FG – The abbreviation for a field goal

Flag pattern – The course that a wide receiver runs where he starts running straight downfield and then turns and runs diagonally toward the back corner of the end zone.

Flea Flicker – A trick play where the quarterback hands the ball off to the running back straight up the middle, but then the running back stops, and tosses the ball back to the quarterback behind him who then throws the ball deep downfield to a receiver.

Field position – The yard line that the ball is on. Many games are won because a team continually has better starting field position.

Flanker – A receiver who doesn’t line up on the line of scrimmage. May line up just a step behind the line or in the offensive backfield.

Flat – An area on the field outside the hashmarks and 0-10 yards forward of the line of scrimmage to the offense.

Not used very often, since it can also make his own linemen jump early and draw a false start penalty

Franchise tag – A ploy by an NFL team during negotiations with one of their own free agents. If a team puts the franchise tag on a player, that player is under contract for a period of one year at a salary equal to the average of the top five players at his position. A team may apply the franchise tag to only one player at a time. The team and player may renegotiate at any time and remove the franchise tag from the player.

Fullback – The running back closer to the offensive line when there are multiple running backs in a formation. Usually used as a blocker for the tailback, but can also carry the ball and catch passes.

Fumble – Not to be confused with a muff. A fumble is the drop of a ball that a carrier had under their control.

Gap – The space between offensive linemen. Gaps are usually specified areas where a running back will BiggerCity login carry the ball, or a defensive lineman/linebacker will attempt to run through when chasing the ball carrier.

Hail mary – A passing play where the offense is usually more than 40 yards away from the end zone. Receivers will run into one area of the end zone and the quarterback will just throw it up for them and pray one catches it. Prime examples: Boston College vs. U. Miami, 1984 and Colorado vs. Michigan, 1996.

Half the distance – The amount of yardage penalized when the normal distance would exceed half the yards between where the ball is spotted and the end zone. For example an offensive holding penalty would ordinarily result in a 10-yard penalty, but if a team is on its own 15 it would result instead in only half the yards to the end zone assessed and the penalty would take the ball back to the area of the 7 ? yard line.

Halfback – A running back. Usually referred to as a halfback when there’s only one in the backfield. Can also be referred to as a tailback.

Hands to the face – A penalty where a defender uses his hands to strike an offensive player’s face mask.

Hang time – The amount of time that a punt stays in the air

Longer is better for the punting team as the tacklers then get more time to get to where the ball will be coming down. A combination of a long punt with a long hang time is optimal on most punts.

Hard count – When a quarterback calls out one sound or word more loudly than the others during his cadence in an attempt to get the defense to jump offsides.