A Tecmo Super Bowl For NES FAQ Part 2 of 3: Plays/Techniques/Mechanics/Fun Stuff Guide Version 6.2 20 November 2016 By Leif Powers Stock e-mail address: LEPmf@yahoo.com This document is in the public domain (or CC0 if your country does not allow). I encourage the community to update it as necessary instead of waiting 13 years. ^_^ 1234567890 .......... ---------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 0. Updates, Credits, Links, How To Get, How To Use, And Things Not Done 1. Introduction 2. The Roster Player And Roster Comments The Ratings Explained Conditions 3. Special Teams 1. Kickoffs 2. Punts 3. Field Goals/Extra Points 4. On The Field: Offense And Defense By Play (look there for play indexes) 5. Passing 6. Pounding The Rock 7. Pass Defense Coverage Tips Rushing The Passer 8. Run Defense Confrontation Gang Tackling 9. Playbooks/Playcalling Formation Combos Slot Recommendations Good Playbooks And How To Shut Them Down Vs. MAN Playcalling CPU Playcalling 10. Tweaking The Tecmo (see there for tips index) 11. The Pro Bowl Pro Bowl Game And Roster Data Gaffney's Pro Bowl Even Teams Training Exercises (Best & Worst Teams) 12. The Season Game Injuries Statistics Tecmo QB Rating Stat Limits The Computer Adjusts Itself To Your Record Controllers (1P vs. 2P) 13. Bugs And Weird Stuff (see there for index) 14. Mechanics Contact Mechanics On The Field Fumbles Possession Of The Ball Pitches Menu Screens Music And Sound 15. Play Keys/Counters 16. Tactics List By Player (empty) 17. What Your Opponents Will Do (and what you can do to them) 18. Basic Instructions Sound Test Preseason/Pro Bowl Team Data Season Mode Playing the Game 19. Press Conference How do I make Tecmo harder/teach others how to play? Do you run or pass? Do you defend the run or the pass? How do you measure your performance? What do you think about tactics? 20. Rumors And Myths 21. Taunts ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Updates, Credits, Links, Things Not Done, How To Get, How To Use, and Codes --------------- Updates Version 6.2: Formatting cleanups. Minor corrections. A few new notes on certain plays like Shotgun X Drive, Shotgun X Curl, and Onesetback Dive. More fixed attributes. Some deduplication. Version 6.1: Added new material and combined old material into a new file, focusing on tournament-relevant issues and the strategy interplay (whereas in a Season game, you just have to go out with what you have and deliver). Added significant amounts of AI behavior information on common plays seen in tournaments. Also added notes on how to run those plays. In some sections, added notes on typical defensive behavior by MAN opponents. Added training regimen. Here and there, put in some quantitative notes about things like what QB-WR combos are fundamentally strong strategies. Created lots of formatting issues. Version 6.0: Cleaned up a bunch of terminology. Add notes on aspects of play without nose tackle dive. Add some pointers on various plays. Add some running tips. Add some links and references. Add a section about coaching/development/counterplay (vaguely inspired by Mort's) Some reorganization. --------------- Credits TSB Message Boards - Tons of support and guidance and ideas. Paul Schulzetenberg - For putting a fire in my belly to make this FAQ as good as it is and to improve it, and for making a great documentation (still improving) of the original Tecmo rosters. (edgarffvi@yahoo.com) He also has given a great tip on T Cross Run L, and a bunch of other things which are credited where they are placed. He writes an excellent 1991 Tecmo FAQ which you MUST read if you are interested in the original rosters. He's also helped me edit and correct my FAQ. My FAQ (I hope) is more useful than his FAQ, but his is purely objective and has some very interesting ratings measures so give it a look-see. Steven Maltby - For giving me his cart of TSB, helping me become proficient, and being a good sport even when I'm not. Michael Christen <- elite competition. Great sport. Jason Tcheng - See Version 4 Updates above. Jeff Gaffney - See Version 4 and Version 5 Updates above, let me use his Pro Bowl rosters. XRayMind - See Version 4 Updates above. Matt Knobbe - See Version 5 Updates above. Many nice tactics and inspiration. j<13 a's>y - See Version 5 Updates above. Mort's Guides on TecmoBowl.org - have some good pointers in general, but in particular for tournament rules you normally see. I would perhaps go so far as to say that he represents the orthodox tournament player point of view. bruddog/jstout/those who have reverse engineered the ROM - for several refutations of myths about ratings and returners, amongst other knowledge EdibleAntiPerspirant - his Attribute Guide on GameFAQs is good, you should read it. Tournament Organizers/Streamers - if you watch streams, not only will you see what players do in games, but you will get ideas about what you could do in games that even they don't do. --------------- Some Longer-Lasting Links TecmoBowl.org http://www.tecmobowl.org/ This is Matt Knobbe's site, great message board. Also some downloads and some very interesting things on other Tecmo games. You should read as much as you can on this site. Gamefaqs.com - TSB message board Still alive after all these years. --------------- Things Not Done specialized playbooks against certain lacking defenses (in roster section, with references to that in this part?) Elijah's ST stuff? Putting down play numbers everywhere, other compilations. Doing total tactics testing for plays that are fundamentally weak (i.e. no-holds-barred players can destroy them without using linemen dives). Position profile for tactics and strategy. Synch section 4 with Play Keys/Counters tactics lists. Put in more detailed tactics for good playbooks - have "call plays" "form tactics" "good/bad player tips". More diagrams esp. for killing plays? Stats on effective plays and playbooks, i.e. how many you should learn, how many effective ones there are singly, how many in multiple. Studies Not Done or need incorporated from posts on Tecmo message boards: Expand Tecmo Passing Study? Dirty Play Study. Head Turn/Defense Altering Study. (this may be true) Jump Ball Study. Diving Pass Study. Test out "just-in-time" INT theory. Find out whether being in front or in back of a receiver makes you more or less likely to pick off the ball. Full stat limits. Fumble Study. --------------- How To Get Gamestop may be back in the business of retro consoles, but depends on the area. eBay has always been a place where you can get used games but beware, sometimes people will rip you off, so look for good feedback. There are usually good independent outlets in your local metro area. Have to search the Interweb a bit, but this is a good route. No matter how you acquire, clean the cartridge. There are dedicated electronics cleaning solutions that are probably best; high proportion isopropyl alcohol can be used in a pinch (but note the water will help corrode contacts, so look for stuff with low water concentration). As for NES systems themselves, both the original and toploader versions are both sensitive to impacts/console resets. There are a number of online tutorials to help you clean your console that will do far better than this text document. --------------- How To Use See Basic Instructions. Insert it in the NES and go. --------------- Codes, Cheats, And Carrots This section contains some useful codes that I have dredged up from the depths. Some good Game Genie codes - SXNXPZVG - Stop time (you have to reset the game to stop playing) From XRayMind's list: APUXLZIA - 10 minutes per quarter instead of 5 PUXLZIA - 15 minutes per quarter AZUXLZIA - 20 minutes per quarter ZAUXLZIA - 2 minutes per quarter Something else weird (from Paul's FAQ) - You can play as the Bills (or AFC Team #1) all throughout the playoffs - in every game. If you have a team that does not get a division champion title until after all of Week 17 is over, then you hit Reset as they clinch the title (during the cinema sequence), the Bills will be in every slot in the playoffs. Have fun!! --------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction Tecmo Super Bowl is still being played 25 years from its initial release because other sports football games have not delivered the goods. This guide should help you get good enough that you can hang with the good players. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Roster This thing now has three parts: General Player And Roster Comments The Ratings Explained Conditions ----------------------- General Player And Roster Comments The most important thing about your roster in Tecmo is to always put in the best people for any given position. Sounds fair enough. However, not only do you have to watch your players' conditions in a season mode, you must also put in backups automatically in some cases. For instance, Lorenzo White of the Oilers, "Butterfingers", is useless as a running back even though he can run and catch and especially for that Oilers team, block well. A good idea is to switch in Gerald McNeil or Allen Pinkett, both of whom have far better Ball Control. For some teams, you can also switch around your players for a given play, or even just to eliminate a bad player, as above, like a slow fullback (an almost useless oddity in Tecmo). The position a person originally plays has no effect on their ability to play others, although a receiver would have a hard time being a fullback because of low Hitting Power, for example. So you can, for instance, put in faster receivers for a bad fullback (but make sure that they have good Ball Control). There are some substitutions that you usually end up wanting to make. These include: slow fullbacks switched with backups or the tight end; low Ball Control running backs put at tight end or benched altogether; and running backs or tight ends with high Receptions switched into the WR slots. Also, you may switch quarterbacks if you think you can get a speed advantage on the run, even if the passing stats are slightly worse. If your returners' Ball Control dips below 50, you should probably bench them too, especially for the punt returner, as you tend to give up a TD every time he loses the ball. Your returner's Maximum Speed doesn't matter because it is actually taken either from the right tackle (kick return) or the strong safety (punt return). So choose a returner with either good Ball Control or Hitting Power. I made a priority list of what I look for in any particular position (or would look for, but some of these Tecmo league people who trade non- changeable players might care). Here it is. Note that these rankings reflect the general tendencies of players. For instance, if I actually found a lineman with great Interceptions, I would take him almost irrespective of his other statistics, but because that doesn't usually happen, I rank the stats according to, in part, the variances that such statistics usually have. Rushing Power is another one because that usually tends to be quite high or quite low. Sometimes you have players like Lonnie Young or Bob Nelson with bizzare ratings like high RP or Running Speed; evaluate them individually for your playing style. Sometimes they are better and sometimes not. Quarterbacks: 1. Pass Speed (this helps so much against a human player controlling a fast defender) 2. Pass Control (this is by far the most dominant stat - take a look at QB Browns) 3. Maximum Speed (mobility is a dynamite weapon against the other team's short yardage game) 4. Running Speed (this and MS are great for using cheap QB sneaks that get tons of yardage, but only if you have enough of them to make your QB a good runner, like QB Eagles. Otherwise, they make you mobile, but not a large force on the run) 5. Avoid Pass Block 6. Hitting Power 7. Rushing Power 8. Pass Accuracy - irrelevant Running Backs: 1. Maximum Speed 2. Ball Control 3. Hitting Power 4. Receptions 5. Running Speed 6. Rushing Power Wide Receivers: 1. Receptions 2. Maximum Speed 3. Hitting Power (so he can't get blown up on running downs and you have to avoid him) 4. Running Speed 5. Ball Control 6. Rushing Power Tight Ends: 1. Hitting Power 2. Receptions 3. Maximum Speed 4. Ball Control 5. Running Speed 6. Rushing Power Note that for TEs, it really depends on your system what you want. I noted down here a stereotypical ranking for a TE, but if you send him deep a lot and throw to him you definitely want more MS out of him. Use your judgement. Offensive Linemen: 1. Hitting Power 2. Maximum Speed 3. Running Speed 4. Rushing Power Defensive Linemen: 1. Hitting Power 2. Maximum Speed 3. Rushing Power (see Bob Nelson) 4. Running Speed 5. Interceptions 6. Quickness - irrelevant Linebackers: 1. Hitting Power 2. Maximum Speed 3. Interceptions (this is a big factor for the ILBs who don't typically rush the passer - if you have guys like this you can go out with a 5th DB many times for free) 4. Rushing Power 5. Running Speed 6. Quickness - irrelevant Defensive Backs (Cornerbacks/Safeties): 1. Interceptions (this is what they do after all...) 2. Maximum Speed 3. Hitting Power 4. Rushing Power 5. Running Speed 6. Quickness - irrelevant Kickers: 1. Kicking Ability 2. Maximum Speed 3. Running Speed 4. Hitting Power 5. Rushing Power 6. Avoid Kick Block - irrelevant due to glitch per bruddog Punters: Same As Kickers Kick Returners: 1. Ball Control 2. Hitting Power 3. Running Speed 4. Rushing Power 5. Receptions (I have yet to see a returner drop the ball - even if people don't even get to the "X" on the field they will still catch the ball - this has happened with a punt return (bouncing punt phenomenon). 6. Maximum Speed - irrelevant Punt Returners: Same As Kick Returners ----------------------- The Ratings Explained This is adapted from a post by bruddog. I tried to capture the sum total wisdom of the community. However, I'm responsible for all errors. Running Speed - How fast the player initially starts at. To give a frame of reference, a 56RS player starting speed would the same as a 6MS player's top speed. Rushing Power - How fast the player accelerates. This isn't very important for offensive players until you drop the value below 25 or so. The difference between a 69 and 81RP offensive player is worthless. However on defense this is probably the most important "SPEED attribute" because defensive players have meaningful acceleration to their top speed. Maximum Speed - The top speed of the player. Defensive players have a higher top speed than offensive players. Example a defensive player with a MS of 6 has the same top speed of an offensive player with 106MS. Obviously 106MS is impossible on the original ROM since no players are rated even close to 100. Having defensive players faster than offensive players is what allows them to catch up to offensive players fairly easily when the offense gets past them. Hitting Power - There are two different roles this variable plays: - It takes a 50HP differential for a man to popcorn drones. That is, if you are David Fulcher (75 HP in AVERAGE) and you want to blow up WR #2, WR #2 has to have 25 HP or less. - For COM vs COM line play it takes a 25HP difference for the lineman to bust in often. e.g. 75HP Bruce Smith would bust in against a 50HP OL. A 69HP DL would bust in on a 44HP OL. The probabilities are on a sliding scale based on the relative HPs. In MAN vs. MAN or MAN vs. COM grapples, it is not actually used. In MAN vs. COM grapples, you have to press the button 3 times within a second or so to defeat the CPU. In MAN vs. MAN grapples, the player with the most taps in the second wins; if there's a tie, the defensive player wins. ---> In regards to bumping defensive players into offensive players to free up your boys, it is not clear what the role of HP is. People reading the code indicate that the probability of the bump succeeding is about 75% regardless of HP. However, in testing it seems that - the probability may be off e.g. the RNG may be skewed to favor higher probability - slower and weaker players seem to have less success with this tactic - animations would seem to line up with HP being factored in e.g. popcorn vs. fall-down, although this might only be applied after the resolution of the bump. RB/WR/TE Ball Control - The default value of 50 gives you