With the NFL playoffs getting into gear this weekend ahead of a few weeks of crucial games and then the season-defining Super Bowl, now is as good a time as any to get into American Football.

Every year, plenty of casual fans decide to watch and take in the spectacle, only to realise they haven’t the faintest idea of what’s happening in front of them!

There are barriers to entry with American Football: the format and culture of the game are hurdles to negotiate, and the rules can be difficult. But as the game spreads to the UK and beyond it’s easier than ever before for the layperson to get into the sport.

Just in time for the playoffs this year, the NFL themselves are making it even easier with an Alexa Skill created to help with those who are lost amidst the rules and the jargon. Download the Skill and ask Alexa what a Coffin Corner, a lateral pass or a screen pass is and you’ll get the answer you’re looking for in an instant.

But this is just the beginning of something. By their own admission, this is a test balloon. Like many brands, companies and leagues at the start of 2019, voice technology is an interesting new area of exploration and as adoption rises it’s about trial and error to see what works for the NFL.

What it has the potential to do, however, is help solve a problem that NFLUK has had since its inception: how do you educate people about the rules of the sport without talking down to them? One way would be to have the rules of the game on tap to be explained upon request.

If you find yourself curious about the NFL playoff action this weekend, it might be worth a go!