Whats the Score? How NFL Football is Scored

How is NFL football scored? What does a touchdown, field goal, and safety mean? Get all of your questions answered about the scoring system in America’s favorite sport.

Introduction

Scoring in football can be a bit confusing at first, but it is actually quite simple once you understand how it works. In this article, we will explain how NFL football is scored.

Each team gets four downs, or chances, to move the ball 10 yards. If the team manages to do so, they get another set of four downs. If they don’t, then the other team gets a chance to score.

The offense (the team with the ball) can score six points if they manage to get the ball into the end zone by either carrying it there or throwing it to a teammates who is already in the end zone. This is called a touchdown and is worth six points.

If the offense gets close to the end zone but doesn’t quite make it, they can try for a field goal. This is worth three points and is usually attempted from close range.

The defense can also score points by tackling the offense in their own end zone, which is called a safety and is worth two points.

How is an NFL Football Game Scored?

Football is a game of intricate strategy and execute. The game is played by two teams of eleven players each and is fought on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The main objective of the game is to score points by carrying the ball into the opposing team’s end zone. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Touchdown

A touchdown is worth six points. A touchdown happens when the offensive team gets the ball into the end zone by carrying it or catching it there, or by recovering a loose ball that was tipped into the end zone by one of their own players. The team then tries to kick a field goal for an extra point.

Field Goal

A field goal is worth 3 points. The most common situation is when the offense is near, but not quite, in the end zone and they kick the ball through the goal posts. The other situation is when the offense is far away from the end zone and they don’t think they can get a touchdown, so they try a long “field goal” which, if successful, is worth 3 points. If the field goal attempt is wide or short, or if it hits one of the Goal posts, no points are awarded.

Safety

A safety is worth two points, and it is scored when:
-the offensive team commits a turnover in its own end zone,
-a punt hits the ground in the end zone before it can be caught,
-an offensive player goes out of bounds in his own end zone while attempting to make a catch,
-an offensive player tackles a defensive player in his own end zone,
-a penalty on the offense while it is behind its own goal line results in the ball being downed there.

Conclusion

The scoring system in NFL football is designed to be simple and straightforward, so that even casual fans can understand it. However, there are a few exceptions and nuances that can trip up even the most diehard fan. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how NFL football is scored, and some of the more confusing aspects of the system.

Touchdown: A touchdown is worth six points. A team scores a touchdown by carrying the ball into the end zone, or by catching a pass in the end zone. If a team kicks a field goal on their extra point attempt (see below), they will earn one point instead of two.

Safety: A safety is worth two points. A safety is scored when the defense tackles an offensive player in their own end zone, or when an offensive player commits a foul in their own end zone.

Field Goal: A field goal is worth three points. A team scores a field goal by kicking the ball through the uprights of the opponent’s end zone. Field goals can be attempted from anywhere on the field, but are most often attempted from inside the 40-yard line.

Extra Point: An extra point is worth one or two points. After scoring a touchdown, a team has the option to attempt an extra point from inside the two-yard line (worth one point) or from outside the two-yard line (worth two points). If a team fails to convert an extra point attempt, they will not earn any points for their touchdown.