League Rules

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majesty95

Admin
Staff member
Illegal Procedure Rules and Guidelines

Activity

All users are expected to check their league's forum at least one every 24 hours to stay up-to-date on league happenings.

Scheduling

All league participants are required to attempt to set up their league games within 24 hours after the league's advance. Preferred methods are through the league forum, site private message or league approved chat (Group Me). Text messaging may be used but is much harder to verify should a dispute arise.

Restarts

ALL restarts must be documented (via video from a smart phone or other video capable camera) and reported to the league commissioner. All users will be granted one restart (total) per league. All other must first be approved by the league commissioner.

Disconnects

Users may occasionally experience the game freezing or a player getting disconnected during user games. If the event of a disconnect or a game freeze, refer to the following guidelines to restart/replay:
  • If the game was still in the first half, replay the game from the beginning. Exception: If one team was leading by 20 or more, then the winning team will be spotted a touchdown and given the ball to start the game.
  • If the game was in the 2nd half with more than 4 minutes remaining and the score was within 10 points, the game should be replayed in full.
  • If the game was in the 2nd half with more than 4 minutes remaining and the difference in score was between 11-20 points, the wining team should be spotted 7 points and given the ball to start the game.
  • If the game had less than 4 minutes remaining , the wining team will be spotted a 7 point lead and given the ball to start the game, regardless of score. This is to discourage users from quitting.
  • If a team is winning by 14 or more with less than 4 minutes to go they can finish vs the computer or replay vs the CPU.
  • If a team was winning by 21 at any point when the disconnect happened they can finish vs the CPU.
Both users are allowed to use their best judgment and create their own resolution if they so choose. These guidelines will be used in the event of a dispute. Users should take a picture of the game screen at the time of disconnect to document.

Quitting

All players are expected to schedule their games at times where they do not anticipate any distractions. Sometimes life gets in the way so, should you need to pause or quit the game, give your opponent a heads up via the league forum, text message, group chat or PSN message and let them know. Any player that needs to quit a game will be expected to put themselves on auto-pilot and allow their opponent to play the CPU. If a player quits the game due to losing or an otherwise unexplained reason, he could face removal from the league.

League Content

We want the league to be fun and we certainly do not want it to be a drain. However, content is a great way to increase the activity level in the league and increase everyone's enjoyment of it. So, we will require game recaps for any user vs user (winning teams posts) and playoff games. Any additional content you would like to contribute would certainly be welcomed by the league.
 

majesty95

Admin
Staff member
PRE-GAME

Uniforms

The home team dictates the uniforms. Generally, the dark color will be home. However, if the home teams chooses to wear a light color, the visiting team must choose a dark color in return.

Pauses

Depth charts must be set prior to starting the game. Teams may not pause the game to adjust depth charts early in the game. Pauses due to depth chart changes are allowed under the following scenarios:
  • A player is injured
  • A player is performing poorly
  • The game is a blowout and you are resting your starters
While the game allows five pauses per game, users should be respectful of their opponent. Excessively or repeatedly pausing the game is not allowed.
 

majesty95

Admin
Staff member
OFFENSE

No Huddle

While the no huddle is more common in the NFL than it has been previously, no huddle will still be restricted to traditional uses ie:
  • Within the last two minutes of the first half
  • When trailing by 17 or more in the second half
  • When trailing at any point in the 4th quarter
  • When trailing or tied in the last two minutes of the second half
When running the no huddle, you must allow your opponent to set before snapping the ball. Sometimes your opponent will try to change something late and that cannot be avoided but every opportunity must be made to allow them to come set.

Play Calling

Players must mix up their plays and route combinations in a realistic manner. Calling the same play on consecutive plays or completing the same route on consecutive plays is not allowed.

General playcalling guidelines are as follows:
  • Base running plays ie dive, iso, inside zone are not restricted
  • Constraint running plays ie draws, counters, sweeps, tosses, stretches should not be used more than 3-4 times per game (each)
  • Option plays ie triple option, read option, speed option should not be run on consecutive plays and should be spread out throughout the game.
  • Deep passing concepts ie post, corner, streak, and flag routes should not be completed more than 2-3 times per game (each)
  • Staple passing concepts ie slants, drags, ins, outs, curls, comebacks and constraint passing plays ie screens should not be completed more tan 4-5 times per game (each)
Motion

You are allowed to use motion as long as it is not considered excessive or designed to confuse or abuse the AI. Manually motioning a player on consecutive plays or multiple times per drive (3+) is not allowed.

Audibles

Audibles are allowed at any time within the in-game audible structure (ie. within like personnel groupings).

Hot Routes

Hot routes should be used situationally and should be mixed in while adhering to the following guidelines:
  • Users should not hot route more than 1-2 players per play
  • Hot routes should not occur on every play
  • Hot routes should not be used to create new plays on the fly
Hot routes are a very important part of modern offenses. However, they should not be abused or used to purposely exploit CPU AI deficiencies.

Play Action

Play action plays should be kept realistic. Players should use the run to set up play action and refrain from using play action in unrealistic situations (ex. 3rd and long). Also, play action should be mixed into the player's playcalling and should account for less than 1/3 of the player's pass attempts.

