Well, not that i am defending the NFL, but I am an avid sports fan of all sorts of sports. In my opinion there aren't any sports that is not exciting.

Anyways, i just want to clarify latoboy's following statement:

"I understand the basics of the NFL game. the QB takes the ball and either passes to Receiver or he runs with the ball. and the opponent team try to tackle and take the ball away. i just dont understand what kind of strategy u need for that. it just seems sooo easy and LUCK.. all u need to win is LUCK and BIG n Fast player".

A simplest strategy for you. Say, in your example, the QB decides to pass the ball @ own 32, is 2nd and 8 after the first down was a running play that resulted in a gain of 2 yards. So, there he forms a 3-man out (2 on the left adn 1 on the right) shotgun formation, with a half back, a little behind him. Before the snap, there is an audible and the half back is in motion, goes forward to the right and positions himself next to the TE. Now, there are possible 5 receivers, and the goal is to gain at least 8 yards.

There are so many things to consider here. The tight-end (in the right) can go forward 4 yards and run diagonally towards left and catch the ball at 40 yards (quick short pass). The half back that was in motion can stay the Line of scrimage and block a LB or safety from entering the pocket. The two outs in the left can go all the way towards 60 or 70 or more yard line for a surprise hail mary. The other receiver in the right can go ahead and fool the corner back towards him, letting the TE have a free zone in the middle.

Remember the QB has already moved to the back from the Line of Scrimage about 5-8 yards and is inside the pocket. the defense already knew it was a pass play so, they play cover instead of the secondaries and MLB firing towards the QB. In most cases a QB can survive in the pocket for about 5 seconds (sometimes more as in NE or IND). The strategy was to pass the ball to the TE. So, he has less than 5 seconds to decide if the play is possible, that is, the TE has/will have enough room to catch the ball. If not, then, he will have to look for other options - Field Vision. If the zone is free, then, he will have to accurately calculate the amount of force he is gonna have to put on that ball and the angle of the tragectory for him to throw the ball from 26 yard line to 40 yard line. If the zone is not free, then he will have look further to the right and left and see if the receivers are free. Or if the pocket in the front have a hole, he can run the ball himself to gain a few yards rather than throw an incomplete pass or even an interception. All these actions are determined even before the ball is snapped. You make a plan and then play. But sometimes, QBs gonna have to change the play after the snap. That's why Dungy-Manning and Belichick-Brady combination have been so successful in recent years.

This is just one play, and the option for this play is not even close to complete with my example. I cannot think of any other sports that has this many strategy - Chess?. So many offensive formations and plays and equal or more defensive ones. So many rules to follow. Dude this game is not a joke and the rules change all the time to suit the needs of time and technology. For example, starting this year the QB cannot spike the ball other than in the Red Zone. You see, spiking the ball itself is a strategy. it will stop the clock on a 1st, 2nd or 3rd down when the team doesn't have any time-outs left. They loose a down but, hey the clock is stopped. The coach can call a time-out just before the snap during a field goal attempt to break the kicker's concentration (as in Denver v Buffalo, this year). You might want to watch a game (this monday nite, green bay v denver), with someone, who can explain you each play. how it was planned, how it could have failed, why it succeeded, etc. why run in a third down? why go for the 4th down? why let a safety and give the other two points, instead of punting, at own 1 yard line? Onsite kick? Run the Play Clock? Fire Gaps? Blitz? Spy Cover? Power-I formation? Nickel package against shotgun? Dime for any pass-play? 5-2, 4-3 against Run? The list is so many... These aspects, most people find uninteresting because, there just are too many things to follow. Simpler rules might have made this game popular world wide. But it is not, because it was designed like that.

A pure game of strategy. Coach and Quarter Backs must be synchronous in calling each play. Every play is equally important as any other plays. The coach is involved in every single play. The QBs have their own coach, and so does all the positions. Defense and Offense have co-ordinators learning the other team from the box above and in the field, and help the coach in identifying newer strategies. So many people are involved. Dude, Football is not a game of LUCK. You just have to be good in that game to win that game. Anyone can beat anyone. There is no surprise TD or a lukcy TD. Even when kicking a Field Goal, the Kicker must analyze the direction of the wind, calculate the amount of force and the angle of tragectory before kicking the ball. And he doesn't do this alone. He has his own kicking coach to help him determine all these.