Offense Rules

One test: would a real coordinator call this, and would a real defense have a chance? The rules below are hard lines; anything they don't cover goes through Playing in Good Faith.

Two controller actions with no football equivalent. A real player cannot do them, so neither can yours.

• User Playmaker — redirecting a receiver mid-play.
• Swerving receivers — steering a route stem to shake a defender.

• Slants / Texas: throw before the receiver crosses the QB's face.
• Comebacks: no completions inside the opponent's 25.
• Conservative catch outside the numbers = punt on the next play.
• Pocket: a 2-second wait before bailing on a non-designed rollout.
• Hot routes: 1 per play · outside WR (X/Z) only · QB or WR 88+ OVR · slant / hitch / quick out / fade only. Blocking adjustments are always free.

Fourth down, Q1–Q3 — three zones:

• 🔴 Backed up — your goal line to your own 39: punt.
• 🟡 No Man's Land — your own 40 to the opponent's 40: your call, any distance. Fake punts allowed.
• 🟢 Scoring territory — the opponent's 39 to the goal line: go on 4th & 5 or shorter. 4th & 6 or longer, kick.
• 4th quarter: your call, anywhere on the field.
• Fakes: fake punts only in No Man's Land. Fake field goals are legal any time.

Play-action & RPO — only on schedule:

• 1st & 2nd down: 10 or less to go (never behind the sticks).
• 3rd down: 3 or less. 4th down: 2 or less.
• TE flat RPO: 1 flat throw per game.

Plays with "RZ", "Red Zone" or "Goal Line" in the play name are red-zone calls. Call them only in the red zone — inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Anywhere else on the field, pick a different play.

• No-huddle: don't snap until the play clock reads :25.
• No-huddle is banned inside the opponent's 25, except the last 2:00 of Q2/Q4.
• Chew the clock vs the CPU: Q4 only, and only when you're up 17+.

• Goal-line offense: inside the 10 only.
• Wide splits & 4-WR / 5-WR QB runs: banned inside either 25 unless you're in 1RB-1TE-3WR, 2RB-1TE-2WR, 2TE-3WR or 1RB-2TE-2WR.

Every identity is welcome — air raid, triple option, pro-style — run like the real thing.

• RB receptions: no more than 20% of team catches (30% with the Safety Valve ability).
• Run/pass balance: neither side over 69.9%, reviewed after Weeks 4, 8 and 12 and the postseason.