An offensive possession is the term used to describe having control of the football on offense for a specific period of time. An offensive possession, also called a “drive,” is the collection of plays from the beginning of one possession until the end of one possession.
Example: The receiving team catches the kickoff and kneels down in the end zone for a touchback. The ball will be placed on the 20-yard line. The offense then constructs an 80-yard drive (a collection of plays that cover 80-yards) for a touchdown. That is one offensive possession.
Next, the opposing team catches the kickoff and runs it out to the 13-yard line. They gain a yard on 1st down, lose 2-yards on 2nd down, and have an incomplete pass on 3rd down. They decide to punt the ball to the other team on 4th down. That is one offensive possession.
