Football Quiz

1)      A touchdown is worth ________ points.

A)     Six

B)     Two

C)     Three

D)     Seven

2)      When a team kicks the ball through the “goal posts” it is known as a:

A)     Touchdown

B)     Field Goal

C)     Safety

D)     Punt

3)      A football game results in a tie if:

A)     The two teams are tied after the end of the fourth quarter.

B)     Neither team scores a touchdown or a field goal in overtime

C)     Both teams kick a field goal on their first possession in overtime, and otherwise, fail to score in overtime

D)     Both teams score the same number of touchdowns and field goals in overtime

4)      Most field goals are attempted on:

A)     First down

B)     Second down

C)     Third down

D)     Fourth down

5)      A turnover occurs when:

A)     A team throws an incomplete pass

B)     The defensive team fumbles the football

C)     The offensive team losses yardage or commits a penalty

D)     There is a pass interception

6)      Most touchdowns are scored by the:

A)     Offensive team

B)     Defensive team

C)     Punt returners

D)     Biggest and strongest players

7)      Most defensive penalties result in a:

A)     First down

B)     Touchdown

C)     Field goal

D)     Safety

8)      If the offensive team commits a penalty then:

A)     The team is always penalized from the spot of the foul

B)     The down is always repeated

C)     The defensive team may always decide whether or not to accept the penalty or to accept the result of the play

D)     None of the above

9)      If the receiving team commits a “holding” penalty during a punt, and the kicking team accepts the penalty then:

A)     The down is replayed from the original line of scrimmage

B)     The penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul

C)     The penalty is enforced from the spot that the punt returner catches the ball

D)     The kicking team gets an automatic first down

10)  The skilled positions on offense include:

A)     The guards

B)     The tackles

C)     The cornerbacks

D)     The flanker

11)  Defensive players include:

A)     The linebackers

B)     The quarterback

C)     The receivers

D)     The running backs

12)  The position in which players generally have the longest careers is:

A)     The field goal kickers

B)     The quarterbacks

C)     The tight ends

D)     The receivers

13)   The biggest and strongest eligible receiver is generally:

A)     The half back

B)     The slot receiver

C)     The wide out

D)     The tight end

14)  Most teams gain most of their yards on:

A)     Running plays

B)     Quarterback sacks

C)     Passing plays

D)     Penalties

15)  On quarterback sacks:

A)     The running back is tackled behind the line of scrimmage

B)     The quarterback runs the ball for a first down

C)     The offensive team commits a turnover

D)     The offensive team louses yardage

16)  The team with fewer turnovers:

A)     Usually gains the most yardage

B)     Throws less interceptions than the other team

C)     Commits fewer fumbles than the other team

D)     Usually wins the game

17)  If both teams commit a penalty on the same play then:

A)     The down is replayed

B)     Both penalties are enforced

C)     The more severe penalty sometimes takes precedence over the less severe penalty

D)     The replay official must decide who to penalize

18)   Which plays are always reviewed?

A)     Turnovers

B)     Scoring plays

C)     Plays committed in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter

D)     All of the above

19)  If a play is reviewed then the officials can only overturn the call on the field if:

A)     The umpires do not agree on the call

B)     The replay is inconclusive

C)     There is conclusive visual evidence confirming the officials made the wrong call

D)     A penalty or a turnover was questioned

20)   To receive a first down the offensive team must gain _____ yards.

A)     Five

B)     Nine

C)     Ten

D)     Twenty

21)  Which statement is not true about a safety?

A)     It is worth two points for the defensive team

B)     If a penalty occurs on the offensive team while the football is possessed by the offensive team in their own end zone then the penalty results in a safety

C)     The team that scores a safety puts the ball in play with a “free kick” following the safety

D)     A safety is rare in NFL football

22)  The team that wins the coin toss preceding the opening kickoff:

A)     Must choose who kicks off in the opening quarter

B)     Must choose which side of the field to defend

C)     May defer the decision on who gets the ball first to the opposing team

D)     Always gets the ball first to start the game

23)  The football field (not counting the end zones) is:

A)     One hundred yards long

B)     One hundred feet long

C)     One hundred and twenty yards long

D)     One hundred and ten yards long

24)   A measurement is needed to determine:

A)     Whether or not a team has scored a touchdown

B)     If a team has earned a new set of downs

C)     Whether or not the ball carrier was tackled in the field of play

D)     If the attempted field goal was successful

25)  Each end zone is ______feet long.

