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All American Sports Cafe: US Sports Explained

Plain-English guides to the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL for fans everywhere. Rules, game length, playoff formats and the stats that matter, checked against the leagues' own rulebooks.

20 articles
American football for beginnersNFL overtime rules

Most asked questions

How many innings in baseball?Nine, plus extra innings and the automatic runnerHow many periods in hockey?Three 20-minute periods, then overtimeNFL overtime rulesRegular season and playoffs, possession and tiesHow long is a baseball game?Real game time since the pitch clockWhat is icing?The rule, the exceptions and hybrid icingHow long is a football game?60 minutes of clock, about three hours of real time

Football

NFLWhat Is a Safety in Football? The 2-Point Play and the PositionA safety is worth two points for the defense, and the scored-upon team must then kick from its own 20. How safeties happen, what is not a safety, the one-point safety and the position.NFLNFL Overtime Rules: Regular Season vs Playoffs, ExplainedHow NFL overtime works in 2026: a 10-minute regular-season period that can end in a tie, unlimited 15-minute playoff periods, and the guaranteed possession rule adopted in 2022 and 2025.NFLHow Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs? Format and SeedingFourteen teams make the NFL playoffs, seven per conference. How seeds 1 to 7 are set, why only the No. 1 seed gets a bye, reseeding, tiebreakers and the road to Super Bowl LXI.

Baseball

MLBWhat Is OPS in Baseball? OBP Plus SLG Explained with Real MathOPS adds on-base percentage to slugging percentage. Learn both formulas, follow a full worked example step by step, see how OPS+ adjusts for league and park, and what counts as good.MLBWhat Is ERA in Baseball? Formula, Examples and Earned RunsERA is earned runs x 9 divided by innings pitched. See worked examples with partial innings like 6.1, how earned and unearned runs differ, and what ERA+ and FIP add.MLBWhat Is a Balk in Baseball? The Rule, Penalty and ExamplesA balk is an illegal pitcher motion with runners on base, and every runner moves up a base. Here are the main ways to balk, the penalty and its exception, and clear examples.

Hockey and basketball

NBAHow Many Games Are in an NBA Season? The 82-Game ScheduleEvery NBA team plays 82 regular-season games. Here is how the schedule splits by opponent, where NBA Cup games fit, and how the play-in and playoffs add more.NBAWhat Is the NBA Cup? Format, Dates, Tiebreakers and Past WinnersThe NBA Cup is the league's in-season tournament: group games in November, knockout rounds in December and one title game. Here is how the 2026 format, tiebreakers and schedule work.NHLWhat Is Icing in Hockey? The Rule, Exceptions and Hybrid IcingIcing stops play when a team fires the puck from its own half past the other goal line untouched. Here is the NHL rule, hybrid icing, the penalty kill exception and why no line change hurts.

About All American Sports Cafe

All American Sports Cafe explains how American sports work, one rule and one stat at a time. It is written for fans who are new to the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, or who follow from outside the United States and want the details explained properly.

We check every rule, format and formula against the leagues' own rulebooks and official sites, date the facts that change, and update articles when the rules move on. You will not find picks or betting tips here. Read more about how we write and the team behind the site.

Frequently asked questions

Is All American Sports Cafe an official league site?

No. It is an independent guide. We use the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL rulebooks and official sites as sources, but we are not affiliated with any league or team.

How do you keep rules up to date?

Rules that change, such as overtime or pitch clock rules, are checked against the official source and dated in the article. When a league changes a rule, we update the guide and the date.

Do you give betting tips?

No. The site explains how the sports work. It does not publish picks, odds or betting advice.

I am new to American sports. Where should I start?

Start with our [American football for beginners](https://allamericansportscafe.com/american-football-for-beginners/) guide, then the most asked questions above for baseball and hockey.

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