about a 4.8% chance of fumbling any time you get tackled. Each notch of ball control increases or decreases your chances by about 0.5%. Pass Control / Receptions / Interceptions These all work together pretty much equally. However even good QBs overthrow the ball a lot on deep balls, and these stats don't really matter for wide open open passes. Pass Control on non hacked roms determines if the ball is on target and also works with the other 3 in determining if the ball is complete, intercepted, or defensed. bruddog also came up with a chart that details how often a QB will overthrow the ball. It ranges something like 40% of the time for an 81PC QB to about 80% of the time for 19PC QB. Remember lots of overthrows are caught though, and tend to be harder to defend. Per bruddog, here is a case where the ball goes directly to a single covered WR: 50PC 50 REC 50 INT Deflection 69% Catch 12% INT 19% Each notch of PC or REC will reduces the deflection by about 2%, increase the catch by about 4% and reduce the int% by about 2%. INT works the same way in reverse. It takes a 3 notch difference to have a 50% chance of JJ inting a QB. It takes a 4 notch difference to consistently be able to JJ int a QB. Double coverage reduces the chance of catch dramatically. However it doesn't necessarily increase the chance of interception. In double coverage the game checks starting from the RE down to the SS; if the pass is incomplete or intercepted, then the second player is never checked. So having your best INT DB at CB 1 is favorable since if there are two or more DB's it will check him first for an INT. ---> Is this really accurate? I see it being explained both ways. Here is an excellent text chart: http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/587686-tecmo-super-bowl/faqs/44195 QB Passing Speed - How fast the QB's pass gets to its receiver. Also, the arc of the ball is determined by the pass speed. Lower PS QBs tend to be better for JJ passing. Passing Accuracy - Does nothing in non hacked roms. Avoid Pass Block - bruddog is not sure if every time a player rushes in the game it checks for a block. However, based on a code read, if there is a check, a 06 APB QB would have a 31% chance of getting their pass blocked and a 100 APB QB would have a 9% chance of getting their pass blocked. K/P Kicking Ability - Controls how fast the arrow moves and how far the kicker can kick on a field goal. The best kickers can kick beyond the 50 yard line, but note that the length of the kick is also partially determined by a random variable. Avoid Kick Block - Based on bruddog's code read, it seems like this has a range of 20% for a 06 kicker and 8.5% for a 100AKB kicker. However, it seems there is a bug where the animation trigger causes the probability to be set to 20%. Defense Quickness - Does nothing on non-hacked rom. ----------------------- Conditions There are certain conditions that players go through during the course of a season: Bad, Average, Good, and Excellent. A player's default statistics are at Average. Each condition has a particular decrement or increment (of 6 or 7) for each stat; Bad has one increment lower for each attribute from Average, Good has one increment higher, and Excellent has two increments higher. These improve or diminish a player's abilities. Numbers on the slider: 6 - 13 - 19 - 25 - 31 - 38 - 44 - 50 - 56 - 63 - 69 - 75 - 81 - 94 - 100 Conditions shift during games, even Preseason ones (and Pro Bowl games, but the actual Condition will not change, even though the stats go up or down a notch). They change every time a new quarter begins, so that's when you want to go inquire. This is something you have to watch out for and take into account (see the "scratch" tip in Tweaking The Tecmo). You want to adjust your rosters accordingly. For defensive players, you want to not take chances early in a quarter if you are borderline on throwing a player. PLUS, the conditions change even BEFORE the game begins, both on offense and defense (as per the quarter changes). Beware. However, it's not known whether or not this affects how the player plays, as far as their actual performance is concerned. There is also "phantom health". As 2P, your players will display the reverse ratings that their conditions (e.g. GOOD, EXCELLENT) would indicate as the 1P. That is, the condition is accurate but the ratings are not. ----------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Special Teams "Tecmo has been ruled by special teams so long that people have forgotten what's special about that." This section is divided into three parts: 1. Kickoffs 2. Punts 3. Field Goals/Extra Points ------------------- 1. Kickoffs Lineup: NT LE ROLB TE RILB RB#2 LILB RB#1 C K QB LT Returner LOLB WR#1 LG RCB WR#2 LCB RG FS SS Amazingly enough, if you set one of the RBs, WRs, or TEs to the returner slot, they will also appear in their normal place in the lineup, meaning that you have two of the same player on the field. This would be one argument for setting Okoye to the return, except that Christian would get injured during a season game too much considering he is a cog on the offense. ---------- Kicking The Ball The best thing for a kick is obviously practice, because it makes it much easier to kick full-power without a ton of onsides. If you're playing against a good opponent, you may not even want to try for full. Also, if you have a comparatively fast defensive special teams unit and a great defense in general, and the opponent has a bad kicker, you may want to onside kick and get the periodic turnover. A good way to get the best onside kick is to go for a full-power kick and then halt for a split second before pressing the button. Most of the time, you will always want to boot it, but occasionally getting it to the ten or twenty-yard line is better for stopping long returns. However, never kick it with less power than that, because some of your kicking team players will just sit there and do nothing if you kick it too lightly (but onside kicks will always make every player go for the ball). Some people like to go for full every time and it can work for you, but against fast offenses, that won't go over so well because you won't have much of a chance to recover the onside kick every now and then that results from going for full and missing. Again, practice is the key. Usually you kick it low because your DBs are faster, but on some teams you go high. As for player positioning, you can either take on a blocker if you are playing very conservatively, or (my preferred) you off-line yourself so you get into the area, and draw as many CPU drones as possible, since your own drones are much faster than you. On LCD TVs and anything that introduces display lag, doing initial calibration by doing shorter kicks than usual is the best way to adjust. I've personally played on setups that brought in 1/10th of a bar worth of lag. If you see those kinds of numbers, you should also remember that the defense will be similarly affected, just like in online Tecmo. ---------- Returning The Kickoff To return the kick with a computer opponent, try to move into the middle of the field to avoid getting cut off. If the kick was only at moderate power, some of the defenders will simply stay put and not even move until you pass them up. Simply use the usual dodging tactics to move upfield. With a human opponent, just attempt to put blockers between yourselves, since the human can not only tackle you, but slow you down enough to let the dumb computer players slide tackle you. You can also engage and attempt to shove his man off, but with a kick where everyone is fast this is rather risky. Try to run past guys who aren't engaged in a struggle so that they pick up some of the guys trying to tackle you. You should balance your attempts at gaining yardage on the return against the odds that your returner will fumble. Pittsburgh Steelers kickoff, no problem. Most teams' punt return, problem. A lot of that is just feel and how the game is going; the way I think about it is, if I would run a power dive or other run normally, are the yards I'm going to get by making the decision to continue the return by cutting inside justified by equivalent or worse yardage if I ran that play from scrimmage? Of course, always bring the ball to the sideline on kicks late in the half/game, and on any punt return that doesn't have 10+ yards associated with it. ------------------- 2. Punts Lineup: WR#1 RCB RB#2 ROLB LT RE FS LG RILB P C NT RB#1 RG LILB RT LE Returner TE LOLB WR#2 LCB ---------- Kicking The Punt A punt is a more difficult kickoff. Practice such that you can kick the ball on the first charge of the meter - usually a count of two will yield a decently powerful kick. Try to synch your count with the power bar. The longest a normal punt can go is about 80 yards, a little more sometimes, but 85/86 is about the best you can get in Tecmo, but your limit would be 90ish if you had a punter that could reach 100 Kicking Ability. The shortest a punt can go is about 20 yards with a 6 Kicking Ability punter, possibly a little less if you get lucky. Note that when you punt, you know for sure that you can't be blocked. Sometimes by waiting, you can get your guys to beat down some of their guys, and that will let them run the instant you kick the ball. Therefore, sometimes you want to wait. Other times, they are better than you are at coming through, so you want to kick it the normal way so that you get less free punt return guys. In either case, after you kick it, dodge anybody that may be hurtling for you, then free up at least the boys that are right next to you. This way, you will create a mob of punt coverage men that will mangle the punt returner and recover the ball easily if he fumbles. Then follow them downfield. If you have a very fast RB such as Bo Jackson, he will get downfield much more quickly than the other cover men, and can even hit the PR right after he catches the ball. ---------- Returning The Punt On the return, you only have one blocker usually, so try at first to maneuver behind him to stall some of the faster defenders, then take off in one direction and stick to it, unless you can get out into the open and start using the usual dodges and evasions. Three general situations can be used to determine what you should do next: ----- 1. No One Out There When you get the ball and nearly no one is after you, simply run straight ahead and wait until people come on screen. When they appear, then go into normal dodging tactics, attempting to put everyone behind you. ----- 2. A Few Pursuers If there are a few men coming after you, first move down to the side you don't want to advance to (i.e. if you're going to go up and then run, move down, and vice versa). Then, reverse direction and move past the people that have moved down to try and catch you. Begin the normal dodging tactics. Whether it is wiser to move to the sidelines is a situational decision. ----- 3. A Mob Thinks You've Stolen Their Football If a slew of people at lightning speed are coming after you, being perhaps less than 15 yards from you when you catch the ball, simply take what you can get and move straight ahead into the legion of oncoming trains (some call them football players). Ideally you would get to the sidelines, but depending on how close they are, you may not be able to do that without giving up a lot of yards. Other methods of escaping, more hazardous, exist. One way of evading the attack is to move backwards and attempt to dodge the defenders, then go around them once they have dispersed and lost a good deal of their unity. However, one of the drawbacks of this method is its requirement for a faster returner, and if you are lacking in that department, don't even think about pulling a stunt like that. Another method of dealing with a crowd is to move into them and run through a hole in their advance. This tactic is dangerous because you can get caught in a struggle (although a returner with high hitting power can lessen this risk), and also because the defenders have a good opportunity to slide tackle you. The benefit of this method lies in the possibility that all slide at you at once and take themselves out in one fell swoop, or even that a few of them do, and lessen the difficulty of running. ----- Note Make sure to use the blocker in front of you if you can. You won't always get the most yardage that way, but sometimes it is worth delaying a little in order to maneuver a guy into him. Make sure you know how strong your guy is, though, before trying this. If your blocker is weak, there won't be any point to doing this because he'll just get bowled over. The blocker is the FS, so he's the guy you want to check on. ---------- Defending Against The Punt Tackling a returner is no problem against a computer and usually easy against a human if you have enough hitting power and teammates to take the man down. If the returner doesn't have a lot of people moving in on him, simply be patient and let your fellow teammates catch up before you take him down. ------------------- 3. Field Goals/Extra Points Lineup: RB#1 RE WR#1 NT LCB WR#2 LE TE ROLB K QB C LG RILB SS RG LILB LT LOLB FS RT RCB ---------- Kicking The Field Goal A field goal is a piece of cake if you simply aim once and aim correctly. Position: To align yourself properly for a field goal, get tackled in the middle of the field, if at all possible, because that will make your life easier if you are close to the uprights. If not, don't worry about it or spend a trash down just moving into the middle of the field that could be better spent on trying to get a first down or a touchdown. Aiming: You always want to get the tip of the kicking arrow straight in a line with the fingers of the ballholder that are shown before the snap. One good way of keeping track of them is to make a line about three to five yards away from them and keeping your eyes on a point on that line as your kicking arrow shows up. Once that arrow comes into line with those fingers, kick. Assuming no high-display lag, the lag on the kick is pretty negligible, so work on getting it in the right place rather than trying to lead the arrow. If you are far from the goal posts, you should also slightly err on the side to which the ball will have to go, i.e. if you're shifted to the top, err to the bottom, and if you're shifted to the bottom, err to the top. But don't do that too much, because you can still very well miss. Timing: When you kick, don't just sit there like a doofus and dawdle your time away. The arrow should not rebound more than twice from the extremes of the kick. What you need for most situations is one-rebound aim. You need to locate the arrow as it comes down from the snap and keep track of it as it comes back up into your aiming line that you made with the fingers of the holder. If you're trying to be a Tecmo master, then you need to get a count kick, where you count off a fraction of a second and then kick right there without even looking at the cursor. Your timing will take care of the aiming by itself. That takes some practice, though. Most of the time, the rush will not be able to stop you on one-rebound kicks. However, there are exceptions to this, such as a MAN controlled Lawrence Taylor. If you can pick up the skill to kick it if it's straight on before it rebounds, that is very useful against great teams. Here are some kicking ranges for you: 0-10 yard line: Basically impossible to miss. 10-15 yard line: Begins to be possible to miss, but you need pressure and a wide kick. 15-20 yard line: You can miss with pressure and a sloppy kick or with a wide kick. 20-45 yard line: You need to aim on these for sure. 45-or-more yard line: You really need to think about whether or not you should kick from here. If your kicker has a high Kicking Ability, you can boot it from the 50 yard line, but if he doesn't, then he will start to miss kicks from here due to the kick not being powerful enough to reach the uprights (Al del Greco, for instance, will start missing at the 35). Whether a player will not be able to make the range is a combination of ability and luck, just as with normal kicks. The best kickers can kick field goals with the offensive line of scrimmage on the kicking team's 40 yard line. However, not