Football
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
3RD EDITION
by Howie Long
with John Czarnecki
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Football
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
3RD EDITION
by Howie Long
with John Czarnecki
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Football For Dummies
®
, 3rd Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as per-
mitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written

Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may
not be available in electronic books.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007926375
ISBN: 978-0-470-12536-6
Manufactured in the United States of America
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About the Authors
Howie Long is a former Oakland/Los Angeles Raider
defensive end with eight Pro Bowl appearances, a Super
Bowl XVIII victory over the Washington Redskins, and
many other accolades to his credit. His size (6’5”, 275
pounds), combined with his speed, strength, intensity,
durability, and explosive quickness, set him apart. Long
retired from the NFL after the 1993 season.
Long currently is a commentator on the Emmy Award-
winning FOX NFL Sunday program, which is the most-
watched NFL pregame show in America. His previous television broadcasting
credits include ESPN’s Up Close, on which he had a regular segment discussing
current sports issues; HBO’s Inside the NFL; the weekly NFL Diary; NBC’s NFL
Live as a guest studio analyst, and Costas Coast to Coast. He also wrote the
opening chapter to Bo Jackson’s book, Bo Knows Bo.
Long is no stranger to the limelight, as he’s been involved in many commer-
cials and campaigns for Nike, Hanes, Coca-Cola, and Pizza Hut. He also made
his big-screen debut in the action-adventure film Broken Arrow with John
Travolta and Christian Slater and was featured in the 1998 film Firestorm.
At Villanova University, Long was a four-year letterman in football as a defen-
sive lineman. He was All-East and honorable mention All-American as a senior,

advice. And to my best friend, Pat, for not calling me for three months. Finally
to Pam Mourouzis, our fine editor, who never raised her voice when I was
yelling (arguing) about anything. The calm in the storm!
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Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration
form located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and
Media Development
Project Editor: Stephen R. Clark
(Previous Editions: Pam Mourouzis,
Mary Goodwin)
Acquisitions Editor: Lindsay Lefevere
Copy Editor: Jessica Smith
Technical Editor: David Morton
Update Author: Peter Weverka
Editorial Manager: Christine Meloy Beck
Editorial Assistants: Erin Calligan Mooney,
Joe Niesen, and David Lutton
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez
Layout and Graphics: Joyce Haughey,
Stephanie D. Jumper, Laura Pence,
Alicia B. South
Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico
Proofreaders: Aptara, John Greenough,
Brian H. Walls

Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team 203
Chapter 12: The Kicking Game 205
Chapter 13: Coaches, General Managers, and Other Important Folks 227
Part V: Football for Everyone 241
Chapter 14: Armchair Quarterbacks and Other Fabulous Fans 243
Chapter 15: Youth Leagues and High School Football 255
Chapter 16: College Football 267
Chapter 17: The NFL and Other Professional Football 287
Chapter 18: Fantasy Leagues 305
Part VI: Staying in the Game 313
Chapter 19: The Mental Game and Motivation 315
Chapter 20: Conditioning, Training, and Diet 327
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Part VII: The Part of Tens 341
Chapter 21: The Ten Greatest Defensive Players of All Time 343
Chapter 22: The Ten Greatest Offensive Players of All Time 353
Chapter 23: The Ten Greatest Coaches of All Time 365
Chapter 24: The Ten Best Teams of All Time 375
Chapter 25: The Ten Most Intense College Football Rivalries 385
Appendix: Football Speak 389
Index 401
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Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 2
Conventions Used in This Book 2
What You’re Not to Read 3
Foolish Assumptions 3
How This Book Is Organized 3
Part I: Football 101 4

The jersey 30
Helmets and face masks 30
Pads 31
Shoes and cleats 31
NFL uniform codes 32
Chapter 3: Rules and Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
The Clock Is Ticking 35
Getting a Game Started 37
Downs, Yardage, and Stuff 38
How You Score Points 39
Touchdowns 40
Extra points and two-point conversions 41
Field goals 41
Safeties 42
The Roles of the Officials 42
The officials’ lineup 43
The instant replay challenge system 46
Penalties and other violations 46
Part II: Go Offense 61
Chapter 4: The Quarterback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
The Quarterback’s Job 63
The Qualities of a Quarterback 65
Arm strength 66
Competitiveness 66
Intelligence 66
Mobility 67
Release 67
Size 68
Vision 68
Quarterbacking Fundamentals 70