A)     Ten

B)     Twenty

C)     Thirty

D)     Forty

26)  A long pass is otherwise known as a (an):

A)     Screen pass

B)     Out route

C)     Safety valve

D)     Bomb

27)  Which would not result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty?

A)     Tripping an opposing player

B)     Yelling at or cursing the referee

C)     Calling two successive time outs

D)     Excessive celebration after a touchdown

28)  When the offensive team is called for a holding penalty the offensive team is penalized _______ yards:

A)     Five

B)     Ten

C)     Fifteen

D)     Twenty

29)  The offensive team has ______ ineligible receivers.

A)     Four

B)     Five

C)     Six

D)     Seven

30)  A “flea flicker” occurs when:

A)     The running back throws a pass

B)     A receiver throws a pass

C)     A receiver takes the handoff from the quarterback and hands the ball off to another receiver running in the opposite direction

D)     The running back takes the handoff from the quarterback, and pitches the ball back to the quarterback so that the quarterback can attempt a pass

31)  Each team is allowed _____ timeouts each half.

A)     One

B)     Two

C)     Three

D)     Four

32)  If a coach legally challenges a disputed call:

A)     If he is successful he is charged with a timeout

B)     The referee will examine the replays of the play to determine if the coach had a reasonable argument

C)     The replay official will decide if there was visual evidence supporting the coach’s argument

D)     The referee’s decision will only be changed if there exists conclusive visual evidence that supports the coach’s argument

33)   A “blitz” is:

A)     When a defensive player, other than a defensive lineman, charges into the backfield

B)     When two defensive lineman crisscross as they rush the quarterback

C)     Usually called when the defensive team suspects the offensive team will throw a screen pass

D)     When the safety or the cornerback abandon pass coverage to rush the quarterback

34)  The last line of defense is usually the:

A)     Linebackers

B)     Safeties

C)     Fullback

D)     Defensive linemen

35)  Which of the following is not generally considered a type of pass coverage:

A)     Zone defense

B)     Man to man defense

C)     Double coverage

D)     Safety Valve

36)  When a receiver takes a handoff from the quarterback, and he runs the ball toward the opposite sideline than the one where he was initially positioned the play is named a (an):

A)     Sweep

B)     Quarterback option

C)     Off tackle run

D)     End run

37)  Which of the following is not a type of pass route?

A)     Out

B)     Fly

C)     Post

D)     Launch

38)  Which penalty places the football at the spot of the foul?

A)     Off sides

B)     Intentional grounding

C)     Illegal procedure

D)     Holding

39)  How many challenges is a team guaranteed in each game?

A)     One

B)     Two

C)     Three

D)     Four

40)  The official clock:

A)     May not be corrected after the next play occurs

B)     Is stopped until the next play when a player runs out of bounds

C)     Is not stopped after an incomplete pass

D)     Stops when a player is tackled on the field of play

41)  Which of the following results in a touchdown?

A)     A receiver catches a pass in the end zone with one foot in bounds

B)     A running back is tackled with the ball hitting the pylon

C)     A receiver catches a pass in the end zone after first stepping out of bounds and then reestablishing himself in the field of play

D)     An fumble by an offensive team player is recovered by a teammate in the end zone on the last play of the game

42)   Which is true about the overtime period?

A)     Both teams must possess the football in the overtime period

B)     If the first team to possess the football in the overtime period kicks a field goal then they win the game

C)     Any defensive score wins the game during the overtime period

D)     It is possible for both teams to score a touchdown in the overtime period

43)  Which of the following is not an option for a team on fourth down?

A)     They may choose to punt

B)     They may attempt a field goal

C)     They may elect to try to earn a first down by running an offensive play

D)     They may spike the ball in order to stop the clock

44)  A team is most likely not to attempt a two point conversion very late in the game when they are:

A)     Tied with the opposition

B)     Losing by two points

C)     Ahead by five points

D)     Ahead by one point

45)  When the quarterback calls a “play-action” pass:

A)     His team is generally in an open backfield

B)     The slot receiver alters the path of one of the defensive backs that is covering the wide receiver closest to him

C)     He passes the ball to his tail back

D)     He fakes a hand off to one of his running backs before dropping back to pass

46)  Which play is non-reviewable?