all kickers can kick from this distance. Practice in advance to know your kicker's range and know that your kicker's condition may change during the game, so don't push it too much. A side note: if your field goal is blocked, it won't show up as either a made kick or a miss, it will just be as if you never kicked it. ---------- Defending Against The Field Goal To defend against a field goal, simply tap the A button three times to find the fourth man on the line from the top, who happens to be the top linebacker. This is about the only person who can consistently get inside in a reasonable time frame to block a kick. Simply run straight ahead until you are almost at the ballholder, then move down and into the ball holder to tackle him. If you get held up, attempt to wrestle off the blocker, though that is rarely possible before the kick comes off. You can still block the kick in a struggle if you're close enough to the ball. If you manage to tackle the ballholder, you will get possession of the football, even if it's not fourth down (thanks for the heads-up, Tommy Agee). Another way to do it is to use the LILB. There is a crease in the line when the play starts and you can punch yourself up in there if you have a fast LILB. The best way to do it is to watch a few kicks and see the line move, then try it out, the timing is very tricky and it's not close to 100%, but it certainly can be done. I've even seen some people try using the RCB down low. If he's in EXCELLENT and he's a great player he can rush the kicker - Deion Sanders once blocked one of my field goals. Also, if the guy you play against takes a long time to kick, and you have a guy close to you who is fast, you can try and free him up and let him attack the ball. ---------- Everyone - LISTEN UP!!! One thing that is worth mentioning is that you can pick up a blocked field goal ball, unlike most situations where a player cannot pick up a fumble. So get the bloody ball after you knock it out of the air and make sure that your opponent doesn't have an unimpeded path to the end zone, because little else hurts like a field goal recovered by the kicking team for a touchdown. One way that you can tell if there's been a block early is that the cursor will appear over the kicker's head before the kick if the field goal will be blocked. You can pick up a first down from this distance, and will also retain possession of the football (unless it is fourth down, in which case it is a turnover on downs). Also, the better your kicker is (in terms of accuracy), the slower the arrow will move back and forth. In addition, it may not move as far to one side or the other. Take this into consideration when you kick. ---------- Extra Points When you kick an extra point, simply hit A as fast as you can to kick. (Use this time to practice field goals if you know the other team can't mount a serious rush.) You almost never miss (I've only seen someone miss five times out of thousands of kicks). You can get the ball blocked if you let the person close in, and the ball can swerve and miss more easily if you let someone in too close. The tactics for defending an extra point are the same as for a field goal. ------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4. On The Field: Offense And Defense By Play "In Tecmo, the best defense is a good offense." This section is organized by formation. Each part will be prefaced by an ASCII diagram of a particular formation, following by a general discussion of the plays and defenses from that formation, and concluding with a list of plays in the formation and their characteristics. Before this, there is a list of useful information in understanding the information after the useful information in understanding it, which makes the information after the useful information more useful. To be more concise, this is the way this section is organized: -------- Exposition (Useful Information) T Formation (Plays) Onesetback Formation Run And Shoot Formation Shifting Onesetback Formation Shotgun Formation Strong-I Formation One Man Shift Formation Shotgun 3-Wing Formation Slot Formation WTE Formation Formation/Play Oneback Z Cross Formation/Play No Back X Deep Formation/Play Run And Shoot 3-Wing Formation/Play Redgun Z Slant -------- I have also devised some indices for you to use in finding and comparing plays. A notation used in the indices is called the Play Number : This refers specifically to the way the plays are organized in the Tecmo playbook selection screen. The first number is the slot in which the play is found in the playbook screen, left to right, then top to bottom. For instance, the second run slot (with FB Offtackle L) is 2, and the third pass slot (with Pro T Flare C) is 7. The second number is how many times you have to hit right to get to the play once you've selected the slot. For instance, in slot 1 (the first run slot), WTE Offtackle R is 0, and Run And Shoot Sweep L is 2. Put the number of the slot and the number of the play in the slot together and you get the play number. For example, WTE Offtackle R is 10 and Run And Shoot Sweep L is 12, while Shotgun X Curl is 60. -------- Formation Index: Exposition (0 plays) T Formation (16 plays) Pass Set 1: Straight Back Plays Pro T Flare C - 74 Pro T Flare D - 62 Pro T Screen L - 54 Pass Set 2: Waggles Pro T Waggle R - 50 Pro T Waggle L - 56 Pass Set 3: Other Plays T Play Action D - 53 T Flea Flicker - 76 Run Set 1: Power Plays Cross Offtackle - 32 T Offtackle R - 24 T Sweep Strong - 25 T Power Sweep R - 17 Run Set 2: Technical Plays Pro T Dive - 42 T Power Dive - 26 Reverse Pitch R - 45 T Cross Run L - 30 T Fake Sweep R - 16 Onesetback Formation (10 plays) Set 1: Top Handoff Plays Reverse-Fake Z Post - 81 WR Reverse R - 43 Pitch L Fake - 21 Set 2: Handoff After The Snap Plays Power Fake Z Post - 66 Power Fake X Fly - 77 Onesetback L - 11 FB Offtackle L - 27 Set 3: All Other Plays X Out And Fly - 80 Oneback Flare A - 65 Pitch L Open - 33 Run And Shoot Formation (8 plays) Run And Shoot Y Up - 87 Run And Shoot Z Fly - 61 Run And Shoot Flare C - 57 Run And Shoot QB Sneak - 40 Run And Shoot QB Run - 46 Run And Shoot Draw - 20 Run And Shoot Left - 12 Run And Shoot Right - 37 Shifting Onesetback Formation (6 plays) Playaction Z In - 72 Roll Out R - 51 Onesetback Dive - 41 WR Reverse L - 35 Oneback Sweep R - 22 FB Open L - 14 Shotgun Formation (6 plays) Formation 1 Shotgun X Curl - 60 Shotgun Draw - 36 Formation 2 Shotgun Z S-In - 84 Shotgun X Drive - 70 Formation 3 Shotgun XY Bomb - 86 Shotgun C Draw - 44 Strong-I Formation (4 plays) Offset Flare E - 63 Play Action - 55 Toss Sweep R - 15 FB Power Dive - 43 One Man Shift Formation (4 plays) FB Offtackle R - 13 Weakside Open - 23 Roll Out L - 52 Flea Flicker - 73 Shotgun 3-Wing Formation (2 plays) Shotgun 3-Wing - 75 Shotgun Sweep L - 47 Slot Formation (2 plays) Slot L Z Drive - 82 Slot Offtackle - 31 WTE Formation (2 plays) WTE Offtackle R - 10 WTE Flea Flicker - 67 Formation/Play Oneback Z Cross - 64 Formation/Play No Back X Deep - 83 Formation/Play Run And Shoot 3-Wing - 71 Formation/Play Redgun Z Slant - 85 -------- Play Number Index: 64 total plays in 8 slots Plays and Formations by Slot: 10: WTE Offtackle R - WTE Formation 11: Onesetback L - Onesetback Formation 12: Run And Shoot Sweep L - Run And Shoot Formation 13: FB Offtackle R - One Man Shift Formation 14: FB Open L - Shifting Onesetback Formation 15: Toss Sweep R - Strong-I Formation 16: T Fake Sweep R - T Formation 17: T Power Sweep R - T Formation 20: Run And Shoot Draw - Run And Shoot Formation 21: Pitch L Fake - Onesetback Formation 22: Oneback Sweep R - Shifting Onesetback Formation 23: Weakside Open - One Man Shift Formation 24: T Offtackle R - T Formation 25: T Sweep Strong - T Formation 26: T Power Dive - T Formation 27: FB Offtackle L - Onesetback Formation 30: T Cross Run L - T Formation 31: Slot Offtackle - Slot Formation 32: Cross Offtackle - T Formation 33: Pitch L Open - Onesetback Formation 34: WR Reverse R - Onesetback Formation 35: WR Reverse L - Shifting Onesetback Formation 36: Shotgun Draw - Shotgun Formation 37: Run And Shoot Sweep R - Run And Shoot Formation 40: Run And Shoot QB Sneak - Run And Shoot Formation 41: Onesetback Dive - Shifting Onesetback Formation 42: Pro T Dive - T Formation 43: FB Power Dive - Strong-I Formation 44: Shotgun C Draw - Shotgun Formation 45: Reverse Pitch R - T Formation 46: Run And Shoot QB Run - Run And Shoot Formation 47: Shotgun Sweep L - Shotgun 3-Wing Formation 50: Pro T Waggle R - T Formation 51: Roll Out R - Shifting Onesetback Formation 52: Roll Out L - One Man Shift Formation 53: T Play Action D - T Formation 54: Pro T Screen L - T Formation 55: Play Action - Strong-I Formation 56: Pro T Waggle L - T Formation 57: Run And Shoot Flare C - Run And Shoot Formation 60: Shotgun X Curl - Shotgun Formation 61: Run And Shoot Z Fly - Run And Shoot Formation 62: Pro T Flare D - T Formation 63: Offset Flare E - Strong-I Formation 64: Formation/Play Oneback Z Cross 65: Oneback Flare A - Onesetback Formation 66: Power Fake Z Post - Onesetback Formation 67: WTE Flea Flicker - WTE Formation 70: Shotgun X Drive - Shotgun Formation 71: Formation/Play Run And Shoot 3-Wing 72: Playaction Z In - Shifting Onesetback Formation 73: Flea Flicker - One Man Shift Formation 74: Pro T Flare C - T Formation 75: Shotgun 3-Wing - Shotgun 3-Wing Formation 76: T Flea Flicker - T Formation 77: Power Fake X Fly - Onesetback Formation 80: X Out And Fly - Onesetback Formation 81: Reverse-Fake Z Post - Onesetback Formation 82: Slot L Z Drive - Slot Formation 83: Formation/Play No Back X Deep 84: Shotgun Z S-In - Shotgun Formation 85: Formation/Play Redgun Z Slant 86: Shotgun XY Bomb - Shotgun Formation 87: Run And Shoot Y Up - Run And Shoot Formation -------- ----------------------------- Exposition First, some general definitions and explanations are needed: For some receivers, I have listed the number of times you need to hit A from the beginning of the play to get to them. Here are some examples: RB#1 (A 0x) - Don't hit A at all: you already have the cursor on RB#1. WR#2 (A 3x) - Hit A three times to get to WR#2. Remember that you can switch pass with A~B (A then immediately B) or dupe pass with B~A (B then immediately A) so you can switch up how you get to the receiver in question. Reversible Play - This is a play that can be changed by simply making the running back move in a different direction, useful against human opponents. Call-Safe (AKA Picked Play - Safe or Pick-Safe): Player: A call-safe player is someone who can generally be thrown to by most offenses and can catch the ball whenever a play is called. Play: A call-safe play is one with some ways to get yardage if it is called. Nose Tackle Dive (AKA center trick, lurch, NTD, ***** move, low blow, center slide, or simply slide): Using the nose tackle, move in one or two yards down-diagonally inside and one or two more straight inside, and sliding into the QB/running backs by hitting the B button repeatedly (and in some cases this means mashing the button, as the game does not always appreciate your efforts to defy physics). In some cases, it is necessary to move a bit farther in to catch some faster QBs, like Vinny Testaverde and QB Eagles, or a little less to hit slower QBs before they do anything. The NTD is a nearly invincible move as is the normal slide, moving through multiple people with the greatest of ease. However you can't rely on it in all situations. Typically you can't execute it against a QB dropback if the QB has 19 MS or more. Watch out for changing conditions in each quarter. Passing Order: This is the order of your passing targets (receivers). For instance, the first receiver is the one the cursor starts on, the second is the one that you target after pressing A once, the third twice, etc. You loop back to the first receiver after going through all the receivers. Race Defect: When I use this term, I mean that a play can be discerned from others in its formation if the races of the people are switched around. When you look at the lineup of these plays, you will notice that certain plays have lineups different from some or all of the others in the formation. This allows you to discern when a particular play or group of plays has been called. Note however that I am not a racist. The plays with a race defect are: Pitch L Open (Onesetback Formation) T Power Dive (T Formation) Shotgun Plays The Shotguns are a mess; look in that section for more about their lineups and resulting race defects. Curl-Pass: On some passes a player will curl and this gives you an opportunity for a throw which goes to the player, but goes past him, allowing for a jump-ball opportunity if you get the streak target, the receiver's curl target, and the QB's pass all in a straight line. Also can be used to get the receiver to go straight on a play where he usually doesn't, by throwing the ball much earlier than normal in the play. Does not always work and can be stopped if you place your defender in the line of the pass. A fairly low-risk maneuver in general but the pass can definitely be tipped. Defensive Shift: This is when a certain defender (usually the RCB) will move along with a moving player on the offense when the whole team is in the lineup before the snap. This allows you to tell when a certain play has been called so that you may act accordingly. However, defensive shifts only happen every so often. For most of these, though, the shift really doesn't matter too much, except for Flea Flicker, where it is terribly important. I only tested rigorously the shifts for Redgun Z Slant and Oneback Z Cross, so No Back X Deep and Flea Flicker might be erroneous, but I doubt it. Here's a list of defensive shifts: Offensive Play - Defensive Play No Back X Deep - Any Play in Slots 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 Flea Flicker - Any Play in Slots 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 Oneback Z Cross - Any (Pass) Play in Slots 5, 7, and 8 Redgun Z Slant - Any Play in Slots 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 Unless otherwise specified, all of the run plays are not call-safe, but not necessarily the kiss of death. Almost any play in this book, though, can be call-safe or call-nil in special situations, (such as a fast running back or QB and bad defense) so for passes, you might want to tap B if you think you can get a pass off and for runs you just want to get as many yards as possible. Also, not every tactic may work under certain conditions. For instance, T Offtackle R's LOLB tactic may not work in the season mode, and neither may Pitch L Open's left end attack. However, they should be effective in one way or another most of the time. Sometimes, you will just get nailed by the CPU, no matter what you do. When I say that a play has lots of blockers, I mean that it has free blockers in front of the runner (I call them "roving blockers"). These are the guys that take out unnecessary defenders, shield the runner for a few yards, and pull stuff like blocking safeties in the back (you should have heard Steven's indignant protest, "That's ILLEGAL!" when my roving blockers on a Pitch L Open hit his free safety in the back - the guy rolled over, too). These guys are absolute nightmares for a human opponent because they get in the way of direct confrontations with runners and receivers. When there is motion in a play, and you take the snap before the people stop moving, the receivers will still go to the same spots, but the path that they take will be altered according to their position at the snap. Paul gives a good tip on using this to your advantage: if your opponent is using a lineman or linebacker, you can "send" a player after him by hiking the ball when the person's running path coincides with that of your opponent. I'm laughing just thinking about it. In here there are references to freeing up your boys, those are not guaranteed, especially in Season Mode. RB#1 (also RB #1 - in other parts of the FAQ, the space is sometimes used for better readability) is the first running back in the lineup and likewise with WR#1 (also WR #1 for example). I left RB #2 as RB #2 instead of calling him the fullback because it's more compatible with the list below. Moreover, some teams don't have fullbacks so... One thing