality you don't use the 4th down offensively, unless you have just a tiny bit left to go. You use the 4th down to punt (dropkick) the ball to the other team. You want to give them the ball back as deep in their own territory as you can. So since you really have just 3 downs to go 10 yards, averaging three yards a play is not going to do it. If you do go 10 yards, you get a new set of 4 downs, this is called getting a "first down." So the basic tactics of the offense is to try to keep getting first downs and the goal of the defense is to present them from doing so. So the announcers are always telling you how many yards the offense needs to go to get a first down. How easily a team is getting first downs, tells you how well they are doing.

If the teams were mismatched, the defense wouldn't be able to stop the offense and they would just basically run over the other team, but since these guys are so strong and so fast, the main tactic of the game is about deception. That's what'll you notice when you start understanding the game. Everything is about using deception to gain an advantage.

Sometimes quarterbacks hand off to running backs, sometimes they fake the handoff and a run a pass play. Sometimes the defense will send all their guys close to front the of the line like they are all going to rush the quarterback, but then at the last second they drop back and make it much harder to throw a pass. When they run the ball, sometimes the blockers go straight ahead, but some times they cross behind another blocker and "pull" to one side or the other. When they line up for a play, the offensive line can't move until the "center" moves the ball. You'll see the defense act like they are going to run right into them to make them move and cause a penalty. Other offensive players are allowed to move, so they will set up in one position and then shift into another, it's all an attempt to cause confusion in the defensive and make them slow to react.

Most of the offensive plays are actually called by the coach on the sidelines, so it's the strategically intense game....it's not like the free flow of play in basketball or rugby. Any time you see a big offensive play, it's most likely they were able to deceive the defense and catch them out of position. If they have been moving the ball with runs, they may try for a big, big pass play down field. If an offense is able to mix up its plays, runs left, runs right, short passes, long passes, the defense has to try to stop all of these which means you have to try to cover more ground and it becomes harder and harder.

Anytime you see a big defensive play, that usually means the defensive hasn't been fooled and has been able to read the likely play.

The quarterback is most important player because they need not just a strong, accurate throwing arm, but they need to be able to read the defense very, very quickly and decide what the right play is. A good quarterback is able to go through one, two and three options to see where the pass should go. Sometimes if the defense is doing well, the best play a quarterback could make is just to throw the ball where nobody can catch it.

[tmacattack33]

As a European I want to give NFL a shot and see what the fuss is all about, it is afterall maybe the most popular sport in USA? Which is extremly mindbogling to me, because i think (and the world thinks) basketball is so much better, especially in the USA.

I have seen NFL games a couple of times... and i have to say it was very boring... But that is perhaps because here in Europe this sport is not popular so to say... i mean i have not much knowledge of the game, so maybe thats why i dont appreciate it, maybe thats why i cant see the beauty in the game... But i want to learn, i dont have anybody to show me / tell me afterall... need to read more about the rules and so on...

All i know is they have to "touchdown" and have to stop eachother physically from doing so... is it that simple? I just cant help it, i have forced myself trying to watch a NFL game and i always end up finding it extremly boring, its to slow for my taste, there are stops all the time (which most of i dont even understand why), cant feel any action/entertainment.... But i am trying!

What am i missing here? Why is this sport so good? What is it that you see which i dont?

Help! :)

It's simple dawg.

The greatness of the sport lies in the four downs to get ten yards. It makes every play worth it. A 4 yard gain is not 4/100. It's 4/10.

The second best thing about it is that teams score about 5-6 times a game. This makes this event rarer and more important (in comparison to a made basket in basketball, which happens 50 times a game on average).

[InfiniteBaskets]

One of the reasons I love the NFL is due to the nature of the sport, it's very hard to flop, and refs are usually pretty good about making the right call. Plus coaches can challenges a variety of calls.

The only thing that really resembles "flopping" at times would be a receiver whining about offensive interference, but it really isn't that prominant and players don't make a habit of it.

[AlonzoGOAT]

NFL has good parity unlike other sports and flops are miniscule compared to basketball/soccer ect...

[BuGzBuNNy]

Some of these posts are making the sport sound a lot more difficult to understand than it is.


