Sack or No Sack? A Quick Explanation of What Counts in Football

Alright, let’s talk about this “sack” thing, you know, in that football game. Them fellas running around, smacking each other. Folks keep yellin’ “sack!” and I’m like, what in tarnation does that even mean? Sounds like somethin’ you carry potatoes in, don’t it?

So, I asked around, listened to them fellas on the TV, and here’s what I figured out. It ain’t just any old tackle, no sirree. It’s gotta be the fella throwin’ the ball, the quarterback, they call him. And he’s gotta be plannin’ on throwin’ that ball forward, not just runnin’ with it like a scared chicken.

See, if the play is for the quarterback to run, and they tackle him behind the line, that ain’t no sack. That’s just…well, that’s just them stoppin’ him from runnin’. They call it a “tackle for loss,” fancy words for “didn’t get nowhere.” But a sack, that’s different.

First off, the quarterback, he’s gotta be tryin’ to pass the ball. Like, he’s lookin’ downfield, arm cocked back, ready to throw.
Then, bam! Some big fella on the other team, he comes crashin’ in and tackles the quarterback before he can throw. That’s the sack right there.
And it gotta be behind where they started, you know, the line of scrimmage. If they tackle him at the line or past it, no sack.

Now, them college boys, they got their own rules. Seems like they only count a play as a pass if the quarterback actually throws the ball. So, if he gets sacked before he throws, I reckon it still counts as a sack, but they don’t count it as a pass attempt for the team. Confusin’, ain’t it? Like tryin’ to herd cats.

Them professional fellas, in the NFL, they are even more picky. They say a sack ain’t the same as a tackle for loss. A sack is a sack, and a tackle for loss is a tackle for loss. They got their own rulebook, thicker than my old cookbook, I tell ya.

So, let me see if I can get this straight. Quarterback’s gotta be tryin’ to throw, gotta get tackled behind the line before he throws, and it ain’t the same as when he’s just runnin’. And them college boys count it different from the pros. Got it? Good, ‘cause I ain’t explainin’ it again! My head’s already spinnin’ like a top.

I guess it’s important for them fellas keepin’ score, you know, the statisticians. They gotta keep track of all this stuff. Sacks, tackles, passes… it’s enough to make your eyes cross. But for us folks watchin’, it just means the defense is doin’ a good job, stoppin’ that quarterback from throwin’ the ball. And that’s a good thing, right? Means our team might win!

Anyways, that’s my take on this “sack” business. If I got somethin’ wrong, well, don’t come yellin’ at me. I’m just an old lady tryin’ to make sense of all this football ruckus. Now, where’s that sweet tea? All this talkin’s made me thirsty.

So next time you’re watchin’ them fellas play, and you hear ’em yellin’ “sack!”, you’ll know what they’re talkin’ about. It ain’t potatoes, that’s for sure. It’s about that quarterback gettin’ tackled before he can throw that ball. And that, my friends, is what counts as a sack.