QB Dropback

Players should utilize the pre-programmed 3-, 5-, or 7-step dropbacks. Dropping back further than this unnecessarily is not allowed.

QB Scrambling

Scrambling with the quarterback is only allowed under the following scenarios:
  • The play is a designed rollout
  • The pocket breaks down or the defense gets unexpected pressure
Calling plays and purposely rolling out of the pocket without pressure is not allowed. If you call a pass play, you must make an attempt to actually have the play function as it was designed.

4th Down

Going for it on 4th down is allowed under the following scenarios:
  • You are across the 50 yard line with one yard or less to go
  • You are between your opponents 30 and 50 yard line with 4 yards or less to go
  • You are inside your opponents 10 yard line with 2 yards or less to go
Play Clock

Since most leagues will utilize 6-8 min quarters, we must adapt our clock usage to keep things realistic. The following rules will apply to clock usage:
  • Players may ONLY kill the clock when either ahead during the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter or within the last minute of the 2nd quarter
Players must attempt to call plays quickly and not unnecessarily run time off of the clock.

Running Up The Score

The NFL is more conservative than college football due to a lack of polls, therefore, teams should be more conservative in their 4th quarter game management. Attempting to run up the score with a lead of 17 or more in the 4th quarter is prohibited.
 

majesty95

Admin
Staff member
DEFENSE

Playcalling

As with the offense, users must mix up their defensive playcalls. The following guidelines should be used when calling defensive plays:
  • Base calls such as Cover 2 and Cover 3 can be used as your base defense and called repeatedly.
  • Man defense should be mixed in with zone and should not be your primary defense
  • Blitzing should also be mixed up. While teams are allowed to be aggressive, doing the same thing repeatedly in similar situations is not allowed. Mix up your looks and play calls.
  • Press coverage must also be mixed up and should also not be a primary play call. It also should not be a “go to” on every third down or other obvious passing situation.
Players should always attempt to mix up their plays and utilize a base Cover 2 or Cover 3 frequently in their defensive play calls.

Movement

Players are allowed to move ONE player prior to the snap and must control that player at least until the ball is snapped. The following guidelines must also be adhered to:
  • Safeties may not be moved closer than one step behind the deepest linebacker
  • Linebackers must remain behind the defensive linemen
  • Cornerbacks cannot be moved inside of the outside linebacker or defensive end
Pre-programmed movement by the CPU and show blitz are allowed. However, the show blitz feature should be mixed in and utilized sitautionally and should not be a staple defensive adjustment.

Constantly or repeatedly spreading or pinching your defensive line or linebackers is not allowed. Users are allowed to spread or shift your line or linebackers to match the offensive set. However, all players must attempt to maintain gap integrity and not artificially try create pressure with constant or repeated shifts.
 

majesty95

Admin
Staff member
SPECIAL TEAMS

Fake Punts and Fields Goals

You are allowed to fake a FG or punt one time per game as long as you follow the 4th Down guidelines.

Player Movement

You are not allowed to manually move a player prior to the snap on punts or field goals.

Onside Kicks

Onside kicks are only allowed when the kicking team is trailing in the 4th quarter.
 

majesty95

Admin
Staff member
TRANSACTIONS

All transactions (trades, free agent signings, releases (post cuts)) are required to be posted in the Team News forum.

Free Agents

Every year, after the preseason begins, we will have a short waiver cycle to claim any players left in the free agent pool. The waiver order will go in reverse order of the previous seasons standings. The waiver period will last 12 hours. Everyone will place claims on their choices for waiver claims. League management will then award players to teams in a draft-like order (Ex. Team A, Team B, Team C, Team A, Team, B, Team C, etc).

Following the initial free agent period of the season, player in the free agent pool will be first come, first served.

Trades

Trades will be limited to two in season (beginning of preseason through the trade deadline) and two off-season (end of Super Bowl until beginning of preseason) trades. No more than five players may be traded combined throughout the season (teams could trade one player in each of their four trades or any combination in between but must trade less than five players total).

Blockbuster Trades

Teams will be limited to one "blockbuster" trade per season. A blockbuster trade will be determined by the league after the trade is posted in Team News but will generally include a player rated ~90 or better (You may trade multiple players considered "blockbuster" players in one trade but only one trade each season, per team may include such players).

CPU Trades

We expect all teams to understand what trades are realistic and to use practicality when making trades with the CPU and other users. Therefore we will not have a trade committee. However, if an owner is found to have processed an unfair or unrealistic trade with the CPU or engaged in a lopsided trade with another owner they could face punishment ranging from simmed games to removal from the league. We are all grown ups and should be able to use common sense when making deals.

Salary Cap

All owners are expected to be aware of and work within the salary cap. This includes managing cap penalties. Owners who neglect this aspect of owner mode and find themselves unable to make transactions will not be bailed out by clearly cap penalties or being allowed to change teams. Be smart with your decisions.

Stadiums/Relocation

Any owner who wants to build a new stadium or relocate their franchise must submit a thread in the Team New forum with the reasoning for doing so and their plan for the new stadium/relocation. Either league management or the league will then vote on whether to allow the prospective plan.

Stadium upgrades do not need to be approved.
 
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