that is not really an explanation of this per se, but that is quite useful, is who is who in alternate team lineups, such as four WR/one RB or three WR/one RB/one TE. The order is the same; it's just that the names are different. In other words: -------- Normal Lineup QB RB#1 RB#2 WR#1 WR#2 TE -------- Three Receivers QB = QB RB = RB#1 WR#1 = RB#2 WR#2 = WR#1 WR#3 = WR#2 TE = TE -------- Four Receivers QB = QB RB = RB#1 WR#1 = RB#2 WR#2 = WR#1 WR#3 = WR#2 WR#4 = TE -------- Does that make sense? I hope so. ----------------------------- T Formation Plays WR#1 TE RB#1 LT LG QB C RG RB#2 RT WR#2 or, for T Power Dive: WR#1 TE RB#2 LT LG QB C RG RB#1 RT WR#2 General Comments: For this formation and the next one, I have no general overreaching comments for the whole set. I have arranged them according to peculiar characteristics that each of them have. You'll see what I mean when you read them, and the general comments for each set are given with that set. There are five groups for this formation: Pass Set 1: Straight Back Plays Pass Set 2: Waggles Pass Set 3: Other Plays Run Set 1: Power Plays Run Set 2: Technical Plays Note for your usual T Power Dive/Pro T Clare C combo: LOLB, LE, or ROLB and RILB are the strong players for run stop: strategy is to call pass and defend run, forcing them bail immediately to deep coverage, then either checking down or QB run to follow. DBs: called run and now bailing out to cover pass. (If you see this type of play, start heavy ballthrowing) ------- Pass Set 1: Straight Back Plays General Comments: All of these plays are good, but susceptible to the nose tackle dive and most other blitz techniques. Make sure you're prepared to dodge any defenders. Pro T Flare C: O--------------------->WR#1 O----------------- O LT--RB#1 \ \---------LG ->TE QB---O C RB#2 RG / O RT / \ / ---------------- WR#2 O--------------| Offense: All people go past the line in this one. Move closer to the top to increase your chances of a reception to the middle receiver, because as he moves down he tends to cause quarterbacks trouble in passing to him. If you pass to him, make sure you're not moving or under significant pressure. You can try passing to the TE if you roll to the bottom but that doesn't work as well because you have to basically give up on WR #1 since you would have to cross-field pass to him. Also note that the TE will stop on this play about 25-30 yards out; don't use him in a bomb situation. The WR #2 is deadly in this play with a good QB and WR, or even an iffy QB and a good WR. The defense has to be prepared to bail out on that read. Call-safe receiver is RB #2 (A 2x). You do see guys try to go to the TE, but that only rarely works. It's most effective with a good TE, an iffy QB, and shifted to the bottom. Don't bother attempting it on the top unless you really like your matchup and are willing to throw a double-coverage pass. Progression: - You can try for the RB #2 on quick hit. Basically you are looking for the LCB to not pull up. If he does, the quick hit isn't there...in that case you have to wait longer for RB #2, if he's open at all. - You want to set your fastest WR on bottom if you have a decent quarterback and a bad matchup. The throw to pull the WR #2 out of his curl is pretty reliable for 20+ yards in those situations and is a good "shot" play even with iffy combos. The best is when the safety comes down and the LCB pulls up, the safety can almost never catch the WR. This still works with a busted LCB<=>WR matchup, but the speed/Receptions of the WR and the Pass Speed/Control of the QB are much more important. You can't really force it in against the double coverage look, but either the single coverage LCB or the pass-off to the SS is a throwing situation. You more or less have to treat it like a called play, where you hit A 3x and throw it right as the WR passes the SS' shoulder. - If you see the defender bail out on WR #2 with a high INT defender, run your QB to the top or throw it to RB #2 for an easy 5+ yards. - You can gamble on the WR #2 curl-pass if you like that matchup and the MAN is sitting on something else, but it's not a high-percentage play because the spacing and timing of the curl isn't that predictable. No LBs come out so you are looking at a stock level-type read otherwise. If you see the TE open and have a decent QB, you can throw the TE route from the bottom of the screen, not just the top slant. Remember the TE stops as well. However, you should usually be running at the top of the screen in order to pressure on the WR #2 coverage, and to set up a bomb if you get trapped. In terms of vs. MAN strategy, if you see WR #2 is not strongly covered, you go for him right off the snap. If the MAN uses a R-player, you probably have the quick hitter if it's there. If he really sells out on the quick-hitter with the FS, you should remember the quick TE throw is an option. Otherwise you roll to the top, as this gives you most accurate throw on WR #1, TE, and has lanes to the other two targets. Call-Safe Receiver: RB#2 (A 2x) Passing Order: WR#1 TE RB#2 WR#2 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: The one that really has to be watched is the tight end that slopes downward. He often shakes computer defenders, so oftentimes it's a good idea to take someone out and cover him for sure. However if the QB is trying to run, go after the QB, the TE can't be hit consistently on the run except by a great QB. Doing a TE<=>RB #2 hover or coverage switch is a pretty safe gamble type play, and can buy you a lot of time for your pass rush to get going. Iffy QBs have a hard time completing either of those throws out of position or before RB #2 stops. If you see the motion that indicates WR #2 is going to be open, you have to pull your guy into a position that allows you to make a play on the passing lane. You don't have to completely abandon RB #2, but you have to move far enough out that the MAN is going to be able to run the ball if he wants. You just have to give that to him. Pro T Flare D: --RB#1 O------------------- / \->WR#1 | | TE--------- O LT \ LG \ QB---O C TE RG O RT | \ ------------ --RB#2 O----/ \-->WR#2 Note that RB #1 and RB #2 will sometimes run out of their places and move straight out into the field. Offense: This is a great play in the second pass slot. You can almost always find someone open with this. If you want short yards, simply pass to the running backs on either side of you as quickly as possible after the snap for an almost guaranteed reception. The tight end moves into the middle about two seconds in, so keep him in mind and throw to him quickly, because your opponent can see him very well if he's open. Call-safe receivers are the tight end (A 1x), RB #1 (A 3x), and RB #2 (A 4x, if you can do that before getting nailed). Abuse this play, call it 16 times a drive if you want, as long as you can match up well with your RBs against whatever defender your opponent is using. There is almost no wrong that you can do with this one, either for ball control offense, quick yards, or crunch time. Just make sure that your opponent isn't going to NTD you every time. Call-Safe Receivers: TE (A 1x) RB#1 (A 3x) RB#2 (A 4x) Passing Order: WR#1 TE WR#2 RB#1 RB#2 Defense: The wild card here is the two running backs on either side of the QB. If you move in to directly cover one of them, a pass to the other side is impossible to stop. Moreover, it leaves you susceptible to passes long or in the middle that get caught, because you have to run all the way back out to stop the receivers. What you should probably do is stay right in the middle where the tight end is and move for whoever catches the ball once the pass is thrown. If you think this play will be used next, consider not calling it. The reason for that is the high number of call-safe receivers and the utility of those receivers to even a mediocre QB. Only call it if you can cover the TE, and even so, if your opponent can tag the running backs before getting sacked, it's usually not worth it. Calling it against a general pass defense, though, is often useful. Pro T Screen L: ---RB#1 O---------------------->WR#1 / | | O------- O LT \ LG \ QB---O C TE -RB#2 RG O---/ RT WR#2 O----------------| RB#1 will sometimes continue on straight ahead. Offense: This is a well balanced play, with two decent short opportunities. Move to the top to make your passes more accurate. You'll usually get sacked on this one if it's called - just hit B to pass in the rare event that you stay up long enough to make it. Paul told me to mention the weird movement of the QB - he stops moving back for a second if the play is picked, making it much harder to get a pass off. You have a very easy "flash" opportunity with RB #1, if the defense has been stopping your running game. Passing Order: RB#1 WR#1 TE WR#2 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: If you pursue the long men, make sure to watch the shorter ones. ------- Pass Set 2: Waggles General Comments: Both these plays severely hurt linemen, though Pro T Waggle L can be dodged by a good nose tackle or even stopped by a nose tackle dive. They should only be used for diversity and never abused, because each can be attacked either by a call, which results in a nine or ten yard loss, or by a defensive back or linebacker who moves in after the QB - same loss. Their difference lies in how far the receivers go out. Pro T Waggle R: O--------------- \ WR#1 RB#2 TE O---|-- LT | | LG /--|---O C -/ | RG O/ | | RT | \ WR#2 QB \ / --O-RB#1-------- Offense: Of the three short receivers, the best is RB #1 at the very bottom, because many times he's not covered and RB #1 is usually decently fast. This play can be confused with T Cross Run L. If everyone is covered on this play, you've got a great scrambling opportunity. THIS PLAY REEKS - too easy for the MAN to catch you for a short gain if you try to run. Passing Order: WR#1 WR#2 RB#1 Defense: As with other plays with the quarterback on a track, take a secondary guy or linebacker and move in after the QB. Failing that, just make sure everyone is covered. A tactic that you can use if your opponent has T Cross Run L in his/her playbook is to use the RILB linebacker and move in as you would for the run, but watch in the middle or nearer RB #2 and see over whom the cursor reappears. When you deduce who it is, smash them. If it is this play though, you will have to deal with a blocker, so slide tackle the QB when you go after him. Pro T Waggle L: O---------------------->WR#1 QB -------RB#2 | / | / TE O | | LT \\ | -O WR#2 \\---|--|O C / \ | -O / O---\-- |RT / \ ---LG & RG (block) RB#1 / O--------- Offense: This one is better than Pro T Waggle R because your people go longer. Watch for the top receiver, because he's not often covered well or even at all. The shorter men are decent as well in that respect. This pass can be confused with T Power Sweep R, amongst others. Use a QB sneak if your men are covered. Passing Order: RB#2 WR#2 WR#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: Move in on the QB as in Pro T Waggle R, but look out for the long man if you stay out in coverage. Alternatively, if you don't know what play will be called, you can stop this play if you use an altered nose tackle dive: if you hold down-diagonal toward the bottom as you normally would, and hit B quickly (it may require you to mash the button) as soon as the center snaps the ball, you can slide through a few opposing men, hitting the QB as he comes up from the fake handoff. This allows you to stay close for a normal nose tackle dive to stop other plays. Make sure, if you use this tactic, that you do it quickly. You can also slip through the hole in the middle with linebackers and attack from behind. The RCB is also a pretty good one for this play. ------- Pass Set 3: Other Plays General Comments: None. T Play Action D: O---------------- \ \ TE \ O LT WR#1 / LG | QB------O-C----RB#2 | / RG |O----- RT \ ------------------->RB#1 O-------------------->WR#2 Offense: Move yourself to the bottom a little bit to take advantage of the bias in the receivers. If this is called, consider a trip to the hospital when the seven defenders hit you all at once. WR #1 slants, so keep your QB in one place and without pressure if you pass to him in that motion - that is an effective man for eluding coverage as well. Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 Bomb Threats: WR#2 Defense: This dies with a nose tackle dive. Otherwise, just go out into coverage, and watch the top receiver just a little; he's quite pesky. RB #1 can also give you problems if the opposing QB waits for him to come out. T Flea Flicker: O-------------------- -----------RB#2 \->WR#1 | | TE O | LT \QB | -O \\--|---|O C \ | -O O---\- |RT \ ---LG & RG WR#2 RB#1 / O----------- The left and right guards are roving blockers, I believe. Offense: This can be confused with T Power Sweep R, so use that to confuse your opponent. It can also be confused with Pro T Waggle R and T Sweep Strong, but to a lesser extent than with T Power Sweep R. You can't call this one very often, because this play can yield automatic fumbles if called by your opponent, or if your opponent hits your quarterback. You may not even want to call it at all, but rather leave your opponent waiting for it and exploit the weaknesses of the defense. It's not call-safe, but occasionally you will be missed and become able to pass the ball. Passing Order: WR#1 RB#2 WR#2 Defense: One way that you can deal with this play is to use the ROLB and move in as you would for T Sweep Strong, then attack the QB. If that's not permitted, just tag whichever ones aren't covered. Try to call this play and then recover the frequent fumble that results if you don't have anything more urgent (such as a running play you can't stop). ------- Run Set 1: Power Plays General Comments: These plays all have either a lot of blockers or the ability to stuff linemen or linebackers with the push of the offensive line after the snap. Thus, these are generally more useful than the plays in Set 2. Cross Offtackle: WR#1------- | --------------|---->RB#2 / TE (blocks) O---/--- LT / | LG QB/----|---O C (whole line moves out to block) / | RG O | RT RB#1 (blocks) WR#2-----/ Offense: This play is very good and decently fast, but watch yourself as you come out, because you rarely have roving blockers and anyone who approaches you will take you down if you're not careful. Defense: Take the RCB or a safety and move in on the hole, slide tackling if useful. You can try an RILB attack through the middle, but you tend to attract blockers and your opponent can usually reverse before you can slide tackle. Be cautious if you try this. The LOLB can also make a pretty good play on this too, if you have a great one. Just swing him up into the hole. T Offtackle R: WR#1 (blocks) TE O LT \ LG QB--------O C (this line moves out to block) \ RG RB#2\ RT \ ----------------->RB#1 \--(blocks) WR#2----------(blocks) Offense: This is a hard play on the defense because tons of people get hit. However, you need to avoid making unnecessary moves since some linebackers can move down fairly quickly and make life hard for you. You have one roving blocker, but he usually goes for the strong safety. You're basically on your own with this one. Defense: Use a defensive back to wrestle down the man, or, take a lower linebacker and slide tackle the runner down. One key to note here is that the guy who goes for the SS can often start cut blocking, and he will then throw anyone who comes near him. One thing you can do to stop that is if you can blow up the guy who comes after you, just ram through him and and beat down the RB. T Sweep Strong: WR#1--------(blocks) QB | | TE O | LT \| -O |-------|O C (these fellas block) | -O O-| |RT \ \ ---LG & RG (block) -------------RB#2 (blocks)----------->RB#1 WR#2-----(blocks) Offense: This is a good run play, but the blockers are somewhat spread out, so watch for insurgent defenders. This play can be reversed somewhat. It can be confused with Pro T Waggle L and occasionally Flea Flicker, but this is actually a unique play because RB #2 comes down to block. Defense: Take someone on the top, either defensive back, linebacker, or lineman, and move through the gap in the middle for the tackle. You can also move around the