Who is the best NFL player today? Quarterbacks tend to get mentioned the most because there's only one of them on the field at a time and they're usually the leader of the offense. Still, they're only one of eleven positions on the field while the teams on offense. You'll never see an offensive lineman mentioned in the conversation for best player but their job is just as important as anyones, its just split between the rest of the offensive lineman.


Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball? Team game. A quarterback can do his job perfectly, but a receiver has to catch the ball and visa versa. That and a player can only be in the game on defense or offense.

[IGotACoolStory]

But to answer the questions.

imo, Calvin Johnson is the best player in the NFL. The guy makes teams completely change their defense, and even then he doesn't get stopped. I mean they will throw triple coverage on him, Stafford will still throw him the ball, and he will come down with it.

And the equivalent of someone taking over the game is probably Peyton Manning in his no huddle offense or someone like DeMarcus Ware disrupting the opposing offense, seemingly every down. Did you see Peyton against Pitt in the second half? He made Polamalu look like a fool, continually getting him to show the defense's hand before the snap. And then he continued to pick them apart with every play. It was a clinic.

[DuMa]

Listen to Jon Gruden closely on MNF. he's a master.
Also when the deficit is 8pts or less, heading into the closing minutes of the 4th quarter, thats when the NFL is the best sport to watch. No lead is ever safe and comebacks are regularly often.

Its literally like chess, i agree. The coaches have to outsmart each other

[BEAST Griffin]

NFL always felt weird to me as a team sport. You have one set of players for offense and one set of players for defense who are never on the field at the same time.

Just feels like it's two separate teams rather than one team.

[Heavincent]

I need to know a bit about the players to.. for example:

Who is the best NFL player today?
What team is the best today?
Is this strictly a team game or could a player literally takeover himself like in basketball?
Could a player be "on fire"?

Have alot of stupid questions like that lol

- I don't think there really is a universal best player. Too many positions and variables (more of a team game than basketball). But the title of the best QB is between Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees, and many think that QB is the most important position, so I guess you can be the judge of that. But Darrelle Revis is just as good at CB as Tom Brady is at QB, so is Tom Brady really "better"? They play completely different positions with completely different responsibilities, so how could you say one is better than the other? That's just one example. I don't know, I just prefer to rank players by position.

- 49ers are the best team imo. Their QB (Alex Smith) probably isn't even a top 15 QB, but the rest of the team is ridiculously good.

- Definitely more of a team game than basketball. I guess a great QB could carry a crappy team to an extent, but it's not a good way to build a team.

[Heavincent]

Pauk, watch the Falcons vs Broncos game tonight. Peyton Manning (Broncos QB) is a blast to watch. Actually, I don't know if someone just getting into football would appreciate him as much, but he's probably one of the 5 best QB's of all time (top 3 imo).

[Godzuki]

As a European I want to give NFL a shot and see what the fuss is all about, it is afterall maybe the most popular sport in USA? Which is extremly mindbogling to me, because i think (and the world thinks) basketball is so much better, especially in the USA.

I have seen NFL games a couple of times... and i have to say it was very boring... But that is perhaps because here in Europe this sport is not popular so to say... i mean i have not much knowledge of the game, so maybe thats why i dont appreciate it, maybe thats why i cant see the beauty in the game... But i want to learn, i dont have anybody to show me / tell me afterall... need to read more about the rules and so on...

All i know is they have to "touchdown" and have to stop eachother physically from doing so... is it that simple? I just cant help it, i have forced myself trying to watch a NFL game and i always end up finding it extremly boring, its to slow for my taste, there are stops all the time (which most of i dont even understand why), cant feel any action/entertainment.... But i am trying!

What am i missing here? Why is this sport so good? What is it that you see which i dont?

Help! :)

honestly NBA is more fun to watch but NFL gets so much coverage in the U.S. week to week and there are only like 17 weeks? then playoffs where each game matters so much more than most sports, so it adds to the value of watching/cheering each game. if i were you i'd join a fantasy football league, do research at that point, then start watching, it'll be a lot more fun when you have a vested interest and the research you do will help you recognize who everyone is. Otherwise its really not a great sport to watch due to constant breaks of action, 3 and outs if its bad offenses or good defenses playing, and there can be a lot of pretty boring periods. If you live in the U.S. tho the media coverage and hype of NFL is insane and it adds to the value of watching games like no other sports. if you're oversea's you probably won't get that same hype unless you watch a lot of american stuff.

