How to Fake a Superbowl Party

Today is the day Giants fans have been waiting for since 2002. A chance to prove that New York not only has the best bagels, fashion and nighlife - but, the best football team in the nation.

So before you set off to your superbowl parties here is a brief overview of football lingo to help create the illusion that this is not the first game of football you have ever watched in your life.

Dead Ball - Declared by an official at the end of each down after a player has been tackled and the ball is no longer in play.

Down - The offensive sequence of plays starting from the line of scrimmage that begins with the center’s snap and ends when the ball is dead.

Drive - Describes a series of downs in the offensive team’s advance toward the goal.

Extra Point - After a touchdown, one point is scored for a “place kick” through the goal posts. Some leagues give two points for running or passing the ball over the goal line.

Field Goal - A place kick from the line of scrimmage that goes over the crossbar between the uprights of the opponent’s goal post. Field goals are used on fourth down (when the offensive team is close to the end zone) or on any other down when time is running out. It is worth three points.

Fumble - When a ball carrier drops the ball on the field. The team first to recover the ball gains possession. If the defense recovers the fumble it is a “turnover.”

Interception - When a forward pass is caught by a defender. It results in a turnover.

Punt - A kick taken from behind the line of scrimmage in which the ball is dropped from the kickers hands and punted before it touches the ground. Punting often occurs on fourth down after the first three downs have failed to result in a first down.

Sack - When defensive players tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a loss of yards for the offense.

Tackle - When a ball carrier is taken down or stopped by an opposing player.

Touchdown - When a player carries the ball across the opposing goal line, or catches the ball or recovers a fumble in the end zone. A touchdown is worth six points.