So you want to impress your boyfriend or crush, huh?
I am here to give you a “cheat sheet” to everything you should know about the Super bowl. Girls with boyfriends will impress their men, and girls without them, you may just find yourself one by the end of the night!
First of all, you should know which teams are playing in Super Bowl XLV (← that’s 45!) They are the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers.
You can support your man’s team or your team by wearing the team’s jersey. Who said you can’t be fashionable while watching football? So you’ve got the outfit, now what?
The following are terms you should know while watching the game.
Kickoff: A free kick that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the beginning of the first and third periods and after every touchdown or field goal. Literally a kickoff.
Return: Receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent’s goal line in order to score a touchdown or gain yardage.
Down: Starts when the ball is put into play and ends when the ball is dead, or when the play has been completed. The team that has the ball gets four downs to advance the ball ten yards. If the team fails to do so, they must give the ball to the other team.
Line of scrimmage: An imaginary line that stretches the width of the football field. It separates the two teams prior to the snap of the ball.
Snap: When the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs). The ball is officially in play after the snap.
Interception: Let’s pretend Team A and Team B are playing football. Team A throws the ball to another player on their team, but a player on Team B catches it. Team B then gets possession of the ball. When Team B caught the ball they intercepted it!
End zone: When a player gets the ball to their end zone that player scores a touchdown!
Touchdown: When the player holding the ball crosses into the end zone. Worth six points. Jump up and down and cheer if this happens.
Field goal: A kick that is worth three points. It can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is only attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost (big yellow things shaped like a U).
Extra point: A kick that is usually attempted after every touchdown. It is worth one point. You may have thought a touch down was seven points, but this is where the extra point comes from.
Punt: A kick made when a player drops the ball and kicks it. This is not to be confused with a bunt, which is baseball.
Fumble: When a player loses possession of the ball before it is dead. This may be preceded by lots of profound words from your guy.
Sack: When a player tackles the quaterback from the opposing team, resulting in lost yardage.
Safety: Occurs when a player tackles an opponent in possession of the ball in his own end zone. Worth two points.
Touchback: When the ball is ruled dead behind the team’s own goal line, usually after a kickoff, punt, interception, or fumble.
After this quick lesson in football, I hoped you earned a couple points with your man! I’m sure I don’t have to explain those terms to you.