Jack Stallard

The National Football League season officially kicked off Thursday with a battle between this year’s Super Bowl favorites — the Buffalo Bills — and last year’s Super Bowl champion — the Los Angeles Rams.

The rest of the teams in the NFL will take to the field Sunday or Monday, so now is a good time to brush up on your knowledge of some terms you might hear if you have a chance to watch a game this season.

To have a little fun with it, let’s do this in the form of a quiz. Good luck.

Tom Brady

A. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game.

B. So old he threw passes to Moses on the junior varsity team at Egypt High.

C. The reason defensive players can no longer look at a quarterback in a mean way, and if they actually tackle a QB they are penalized, fined, suspended and forced to write an apology note to the QB, his mama and his third-grade teacher.

D. All of the above.

3-4

A. A defensive scheme consisting of three down linemen and four linebackers.

B. The number of alcoholic beverages typically consumed by fans at stadiums two hours before kickoff in cold weather cities.

Pick six

A. When a defensive player intercepts a pass (sometimes called a pick) and returns it for a touchdown and the subsequent six points.

B. What I do when my lovely wife bakes cookies for the big game.

Scoop and score

A. When a defensive player recovers a fumble and returns it for a touchdown.

B. What I do when my lovely wife breaks out the salsa and chips for the big game.

Downhill runner

A. A running back who doesn’t mess around with zigging and zagging. He runs straight ahead, preferring to use his power to run over defenders. Also sometimes called a north/south runner.

B. What you should do if you eat the last deviled egg at my football gathering.

Motor guy

A. A player who typically isn’t the most talented performer on the team, but he has a “no quit” attitude and style of play that endears him to coaches, teammates and fans.

B. The guy who knows how to get your truck started after the game when you forget to turn off the lights and drain your battery or you forget to set the parking brake and your truck ends up in the neighbor’s pond.

Sleeper

A. A player not many people have heard of who suddenly has a good game or good season.

B. A friend who needs to crash on your couch after the game because not even the motor guy could fix his truck after it became a submarine around halftime and no one noticed it until the fourth quarter

RPO

A. Short for “run pass option.” This allows the quarterback to hand the ball to a running back or throw the ball to a receiver depending on what he determines the defense might be expecting. The offensive line blocks as if it’s a run play, which makes it difficult for the defense to adjust.

B. Cleetus has money on the Cowboys, but Bubba has money on the Buccaneers. Tom Brady just threw his fifth touchdown of the first half to give Tampa Bay a 35-0 lead, and now Bubba has the option to run from Cleetus or pass along some of his winnings to keep Cleetus from inflicting large knots on his head.

Hope you did well on the quiz. If you selected “A” for all of the questions, congratulations. You are to be commended for your football IQ.

If you didn’t select “A” on any of the questions, you’re invited to my house Sunday to watch the big game.

Might be a good idea to bring your own deviled eggs.