Down (gridiron football)

In gridiron football, a "down" is a single play, starting when the ball is put into play and ending when the play is ruled dead. The offensive team has four downs to advance the ball at least ten yards. If the offense achieves this, they are awarded a new set of four downs, referred to as a "first down." If the offense fails to advance the ball ten yards within four downs, possession of the ball is typically turned over to the opposing team. The turnover usually occurs by punting the ball on the fourth down, or by attempting a field goal if within range. Alternatively, the offensive team may attempt to gain the necessary yardage on fourth down rather than punt. This is referred to as "going for it" on fourth down. A down is numbered in relation to the number of downs the team has already used in their series of four. So, after the first play of a series, it's "second down," and so on.