obody said it better or with more conviction than former-NFL referee Red Cashion: "First dowwwwwn"

First down is the call every offensive coach loves to hear because it means his offense has been successful in advancing the ball at least ten yards; ten yards is ten yards. Just what is a down and the rules that govern it?

This Chalk Talk covers just downs and all the rules around downs.

What is a down?

A down is action that starts with a legal snap (scrimmage down) or when the ball is kicked (free-kick down) and ends when the ball becomes dead (2-7-1).

The ball is either dead or alive. When the ball is snapped or kicked on a free-kick down, the status goes from dead ball to live ball; and it remains alive until it becomes dead.

How many downs does a team get?

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