15 Essential Tips for First-Time American Football Fans: Your Guide to Sunday’s Big Game, Presented by a Sports Expert and Popeyes®
- The big game on Sunday is predicted to attract the highest UK viewing figures ever, but only one in ten Brits are familiar with the rules
- Popeyes®, the New Orleans-born fried chicken brand, has partnered with American football expert Phoebe Schecter to help Brits who are tuning in for their first tournament
- They’ve created a cheat sheet to bring people up to speed on the oh so confusing rules of American football in less than 5 minutes
- To help fans stay up for the big game on Sunday, which kicks off at 11:30pm in the UK, Popeyes® is keeping selected restaurants across the country open for delivery until 1am for the first time ever
- As a nod to the long-standing tradition of eating fried chicken whilst watching football, the home of Famous Louisiana Chicken is also launching two limited-edition Touchdown Wings Bundles for four to six friends full of its iconic shatter crunch chicken – available for delivery nationwide from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th
5th February 2023: This Sunday, 200 million fans are predicted to tune in to watch the biggest game in the American Football calendar. But despite the fact that this year’s match is set to attract the highest viewership on record, it’s no secret that Brits are largely unfamiliar with the ins and outs of American football – and only one in ten of us claim to be familiar with the rules.
The hype around the game follows the release of popular American football documentaries like ‘QuarterBack’ on Netflix, and *that* budding romance between the Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce and a certain singer. But those worried about attending a viewing party this weekend and feeling clueless need fear not: Popeyes®, has you covered.
To help those tuning in for the first time, Popeyes® UK – which famously hails from the US and home of American football – has partnered with the UK’s resident expert and former Buffalo Bills coach, Phoebe Schecter, to create a cheat sheet for the game. Designed to bring you up to speed in less than 5 minutes, the guide shares the top fifteen things you need to know before Sunday’s big clash – from how teams reach the coveted final, to what a ‘Snap’ is, and how to score a touchdown.
But that’s not all, to help Brits put in the night shift when watching the game, Popeyes® has announced it will be keeping selected restaurants across the UK open late for delivery for the first time ever on Sunday.* Lucky fans from locations across London, Leicester, Liverpool and Cardiff will be able to get their hands on Popeyes’® iconic shatter-crunch fried chicken until 1 am on Monday 12th February – available for delivery right to their door when watching the show.
Katy Brown, Head of Marketing at Popeyes®, said: “Popeyes® has attracted a huge hype and a cult following across the States – having supplied the food for celebrity weddings and even the Met Gala – and has seen incredible demand since landing in the UK in 2021. Now that we’ve successfully brought our offering across the pond, we want to help Brits enjoy the US’s second best export: American football! We can’t wait to help those new to the game get up to speed, or get our iconic shatter-crunch chicken fix to fans by keeping selected restaurants open late for delivery for the first time ever.”
Phoebe Schecter, NFL expert, and former Buffalo Bills coach, added: “The general perception of American football in the UK is that it’s a game with lots of complicated rules – but actually that’s not the case! In fact, they’re very similar to football and rugby when you boil them down. This weekend’s game is one of the biggest events in the US cultural calendar and is an incredible spectacle. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Popeyes® ahead of the big clash to create a handy cheat sheet to help those tuning in for the first time – so they can understand and enjoy the game with their friends, alongside the taste of Popeyes® fried chicken!”
What’s more, as a nod to the long-standing tradition of eating fried chicken whilst watching Sunday’s big game, which saw 1.45 billion chicken wings eaten during the show last year, Popeyes® will also be launching two limited-edition Touchdown Wings bundles for four to six friends this weekend.
Designed for sharing with your mates during the game, the meals feature Popeyes® Hot Wings which have been marinated for 12 hours in Popeyes’® signature blend of Louisiana herbs and spices. Featuring Popeyes’® iconic shatter-crunch coating, the chicken comes perfectly paired with Popeyes’® Regular Fries and your choice of dips.