line and attack from behind. You may be able to cut through hard inside against the sweep blocker action but don't count on those guys not picking you up. T Power Sweep R: WR#1--------(blocks) QB ---------RB#2 | | | | TE O | | LT \| | -O |--/----|O C (most block; see note) | / -O O-|- |RT \ --LG & RG (block) ---------------->RB#1 WR#2-----(blocks) Offense: This is one of the better run plays because the blockers are many and tight. This play can be reversed with a decent running back. This can be confused with Pro T Waggle L and T Flea Flicker. Defense: With this play, move through the hole in the middle of the offensive line and come from behind using one of the linebackers. You can also move around the sweep with whatever defender you've chosen. You can move through the sweep, but it's a bit tougher than with T Sweep Strong (in my opinion, at least - the numbers would not suggest that). ------- Run Set 2: Technical Plays General Comments: These runs are nice, but require more care and skill to pull off than the power runs. Pro T Dive: WR#1------ \ \ TE \ O LT | / LG (blocks) | QB------O-C--------------->RB#2 | / RG (blocks) |O----- RT / \ / ------RB#1 | WR#2 Offense: This play is not great, considering you have no blockers through the middle. This play can be easily reversed, though, which is almost necessary. This can be put in with T Fake Sweep R for confusion, since the movements are the same, but the possession of the ball differs between the two. Defense: A nose tackle dive kills this. You can also just take someone in and struggle them down with few complications. Watch for a reverse to whatever side is most open (if you're shifted to the bottom, watch for the top). Also note similar defensive moves as with T Power Dive, but with the additional benefit of being able to take on the RB directly in the hole instead of contending with the lead blocker. T Power Dive: WR#1------ \ \ TE \ RB#2--- LT | \ LG (blocks) QB------O-C-----RB#2-------->RB#1 / RG (blocks) RB#1-- RT / / | WR#2 Offense: This play is like Pro T Dive, but with a blocker in front, making it much more useful. You can decently run in the middle, or you can go to either side on a reversal. However, this is the one play in this formation that is afflicted with the cursed race problem - the two backs are switched on this play. Thus, you have to be careful about this play if you have different color backs. Some players don't read this properly or just misplay this. Unless you are doing a stall for clock and really trying to avoid fumbles at any cost, you need to follow your lead blocker through the middle hole if you have your opponent in a situation where he will have to take you on. You can bail on it if you think your opponent will try and dive tackle into the hole, or if you think he is going to lose his speed, you have a fast running back, and the CPU has collapsed on the hole. Note that if the secondary defenders have frozen (e.g. because the opponent called a pass play), you won't trigger them after you until you cross the line of scrimmage. This also applies to other plays, but is particularly important for this one when bouncing the play outside. Make sure to watch in the hole to see if your line matchup is good. A mismatch there will seal the hole and make this play useless without a fast RB. Consider checking conditions prior to installing this play if you think this will be a problem. Typical reads: If your guys blow up anyone on the line of scrimmage, press onto that hole and make the MAN commit If they engage at the hole, then diagonal downward (if shifted to bottom you can go upward if you have the speed advantage) If they go LOLB or LILB, hold up at the snap If they float outside the hole (but not right up on the hole opening) then press the hole If they stick themselves right outside the hole, counter opposite side Defense: This is frequently misplayed, even by elite players; that's because it's probably the play most affected by conditions and personnel matchups in all of Tecmo. In rough order, here are the shutdown moves to consider: - Nose tackle dive (if available): almost 100% effective - LOLB (LB #4) dive: more specifically, run up into the LE with your LOLB, typically pressing B button (odd but works). Once you get penetration, finish off the RB with a normal slide tackle. Against < 50 MS RBs, this is highly effective as long as the line matchup is OK. Against 50+ MS RBs, this is a very risky move and is often modified to be a LOLB grapple or harass. With speedy RBs, your opponent can easily bounce to the top and will gain significant yardage. The community indicates it is reliable with 44 MS LOLBs, but it's not guaranteed even then. One thing you can try is changing it to the LOLB-LE combo rush, which can be safer against a fast RB. - Freeing up your boys: very good play if you can get the right matchups. Situational though. For example, you can free up the C with the LE, but the C tends to dive tackle and miss against a MAN. - Lead blocker throw: if you have a high HP defender working against a low HP lead blocker, you can take on the lead blocker and blow him out of the hole. Then the play reduces to the Pro T Dive and is far more easily defended. - LE-LILB combo block: move the LE up at the snap and hover him on top of the RG, so that you are right on him when he and the LILB engage. If you hit A enough, you should be able to blow up the RG. Then, you want to go attack at the RB or lead blocker before the RT can recover. If this is legal, it can be very effective against mid-speed RBs. There are variations of this move with strong REs, C, etc. - LILB vs. RG engage: At the snap, take on the RG and throw him. Then move on to the RB - sometimes you can straight dive tackle him after the throw. Against relatively slow RBs and with a good LILB, this works decently as an option that preserves your ability to defend the pass. It's not that weak against the bounce outside as long as your LILB is really good. - Hole lurk and dive tackle: with ROLB, RCB, or other fast players, you can wait at the hole and then dive tackle as the RB #1 comes out, but before RB #2 can block you. Works OK if the MAN reacts strongly to people at the hole, but doesn't work if they follow my advice to PRESS THE HOLE, and then they stall in the hole for a split second. The other problem you have to deal with is the blocker you left behind. - Outside blocker throw: if you find yourself needing to use a safety or cornerback, you can try to work against the WR blocking in the middle to free up additional defenders to engage the lead blocker. - Safety engage: biggest issue here is you have to distract the lead blocker. There isn't an algorithm for this, you just have to practice and watch his field of vision, making sure he doesn't get you. - Line engage: if you have a fast DL and can't NTD, then you can try taking on your opposite defender and then trying to make an adjustment. Does not work well when the opposing line is combo blocking effectively. - General harass: try to bait a tapper into pursuing you north and south (not getting forward yardage), or threatening the dive tackle, or threatening an engage. If you can get behind the lead blocker with a fast defender, sometimes you can make your opponent do something stupid. (This is why I always say to follow your lead blocker in on the offensive side of this play: if you ignore your lead blocker you open yourself up to all sorts of fakes.) Don't overpursue this play. Most players will try to bounce it outside if they see the hole is going to be attacked. Hang back and wait; the longer you can wait, the more that the lead blocker and WRs will be neutralized. Remember that this play has a race defect and pre-snap read accordingly. Reverse Pitch R: O / --/----->RB#2 (blocks) || TE RB#1--||- LT ||| LG /-||--O C (this group blocks) / || RG O--/ || RT (blocks)(blocks) / \\ / / QB --RB#1---------/--->WR#1 WR#2------- Offense: This is a nice surprise play, but not much else, so go in whichever direction seems most useful and free of defenders. Defense: Simply find the runner and take him down. This play can be detected by looking at WR #1 and seeing whether he remains stationary, and, if so, this is the play in progress. T Cross Run L: WR#1------- \ -------->RB#2 (blocks) | TE O-----|-- LT | | LG /--|--O C (this group blocks) / | RG O--/ | RT (blocks) / \ / QB RB#1 / WR#2------- (see below for the guard pulls) Offense: This is a decent run play, but you don't have too many blockers (and the slower fullbacks tend to run this) so be careful about where you go if you want to get more than a few yards. This is only a little reversible. This play can be confused with Pro T Waggle R. Defense: Simply take a linebacker or secondary guy and just move in after the running back. Paul gave a good tip which I had used before, but always had forgotten and likely would not have made it in here; take the RILB and simply move straight in. As long as you don't contact any blockers, you have a straight shot at the runner. You can either slide tackle or struggle him down from there. Plus, Paul also found out (and told me) that if you pick a run, then only one guard will pull and lead block for the running back, as opposed to two. This provides an easy way for you to distinguish between this play and Pro T Waggle R. Thanks again Paul! T Fake Sweep R: WR#1------ \ \ TE \ O LT | / LG (blocks) | QB------O-C--RB#2 | / RG (blocks) |O----- RT / \ / ------------|----->RB#1 WR#2 Offense: You can run this play and it works somewhat, but it's kind of weak due to the paucity of blockers. This play becomes useful with one other run play through the middle like Pro T Dive (especially Pro T Dive, because the motions of the players are all similar) if your opponent can't use the nose tackle dive. Simply run straight ahead and don't think about reversing it. This play is call-safe if you have a really fast running back. Defense: This play can be stopped with a nose tackle dive or simply by moving your man to the bottom and taking out the runner when he gets the ball (or before, if you want to get a fumble). If you want to ensure that you will recover the fumble, then call this play, and then your berserk players will swarm the ball and pick it up for you. Thanks Paul, for that tip. ------- ----------------------------- Onesetback Formation: WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 or, for Pitch L Open: WR#1 RB#1 LT LG RB#2 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 There are three groups for this formation: Set 1: Top Handoff Plays Set 2: Handoff After The Snap Plays Set 3: All Other Plays On all of these plays, the LOLB is a pretty safe bet. Pitch L Open will still give trouble, but the LOLB isn't worse off than any other player. You can also make it work with a fast LILB, especially if you like to rush QB, because on the HATS plays he can still get in. This can throw guys off that try to use these plays to target players like Wayne Haddix. ------- Set 1: Top Handoff Plays General Comments: For these plays, the essential thing to look out for is where the ball goes after the handoff. You can kill the play before then as well by attacking the two men involved in ball switching with a linebacker slide tackle or struggle. Moreover, you can hit the quarterback as he pitches the ball and cause an automatic fumble (a nose tackle dive is the best way to do this little trick). All of these plays are inferior because they can be tracked down and destroyed fairly easily. None of these are call- safe. Reverse-Fake Z Post: ------O /-------------->RB#1 / RB#2 WR#1 LT / LG QB-O---------O C RG RT TE ---->WR#2 O--------------/ Offense: This play requires that you know who you're going to pass to before you get the ball, since there's a lot of time between the snap and the QB getting the ball. Once you get the ball, pass quickly. If the long man isn't open, then you can wait a little bit for the short one to open up, but if there are blockers near him he probably won't, because one or more will pursue him. In that case, simply QB sneak, or, more likely for a person in the position that you end up in, move as far back as you can get, and throw a cross-field bomb in an attempt to get rid of the ball without the risk of interception. Passing Order: WR#2 RB#1 Defense: You can initially murder this play by attacking the QB. If you can knock the QB down either by slide tackling him at the start of the play or hitting him with a nose tackle or other defender in the middle of the ballplay, you cause WR #1, who gets the ball, to throw it wherever the QB is, even if he's down, which yields you a automatic fumble. What's more, you can hit either the running back who goes up to handoff or WR #1 who takes the ball to stop or fumble the play. And more - you can cover the men who go out (since there are only two). You have no excuse if your opponent gets yards on this play. WR Reverse R: ------O /--------------RB#1 / RB#2 / LT / LG QB-O---------O C (all but QB & WR#1 block) \ RG \ RT \ TE --------------->WR#1 WR#2 Offense: As soon as you get the ball on this play, move forward, because chances are that your opponent is watching you very closely and wants to take you out at the first opportunity, unless more defenders are on the top, in which case going down might be more advisable. Defense: This can be distinguished from Reverse Fake Z Post because the runner usually hooks toward the line instead of moving in a straight diagonal towards the QB. Simply take this guy out by making sure your man doesn't get caught up with the fake or a blocker. There's nothing more to it than that. Pitch L Fake: ------O /-------------->RB#1 / RB#2 / LT / LG QB-O---------O C (all but QB & RB#1 block) / RG WR#1 RT TE WR#2 Offense: Move straight out as soon as you get control of the runner. Watch the defense as the computer is moving the people around so that you know where to run later. Defense: If the cursor on top of the man who runs up reappears, take him out. ------- Set 2: Handoff After The Snap Plays General Comments: On all the HATS Plays, you can take the left end (hit A twice) and simply move up-left diagonally at the snap and then slide tackle to kill any one of these plays. The right end can also work in this way, but in the down-left direction, if he is fast enough, like Bruce Smith or Greg Townsend. Anyway, if this tactic is not allowed, you can take the RILB and move diagonally down-left into the formation, then slide tackle. With the passes, sometimes you can catch the QB with a slide from the line (sometimes even the nose tackle can get in there), but most of the time you have to pursue him and then take him down. You can also just work these with the LCB or SS, any defender away from the point of attack, and will often find success. These are their fundamental weaknesses, but if you alternate these with something devastating like Pitch L Open or something tricky to recover from and defend against with those players like X Out And Fly, you can make this formation work somewhat. None of these are call-safe. Here are some diagrams for these: Left End Dive (the best, but not always doable): WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB C (slide here)-\ \ RG LE RT TE WR#2 Right End Dive (for good right ends): WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RE / (slide here)-/ RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 Linebacker Attack: WR#1 RB#2 LT /------RILB (get him)LG RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 Power Fake Z Post: O-------- | ----RB#1 ----RB#2-----|--/ / LT | / LG | O----QB------O C | RG | RT | TE WR#1 ---->WR#2 O----------------/ RB #2 is a roving blocker. Offense: This is a good play to use when you want to lead receivers instead of having straight out situations where people get covered and blocked fairly easily. You want to watch for RB #1 who comes out and is often uncovered. There's a roving blocker on this play as well - always a good thing on a pass. Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 Defense: If you want to stop the pass and go out into coverage on this play, watch the shorter range men because those are the least frequently covered. If it's near the end of a half or fourth down, you may want to help cover the long receiver, because coverage for all people is usually single on this play. The NTD can work on this play but it's not reliable necessarily. Watch out for the blocker. Power Fake X Fly: O--------------------->WR#1 ---RB#1 ----RB#2--------/ / LT / LG O----QB------O C RG TE RT / TE----- O---------------------->WR#2 Offense: This is a good handoff play with four receivers that go out. It has good medium and long pass opportunities. Pass soon to avoid getting stuffed by coverage that moves in front of your receiver. Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 TE Bomb Threats: WR#1 WR#2 Defense: See General Comments. Also, coverage for this play is longer, so take out a man and put him in the middle of all the receivers to make it easier for you to cover multiple men. You can try a nose tackle dive on this almost straight after the snap. Onesetback L: O---WR#1 --RB#2 O/ LT -----O/------>RB#1 / LG O----QB------O C (all block) RG--O RT TE O-------WR#2 FB Offtackle L: O---WR#1 --RB#2 O/ LT -----O/------>RB#1 / LG O----QB------O C (all block) RG RT TE O-------WR#2 Offense: These two plays are nearly indistinguishable, so I'll treat them as one. Don't do anything funny, just go through the hole and start dodging people as soon as you gain control. One thing to look out for is the RCB. Sometimes he gets blocked and sometimes he doesn't so take him into consideration as you run. You get a good thrust that blocks multiple positions. If your opponent is blocking the hole, reverse the play. Note that in Onesetback L, the right guard comes back as if he were pass blocking, whereas in FB Offtackle L, everyone goes out. Props to Jason Tcheng for noticing this. He also noticed that when the right guard comes back, no one blocks the left end. If your opponent chooses the left end, he will be unblocked. One way to disable these is to take the LILB and run in through the left end and get inside. FB Offtackle L is tougher to nail because of the right guard moving up. You may not be able to always handle this one with the left end dive. Defense: See General Comments. If those tactics are not allowed, just use a safety or a lower linebacker to finish off the runner. The left end is also a good one to choose for Onesetback L, because he does not get blocked by the right guard. Even in FB Offtackle L the left end can still work well. Just watch out for the MAN reversing the play. ------- Set 3: All Other Plays General Comments: I just threw the rest in here. X Out And Fly: O--------\ /-->WR#1 RB#2 ------- O----/ LT LG O QB---O C RB#1 \ RG / TE \ RT / / \ O----/-------- -------------- --->WR#2 O---------------/ Offense: This is a great five-receiver play. You have to wait for a little while for a couple of the short- range opportunities to develop in the middle, but you have a nice spread over the field. Make sure you pass quickly if you're going to the group of three in the center of the field to avoid increased coverage in that area as the play matures (I didn't want to use develop again). Call-safe receivers are RB #2 (A 2x) and RB #1 (A 4x). This is one play that you can effectively QB run with in this formation, so keep that in mind as well. Make sure that if you throw to WR #1 in particular, that you throw it to him outside of his breaks; otherwise you can easily lead him out of bounds. Call-Safe Receivers: RB#2 (A 2x) RB#1 (A 4x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#2 TE RB#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 WR#2 Defense: You can nose tackle dive this play. Also, the three-receiver nest is easily handled if you stand in the middle of it, closer to the short men than the long, so you can come back and cover them. The key here is not to miss an open man in the mess of people. Early pressure works well with this play because it's slower to develop than most passing plays. Oneback Flare A: O--------------| WR#1 O------ LT \ -RB#1 LG \ O----/ QB---O C RB#2 RG RT TE ->WR#2 O------------------/ Offense: This play is kind of weak. You should pass as soon as you find a man, because with only three receivers, coverage will come soon to all of them. Call-safe receiver is RB #2 (hit A twice). You can also run the QB with this one, but it's not so easy. One trick you can pull with WR #1 is to pass to him when he's 5-9 yards out, before he curls, and he will run straight for the pass, which often makes him run straight out, or sometimes you can curl-pass with this play. Call-Safe Receiver: RB#2 (A 2x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#2 Defense: Just go out into coverage, or nose tackle dive the QB. You should watch the short range receivers, because those are not often both covered. Stick with the WR as he begins his curl then move back away towards the TE if you have to cover both. Pitch L Open: WR#1 ---------------->RB#2 / RB#1 / LT (this whole side blocks up and out) / LG O QB C RG (sits there) RT (sits there) TE (moves out and blocks) WR#2 (moves out, up and blocks) Offense: This is one of the best run plays in the whole game. You often get three blockers who just roam around (they even block safeties in the back) and you gain control of your back quickly. Move as quickly as you can out into the field, since the blockers often end up doing their own thing. This is a play to abuse. The only drawback to this play is a problem mentioned earlier, the bloody race problem (race defect). This is (if I did this part properly) the only onesetback formation play where the fullback (or RB#2) is in back, making it easy for a good human opponent to literally discriminate when you run this if you have backs of different color. Watch yourself. You can cut back inside the pulling blockers with a fast RB. Defense: There's a nice tactic you can use on this play that will take you straight to your opponent. You should first choose the left end. When the QB takes the snap, move straight up (you can hold the up button before the snap as well) and you will find yourself on a totally clear route to the runner, right behind him. The guard assigned to block your player will just sit there like a doofus, so you don't have to worry about getting blocked in the back. The LILB can do this pretty well too, and the LOLB is OK at it, but those guys, especially the LOLB, can get caught up in traffic. Another great tactic to use is with the ROLB. Directly after the snap, just move straight past the guy across for from you (don't hit him), moving to the outside, so you will be between the WR and the RB #1, on the side of the RB #1. If you do this the blockers will never even see you and you will end up right in the backfield all alone with the RB. This is what it looks like: WR#1 Die!<--------- O RB#1 \ROLB / LT / LG O QB C RG RT TE WR#2 The SS can also move up at the snap and find himself with a pretty clean shot at the back, although if he is slow he will give up some yards thus. If even this tactic is not allowed, when this play starts, don't move in too quickly. Instead, wait until the blockers have dissipated and then move in to attack. The best people to control are the SS and the lower linebackers, if you want to be conservative then, but a lot of times with a great RCB you can destroy this play by moving inside the gut of the line and screwing up the RB's motion in the backfield. You can see if this play has been called if the backs have different colors from other plays in this formation, if your opponent's backs have different colors. ------- ----------------------------- Run And Shoot Formation: WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 Comments: Some of the best pass plays in the game are from this position. The runs are also very balanced, though one of them is impotent (Run And Shoot Draw). Don't force big plays with this, because most of the best opportunities are short but definite gains. Look for the nose tackle on this one. He can get inside on all the pass plays and cause havoc with some of the runs. LILB is best defender on average. "Reasons": RILB and LILB are useless in R&S Z Fly. RILB covers on R&S Flare C. (Note: also a good player to cover runs to top by passing off your blocker, you just give up that open man on R&S Flare C) LILB is best player to defend R&S Sweep L. Doesn't use any safeties or corners. However, you should use RILB if he's significantly better, or if the opponent is being disciplined and using a lot of R&S Sweep R. Even though RILB draws a blocker, you can shed him on the RCB. Typical complements in R&S: RE: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep L - Pass emphasis NT: - Complements any playcall (but is typically weak for any playcall) LE: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R - Pass emphasis ROLB: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep L - Pass emphasis RILB: - Balanced defense, but weaker against pass - Against very good players, bait play LILB: - Balanced defense, but weaker against run - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R LOLB: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R - Pass emphasis RCB: - Can go any direction (particularly if the RCB is fast) but is often a run sellout LCB: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R FS: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R - Pass defense and allow R&S Sweep R (since is so strong against R&S Sweep L) SS: - Run sellout with R&S Sweep R - Pass defense (FS is stronger for this so typically this is a choice to use a very good SS) and allow R&S Sweep R More explanation on R&S defensive complement tipping: FS: very strong R&S Sweep R tendency, probably selling out run - If you see this e.g. Erik McMillan, you have to pass your way out. SS, LCB, LOLB: very strong R&S Sweep R tendency, probably selling out run RCB: can be any tendency. Have to review opponent's calls to understand if trying to protect (R&S Sweep L) or selling out run (R&S Sweep R + grapple), or even trying to hard pass defense, but the lattermost shouldn't be an issue because all your pass plays should target him. Can also R&S QBSneak into him. LILB: shows slight R&S Sweep R tendency, but is really intended to target R&S Sweep L without playcalls, and therefore is really aimed at the passing game. You have to pound this guy with R&S Sweep R and R&S QBSneak to get the MAN off him. One option is to start R&S QBSneak to keep picking up yards and then get the MAN to start calling that play. RILB: shows slight R&S Sweep L tendency, but not really. Because he can shed his blocker in R&S Sweep L, he can be an all-purpose defender in addition to using him just because he's good e.g. Keith Millard. What you really want to do is pound R&S Flare C; you should be aware that a very good oppponent knows that RILB at the snap means R&S Flare C is a money play, and so you might see the MAN even more likely to sit on R&S Flare C to defend his guy (a situation where you call pass to cover up your run defense strategy). So the best strategy if you see this, particularly if you call R&S Sweep L and you see good run defense technique, is to use your Pass 2,3,4 plays more, particularly 3 and 4 since the MAN is likely to toggle between the two R&S passes. Also don't give up on the run, keep using it to get yards. ROLB: This is a power play against R&S Sweep R without a run call, which means the MAN is probably going pass. However, ROLB is killed by R&S Sweep L, so the MAN is far more likely than usual to call R&S Sweep L. The best bet is to throw R&S Sweep Ls in enough that you put it in the MAN's rotation. If you never see him calling R&S Sweep R, just stick on that. The ideal situation for you is to get the MAN to sell out on run and then you can burn him cross-field over the top, e.g. on R&S Z Fly WR #2. The other thing you can do is to use R&S Flare C and make him cover RB #1 while you roll out opposite side or look for the TE, which is on the opposite side of the field. LE: Very strong R&S Sweep R tendency. You can see this in passing downs as well, in which case you can kill him with a fast RB. This is very likely a sellout play,and probably won't be repeated, but again points to the need to keep passing even when you see this. Sometimes guys will use Reggie White or others and try to cover R&S Sweep R without a playcall against it, but if you see that, you just want to ram it down their throats. Also, if you see the MAN doing desperate things like that, you also want to use Pro T Flare C and Redgun Z Slant in order to see if you can make the MAN switch to the wrong personnel matchup. Typically if somebody is trying to sell out with the LE, that means that they don't believe in their other defenders vs. the pass, which, for most teams with the LE, is not a true statement. So punish them for their ignorance. NT: You can see a lot of different tendencies with this one. Any number of plays can work against this one (again assuming no NTD). RE: This is a similar concept to the ROLB, except that he won't get destroyed by the R&S Sweep L and can hand off his assigned blocker. In this case the R&S Sweep L tendency is not as strong, so you want to be much closer to balanced; he's probably going pass most of the time and so you want to make him show you he can stop your run. As the offense, your best runs are typically: ROLB/RE/RILB/RCB: R&S Sweep L FS/SS/LCB/LILB/LOLB/LE: R&S Sweep R NT: equal for those two R&S QBSneak: any LB but particularly LILB, DLs Run And Shoot Y Up O------------------>WR#1 ----------------------->RB#1 / O-------- / \ / LT \ / LG RB#2 O QB-----O C RG RT O------------------>TE O------------\ ->WR#2 Offense: This is somewhat the Run And Shoot analogue of Shotgun Z S-In. You have three men that go long, one that curls into the middle (RB #2 from the top) and one that stays by the side of the quarterback (RB #1). Simply use this one as you would the shotgun, but pass a bit more quickly as the defense can sack you more easily on this play, and you don't have many short options. Call-safe men are RB #1 (A 2x) and RB #2 (A 3x). Call-Safe Receivers: RB#1 (A 2x) RB#2 (A 3x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 TE Bomb Threats: WR#1 TE Defense: Go after the QB or watch the long receivers, especially the bottom ones. If they are taken care of, move in closer to stop a short pass. If there is just one man covering the WR #2 and the TE, then you should often gamble and just leave them alone out there, trying to stop the short pass. If the QB rolls up top, then definitely break away from that single coverage. That can't be a consistent throw from that position with most QBs. Run And Shoot Z Fly O------| WR#1 O------------------->RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB-----O C RG RT O-------| TE O-------------------->WR#2 RB #1 moves up and blocks after the snap. Offense: This play is the best in the game for one simple reason: one or more receivers will almost always be open. But that's not all: if this play is called, with some combinations of QB and WR #1, the QB can throw a curl-pass to the WR, right before the WR breaks into the curl, and there will be no coverage anywhere close to the WR. Furthermore, if this play is called, the defense pulls back away from WR #1 and the TE, so you can throw to them short if you can stay upright long enough. Just don't abuse it, you can be picked off trying this, especially when you don't have a great QB. Progression: - LBs always stay tight on LOS so the coverage almost always winds up being on levels. That is, if you see corners move down or safeties move up after the snap, you know the receiver they are going to match up against. If a defender goes in, you know at least one player on that side of the LOS will be open. If it's a deep receiver, move to that side, and if it's a short receiver, move to the opposite side. - If you don't see anyone open right away, the play will be to the TE, as his man will abandon him. You just have to stay alive for the 5 seconds required for him to get far enough away for you to complete that pass. - You have to move through the C gap or outside the pocket to run, since LBs are close up. - Most reliable play for iffy QBs is the WR #1 and run down low if he's open. The TE also enables the reverse side, but CPU defenders will trail on him, so the play takes longer to develop and you need to watch out for the pass rush