Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Football 101: Pointers for Newbies Watching Tonight's Super Bowl
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Feb 3, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Feb 3, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Photo of one of the 72 game balls for the Super Bowl by AP/Charlie Riedel
So, the Giants making the Super Bowl has you preparing to watch a football game and you don’t know much about the sport. Let us help you with some pointers about the game.
The weird thing about football is very little of it is done with your foot. Teams take the ball and either run it or throw it (pass) to try and gain yards. You need to get ten yards every four chances (downs) or the other team gets the ball. That's assuming there are no penalty flags (yellow flags thrown for rules violations).
Football plays have all sorts of exotic names from “sweep”, “slant” and “bomb” to “screen”, “go” and “out”, but for the most part, plays will be a run or a pass. Play begins with both teams lined up near the ball at the “line of scrimmage” and starts when the ball is snapped. The play ends when the ball is thrown incomplete, or the person carrying the ball is brought down (tackled) or forced out of bounds. Now, let’s say you mastered the basic stuff, here are a few things you can use to impress your friends and spice up your Super Bowl party.
On Sunday you will hear the term “blitz” a lot. Blitzing is when the defense brings extra players into the pass rush and tries to sack the quarterback (Tom Brady or Eli Manning also known as “QB”). Look for a lot of guys running at the QB and you can reasonably assume it is a blitz. If you are at a party with a lot of football fans it is perfectly acceptable to scream, “blitz” at this point, just know your audience.
Another term to know is “sack”. Whenever the QB is brought down by the defense behind the line of scrimmage it is a sack. You will see some players celebrate this feat with a dance, feel free to make one of your own up and entertain your friends with it.
You can also add some knowledge to your party like pointing out that both head coaches were members to the Giants coaching staff in 1990 when they won the Super Bowl. Or that Tom Brady would become only the third quarterback to win four Super Bowls with a win Sunday, but use knowledge sparingly; no one likes a show off.
And, if all the football seems to overwhelming for you or the game becomes a blowout, there are always the commercials to keep you interested.
Football season may be over soon, but you can still get Howie Long's Football For Dummies
Tagged
Eli Manning
football
giants
On Sunday
sports
super bowl
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowls
the game
tom brady
Peter Trinkle
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Ballot questions ask NYC voters whether to cut red tape on outdoor dining, bike lanes
A rundown on five proposed amendments to the city charter on voters’ ballots.
By
Walter Wuthmann
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
The NYPD arrested a mom and took her kids' Christmas gifts. She never got them back.
A new lawsuit accuses the NYPD of making it hard for New Yorkers to reclaim seized belongings.
By
Samantha Max
News
The NYPD arrested a mom and took her kids' Christmas gifts. She never got them back.
A new lawsuit accuses the NYPD of making it hard for New Yorkers to reclaim seized belongings.
By
Samantha Max
Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting
By
Charles Lane
NYPD officer faces disciplinary trial 10 years after killing Delrawn Small
By
Ben Feuerherd
NYC adult daycare operators charged with committing over $500K in Medicaid fraud
By
Caroline Lewis
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .