<Li> If the offence fails to make ten yards in three plays, the defense takes over on downs . </Li> <Li> If the offence attempts a forward pass and it is intercepted by the defense; the defense takes possession immediately (and may try and advance the ball on the play). Note that incomplete forward passes (those which go out of bounds, or which touch the ground without being first cleanly caught by a player) result in the end of the play, and are not returnable by either team . </Li> <Li> If the offence fumbles (a ball carrier drops the football, or has it dislodged by an opponent, or if the intended player fails to catch a lateral pass or a snap from centre, or a kick attempt is blocked by an opponent), the ball may be recovered (and advanced) by either team . If a fumbled ball goes out of bounds, the team whose player last touched it is awarded possession at the spot where it went out of bounds . A fumble by the offence in their own end zone, which goes out of bounds, results in a safety . </Li> <Li> If the offence has committed two consecutive time counts--failed to put the ball in play within 20 seconds of the referee declaring the ball ready for play--on third down in the last three minutes of either half, the referee has the right to give possession to the defence . (This rule does not apply on convert attempts, which are untimed downs .) </Li>

When is a player considered down in football