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4 downs
In "gridiron" football (i.e., the varieties played mainly in Canada and US), a team in possession of the football must advance the ball ten yards in order to retain possession of the ball. That team is allowed a certain number of attempts to do so. In football parlance, those attempts are called "downs." In the game as played in the US, a team is allowed four downs in which to advance the ball ten yards. In Canadian football, a team gets only three downs."Second down" means that the team has already made one attempt to advance the ball (and was able to advance it five yards). Now it is about to make the second attempt. "Second down and five yards to go" (which is usually shortened to "second and five") means that the team now must advance five more yards. If that team does gain an additional five or more yards, it is awarded another set of downs.
The offensive team is allowed four downs, or plays, to advance the ball 10 yards. If they can advance the ball 10 yards in four plays, they get another four plays to move the ball 10 yards further downfield. This continues until the offense advances the ball into the end zone for a touchdown or they are unable to get the required 10 yards on four plays. In Canadian football, the same circumstances exist, except that a team gets only three downs to advance the ball 10 yards.
In American football, a play is called a down. A team, on offense, has four downs to advance the ball ten yards. If the team is successful in doing this, they get another four downs to advance the ball ten yards. Second down is the second play in the series where the team needs to advance the ball ten yards to keep possession of the ball.
In American football, a team gets 4 downs to reach either the first down marker or the end zone. In Canadian football, a team gets 3 downs to reach either the first down marker or the end zone.
In Canadian football, a team has only three downs to make a first down. That's why Canadian football is a "wide open" game, unlike the more static game that's played in the US.
In American football, four. In Canadian football, three.
In the NFL and most other American football rules a team gets four downs to either score with a touchdown, a field goal, or to make a first down, and start the count of downs again. Usually the fourth down is used to punt the ball away, rather than give the football up on the spot, if the previous three downs didn't result in some more favorable outcome.
You have 4 downs in order to either score a touchdown, or advance 10 yards to achieve another first down.
American Football - NFL and collegiate A team has 4 downs to go 10 yards, and earn a new set of downs. Otherwise the ball control goes to the opposing team. Downs may be replayed if a penalty is ruled and accepted.
Teams get four downs to move the ball 10 yards. If they gain the 10 yards, they get a new set of four downs. This can continue indefinitely until either the team scores, time runs out in the half or the game, or the team gives up or loses possession of the ball. In Canadian football, teams get three downs to move the ball 10 yards.
first downs