while you delay. - WR speed doesn't seem to actually matter for matchup selection. The speed differences are not good enough for you to get extra throws, more than you would for any other play. QB Positioning: If they pick a DB you know that one receiver on that side is open. If you have a good QB, you want to roll opposite to maximize the number of QB rushing yards. If not, you want to roll same side. If they pick a LB or DL, you want to level read and react - typically that means finding the open man and running opposite side, or defaulting to the top (because the TE comes open late in plays) Call-Safe Receivers (later in the play): WR#1 TE Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#2 TE Bomb Threats: RB#2 WR#2 Defense: Either pursue the QB or go out and cover whichever man happens to be open. If you call this play, then WR #1 may be able to get a call-safe curl-pass. If the opposing QB is fast, both the TE and WR #1 will be open later in the play. Don't go cover long - here's what to do: Take your guy. Move him into the line between the QB, and the receiver's curl target. Then, when the pass comes, move yourself into position, close to the WR, so that you can go up for the jump ball. This way, you will not have to worry about the WR catching it too much, you can tip the ball, and if neither one catches it, your DBs can get a chance for an easy pick. The CPU may take control of you, be warned. Stay close to the WR but always on that line. After the WR curls, then cover short, closer to the target on the side of the QB. This is not foolproof but it's pretty close, especially compared to other tactics like throwing it into coverage or trying for a deep bomb jump ball. Any front seven is OK to cover. You should also be looking to bait more than usual with this play. As all of the receivers are at 10 yards or more out, if the MAN is trying to play games and get you out deep so he can check down, you can just wait on it if your pass rush is going to confine the MAN behind the line of scrimmage. Run And Shoot Flare C O-------\_/--------->WR#1 -------RB#1 O---/----- / \ LT RB#2 /-----LG O-------- QB---O C RG RT O-------- /-------->WR#2 \ / O--------\--------TE Offense: The nice thing about this play is the wide variety of receiving options. You have the standard two long receivers and you have two short opportunities that develop a couple seconds into the play, plus an often-open longer shot to the bottom that stops some yards out. As long as you vary your receivers, you can make this play work for you. This play has no consistently available call-safe receivers, but RB #2 (A 2x) is usually still standing. Sometimes RB #1 (A 1x) is available. A lot of times, you can throw a pass to WR #2 on the called play and get the catch, but this is unreliable. However, there is a risk of getting picked off if you throw and RB #2 is knocked down near the line. Progression: - Read the RILB. If he stays put, he's going to cover RB #2, and it's almost certainly a pass defense. If not, it's a run defense and RB #2 will be open, leading to the two-man game of either WR #1->RB #2 or RB #2->WR #2. You can also jam it into RB #2 if you have a good QB and the MAN is not tight on that area. - If RILB stays put, read deep receivers quickly; if you don't see them open then shove it into RB #1 on goal line. Good QBs can use TE, bad ones can use him to throw away while TE is still moving towards his spot. You can use level read on this, but it's hard to do if you are keying on the RILB. Plus WR #1 can't get thrown to until relatively late in the play anyway. The WR #1 is not 100% reliable on level read, sometimes the RCB ignores him. Neither is WR #2, especially on called plays. - If you aren't right up on the goal line and aren't going against a safety defender (where you might want to use the RB #1 guaranteed with iffy QBs, decent RBs, and relatively short yardage), you are likely going to run bottom and target on RB #1, forcing the MAN to pick. Sometimes RB #1 will pick up RCB or even FS, which both you and the MAN can anticipate. In this case you want to go to the TE if he's open, probably still running on bottom as the TE is out about 12->15 yards. You can throw it to him cross-field with a good QB, but make sure to wait for him to stop in that case, as he will lead the QB to throw it deeper. Usually the SS picks up the TE and you can see that motion early in the play if you are doing a full-field read. If you see the two defenders on the WR #2, then you know the TE is going to be open. - With a bad QB, usually it's better to throw from the bottom side towards the TE, the cross field throw is notoriously inaccurate and is easily tipped or picked. - If you want to hit TE or any of the short receivers, make sure to be patient. Bad QBs love to overthrow the TE on this play and will throw the ball out of bounds or away from the RBs. On Called Play: You want to hold the D-Pad diagonal down and then directly down. The reason is because the LOLB takes a roundabout to the pass rush, and you will have a window where you move to right before the LOLB upends you. Your second read after seeing the LBs collapse is to the SS. With a superior QB-WR combo, you would like to throw it to WR #2 no matter what, but with the iffier ones, if the SS pulls up, you know you are going to get single coverage on the WR #2, and if shifted to the top, he's probably wide open. At that point you are reading the offensive line and seeing how many CPU drones bust through. If you get major heat, you are going to throw it to RB #1 and hope. If you see the MAN is not over the middle, you can hit A again and throw it to RB #2 for a possible gain or at least a safe throw-away most of the time. If you have the time and you like the matchup, you then proceed to WR #2. If you make a mistake, you can throw it to the TE and out of bounds. QB Positioning: If they go RILB you know you have RB #2 open, rush to the top. If they go DB then you know you have an open receiver on that side. Roll to bottom no matter what b/c if the CB or FS follows on the deep receiver, you're trapped. If they go LB or DL, just play fundamental and find the open man. Run with QB if necessary. Call-Safe Receivers: RB#2 (A 2x) RB#1 (A 1x) - draw the defense at you if you can, the longer you wait the better WR#2 (A 3x) - late in play Passing Order: WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 WR#2 TE Bomb Threats: WR#1 WR#2 Defense: The deep routes are slow to develop, so just circle in the middle and make the MAN deal with the pass rush. He is going to wait a while to throw most of the time, so you can set up a bait or a marker timing (i.e. leave a man to jump the current receiver) play if you watch the backfield action. If the play is called, there are a lot of receivers who can get thrown to (including WR #2) so keep eyes open across the field. On the goal line you have to watch out for RB #1 and RB #2, but the other receivers you can probably just let go free. Avoid using RILB on this play because he will cover short receivers. If you have to leave someone open, leave the TE until 4 or 5 seconds into the play. Run And Shoot QB Sneak WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 --O C |-RG------>QB RT TE WR#2 Offense: You can run this play two ways: you can just run straight in and get a couple of yards, or you can move at a diagonal down-right and follow your advancing line, which can sometimes yield you more than five yards and allow you to break out (as much as a slow QB can do so). Follow your blockers and be creative with this play. If you see the CPU defender or even the MAN defender fly in at you, just diagonal cut; it's usually a dive tackle situation and the diagonal down cut is what you want. Defense: Just get the quarterback down, either with a defensive back or with a linebacker. One thing to take advantage of is the low Hitting Power of QBs. If you have a strong defender, simply touching him will tackle him in many cases, and thus you can get yourself in more risky situations than you could with a decent running back. Do not underestimate, however, the power of this play. It can get short yardage consistently and there isn't a lot a DB can do about it; by the time you get down there he's already taken off. It also has some of the most screwed up blocker dynamics of any play in this game. Sometimes your line will evaporate before this play with free blockers running everywhere. Other times the NT or LE will slide tackle and take down the QB behind the LOS. Sometimes it's worth it to call this play, it's that ugly. The LILB often is unblocked on this play, but sometimes he is also annihilated. Sometimes people try to use this as an attack against the LILB; it's hit or miss. Often as the LILB, it's best to just fly in at the QB. One way to hedge on this is to call a pass against it; for some reason pass calls seem to get more effective penetration against the QB than run calls. Run And Shoot QB Run WR#1 ------------->QB | RB#2 | \ LT \ LG RB#1 -----O C RG RT TE WR#2 All non-QB men block. RB #1 moves to the bottom and comes back up to block. Offense: Make sure you don't run this too often, because a familiar opponent can cause problems with it. However, it is a fairly strong run for this formation, especially against defenders who prefer nose tackles. Simply run the play the way it goes, because you're too far up by the time you gain control to feasibly switch directions. Defense: Take a bottom defensive back or a bottom linebacker and smack the quarterback down. Hitting Power differences are useful here for you, so pick a strong one, if your FS is strong he can really blow this play up. You must be careful against the blockers if your opponent has a good A button. Again, you may have to call this play in some situations. The final blocker who comes out, you can usually keep yourself out of his "vision" so don't worry too much about him. If you have a decent LOLB, you can also come up in the backfield by going through the hole vacated by the RG, that will snuff this play out pretty easily. Run And Shoot Draw WR#1 RB#2 LT LG O----QB--------O C (all other men block) \--------RG------>RB#1 RT TE WR#2 Offense: This is the worst run play you could possibly have. Only use it for surprise attacks and just get your yards before your opponent catches on to what you're doing. Defense: You can discern this play from a normal pass by looking at the pocket. If a man is sitting there and doing nothing, it's the draw play. What you can do is a nose tackle dive to kill the runner and even the quarterback before he hands off if you're fast enough, or you can take a linebacker or a secondary guy and just struggle him down. All in all, you should have no problems with this play. Just don't overpursue it and get stuck in the backfield. Run And Shoot Sweep Left Left: WR#1 ----------------->RB#1 (these guys sweep) / RB#2 / / LT / LG O QB C (all others move out and north and block) RG RT TE WR#2 Offense: Sweep up top, get your yards quickly, try to cut back against your blockers (who stop and don't seem to engage anyone at that point!) in front of you for some guaranteed yards. Call-safe with a very fast runner, but you usually have to be shifted to the bottom. Your usual reads: ROLB/RILB: Run as designed Lower LBs or LE: press middle, press upper blockers, consider reverse. FS: Diagonal reverse or middle penetrate. If you think you can win solo grapple, then run diagonally to the sidelines and bait the dive tackle. If he engages you, then you have a chance to evade the drones. SS: Read the motion, press if tentative, reverse if not - Follow-on: R&S Sweep R, possibly R&S QB Sneak LCB: probably just hard press it RCB: Difficult read. If you think you can win solo grapple you probably want to fight the guy. If you don't think you can win, but you think the MAN is going to avoid the blocker, then run to that side. Otherwise just hard diagonal cut to the bottom for 5 yards. Defense: R&S Sweep L is a weak run. The RCB can stop it if he can blow up WR#1, the FS can easily take it away, etc. There are a lot of things you can do against it - just don't run into the blockers the RB will get. Sometimes you can get caught up and blocked by them if the RB moves their way. However they aren't known for pursuit (they usually stop) so don't worry much about that. Just don't use the ROLB, the RILB, or the RE and you will basically be fine. Note that if the two players "ghost" each other, you can run right through them to the MAN. If you get caught using the ROLB, move down and away to move the blockers out of the way, then combo tackle with one of the CPU drones. You can "pass off" the RILB or RE blocker to your RCB if you want to solo grapple the MAN. One way you can do things is, move the LILB right into the C-RG gap, he will not get touched (thanks, Matt Knobbe). You can also smash through the LILB's struggle with the RG, using the LOLB, and you will come up thus in the backfield also. Offensive blocking assignments (pass call): LILB and LOLB are free, everyone else in front 7 has a blocker. ROLB draws a combo block. WR #1 takes on the RCB. WR #2 looks for a block in the deep middle, but no specific target. Run And Shoot Sweep Right Right: WR#1 (blocks out) --O / RB#2 O--\ |--O LT (blocks) O | QB C (blocks) \ |--O RT (blocks) \ \ O--/ \ -----(LG & RG) (block) \ O-----TE (sweeps and blocks) ----------------->RB#1 O-------WR#2 (sweeps and blocks) Offense: Simply move in the direction of the play. You can usually get two or three yards at least with this. Note that since the guards come out and block on R&S Sweep R, this play is more effective and powerful than R&S Sweep L. If you see the MAN try to come through the blockers shallow, you typically just want to get close to your own guards, and then have them bump the defender off you. If you see the MAN set up past the LCB, he's trying to contain or even dive tackle, and in this case you should look to see if you have a running lane right up against your offensive line. If you have this, you should be able to gain several yards and maybe even break out. Note that on this play, if you have a guy like Bo Jackson in EXCELLENT, the pitch will actually take him out of bounds! Beware of this if you are shifted to the bottom especially. Defense: Take someone and move through the blockers (or around if you have yards to spare) and slide tackle or struggle the runner down. The right end is free on R&S Sweep R, so you can use him pretty easily. However, he can get seen by the pulling linemen so keep a look out. The ROLB can run right next to the line, going down, possibly freeing up one of his boys along the way, then getting a clean shot at the RB. This is not guaranteed but it happens a decent amount of the time. You can do the same thing with the RCB or FS depending on the relative speed of the players. If you go in too quickly, you can get manhandled by the pulling blockers if the opposing runner moves into them. A middle to slow speed RB will try to run with the guards as long as possible; this may be an opportunity for a slide tackle. Sometimes you will only see one guard pull on this play, typically when you call a run against it. WR #2 can start cut blocking, so try to obliterate him early in the play if you have a powerful run defender. Top defenders are much better than bottom ones. You can use the LCB to "pass off" your assigned defender, e.g. if you are using the LILB and the C is assigned to block you. If you have a strong player, you can then re-free the LCB by bumping the blocker off him. With a very fast LOLB (e.g. Kevin Greene) or LCB, you can go for a dive tackle against the RB while he is getting control of the ball. However, this is a sell-out and often fails. You can also try for a solo grapple if you have thumb advantage and the pulling guards have low HP. Your read in this case is the TE. If you see him pull diagonal up, you go towards the RB and mash B. If you see him go straight for you, pull up and away, it's not this play. Defensive situation (vs. pass call): ROLB truly free RILB available RE available (he normally goes in and blocks) RCB available (WR #1 is looking for a block in deep middle) LILB pulls center LOLB pulls TE RE pulls a lineman NT pulls a lineman FS is free, so