The stadium was alive with the sound of cheering fans. It was the biggest game of the season and the two teams had battled it out all year for the championship.
The home team had a slight advantage, but the visitors were determined to make a statement. The game was close and tense, going down to the wire as the seconds ticked away.
With only seconds left on the clock, the home team was clinging to a one-point lead. The crowd was on their feet, screaming and shouting for their team.
Suddenly, a miracle happened. The visitors' quarterback launched a Hail Mary pass into the end zone and the receiver leapt up to grab it. The crowd went wild as the ball was secured in the receiver's hands.
The visiting team had just won the championship. The home team had been denied at the last second and were devastated.
The visiting team celebrated their victory as they hoisted the championship trophy. It was a moment they would never forget. For the home team, it was a reminder that nothing is certain until the final whistle is blow 1. The field of play must be rectangular, measuring 100 yards (91.44m) long and 53.3 yards (48.76m) wide. 2. Each team must have 11 players on the field at a time. 3. The offense has four downs, or chances, to advance the ball 10 yards or more. 4. The ball must be snapped between the legs of the center to a teammate in the backfield. 5. A team's drive ends when the offense fails to gain 10 yards in four downs, turns the ball over to the other team, or scores. 6. A touchdown is scored when a team crosses the opponents goal line with the ball, catches or runs with a forward pass in the opponent's end zone, or recovers a loose ball in the opponent's end zone. 7. After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts a point after touchdown (PAT) from the 2-yard line. 8. If the PAT is successful, the team earns one extra point. 9. If the team chooses to try a two-point conversion instead of a PAT, it must advance the ball into the end zone in one play. 10. The defense can score by tackling an offensive ball carrier in his own end zone for a safety, or by picking off a pass or recovering a fumble and running it back into the end zone for a touchdown "Football is an honest game. It's true to life. It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life." - Joe Namath "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." - Phil Jackson "It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters." - Paul 'Bear' Bryant "The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline." - Bum Phillips "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." - Vince Lombardi "Success isn't owned. It's leased, and rent is due every day." - J.J. Watt "The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning." - Pelé