SMART NEWS

Prepare for the Super Bowl by Watching This Primer on American Football

For those of you who aren’t football fans, never fear, we’ve got you covered

Contributor

January 23, 2014

In less than two weeks, the United States will be gripped with the frenzy of football. For many, this is a highlight of the year. But for some, Super Bowl XLVII is basically Greek. So for those of you who aren’t football fans, never fear, we’ve got you covered.

First, the video above explains most of the important rules of the game. I will take this moment to point out that about 50 percent of the NFL’s audience happen to be female, so their dedication at the beginning of this video to “ladies” is inaccurate at best.

Second, you should probably know which teams are playing. That would be the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. There are lots of ways to compare these two teams, but let’s keep it simple and talk about what each one is good at.

The Denver Broncos have Peyton Manning at quarterback. This year, Manning become one of only six players in the history of the NFL to throw seven touchdowns in a game. By the end of the season he had broken the record for most touchdown passes in a single season (55) and the record for yards thrown (5,477). In other words, Manning is a very good quarterback, and the Broncos are the best offense in the league.

The Seahawks have a really good defense. They’re the top scoring defense in the league. They have the best pass defense in football and probably the best secondary line, too—including the now famous Richard Sherman, who is, in fact, the best cornerback (a person who covers receivers) in the league.

And here’s something cool: The last time the best offense in the league and the best defense in the league met in the Superbowl was in 1990 when the New York Giants played the Buffalo Bills. The Giants won on a missed field goal at the very end of the game, but it was a nail biter. This Super Bowl probably will be too.

And if you’re still unconvinced by this whole football thing, there’s always the Puppy Bowl instead.