What are downs in football? A beginner’s guide

Downs in football are the official marker of keeping progress in the game to ensure each team gets the same opportunities on offense and defense. 

A down is just one small part of the game of football, but it’s the key figure of game flow and a game’s natural progression. It’s the main thing to know about football rules for beginners.

What is a down in football? Downs in football explained

A down is a single play in a football game. The offense is trying to advance toward the end zone, while the defense is trying to prevent them from scoring. 

How the four-down system works

The offense has four downs to move the ball ten yards. If they are unsuccessful, then the other team gains possession of the ball wherever it is when fourth down has concluded. 

If the team successfully reaches the first down marker, they are granted a new set of downs from the new spot of the ball. This progression continues until the offense is stopped within the four downs or the offense scores points via a touchdown in the end zone or kicking a field goal. 

Down-and-distance notation explained

When an offense begins a drive, they will have a “1st and 10.” These numbers explain how many downs in football before you lose the ball. This means it’s first down and they have 10 yards to gain for a first down. 

Now, let’s say they run the ball and gain four yards on the play. The next play will be considered a “2nd and 6” because it’s second down and there are six yards to go to get the first down. 

If the offense loses yards on their 1st and 10 play by getting sacked or tackled for a loss, the first down marker doesn’t move, and they still have to reach the same point on the field to convert a first down. 

If the Quarterback gets sacked for a three-yard loss on first down, then they are faced with a 2nd and 13 on the next play. Simply put, these numbers are just the football down and distance meaning on every play.

What ends a down?

A down is over when the play on the field has concluded. This could mean that the ball carrier was tackled and their knee, elbow, or body touched the ground. Downs also end when a player goes out of bounds or reaches the end zone.

What happens if a team doesn’t convert on fourth down?

What happens after fourth down in football? Fourth downs are the most do-or-die plays in football. If they don’t convert the first down, then the other team’s offense takes over from the position that the ball carrier went down at the end of fourth down.

To avoid giving the team the ball close to the end zone, many teams will punt the ball. The punter comes in and kicks the ball to the other side of the field. The return team will try to catch the ball and run it back as far up the field as they can before they are tackled. The offense will come onto the field and begin a new drive with a 1st and 10. 

How downs appear on a TV broadcast

On a TV broadcast, downs will be listed on the score bug at the bottom or the top corner of your screen. They will show the down and distance needed to convert. So to begin a drive, you’ll see them listed as “1st and 10.” After the resulting play, you’ll see it adjusted to “2nd and 5” or “3rd and 15.”

Why downs matter: strategy and game flow

The down and distance help coaches decide what play they are going to run based on the situation. On first down, the entire playbook is open for the team to use, but the result of the play will factor into their decision on second down, third down, and so on.

If a team is faced with a short-yardage situation on second down, they may take a deep shot down the field because they know that they only have a few yards to gain on third down if they are unsuccessful. A short-yardage situation would be something like a 2nd and 2 or 2nd and 1.

If the team needs a lot of yards early because they took a loss on their first and second downs, you’ll likely see them try to throw the ball more. If they tried to run the ball on first and second down but got stuffed both times, it’s time to try something new to get the ball down the field. You can have a receiver run a route 15 yards down the field on 3rd and 15 to try to catch the ball at the marker instead of trying to run through the whole defense to get there.

FAQs about downs in football

What does “1st and 10” mean in football?

This marks the first play of the set of downs. It is first down, and the offense has 10 yards to go to convert for a new set of downs.

How many downs does a team get in football?

A team gets four downs before they lose possession.

What is the difference between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th down?

The difference between these is just the chronological order of how the plays are run. The biggest difference comes with fourth down, because if the offense doesn’t reach the first down marker, then they face a turnover on downs.

What is a turnover on downs?

This means the offense was unable to convert a first down and the other team takes over from the spot of the ball.

Why do teams punt on fourth down instead of going for it?

If a team doesn’t successfully reach the first down marker, they will give the other team the ball wherever they are on the field. If they are close to their own end zone, they will punt the ball to the other side of the field to make it more difficult for the opposing offense to score. 

What does “4th and goal” mean?

It’s go time. You must score points on this play or else the other team gets the ball. If the team starts a drive within 10 yards from the end zone, they are no longer able to get a new set of downs.

What is a first down in football?

When the offense goes back to first down, and they have to gain 10 yards from the spot of the last play to get a new set. 

Why is it called a “down” in football?

Because the play goes until the player with the ball is down on the field. This means they’ve been tackled and a knee, elbow, or their body has touched the ground.

What is the yellow line shown on TV during a football game?

That is where the yard line the offense must reach to receive a new set of downs.