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You've probably heard touchdown mentioned, it's one of the most important elements in American Football. But do you also know EXACTLY how it works?
A touchdown is the primary way to score in American and Canadian football and is worth 6 points. A touchdown is scored when a player with the ball de end zone, the opponent's goal area, or when a player catches the ball in the end zone.
After this article you will know EVERYTHING about the touchdown and how scoring works in American Football.
What we discuss in this comprehensive post:
Score with a Touchdown
American and Canadian Football have one thing in common: scoring points through a touchdown. But what exactly is a touchdown?
What is a Touchdown?
A touchdown is a way to score points in American and Canadian football. You score a touchdown if the ball reaches the end zone, the opponent's goal area, or if you catch the ball in the end zone after a teammate throws it to you. A touchdown scores 6 points.
Difference from Rugby
In Rugby, the term “touchdown” is not used. Instead, you place the ball on the ground behind the goal line, which is called a "try".
How to Score a Touchdown
To score a touchdown you need the following steps:
- Get the ball in your possession
- Trot or run to the end zone
- Place the ball in the end zone
- Celebrate your touchdown with your teammates
So if you have the ball in your possession and you know how to run to the end zone, you're ready to score your touchdown!
The game: American Football
An exciting game full of tactics
American Football is an exciting game that requires a lot of tactics. The attacking team tries to move the ball as far as possible, while the defending team tries to prevent it. If the attacking team has gained at least 4 yards of territory within 10 attempts, possession passes to the other team. But if the attackers are put down or forced out of bounds, the game ends and they must be neatly ready for another attempt.
A team full of specialists
American Football teams consist of specialists. Attackers and defenders are two completely different teams. There are also specialists who can kick well, who show up when a field goal or conversion needs to be scored. Unlimited substitutions are allowed during the match, so there is often more than one player for each position.
The ultimate goal: Score!
The ultimate goal of American Football is to score. The attackers try to achieve this by walking or throwing the ball, while the defenders try to prevent this by tackling the attackers. The game ends when the attackers are put down or forced out of bounds. If the attacking team has gained at least 4 yards of territory within 10 attempts, possession passes to the other team.
Scoring in American Football: How do you do it?
touchdowns
If you're a true American Football fan, you know that you can score points with touchdowns. But how do you do that exactly? Well, the playing field is about 110×45 meters in size, and there is an endzone on each side. If a player of the offensive team enters the opponent's endzone with the ball, it is a touchdown and the offensive team scores 6 points.
field goals
If you are unable to score a touchdown, you can always try a field goal. This is worth 3 points and you must kick the ball between the two goalposts.
Conversions
After a touchdown, the offensive team gets the ball close to the endzone and can try to score an extra point with what is called a conversion. For this they have to kick the ball between the goalposts, which almost always succeeds. So if you score a touchdown, you usually score 7 points.
2 Extra Points
There is also another way to score 2 extra points after a touchdown. The offensive team can choose to re-enter the endzone from 3 yards from the endzone. If successful, they get 2 points.
Defense
The defending team can also score points. If an attacker is tackled in their own endzone, the defending team gets 2 points and possession. Also, the defense can score a touchdown if they intercept the ball and run it back to the offensive team's end zone.
Differences
Touchdown vs Home Run
A touchdown is a score in American football. You score a touchdown when you bring the ball into the opponent's goal area. A home run is a score in baseball. You score a home run when you hit the ball over the fences. Basically, in American Football, if you score a touchdown, you're a hero, but in baseball, if you hit a home run, you're a legend!
Touchdown Vs Field Goal
In American Football, the goal is to score more points than the opponent. There are several ways to score points, including a touchdown or a field goal. A touchdown is the most valuable, where you get 6 points if you throw the ball into the opponent's end area. A field goal is a much less valuable way to score points, where you get 3 points if you kick the ball over the crossbar and between the posts in the back of the end area. Field goals are only attempted in specific situations, as it scores far fewer points than a touchdown.
Conclusion
As you now know, a touchdown is the MOST IMPORTANT way to score in American football. A touchdown is a point where the ball hits the opponent's endzone.
I hope you now have a better idea of how a touchdown works and how to score one.