- The Touchdown Wings Bundle for 6: 30 Hot Wings + 6 Regular Fries + 6 Dips, £39.99
- The Touchdown Wings Bundle for 4: 20 Hot Wings + 4 Regular Fries + 4 Dips, £29.99
The Touchdown Wings Bundles will be available for delivery at popeyesuk.com and by ordering Popeyes® from Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo nationwide, and until 1 am from the specific locations listed.
THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEET
FROM NFL EXPERT PHOEBE SCHECTER AND POPEYES®
- The Teams:
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL (National Football League). The league is made up of 32 teams split into 2 conferences – the AFC and the NFC. The winners of each conference play in the Super Bowl.
Timings and Kick-off:
The game consists of 4 15-minute quarters of actual playing time. Games take longer because of clock stoppages when the ball is out of play, timeouts, and stoppages. The game begins with a kick-off, where one team kicks the ball to the other to start play. Kick-offs occur at the beginning of each half and after every score.
Offense and Defence:
The attacking team on a given play is called the Offence while the defending team is the Defence. The Offence tries to advance the ball down the field, while the Defence tries to stop them and force turnovers by intercepting passes or causing the Offence to fumble the ball.
Scoring:
Teams score points by catching or carrying the ball in/into the opponent’s end zone for a touchdown (much like a ‘try’ in rugby), which is worth 6 points. After scoring a touchdown (TD), teams can opt to kick an extra point through the goal posts or try and score an additional touchdown worth 2 points from just outside the endzone. If teams are close enough to the end zone they have the option of kicking a field goal (3 points) if they do not want to risk not scoring a touchdown.
Downs and Yards:
The attacking team has 4 chances, called ‘Downs’, to advance the ball 10 yards towards the opponent’s end zone. If successful, they get 4 more downs. On each down, the attacking team (Offence) will run a play – think of it as a set piece in football or rugby.
Positions:
Each player has a specific role on the field. The Quarterback leads the Offence, while Linebackers and Defensive Backs play Defence. Each team also has special teams for kicking and punting plays.
Line of Scrimmage and the Snap!
The line of scrimmage is an imaginary line going across the field demarcated by the ball on the ground before a play. Both teams have to stay on their own side of the line before a play. Each play begins with a ‘SNAP’ which is when the Centre hands or passes the ball to the Quarterback through his legs.
Penalties:
Penalties can be called for fouls like holding, offsides, or pass interference, resulting in yardage gains or losses. Referees signal penalties by throwing yellow flags to where the foul occurred but they may wait for the play to finish before enforcing the penalties.
Number of Players:
Just like football, American Football has 11 players on each team on the field at a time. But unlike football, these can be swapped in and out at any time (rolling substitutes). The team rosters have 53 players because of specialized positions.
Sacks and Tackles:
A ‘sack’ is when the Quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can pass the ball. Tackles are made when defensive players stop the ball carrier from advancing by mostly bringing them to the ground, stopping their forward progress, or forcing them out of bounds.
Coaches and Play calling:
Coaches play a crucial role in strategy and calling plays during the game. They communicate with players through headsets and make decisions on Offence, Defence, and special teams.
Run vs Pass:
The Offence can either choose to run with the ball following the snap (a run play), or have the Quarterback throw the ball to a receiver down the field (a pass play).
The Halftime Show:
The Super Bowl halftime show is always a huge spectacle that draws a massive audience in its own right. This year, the king of R&B, Usher, is set to take the stage.
Hail Mary:
In the final moments of a close game, teams may attempt a variety of plays, such as a “Hail Mary” pass—a long, desperate throw into the end zone—as a last-ditch effort to score and win the game.
Traditions
The Super Bowl is more than just a football game; it’s a cultural event. People host parties, enjoy snacks like wings, and engage in friendly betting on game outcomes or commercial rankings.
ENDS