There are plenty of reasons to watch the Super Bowl besides, you know, the football. The national anthem performance is always a tear-jerker. Rihanna is headlining the halftime show. The commercials are always fun. The Super Bowl snacks are top-notch. With all those extras, it’s safe to say that plenty of people who don’t typically watch football tune in on Super Bowl Sunday. But if you’re going to be watching the game, even intermittently, knowing the rules of football can make the experience way more enjoyable.
Enter: our guide to the very basics of football. Once you get these five elements down, you’ll be able to follow along throughout the whole game with the best of them — and maybe even toss off a few observations that will impress your more football-savvy pals. Happy watching!