A)     Deciding whether or not a quarterback was in the act of throwing when he lost control of the ball

B)     Most penalties

C)     Deciding if a field goal attempt that is beneath the top of the goal posts was successful

D)     Deciding if a receiver caught the ball based on the definition of a complete pass

47)  How many linebackers are there in a 3/4 defense?

A)     Two

B)     Three

C)     Four

D)     Either three or four

48)  How many defensive backs are there in a “nickel” defense?

A)     Two

B)     Three

C)     Four

D)     Five

49)  When a team runs the “quarterback option”:

A)     The quarterback has the option to run or to pass

B)     The team must line up in a shotgun formation

C)     The quarterback can either run the football himself or pitch the ball to the trailing running back

D)     The play generally results in a pass

50)   Which penalty is reviewable?

A)     Holding

B)     Pass interference

C)     Illegal Hands to the face

D)     Twelve men on the field

51)  Which penalty is not considered a personal foul?

A)     Roughing the quarterback

B)     Pass interference

C)     Unnecessary roughness

D)     Late hit

52)  When a team needs to score in a limited amount of time the team:

A)     Huddles every play to discuss strategy

B)     Generally runs the ball more than they pass it

C)     Runs its two minute offense

D)     Attempts to keep the football on the field rather than run out of bounds to save time

53)  If the quarterback fakes a handoff to the running back and rolls out to the opposite direction as the running back without any blockers in front of him then the play is known as a:

A)     Quarterback Option

B)     Naked Bootleg

C)     Quarterback Draw

D)     Blind Reverse

54)  Teams generally play a “nickel” defense on:

A)     First down and ten

B)     Second down and three

C)     Third down and twelve

D)     None of the above

55)  A fullback must be:

A)     Extremely fast

B)     A gifted receiver

C)     An excellent blocker

D)     Capable of cutting back quickly into a hole

56)  How many players are there on the field for each team?

A)     Nine

B)     Ten

C)     Eleven

D)     Twelve

57)  If the offensive team is in the “Red Zone”:

A)     They are in danger of allowing a safety

B)     They possess the football on the opponents side of the field

C)     They possess the football on their side of the field

D)     The football is positioned within the opponents twenty yard line

58)  Which statement is not true about a “quick kick”?

A)     It rarely occurs on fourth down

B)     It usually is not returned by the receiving team

C)     It generally is not kicked by the team’s punter

D)     It generally is kicked from further behind the line of scrimmage than a punt

59)  Which statement is not true about an “onside kick”:

A)     An onside kick must travel at least ten yards before the kicking team can recover it unless an opposing player touches it first

B)     It can sometimes surprise the other team

C)     When it is successful the opposing team must drive the football further than if the kicking team had kicked the kickoff deep

D)     The kicking team may not place all of its players on one side of the field

60)   The kickoff is kicked from the _______ yard line.

A)     Thirty

B)     Thirty five

C)     Forty

D)     Twenty five

61)  On a punt, how many players on the punting team can run downfield before the football is kicked?

A)     None

B)     One

C)     Two

D)     Three

62)  Which statement is true about a quarterback’s quarterback rating?

A)     The more touchdown passes he accumulates, the higher is his quarterback rating

B)     The more interceptions he accumulates, the higher is his quarterback rating

C)     The more yards passing that he accumulates, the lower is his quarterback rating

D)     The higher a completion percentage he throws for, the lower is his quarterback rating

63)   A quarter is _______ minutes long.

A)     Ten

B)     Fifteen

C)     Twenty

D)     Thirty

64)  Which statement is false?

A)     Most players play both offense and defense

B)     The most important player on a team is the quarterback

C)     “All-Purpose Yards” include kickoff return yardage

D)     The replay official must determine if the result of some plays is controversial

65)  If a field goal is missed from beyond the twenty yard line, and the football travels out of the end zone then the football is placed:

A)     At the spot of the kick

B)     At the twenty yard line

C)     At the line of scrimmage

D)     At the first down marker

66)   Which of the following is true?

