Nothing feels good in a football game like scoring, because the team that scores the most points carries the day. It is what drives fans crazy. Players basically want to score as many points as possible to beat their opponents.
Touchdown
A touchdown (TD) applies to both rugby and football. It is worth six points and is scored when a team advances a ball into the end zone of the opposing team. Also, a TD can be scored when a live ball is recovered in the opponents’ end zone.
Try/Conversion
This is a single scoring opportunity that is given to the team that completes a touchdown. It comes immediately after the TD and is commonly known as points after touchdown (PAT). A PAT is worth one point or two points, but the one-point conversion is less risky and far much common. The team that scores a PAT via a dropkick or placekick between the goalposts earns one point. Two points are awarded when a PAT is scored through a touchdown.
Field Goal
A field goal (FG) is scored by a placekick or dropkick through the uprights or over the crossbars of the opposing team’s goalposts. Each FG is worth three points, and it is usually done if a ball carrier is close enough to score or on the fourth TD. An FG is similar to rugby’s penalty kick.
Safety
A safety is worth two points and it is usually awarded to the defense. Safeties are scored when the team with the ball is tackled in their end zone.
Ultimately, the TD is the most valuable score in American football. The scoring team is required to kick the ball to the opponent after every successful field goal or PAT, whereas the team that concedes the safety kicks the ball to the scorer.