Lining Up: The Formations 109
Chapter 7: The Offensive Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Looking Down the Line 114
Centers 115
Guards 116
Tackles 117
The Lineman Physique: Fat Guys Doing the Job 117
Keys to Successful Offensive Line Play 119
The proper stance 119
A solid base 120
Leverage 121
Toughness 121
Repetition 122
A Lineman’s Worst Offense: Holding 122
Familiar Blocking Terms 124
Chapter 8: Offensive Plays and Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Understanding That Offense Begins with Players 128
Helping Offenses by Enforcing an Important Rule 128
Specialized Pass Offenses 129
West Coast offense 129
Shotgun offense 130
Red gun (or run-and-shoot) offense 131
Beating a Defense 132
Battling a 3-4 front 132
Running against a 4-3 front 133
Beating the four-across defense 134
Beating press coverage 136
Passing against a zone coverage 136
Selecting an offense versus a zone blitz 137
Throwing the post versus blitzing teams 138

The Performers 170
Cornerbacks 170
Safeties 172
Nickel and dime backs 175
Secondary Tricks and Techniques 176
Doing a bump and run 176
Staying with a receiver 177
Stemming around 178
Making a Mark: A Good Day in the Life of a Defensive Back 178
Coverages to Remember 180
Man-to-man coverage 180
Zone coverage 181
Eight men in the box 182
The Nickel 40 defense 183
Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition
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Chapter 11: Defensive Tactics and Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Choosing a Base Defense 186
4-3 Front 187
3-4 Front 188
3-4 Eagle 190
Dallas 4-3 192
Flex 193
Zone Blitz 194
46 195
Kansas City Falcon 197
Over/Under 4-3 198
Tackling Tricky Situations 199
Stopping a superstar 199

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Part V: Football for Everyone 241
Chapter 14: Armchair Quarterbacks and Other Fabulous Fans . . . . .243
Following a Game on Television 243
Knowing what to watch for 244
Deciphering the announcers’ slang 245
Watching a Live Game 246
Picking the best seats 246
Knowing what to focus on 247
Following a Game on the Radio 247
Just Here for the Show: The Football Halftime Show 248
Keeping Up with Your Favorite Teams 249
Newspapers 249
Magazines and books 249
The Internet 250
Checking Out the Football Halls of Fame 251
Get Your Tickets Here 251
Chapter 15: Youth Leagues and High School Football . . . . . . . . . . . .255
When to Start Kids in Football 255
Signing Your Kids Up for Youth Football 256
Pop Warner and other similar programs 256
Punt, Pass & Kick 257
The NFL Junior and High School Player Development programs 257
Coaching a Youth Football Team 258
Teaching the fundamentals of offense 258
Teaching the fundamentals of defense 259
What Sets High School Football Apart 260
Rule differences 261
Style of play 262
Player lineups 262

Dividing the Ranks: The NFL Conferences 289
Getting to Know the Pro Football Schedule 290
The regular-season games 290
The playoffs 291
The Super Bowl 292
Building a Team: It’s More than Drawing Straws 293
Status Is Everything: Determining Player Designations 295
Divvying Up Talent with the Draft 297
Who picks when 298
How picks are made 298
Show Me the Money: Player Salaries 299
Leveling the Playing Ground with the Salary Cap 300
Big Business and the TV Connection 301
Football Around the Globe 302
The CFL 302
NFL Europa 303
Arena Football 304
Chapter 18: Fantasy Leagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
How Fantasy Football Leagues Work 306
How to Play 306
Starting a league 307
Taking care of administrative tasks 307
Drafting a team 308
Filling out your roster 309
Managing your team after the draft 309
Figuring your point total and winning 310
Where to Find Information about Players 311
When Joining a National League 311
Tips for Fantasy Football Success 312
xv