[Heavincent]

Pauk, watch the Falcons vs Broncos game tonight. Peyton Manning (Broncos QB) is a blast to watch. Actually, I don't know if someone just getting into football would appreciate him as much, but he's probably one of the 5 best QB's of all time (top 3 imo).

And he just threw 2 INT's in the first 5 minutes of the game :lol

[jamal99]

Thanks dude and yes i wish NFL was more popular here, i mean for gods sake at least send one NFL game on TV per month.... but you wont find even that in many countries. USA is big, so many people cant be wrong....
Where are you from? Im from Serbia and I have 1 or 2 games per week on TV...

[BrickingStar]

Where are you from? Im from Serbia and I have 1 or 2 games per week on TV...
but do you like it that's the question :pimp: Also I like the the commentators are not afraid to call out shit reffing/controversial calls in the nfl unlike some prime time commentators in the nba that change the subject or try to make it look like it could go either way.

[blacknapalm]

i can't add too much to some good posts in here. just watch a game or two and see if you enjoy it. it might not be entertaining for you and there's nothing wrong with that.

just because it's big here doesn't mean it appeals to you. hell, by that logic, considering soccer or 'football' is the most popular sport in the world, you would think usa would fare much better than they usually do on the men's side. it's just not as popular here. judo is actually the second most popular sport worldwide....again, usa isn't exactly holding par here.

i don't think you'll understand how popular football here is unless you go to a HS game, then pro game. it's just insanely popular and seems to reach all demographics. NBA will never reach NFL's ratings. it just won't and i prefer the NBA. tbh, i prefer college football over NFL. football in general though? rabid fanbase. crazy ratings. crazy merch sales. immense advertising. 100+K filled stadiums. NBA isn't touching it as far as popularity goes. i accepted that a long time ago. i have two friends that are big NBA fans, a couple more that follow it more casually. i have several friends that follow NFL, two religiously. bored on a sunday or monday night? most will pick watching an NFL game over an NBA game, even if it's a good NBA game. i remember i went over this in a thread once about NBA vs. NFL ratings. you sort of acted like you didn't know why NFL would be so popular...not trying to take a shot here, just saying that it is insanely popular. football has a stranglehold on this country. you can find grown men with bama pillows and bed sheets with red walls, loool.

don't worry much about little nuances...you'll learn that along the way. offensive and defensive line techniques, WR routes, flats, swim moves, nickel and dime packages, 3-4, 4-3 defenses.....all this stuff will make more sense as you watch more. don't concern yourself with trying to learn all the terminology at once. you'll just get confused and overwhelmed. let it happen naturally, kinda the same way you got into watching b-ball i guess. learn bit by bit, a chunk here and a chunk there. just be open minded early on and don't try to act like you've figured everything out early on. it's never that simple.

skill position players will be easier to understand at first. offensive and defensive line work is much, much more nuanced and complex. you have to have an eye for it and what to watch for. there's 1 on 1 battles, pre snap formations, etc. honestly, i've been watching for around 10 years and still learning more and more.

i personally love how all the different athletes join to form one team. you have guys between 180-330 pounds. ripped and shredded guys. short, stocky guys. bulk strength guys. speed guys. chubby guys that need the mass to block and have a strong base. they all combine to make plays and help their team win. coaches also matter a lot in this sport. i would definitely say they're more important than NBA coaches. much of football is about prep work, discipline, drills, motivating and exploiting mismatches. coaches just seem to have a bigger impact in that regard considering player talent is spread across 53 players. you have offense, defense and special teams. typically, the best teams have a good QB, offensive line and defense. you don't necessarily have to have a stellar RB or WR corp if those other areas are filled out well.

do you watch rugby? though not the same, that helps with the transition. they do have some similarities. catch any games over the weekend? i think accessibility might be the biggest obstacle for you. setting aside the time difference, you basically have to stream all games, right? so you would have to watch it live outside of highlights. on top of that, you probably don't have many people around you interested in doing the same. no cooler talk, per se.

also, not to sound elitist, but in regards to fantasy football....just stay away, lol. just watch games and try to see what is happening. fantasy football has the ability to dilute your experience and it's always good to separate fantasy from reality. fantasy sports should be something you get into much later, not right away. you're trying to get into real football so there is absolutely no reason to ponder fantasy football right now. that could just confuse you even more.

[TheMan]

Forget the poster who said the Packers or Patriots are the best NFL team. The 49ers deserve that title in this still young season.

I see that no one has mentioned this but football games are often decided on the scrimagge line, if you offensive line dominates, they can make an average QB and or RB look great by giving the QB a ton of time to find WRs and opening up running lanes for your RB.

A great defensive line gets pressure on an oppossing QB without sending blitzes (a blitz is when the defense sends LBs, CBs or safeties to pressure QBs in getting rid of the ball before they want to but it's arisky move since that means there will be more open space in their backfoeld for a QB to exploit if the blitz doesn't get to the QB. The skill positions (QB, WR, RB etc) are fun to watch but the game is won or lost in the line of scrimmage. Also, special teams (kick returners, place kickers, punters etc.) are overlooked but STs could win or lose you 2 or 3 games in a season and that can make a difference between being a playoff team or having a losing season. Special teams cost the Ravens and the 49ers a shot at the SuperBowl in last years playoffs.

Football is a great sport, take the time to learn the rules, you won't regret it and if you can, get Madden football video game, you'll learn a lot from that.

[imdaman99]

forget it dude, if you haven't got into the NFL yet (assuming you're not 12, big assumption based on your mancrush for lebron i know :oldlol: ), you won't really be able to get into football. unless you're doing it to force yourself to follow while its the NBA offseason. than there is potential :lol

[jamal99]

Why do they always kick the ball forward on 4th attempt?

[Maga_1]

Why do they always kick the ball forward on 4th attempt?

It depends, if it's between 0-60 yard range, it's to get a score.
If it's other position on the field, it's just a tactic to don't let the opposite team start their offense in a better position because most of the times the 4th attempt is incomplete so the ball stays in the same spot.

Did i explain in a way you understand?

[Maga_1]

I can say that i got the all point about NFL.
I know the scores, most of the positions, the entire rules, most of the best players.. the only thing that i need to get a good check is on the offensive coordenations and the defense.
I know the basic ones, shotguns, splits and that kind of stuff. But it really thrills me the playbooks (same stuff in basketball).

And one thing that keeps me bothering, how the hell they know a entire playbook in their hands and why they give some stupid names most of the times? lol

[FillJackson]

Why do they always kick the ball forward on 4th attempt?

Once you use up the four tries you turn the ball over to the other team. You're allowed to kick the ball which gives the ball to the other team, it's called a punt. Punting sends the ball much deeper into their territory.

(You are actually allowed to punt the ball to the other team on any down. Every once in a blue moon, a team will punt on third down just to catch the other team off guard. Also, you are allowed to fake a punt and then try to get a first down. It's a fun play if it works.)

[jamal99]

Thanks guys :cheers:

[d.bball.guy]

http://the305.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/lebron-football-helmet.jpg

http://fresh-university.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/large_State-Farm.jpg

http://www.ravenstrips.com/uploaded_images/lebrowns-710258.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3NZASF_ADKU/0.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NZASF_ADKU

:D

[d.bball.guy]

http://promoimg.beckett.com/news/news-content/uploads/2011/10/Paninilebroncertified1.jpg

[blacknapalm]

oh shit, out of all the posts, the last two probably has him the most excited/intrigued :lol

[Freedom Kid7]

Pauk, try to watch a game in a cold read manner (you may be confused, but the commentators will explain the plays/rules/what goes on in football better than most of us). Football is fun to watch because you can't flop, the actual non-temporary refs are probably the best in all major sports, and it can get pretty intense at times. Best team goes to the 49ers, as for best player, you can ask 5 people and get 5 different answers. That isn't universal. It's a team sport, so it's pretty difficult for one player to take over a game (sometimes a QB and a reciever go nuts for a drive and make epic comebacks though)