A)     When a punter kicks the football into the end zone, net punting yards = gross punting yards

B)     When a punt returner returns a punt for positive yardage, net punting yards > gross punting yards

C)     When a punter kicks the football out of bounds, net punting yardage = gross punting yardage

D)     If the receiving team commits a penalty on a punt, net punting yardage < gross punting yardage

67)  Which offensive penalty results in loss of down?

A)     Pass interference

B)     Delay of game

C)     Intentional grounding

D)     Holding

68)  Which of the following is a fumble?

A)     The quarterback louses control of the football after his arm had started coming forward

B)      A running back’s arm hits the ground after contacting a defensive player causing him to lose control of the football

C)     The quarterback throws a backward pass that the running back fails to catch

D)     The quarterback shuffles the ball underhand toward the opposition’s end zone and his receiver fails to catch the ball

69)  Suppose that on first down and ten, a team gains four yards, gains 8 yards, and loses two yards on successive plays.  Then the defense commits an offside penalty.  The resulting down and yardage is:

A)     Second down and twelve

B)     Second down and seven

C)     Second down and two

D)     First down and ten

E)      None of the above

70)  A “Hail Mary” pass is:

A)     A pass thrown by a player other than the quarterback

B)     Generally a pass that can be caught by only one receiver

C)     Usually is defended by only the safeties

D)     A desperate attempt to complete a long pass at the end of a half of a game

71)  If two teams in the same division have the same record after the regular season then the number 1 tie breaking criteria to break the tie is:

A)     Record in the conference

B)     Record in the division

C)     Head to head record

D)     Strength of schedule

72)  Usually the team that has the easiest schedule the following year of all the teams in its division is the team that finished _______in the previous year in its division..

A)     First

B)     Second

C)     Third

D)     Fourth

73)  How many divisions exist in the NFL?

A)     Four

B)     Six

C)     Eight

D)     Two

74)  How many total teams play in the NFL?

A)     Twenty eight

B)     Thirty

C)     Thirty two

D)     Thirty six

75)  How many NFL teams make the playoffs?

A)     Eight

B)     Ten

C)     Twelve

D)     Fourteen

76)  How many postseason games does a wild-card playoff team have to win in the playoffs to win the Super Bowl?

A)     Three

B)     Two

C)     Four

D)     Five

77)  If a personal foul occurs on the defensive team after the play is over then which of the following is false?

A)     The result of the play always stands, and the penalty is enforced from the new line of scrimmage

B)     The team that was fouled can choice to except the play or the penalty

C)     There will be an automatic first down for the offensive team, provided the offensive team still maintains possession of the football in the field of play.

D)     The player who committed the personal foul may be fined by the commissioner or ejected from the game

78)  If the punt returner calls for a “fair catch” then:

A)     He will not be penalized for blocking a player on the opposing team

B)     The defensive coverage team can tackle him as long as he has secured the football first

C)     He may advance the football at his own risk

D)     If he loses control of the punt and the football hits the ground then he is no longer protected by the rules that protect punt returners who have called for a fair catch

79)  How many games do each team play (not counting the postseason)?

A)     14

B)     15

C)     16

D)     17

80)  Football “etiquette” suggests all of the following except:

A)     A team has accumulated more points than it needs to win the game then that team should alter its offensive game plan

B)     A team should not call a timeout when they are losing by a large deficit in the hopes of getting the football back in the offense’s possession for a meaningless possible score

C)     A player should not fake an injury

D)     A team should not play physical football when the opposition is kneeling down to run out the clock.

E)      All of the above are expected football etiquette

81)  If the kicker kicks the kickoff from the thirty five yard line and it travels out of bounds before reaching the end zone then:

A)     The kicker must kick again from the thirty yard line

B)     The football will be placed on the twenty yard line by rule

C)     The football will be placed on the forty yard line by rule

D)     The kickoff will net twenty yards

82)  Under poor playing conditions:

A)     The passing game is usually affected less than the running game

B)     The games are very high scoring in general

C)     Receivers and running backs have trouble cutting on the damp turf

D)     Quarterback ratings are generally higher than when conditions are more favorable

83)   Which active quarterback holds the record for most consecutive games in which he completed at least one touchdown pass?