Part VII: The Part of Tens 341
Chapter 21: The Ten Greatest Defensive Players of All Time . . . . . .343
Doug Atkins 343
Dick Butkus 344
Kenny Easley 345
Joe Greene 346
Jack Ham and Ted Hendricks 346
Mike Haynes 347
Ken Houston 348
Sam Huff and Ray Nitschke 348
Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen 349
Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition
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Jack Lambert 350
Dick “Night Train” Lane 350
Bob Lilly 351
Gino Marchetti 351
Chapter 22: The Ten Greatest Offensive Players of All Time . . . . . . .353
Terry Bradshaw 354
Jim Brown 354
Dave Casper 355
Earl Campbell 356
Mike Ditka/John Mackey 356
Otto Graham 357
John Hannah 358
Don Hutson 359
Hugh McElhenny 360
Joe Montana 360
Jim Parker 361

Alabama versus Auburn 385
Army versus Navy 386
California versus Stanford 386
Florida versus Georgia 386
Harvard versus Yale 386
Lafayette versus Lehigh 387
Michigan versus Ohio State 387
Minnesota versus Wisconsin 387
Notre Dame versus USC 388
Oklahoma versus Texas 388
Appendix: Football Speak 389
Index 401
Football For Dummies, 3rd Edition
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Introduction
I
think that millions of people across America are intrigued by football —
all types and levels of it. These people may have friends or family who
have made the football season a ritual, from the last weekend in August,
through the college bowl games in December, until Super Bowl Sunday at the
start of February. To be a part of that experience, you need to have a working
knowledge of the game.
In my mind, this book serves to give you that knowledge and to help you
better facilitate interaction with your friends, family, or whoever you watch
football with. To many people, on the surface, football seems to be a compli-
cated game. Twenty-two players are on the field at one time, plus a number of
officials. The intricacies of first down, second down, and third down, and
everything from how many offensive linemen there are to what the quarter-
back really does or doesn’t do all need to be explained and simplified. This

sense of later chapters. If you need to know something that I discuss in an
earlier chapter, I either define that thing again or refer you to the chapter that
contains the information. Also, if you don’t know a certain word of football
jargon, you can turn to the Appendix, which explains some of the most
common terms. What could be simpler?
Conventions Used in This Book
To help you follow along, this book uses certain conventions. For example,
every time I use a new term, I italicize it and then define it. (You can also find
definitions of terms listed in the Appendix at the back of the book.)
I also use diagrams — you know, those X and O things — to show you what
I’m talking about when I describe lineups, formations, and plays. So that you
aren’t left wondering what all those little symbols mean, here’s a key to the
diagrams used in this book:
O
X
Offensive player
Offensive center
Defensive player
Pass
Spot where offensive player stops to block or catch a pass
Path of offensive player
Pitchout
Offensive player with defender lined up on left shoulder
Offensive player with defender lined up on right shoulder
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What You’re Not to Read
You may want to know everything there is to know about football. Or you
may want to know only what you need to know to get by — so that you don’t
make yourself look dumb in front of your friends and family by yelling
“Touchback!” when you really mean “Touchdown!” Because I can’t be sure

If you’re a total newcomer to the game of football, this part of the book is a
good place to start. In this part, I talk about why football is the best game
there is. I also explain what all those marks on the field mean; tell you, in gen-
eral, how the game is played; and list the rules that govern the game and
keep all those big guys from maiming each other.
Part II: Go Offense
Offense is the exciting part of football; unless you witness a very unusual
game, neither team will score if the offense doesn’t make it happen. So, in this
part of the book, I talk about the offense — the passing game, the running
game, the offensive line, and the strategies that players and coaches use to
achieve various goals on offense. You can also find out about all the offensive
positions and what each player does (or at least is supposed to do).
Part III: The Big D
Without defense, offense wouldn’t be all that exciting — who would stop the
offense from scoring a touchdown on every play? This part talks about all the
things the defense does to keep the contest a little more evenly balanced,
score-wise. It explains player positions, from the defensive line to the sec-
ondary, and lists some strategies that defenses use against various offenses
and in particularly sticky situations.
Part IV: Meet the Rest of the Team
No team is complete without its kickers, punters, coaches, managers, train-
ers, and so on. This part of the book talks about all the folks who don’t fit
neatly into the category of offense or defense. Not only does this part give
you insight into the techniques of highly skilled kickers, but it also explains
the difference between the owner, the general manager, and all those other
folks who seem to be in some way in charge of things.
Part V: Football for Everyone
Sure, I’m a little biased since I played in the NFL and now work as an analyst
for NFL games. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate football at all
levels. After all, I’ve been a high school player and a college player, and I’m

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