As for the picture of Bron in a Miami Dolphins jersey, he'd make a hell of a better QB than Tanehill :lol

[AlonzoGOAT]

Why do they always kick the ball forward on 4th attempt?
you have 4 attempts 4th downd is your last chance to get to the first down (yellow line you see on T.V) and if you fail you turn the ball over in the exact spot you had the ball in. Basically the other team gets good field position and closer to the end zone. I also know why pauk wants to be a NFL Fan. He found out LeBron is a NFL fan (he actually tried to recruit Peyton Maning for the Miami Dolphins in a post game once along with wade :lol :bowdown: ) and it wouldn't make sense for lebrons number 1 fan not being a NFL fan either. That and if lebron knew that he wasn't an nfl fan he would call pauk a f@ggot.

[AlonzoGOAT]

Pauk, try to watch a game in a cold read manner (you may be confused, but the commentators will explain the plays/rules/what goes on in football better than most of us). Football is fun to watch because you can't flop, the actual non-temporary refs are probably the best in all major sports, and it can get pretty intense at times. Best team goes to the 49ers, as for best player, you can ask 5 people and get 5 different answers. That isn't universal. It's a team sport, so it's pretty difficult for one player to take over a game (sometimes a QB and a reciever go nuts for a drive and make epic comebacks though)

As for the picture of Bron in a Miami Dolphins jersey, he'd make a hell of a better QB than Tanehill :lol
Based on 1 bad game against one of the best nfl defenses in the league on his first game maybe you mean sanchez the choker? Bron would be a good TE if NFL was his focus. Btw is luck a bust? He threw 3 legit non tipped INT against a defense no where near as good as houston and actually has a good receiver like reggie wayne unlike tannehill

[tmacattack33]

I don't see why everyone's saying you can't flop in football.

QB's flop a lot trying to get roughing the passer penalties.

So do punters and kickers.

WR's do it too when they have no chance of actually getting to the ball, hoping for a pass interference call.

[stallionaire]

LeBron would be the greatest Tight End ever.

[TheMan]

LeBron would be the greatest Tight End ever.
Except for the fact that we all know LeBron doesn't like to get physical...

[Godzuki]

I don't see why everyone's saying you can't flop in football.

QB's flop a lot trying to get roughing the passer penalties.

So do punters and kickers.

WR's do it too when they have no chance of actually getting to the ball, hoping for a pass interference call.


flopping isn't even a huge deal in most sports other than soccer. it wouldn't be my concern at all in terms of enjoyment of watching a sport more than the sport itself, and its pace. i think some of the posts in this thread exaggerate nfl or are too fanatical about it especially people hyping the play of positions not so related to where the ball is but i guess the OP will see for themself.

the other thing about football fans is most of them are very local die hard to their area where it could even be a very boring game but they'd still be fanatical about it. i'd just temper my expectations some since imo its being a bit overhyped.

[KevinNYC]

guys, can someone explain me the current situation with the refs?

Somehow, if I understood correctly, they don't have the real refs but some college replacement refs?

How come? Why? For how long?

TIA

IT's a labor issue, the NFL is trying to cancel the pensions for the real refs.

[blablabla]

LeBron would be the greatest Tight End ever.
http://instntrply.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BronFlop.gif

[AlonzoGOAT]

http://instntrply.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BronFlop.gif
Illegal block from the back and if a ball was being passed to LeBron there it would be a PI in the NFL. Post something that makes sense other then him being a great dancer don't see how that disputes with the quoted statement.

[dilley]

No flopping in football? Come on now.

http://instntrply.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/GiantsFlop.gif

[AlonzoGOAT]

No flopping in football? Come on now.

http://instntrply.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/GiantsFlop.gif
They were comparing it to sports like soccer and bball somewhat where it's no comparison to how usually minimal it is in the NFL

[AlonzoGOAT]

How severe the penalty is if refs catch someone flopping? In soccer, it's an automatic yellow. In basketball, absolutely nothing. :D
About as severe as ref catching flops and not giving them the benefit of the doubt in one in soccer.


