 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2025) |
Gameplay in American football consists of a series of downs, individual plays of short duration, outside of which the ball is or is not in play. These can be plays from the line of scrimmage – passes, runs, punts or field goal attempts (from either a place kick or a drop kick) – or free kicks such as kickoffs and fair catch kicks. Substitutions can be made between downs, which allows for a great deal of specialization as coaches choose the players best suited for each particular situation for offense, defense, and also special teams. During a play, each team should have a maximum of 11 players on the field, and each of them has specific tasks assigned for that specific play.