The game is played with 5 players from each team on the field. The offense (team with the ball) tries to move the ball down the field to score a touchdown. The defense can stop an offensive player with the ball by "Flagging" them (pulling the Flag that is wrapped around the player's waist).The ball is then placed at that position and the offense continues with their next play.
The Offense consists of a Quarterback and four other players. All players are eligible to catch the football. The QB is the player in which the ball is hiked to at the beginning of the play. The QB cannot run the football past the line of scrimmage (the imaginary line that runs across the field where the ball was placed from the previous play). The QB can handoff or pitch the ball to another player to run the ball or throw the ball to another player.
The defense must wait for a count of THREE before they can cross the line of scrimmage to flag the QB. But the defense can cross BEFORE Three as soon as the QB pitches or hands-off the ball to another player. The Referee will do the counting, if the Referee gets to the count of 7 and the QB has not thrown or handed the ball to another player, then the play is dead and over.
The offense starts with the ball on their 5 yard line. The offense has three tries or "downs" to get to midfield and after crossing midfield they are back to "first down", they now have three "downs" to get a touchdown. If in either case they fail to make it in three downs, then the opposing team will get the ball on their own 5 yard line. If the offense is within 5 yards of crossing midfield or 5 yards before the goal line they are considered to be in the "no run" zone and MUST pass the ball. If the defense intercepts the ball, they can advance it until they are flagged or cross the goal line for a touchdown.
A touchdown scores as 6 points. After a touchdown, the scoring team can then go for an Extra Point by running one additional play to cross the goal line again. ONE point is awarded if the offense starts the Extra Point play on the 5 yard line, they get TWO points if they start the play on the 12 yard line. Note: One point plays are Pass only, Two point plays are Run or Pass.