They probably won't starting fining them until they become a problem and let's be real you don't get a yellow if the ref catches it only unless he's 100% sure most are excused. Like all those small collisions where players are on the ground like they got their leg rammed by a sledgehammer and the ref is like deal with it because he knows the player is making it more then what it really is (flop) and forgets about it. Most flops are seen just not punished, no reason to flop if the ref didn't see it lol.

[Heavincent]

http://promoimg.beckett.com/news/news-content/uploads/2011/10/Paninilebroncertified1.jpg

Too bad he'd have to go against Revis twice a year, who would completely shut him down.

[Freedom Kid7]

Based on 1 bad game against one of the best nfl defenses in the league on his first game maybe you mean sanchez the choker? Bron would be a good TE if NFL was his focus. Btw is luck a bust? He threw 3 legit non tipped INT against a defense no where near as good as houston and actually has a good receiver like reggie wayne unlike tannehill
Iunno. I just think Tannehill was drafted way too high when Miami could have picked someone else with the 9th pick or whatever. I think Luck is a hell of a lot of hype though, where to be fair, at least Miami has won a game :confusedshrug:

[Fudge]

since you like LeBron, you should jump on the Jets bandwagon. Everybody hates the Jets :oldlol:

[StateOfMind12]

Too bad he'd have to go against Revis twice a year, who would completely shut him down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61e6cKMEaEU

:oldlol: Moss owned him so bad that Revis had to fake an injury for the next 2 weeks.

[Cali Syndicate]

LeBron would be the greatest Tight End ever.

Tony Gonzalez would disagree.

[Cali Syndicate]

As a European I want to give NFL a shot and see what the fuss is all about, it is afterall maybe the most popular sport in USA? Which is extremly mindbogling to me, because i think (and the world thinks) basketball is so much better, especially in the USA.

I have seen NFL games a couple of times... and i have to say it was very boring... But that is perhaps because here in Europe this sport is not popular so to say... i mean i have not much knowledge of the game, so maybe thats why i dont appreciate it, maybe thats why i cant see the beauty in the game... But i want to learn, i dont have anybody to show me / tell me afterall... need to read more about the rules and so on...

All i know is they have to "touchdown" and have to stop eachother physically from doing so... is it that simple? I just cant help it, i have forced myself trying to watch a NFL game and i always end up finding it extremly boring, its to slow for my taste, there are stops all the time (which most of i dont even understand why), cant feel any action/entertainment.... But i am trying!

What am i missing here? Why is this sport so good? What is it that you see which i dont?

Help! :)


Football to basketball is like chess to checkers.

To a checkers fanatic, chess is boring. Only when you understand the game can you appreciate the depth and strategy of the game.

If you want to get into the NFL, start watching games. Guessing you watch online streams for basketball, you can do the same for NFL games.

[Cali Syndicate]

Forget the poster who said the Packers or Patriots are the best NFL team. The 49ers deserve that title in this still young season.

I see that no one has mentioned this but football games are often decided on the scrimagge line, if you offensive line dominates, they can make an average QB and or RB look great by giving the QB a ton of time to find WRs and opening up running lanes for your RB.

A great defensive line gets pressure on an oppossing QB without sending blitzes (a blitz is when the defense sends LBs, CBs or safeties to pressure QBs in getting rid of the ball before they want to but it's arisky move since that means there will be more open space in their backfoeld for a QB to exploit if the blitz doesn't get to the QB. The skill positions (QB, WR, RB etc) are fun to watch but the game is won or lost in the line of scrimmage. Also, special teams (kick returners, place kickers, punters etc.) are overlooked but STs could win or lose you 2 or 3 games in a season and that can make a difference between being a playoff team or having a losing season. Special teams cost the Ravens and the 49ers a shot at the SuperBowl in last years playoffs.

Football is a great sport, take the time to learn the rules, you won't regret it and if you can, get Madden football video game, you'll learn a lot from that.

Someone get this man a cookie.

[Riley Martin]

LeBron would be the greatest Tight End ever.

http://www.rapsandrings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ShannonSharpe.png

[Godzuki]

thanx sir.
what's the average fan's stance on this?
people with the refs or with or the comission?


at OP: also playin madden can help understanding the game...


they make great money for just reffing. i'm sure they put in a lot of work but its got to be a great job with amazing perks. i don't have any sympathy for the refs at all, everyones taken a hit with the economy. i also think scab refs or any refs they decide to train and put in there will get a lot better with experience so i don't think they're irreplacable either.

and yeah i got into NHL because of Sega Hockey. it familiarized me with all of the star players and it got a lot more interesting to watch.

[Heavincent]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61e6cKMEaEU

:oldlol: Moss owned him so bad that Revis had to fake an injury for the next 2 weeks.

I love how when Revis gets beat once it's such a huge story :oldlol: That's how good he is.

Mind listing all of the elite receivers Revis has completely humiliated? Pretty long list.

Oh yeah, and remember when Revis made Moss his bitch in 2009?

First game: 4 REC for 24 yards (Revis also had an INT in this game)
Second game: 5 REC for 34 yards

But congrats, Moss beat Revis ONCE for a 35 yard TD. Big whoop. When it comes down to it, Revis has gotten the better of Moss.

[Pacers4ever]

I love how when Revis gets beat once it's such a huge story :oldlol: That's how good he is.

Mind listing all of the elite receivers Revis has completely humiliated? Pretty long list.

Oh yeah, and remember when Revis made Moss his bitch in 2009?

First game: 4 REC for 24 yards (Revis also had an INT in this game)
Second game: 5 REC for 34 yards

But congrats, Moss beat Revis ONCE for a 35 yard TD. Big whoop. When it comes down to it, Revis has gotten the better of Moss.
A 1 handed 35 yard touchdown catch completely burning Revis isn't huge and nasty?

[Heavincent]

A 1 handed 35 yard touchdown catch completely burning Revis isn't huge and nasty?

Sure, but it was pretty much irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The Pats went on to lose that game and Revis came back a few weeks later and went back to humiliating elite wide receivers.

I'm not really a Jets homer, but Revis is ridiculously good. His complete ownership of every receiver he goes against is almost comical.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Stick to making mud houses in the Philippines

[jamal99]

Watching BYU @ Boise St. right now and I'm wondering, what skills and/or physical gifts are required to be a good QB?

[blacknapalm]

Watching BYU @ Boise St. right now and I'm wondering, what skills and/or physical gifts are required to be a good QB?

- mental focus. when the pocket collapses, pressure's on you and defenders are flying around...do you remain poised and keep your eyes downfield? can you sense pressure and move up in the pocket when needed?

- mechanics. on your 3-5 step dropback, is it consistent? do you have good footwork and set your feet before throwing? do you shift your weight, have a nice release and spiral? are you accurate?

- leadership. all the all-time greats have this. you have to be able to rally your team and let them know what plays are being run. if one of your teammates is in the wrong position, audible (it's like calling out or switching up the play) and help them out. you can do the same if you notice a mismatch with the defense.

- strong arm. being able to make all the throws is important.

- size. this isn't required but it certainly doesn't hurt.

i'd say you have to be strong in at least three of those categories to be considered a good QB. four categories to be a great QB.

[rufuspaul]

I just got back from the Panthers/Giants game. Football sucks.

[jamal99]

@blacknapalm

Thanks for taking time to expalin that to me.

I asked the question mainly because I feel that being a QB would be kinda natural to me. My court vision and passing mixed with nonselfishness are one of my main atributes in bball.
Long range passes that reach the target are one of my specialties in both bball and soccer.

[blacknapalm]

@blacknapalm

Thanks for taking time to expalin that to me.

I asked the question mainly because I feel that being a QB would be kinda natural to me. My court vision and passing mixed with nonselfishness are one of my main atributes in bball.
Long range passes that reach the target are one of my specialties in both bball and soccer.

:cheers: ya, if you like creating plays, i could see why you would be drawn to it. it can also be the toughest position to play considering all the criticism you can take. works both ways though...it's a glamorous position and you also get tons of praise (sometimes i think too much) when you do well. much of it comes down to decision making.