2012/2013 NFL Season

[ningnangnong]

Dudes, is there a good website out there that provides a relatively simple explanation of the rules of NFL/gridiron?

I'm keen to get into it, but have NFI whatsoever. I was playing a demo of Madden on the PS3 last night and all the terminology was overwhelming! :laugh:

I know some of the basics... when I say some, I mean very few.

 

[Fozz]

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball

Basically the passer guy throws to his catcher guys. Unless it's Eli Manning who throws it to the other team's players or Alex Smith who can't throw at all.

 

[dukey]

The best way to learn the game is to keep playing Madden.

 

[Charmamba]

The best way to learn the game is to keep playing Madden.

This! Do the Be a pro mode and try controlling different positions for a few games.

Oh and I'm having a massive man crush on Clay Matthews right now :001_wub:

 

[Clintos]

The best way to learn the game is to keep playing Madden.

Yes and no. Madden is an awesome starting point and it will teach you the general rules and positions - but you won't really learn schemes or effective strategy. That link Fozz posted is good, but watch some games as well and listen to the commentators. If you get a chance - watch NFL live too. They break down plays and explain everything.

Kudos on your decision to delve into the wonders of the NFL!

 

[ningnangnong]

Cheers fellas.

Sounds like more work than what was involved in getting my uni degree! :laugh:

How long did it take you guys to pick it all up? I'm usually pretty quick learning new sports, but I dunno... NFL seems so detailed.

 

[Porthoz]

The general rules will be quickly learned, the plethora of penalties will take a while longer, but the incredible amount of tactical wealth and detail that goes into each game plan for defense, attack and special teams will take a lifetime... :winky:

 

[Ari Gold]

Don't watch any current games and expect to learn intricate rules -- The replacement refs are so frustrating.

As for the rules, Porthoz is right. I still don't understand 99% of NFL but the 1% I know is more than enough to allow me to find the game entertaining and kick Fozz's ass in fantasy.

 

[Big Pete]

I'm in a similar position as you ning.

Going to be a long off-season so thought I'd give a new sport a try after it seemed like a lot of my friends came out of the wood-work with NFL jerseys.

Have you got yourself a team yet?

Decided to go the Vikings myself, largely because I supported them in 09/10 to troll a mate of mine. They've gone to s**t since but I'll support them regardless! Will be a nice change of pace after supporting the Broncos when they were in the midst of winning premiership #5.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Panthers are beating the Saints. Hope they can hold on.

 

[Je$ter]

It's worth 15yds and a first down to smack Mark Sanchez in the face.

 

[Twiztid]

From what I read it looks like the Giants did a Roosters to the Bucs. Good see we are scoring more points this year but concerned we are still letting too many in though.

 

[Culhwch]

The Saints are killing me this year. Thank god I didn't get up at three am this week like I did last week to watch them tank against the Panthers. Spag's vaunted new defense is looking pretty far from being competitive, and the offense is pedestrian at best, at least comparatively. Hopefully KC provide a nice opportunity to get the groove back next week, but then it's Green Bay after that. Gah.

I must admit that San Fran is lookign the goods this year, and are easily the class of the NFC. I had expected (and hoped for - I won't lie, cheerfully burn in hell Vernon Davis) a drop-off after last year's largely unexpected run. Still, it's a long season and all of that, plenty of time for Alex Smith to revert to being the worst starting quarterback in the league...

 

[ningnangnong]

Have you got yourself a team yet?

Haha, this is gonna sound silly, but anyway...

When I was about eight or nine, I was looking through all the various sports ladders from around the world in the back of the paper and decided to pick a team to support from each of those sports - for NFL, I picked the Denver Broncos (can you guess why? :biggrin:) and they've always been 'my team' since then... not that I've followed them. I do know that in recent times, they seem to have become a bit crap after that successful period in the late 90s.

I reckon I'll stick with them if I can learn enough about the game to become a keen follower.

 

[Fozz]

Denver isn't a bad choice now that Tebow is gone and they have future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

Puke inducing jerseys though.

 

[Porthoz]

The Saints are killing me this year. Thank god I didn't get up at three am this week like I did last week to watch them tank against the Panthers. Spag's vaunted new defense is looking pretty far from being competitive, and the offense is pedestrian at best, at least comparatively. Hopefully KC provide a nice opportunity to get the groove back next week, but then it's Green Bay after that. Gah.

I must admit that San Fran is lookign the goods this year, and are easily the class of the NFC. I had expected (and hoped for - I won't lie, cheerfully burn in hell Vernon Davis) a drop-off after last year's largely unexpected run. Still, it's a long season and all of that, plenty of time for Alex Smith to revert to being the worst starting quarterback in the league...

Keep on dreaming... :001_tt2:

Second big scalp taken, second time Alex outplays a top 5 NFL QB. Having reliable people to throw the ball to makes all the difference, and the Niners are now converting those 3rd downs that were missing last year.
Obviously there's a long way to go, but I have faith in this team and QB.

Go Niners!

 

[pennywisealfie]

Yep, 9ers looked sick. Their defense is Baltimore 2000/Bucs 2002 good. Stafford looked like a chump

 

[Culhwch]

I reckon I'll stick with them if I can learn enough about the game to become a keen follower.

I was put in mind of this thread while reading this: http://deadspin.com/5942904/football-is-the-hardest-sport-to-explain-to-children-and-stupid-people. You may find it entertaining, if not particularly informative!

I'd recommend checking out some blogs as well to get yourself grounded in what's going on in the game, on field and off. Deadspin (http://deadspin.com/) have pretty good reportage mixed in with ample doses of humour. Kissing Suzy Kolber (http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/) even more so. SBNation (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl) are good too, and have blogs dedicated to each team. Then of course there's ESPN and Sports Illustrated and so on...