A)     T. Brady

B)     D. Brees

C)     P. Manning

D)     A. Rodgers

84)  If one team kicks three field goals and scores two touchdowns, while the other team scores three touchdowns and kicks only one field goal (assume all extra points were good and no safeties occurred) what would the final score be?

A)     24-21

B)     27-23

C)     24-23

D)     30-16

85)  Which penalty is probably a good penalty?

A)     A cornerback grabbing a receiver after being faked totally on a “double-move”.

B)     An illegal block in the back that occurs on the opposite side of the field from the action

C)     An offside penalty on the defense on a fourth down and 4.

D)     A delay of game penalty on third down and 1.

86)  When a player suffers a concussion:

A)     He may reenter the game under certain circumstances if it is diagnosed as a mild concussion

B)     He must undergo excessive testing during and after the game before he can play in future games

C)     He can still play should he request to, but he would not be completely protected from further injury

D)     He must not play for at least two games following the concussion

87)   A punter with less gross yards punting than another punter can have more net yards punting than the other punter if:

A)     He has longer hang time

B)     He kicks footballs out of bounds to prevent runbacks

C)     He rarely kicks the football into the end zone.

D)     All of the above

88)  The referees should generally, when uncertain of the correct decision, let play continue because:

A)     This always favors the home team

B)     It allows the replay official more time to reach the proper decision

C)     An extended play can always be reviewed and later changed; but, if the play is stopped, further review will be impossible

D)     It is important for the winner of the football game be decided on the field rather than by the referees.

89)  What can never be considered by the referee when analyzing a replay:

A)     When the sound of the whistle blew

B)     Whether or not the runners knee hit the ground before he fumbled

C)     If the receiver got both feet in bounds

D)     Whether or not the running back reached the first down marker

90)  Which coach is the trophy given to the Super Bowl Winning Team named after?

A)     Joe Paterno

B)     Vince Lombardi

C)     Joe Gibbs

D)     Bum Phillips

91)  How many seconds, after the football is made ready for play, does a team have to run the next play?

A)     25

B)     30

C)     35

D)     40

92)  Which statement is true about the NFL draft?

A)     The best team in the preceding year gets the first overall pick in the following year draft

B)     Any team can trade its draft pick (s) to another team in exchange for a player (s) or another draft pick (s).

C)     There is a lottery to decide the first few picks in the NFL draft

D)     There are five rounds for teams to select the best available players coming out of high school or college.

93)  Which player on defense usually calls the defensive plays in the huddle or on the line of scrimmage (in a 4/3 defense)?

A)     One of the defensive linemen

B)     The strong safety

C)     The middle linebacker

D)     One of the outside linebackers

94)  The team with the greater time of possession:

A)     Generally runs the ball more than the other team

B)     Generally runs more offensive plays than the other team

C)     Converts frequently on third and fourth down

D)     All of the above

95)  Which statistic seems less likely to predict the outcome of a football game?

A)     Total Yards

B)     Time of Possession

C)     Net/Turnovers

D)     Pass attempts

96)  When the defense has eight men on the line of scrimmage:

A)     The offensive team probably will need to pass the ball to be effective

B)     The defensive team is expecting a pass play

C)     There will be two safeties patrolling the center of the field

D)     The defensive team is playing a prevent defense.

97)  The clock stops after a runner goes out of bounds until the next play is run:

A)     Only within the last two minutes of each half

B)     Only within the last five minutes of each half

C)     Only within the last quarter

D)     For the whole game

98)  Which of the following is false?

A)     The rules have changed over the last few decades to make the NFL a primarily passing league.

B)     There have been rule changes to reduce the length of a football game

C)     There have been rule changes to protect players from injury

D)     The game of football is successful, because there has been very little need to change the game that was first played decades ago

99)  If the football game does not go into overtime the average game usually lasts:

A)     2 hours 

B)     3 hours

C)     5 hours

D)     Over five hours

100)          The defensive backs may not hit the eligible receivers after the receivers are more than _____ yards from the line of scrimmage on a pass play.

A)     5

B)     10

C)     15

D)     20