American Football: English Vocabulary List

a variation of American football played indoors on a smaller field with eight players per team

"Arena football is played on a smaller field with padded walls."

"Arena football was played indoors on a smaller field with padded walls and rebound nets."

a non-contact version of American football where players must remove a flag from the ball carrier to end a play instead of tackling

"Flag football replaces tackles with pulling flags."

"Flag football substituted tackling with pulling cloth flags from the ball carrier's belt."

a pass in American football that happens when a player throws or kicks the ball towards their teammate who is ahead of them on the field

"The forward pass advances the ball downfield."

"The quarterback completed a forward pass to his tight end for a first down."

(American football) a maneuver where a player runs along the sideline to avoid defenders and advance the ball

"The end run tries to get to the corner."

"The running back broke free on an end run around the left tackle and gained twenty yards."

an act of dropping or failing to catch the ball properly

"He made a fumble."

"The running back lost possession after a vicious hit causing a fumble that the defense recovered."

a rushing play where the ball carrier runs toward the area just outside the offensive tackle

"The off-tackle run goes between the tackle and the end."

"The fullback powered through the off tackle run between the guard and tackle."

a play where the quarterback throws the ball to a teammate to advance down the field

"The pass play sends receivers downfield."

"The coach called a pass play because the defense was stacking the line against the run."

(American football) to obstruct opponents to create space or protect a teammate carrying the ball

"He ran interference for him."

"The running back's blockers worked hard to run interference, clearing a path for him."

(American football) the act of one player handing the ball to another player, typically the quarterback giving it to a running back

"The quarterback made a handoff."

"The running back fumbled the handoff during the big game."

the initial chance for the offensive team in American football to advance the ball by at least ten yards from the spot of the last play

"The running back gains a first down."

"The running back gained three yards to convert the third down into a first down."

an imaginary line where the ball is placed before each play begins

"The line of scrimmage moves after each play."

"Both teams lined up on their respective sides of the line of scrimmage before the snap."

(American football) a running play where the ball carrier runs toward the sideline to gain yards

"The sweep goes outside the tackles."

"The running back took the handoff and ran a sweep toward the sideline behind his blockers."

(in American football) a defensive tactic in which players rush the opposing line to pressure the quarterback

"The blitz sends extra defenders."

"The linebacker blitzed untouched through the offensive line and hit the quarterback as he threw."