Terminology of American Football.

Chucking: momentary hit designed to temporarily delay a player from going where he wants to go

Clipping: Throwing the body across the back of an opponent’s leg or hitting him from the back below the waist while moving up from behind unless the opponent is a runner or the action is in close line play.

Close Line Play: The area between the positions normally occupied by the offensive tackles, extending three yards on each side of the line of scrimmage. It is legal to clip above the knee.

Crack back block: inward block by an offensive player who initially aligned out wide on a defender who initially lined up in the box, illegal if below the waist.

Down: A period of action that starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is ruled dead (meaning that the play is completed). The offense gets four downs to advance the ball 10 yards. If it fails to do so, it must surrender the ball to the opponent, usually by punting on the fourth down.

Encroachment: When a player enters the neutral zone and makes contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped. It is illegal advance by defender.

Fair Catch: An unhindered catch of a kick by a member of the receiving team who must raise one arm a full length above his head and wave his arm from side to side while the kick is in flight.

Foul: Any violation of a playing rule which will result in referee giving a warning or penalties.

Free Kick: A kickoff or safety kick. Free kicks are better known as kickoffs or kickoffs after a safety; they occur at the beginning of each half, after each field goal or touchdown-P.A.T. attempt, and after a safety

Fumble: The possession of the ball is loss.

Game Clock: Scoreboard game clock. It is the clock that keeps track of the time remaining in the quarter

Muff: The touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession.

Neutral Zone: The space the length of a ball between the two scrimmage lines. The offensive team and defensive team must remain behind their end of the ball. no one is allowed to have any part of his body in the neutral zone, except the center, between the ready-to-play signal and the snap;

Offside: A player is offside when any part of his body is beyond his scrimmage or free kick line when the ball is snapped or kicked.

Pocket Area: Protected cup-shaped or U-shaped area formed by offensive lineman and backs so quarterback has time to find an open receiver and throw a pass. It applies from a point two yards outside of either offensive tackle and includes the tight end if he drops off the line of scrimmage to pass protect. Pocket extends longitudinally behind the line back to offensive team’s own end line.

Possession: Series of plays in which one team continues to possess the ball on offense which also called a drive.

Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt is usually made on a fourth down when the offense must surrender possession of the ball to the defense because it couldn’t advance 10 yards. 

Safety: The situation in which the ball is dead on or behind a team’s own goal if the impetus comes from a player on that team. Two points are scored for the opposing team.

Touch back: When a ball is dead on or behind a team’s own goal line, provided the impetus came from an opponent and provided it is not a touchdown or a missed field goal.

Touchdown: A score, worth six points, that occurs when a player in possession of the ball crosses the plane of the opponent’s goal line, or when a player catches the ball while in the opponent’s end zone, or when a defensive player recovers a loose ball in the opponent’s end zone.