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Down may also refer to the ball after it is made dead in one manner or another. The line of scrimmage for the next play will be determined by the position of the ball when it is down. Each possession begins with first down. The line to gain is marked 10 yards downfield from the start of this possession, and the situation is described as "1st ...
A down ends, and the ball becomes dead, after any of the following: The player with the ball is forced to the ground (a tackle) or has his forward progress halted by members of the other team (as determined by an official). A forward pass flies beyond the dimensions of the field (out of bounds) or touches the ground before it is caught.
The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a back, throws the ball, or runs with it himself. The down ends when the ball becomes dead (see below). The ball is typically next spotted where the ball became dead; however, if it became dead outside the hash marks, it is brought in on the same yard line to the nearest hash mark.
A unit of the game that starts with a legal snap or legal free kick after the ball is ready for play and ends when the ball next becomes dead. First down is the first of the plays; fourth is the last down in American (third in Canadian) football. A first down occurs after a change of possession of the ball, after advancing the ball 10 yards ...
The clock is stopped when the down ends. (The clock never starts if the receiving team downs the ball in their own end zone for a touchback.) The clock is then restarted when the offense snaps the ball for their first play and continues to run unless one of the following occurs, in which case the clock is stopped at the end of the play and ...
That player's team immediately gains possession of the ball and he may attempt to advance the ball toward his opponent's goal. If no player is able to legally catch the ball it is an incomplete pass and the ball becomes dead the moment it touches the ground. It will then be returned to the original line of scrimmage for the next down.
An incomplete pass causes the down to advance by one and the offensive team gains no yards. The game clock is stopped, and the ball immediately becomes dead as soon as it touches the ground or goes out of bounds.
A down ends, and the ball becomes dead, after any of the following: The player with the ball is tackled. A forward pass goes out of bounds or touches the ground before it is caught. This is known as an incomplete pass. The ball is returned to the original line of scrimmage for the next down. The ball or the player with the ball goes out of bounds.