Offence (cream circles)
- QB quarterback
- RB running back
- WR wide receiver
- TE tight end
- LT LG C RG RT the offensive line (left tackle to right tackle, centre in the middle)
Defence (gold letters)
- DE defensive end
- DT defensive tackle
- LB linebacker
- CB cornerback
- S safety
Special teams (when they appear)
- K kicker
- ST coverage / special teams
- RET returner
Most of the time, possession changes in an orderly way: you score, you punt, or the half ends. A turnover is when the defence steals the ball in the middle of a play. It is the NFL’s version of a goalkeeper spilling it on the edge of the box.
The two you will hear every week
- Interception: the defence catch a pass meant for an attacker. The player who caught it can run the other way until they are tackled.
- Fumble: the ball-carrier drops it, or has it knocked free. Whoever falls on it, owns it. Recovery is a scramble, not a tidy rugby ruck.
There is also a turnover on downs, which is not a steal so much as a failed fourth-down gamble. The offence came up short; the defence simply takes over.
Why they matter so much
A team can spend five careful minutes moving 60 yards, then lose the lot on one loose pass. The defence that was pinned near their own end zone is suddenly attacking with a short field. Commentators talk about “momentum” because it is visible: one play can flip who is favourite.
- Takeaway
- Another word for a turnover caused by the defence: an interception or a fumble recovery.
- Loose ball
- A ball that is live on the ground after a fumble. Anyone can recover it, including the original team.