is SS, but WR #2 goes into their area with a cut block LCB is in the path of the two pulling guards ----------------------------- Shifting Onesetback Formation: WR#1 | | -----RB#2 | | | O O | LT | | LG RB#1 | QB C | RG O------- RT TE O | WR#2 General Comments: All the plays in this formation can be slightly altered in the positions and paths of players, in either blockers for runs or receivers for passes, by taking the snap at different times during the shift. Playaction Z In: ------------------>WR#1 | | ------|------RB#2 | | | O O | LT | | LG ----QB--|-----O-C--------------->RB#1 | RG WR#2 O------- RT / TE O / | / ---------- Offense: This play is good, with two short men and two long men. Note that the pass to the running back in the middle (who goes out for a pass and acts as a receiver) should probably be done as soon as possible since defenders guarding the receiver on top can move down more easily to prevent a pass. This play is not call-safe; if your opponent picks this play, you eat it. Passing Order: WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 WR#2 Defense: The man moving out in the middle can be ignored once he's gotten out long enough in the field as long as you have enough people back there to cover him should the pass move in his direction. Following him for a little while is a good idea if no one has the man who curls from the bottom. This play can be stopped with a nose tackle dive and responds only mildly to the usual pressure tactics. Roll Out R: ------------------------->RB#1 | | \ | | \ | -----RB#2 \ | | | \ | | O \ O / \ | LT \ | / \| LG WR#1 --- |----O C / | RG--O O/------ RT---O | O----\ QB O TE | ---------------->WR#2 Offense: Like its cousin, Roll Out L, this play has a vulnerability in that the QB can be taken out fairly easily. However, with more plays to choose from, it's not quite as predictable or risky. The receivers are shorter range on this play, though two go out at angles. This is an ok play, but don't expect to get a pass off if it's called. RB #1 develops later, so if all your other receivers are covered, watch for him to come out. Passing Order: WR#2 TE RB#1 WR#1 Defense: The thing to watch is the hand off. If the QB takes the ball, it's Roll Out R, and if not, it's FB Open L. Calling FB Open L is a good way to insure yourself against a big gain. Stop the play by just moving a cornerback or linebacker behind the line and taking down the QB while he's still a drone. You also have a slim chance of sacking the quarterback when the handoff occurs if you take the nose tackle and slide in. The best way to stop this, however, is to take the bottom two linebackers and then go through the gap between the guard and the center on the bottom. You can also do this with the left end, but you will also have to fight off a guard in this case. Then you can just drop the QB (or RB) from the get-go. Onesetback Dive: WR#1 | (these two move down and block) | -----RB#2 | | | O O | LT | | LG ----QB--|-----O-C----->RB#1 | RG O------- RT TE O (these two block) | WR#2 Offense: This play is not as good as a power dive, you get no one out in front of you. It's reversible just as any other dive play. Go wherever you think you'll get the most yards. Defense: This one can be stopped with a nose tackle dive. If you can't do that, take a safety or cornerback or even inside linebacker and tackle the runner. Watch for the RB reversing the play as always. The ROLB is a good choice when multiple plays run out of this formation, but he will be pursued. The MAN will try to delay at the LOS. Pass your blocker to a drone. If you see this play without any other plays, take the SS instead. WR Reverse L: WR#1 | -------|--------WR#2 |-----RB#2 || | || O O || LT \ || LG \QB--||-----O C (men on the sides go out and block) \ || RG O---\--|| RT \ | TE \| O |\ | -------RB#1 Offense: Surprise your opponent with this. You can get decent gains with this if your opponent isn't looking for it. The handoff can be confused with Oneback Sweep R. You can enter the fray at any point you deem viable on this play, since most of the blockers are usually disorganized. Defense: Oftentimes you can catch the runner moving up with the man you take in to catch Oneback Sweep R. Otherwise, simply stay back from the line, until it is obvious what play is developing, then move. You can disable this one using a lower linebacker and hitting the decoy or the runner as well, I believe. Oneback Sweep R: WR#1 | | -----RB#2 | | | O O | LT \ | LG \QB---|-----O C (men on the sides go out and block) \ | RG O---\---- RT \ TE \ O -------|-------->RB#1 WR#2 Offense: This can be an effective run play if you can throw off the MAN without any blockers. Not ultra-reversible. Defense: Take a man in from the secondary or the linebackers and take down the runner. It's that simple. ROLB is good when you see this with other plays, but you have other options as well. Key thing to remember is the shove is straight in front. You can throw the blockers if the RB is slow, otherwise the safeties are a conservative option. FB Open L: WR#1 | ---------|-------->RB#1 | -----RB#2 | | | | | O O / \ | LT | / \| LG --- |-----O C (men on the sides go out and block) / | RG--O O/------ RT---O | TE QB O | WR#2 Offense: Just as with Oneback Sweep R, note the relative absence of blockers and the predisposition of the play for being run the way it was designed. Defense: If your opponent has Roll Out R in, you can take care of both by penetrating the backfield through the gap that opens between the guard and center, then smashing the person who ends up getting the ball. You can do this with either the left end (dangerous, because the guard will see you) or with the LILB or LOLB. You should be safe going through the line with the linebackers. If you wind up using ROLB, just pass off blockers. ----------------------------- Shotgun Formation: Formation 1 - Shotgun X Curl and Shotgun Draw: WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 LT LG QB C RG RT TE WR#2 Formation 2 - Shotgun Z S-In and Shotgun X Drive: WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 LT LG QB C RG RT WR#2 TE Formation 3 - Shotgun XY Bomb and Shotgun C Draw: WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 LT LG QB C RG RT TE WR#2 General Comments: There are three distinct shotgun formations. Two plays switch the running backs, and two plays switch the tight end and WR #2. This is a big problem for diverse teams. I have ordered this section to put the separate formations' plays next to each other. The runs in here are only good as surprise plays. If your opponent is watching for them, they are next to useless. The passes from here are superb. Going for the QB on these plays is a bad idea since most of the time, an opposing player will find an open man before you can stop him from passing. The best chance is to stay out in coverage using one of the defensive linemen or linebackers, which also insures you against the runs. I don't think as highly of this formation as I used to, but it is still decently useful, especially if you don't have to worry about the race defects. One other thing to note is that QB sneaking from this formation is not terribly useful because it takes a while for the QB to move up. If you're thinking about running, move toward the line as soon as you get the ball. ------------- Formation 1 Shotgun X Curl ------RB#1 O-------------------| / WR#1 / O---------| / RB#2 RB#1 LT LG QB C RG RT TE O---------| WR#2 O-------------------| Offense: This is one of the best short range pass plays. Five receivers give you good options. The longer range men can be had, but usually the two shorter range ones are open and good choices, with the occasional fifth man pass to mix things up. This play really works well in the red zone when the coverage begins to tighten. The progression I use is as follows: If you watch the LCB, sometimes he will twitch his shoulders about a half second into the play. If he does this, he will certainly bail on his assignment, WR #2, who will be open about 3 seconds into the play. Basically any QB can hit him from the top of the screen in the flat area without getting the ball tipped. That should set up at least a QB run short-long. You will often see a player on the top of the screen pull up to the flat. That gives you the option for another QB run on the bottom of the screen, and likely also gives you the option of staying in the pocket and rotating cursor to get the open man. You can flatten out either WR #1 or WR #2's curl route with an early throw. You can also jump ball them on the curl motion. The way the defense reacts is that the secondary will "jump" on their receivers about 1 1/2 seconds into the play, so you can't do much anticipation past the above. This basically means you have to wait to be sure about where you're going with the ball. However, I still recommend moving to the top or bottom if the defense reacts with either key weakness. If you see the FS or SS turn off to cover WR #1 or WR #2, you can probably throw it in to them with a good QB, as long as you are roughly in the tackle box. The other factor you should remember is that if RB #1 is open, you can do an opposite field throw to him and open up the QB run. This gives you a short option if one of the WRs are open. Reaction to the MAN: If the MAN uses a DB, you know you have an open receiver on that side; you just have to be patient. The MAN should use a DL or a LB to stop this - although if the man uses the RILB, he can wind up leaving RB #1 open. If he does use the front seven player, you want to look deep and try to get a throw off by flattening out the WR's route before he can recover to those players. On Called Play: Typically you would tend to pull to the bottom. This frames the two call-safe receivers, the TE and the RB #1, in a way that the MAN can't cover both of them. The MAN should want to sit on RB #2 and try to bait you into the TE. You mostly just want to default to RB #1 and play it safe. If you have a good secondary matchup, you can throw to either WR #1 or WR #2 on a gamble play. In 3rd or 4th down, you probably always want to throw to your best receiver going deep, unless the MAN just abandons the short ball. If you get one of those deep gamble plays to work, you can possibly pull the MAN off the short options and get some space for the check-down to RB #1. If you have a fast QB, WR #1 and WR #2 will be completely uncovered if you can stay alive long enough. With the MAN likely to use a DL or LB, you can probably force the ball in to your best receiver in that situation. Call-Safe Receivers (may get knocked over): RB#2 (A 1x) TE (A 2x) RB#1 (A 4x) - you can throw him out of bounds with an early throw, or you can complete the ball if you hold it a bit longer. Passing Order: WR#1 RB#2 TE WR#2 RB#1 Defensive Matchups: RILB: RB #1 RCB and FS: WR #1, RB #2, even pull up to RB #1? LCB and SS: TE, WR #2, LCB sometimes goes deep Defense: This play, like Shotgun X Drive, has two ranges of receivers. Make sure that each range is covered and put yourself in the middle if one isn't. In particular, use your best lineman to cover the two short range opportunities, because coverage is almost always lacking in that region and passes to those men are short and effective. One thing that your opponent will try is to run his QB and then throw over your head to the short player farthest away from you. There isn't much you can do about that, just be decisive in whatever you try and remember that you can tip a pass if you are on the line of flight of the ball. If you see the LCB tip or the RCB/FS go to the flat, you know you have to cover deep. Shotgun Draw WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 LT \-------------LG------>RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 All people go out to block except for the QB, the center, and the guards. The three offensive linemen in the middle (C, RG, LG) fan slightly to give the running back more room. Offense: This is better than Shotgun C Draw and you can usually get a few yards using it if your opponent isn't expecting it. Just be careful about moving every which way once you get the ball. Get your yards and then finish things. Dawdling behind the line gets you nothing. Defense: If you think your opponent will call this play, simply take the LOLB, swing around into the middle, and wait for him. You can even go inside, but that gets risky because he can simply run out around you and you can get engaged or knocked over by a blocker. However, with the LOLB move, you shouldn't have too many worries about rogue blockers getting to you. Just make sure you don't overpursue and get yourself stranded, because the other players on your team will probably be blocked. If you have to stand your ground, you can gamble by taking (in order of preference) the LILB, the NT, the RILB, the ROLB, and some other people if you can manage to squeeze them in there. ------------- Formation 2 Shotgun Z S-In RB#1 O---------------->WR#1 | | O---------------\ | RB#2 O LT LG QB C RG WR#2 RT / / O------ O---------------->TE Offense: This play has some interesting properties. One of them is the running back on the side of the quarterback who is generally insulated from immediate coverage. The second is the short WR #2 about five or so yards out. These two give you nice alternatives to the two men who go long, and the intermediate running back. If every man is covered, you might want to throw to the TE on the bottom because he usually only has one defender in his vicinity. Call-safe receiver is RB #1 (A 4x). Call-Safe Receiver: RB#1 (A 4x) Passing Order: WR#2 TE WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 TE Defense: Watch the short range pass by staying in the middle and covering the man there, or by moving behind the line to cover there. Like all shotguns, just cover everyone and you'll be fine. Don't lose track however of the RB out past 10 yards. Shotgun X Drive O-------RB#2-------->WR#1 ---------------------/-----RB#1 / O--------- / RB#1 LT LG QB C RG WR#2 RT / / O--------- O------------------->TE Offense: The benefit of this play is that WR #1 sometimes goes wide open with no warning. The disadvantage is that it's easy to get trapped behind the line of scrimmage with no options, and you have to make sure to keep your QB's feet alive. Call-safe receiver is RB #2 (A 3x), but the better play against a MAN is RB #1 out of bounds or on a delay. There's also a game you can play with good receivers and QB. Progression: - Read ROLB. If he stays in position maybe RB #1 will get open, but likely you will have to run the football. - Otherwise do level read, and know that WR #1 sometimes gets left wide open. - With a high PC or PS QB, you can throw a number of off-angle passes to the RB #1. - In theory you can throw WR #2, but a lot of times that's just an incompletion. The best way to handle this one is if you see the MAN is playing off him and you know the WR #2 will clearly outrun the defender, wait until the WR #2 starts his turn inside and then throw the ball while the defender is not following it. - Don't be afraid to just throw a bomb on this play, especially if you have a good WR #1. The ILBs will hang out in the A gaps; you can exit the pocket from the B gaps and induce some really poor CPU dives to open up your longer-distance QB run. Call-Safe Receiver: RB#2 (A 3x) - you can throw him out of bounds with timing as well RB#1 (A 4x) - pull towards him and give time for the pass to be completed. You can also throw it out of bounds if you throw it quickly. TE (A 1x) - the technique you use here is: - Put a good WR #2 and fast TE in the lineup - If you see the bottom defenders playing soft, throw to WR #2 right before he enters his break. This will set up a bail-out jump ball opportunity. - If you see the SS hold, wait until he enters curl of death. Once he starts it, switch-pass to the TE. The LCB will stop on the play and the TE will run past both defenders. It's tough for the QB to consistently complete, but if he does, it will be for 20+ yards. - Throw this route combination from the top hash. Passing Order: WR#2 TE WR#1 RB#2 RB#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 TE Defense: Don't cover with the ROLB, he plays a key role in this coverage. Watch for RB #1 who comes out, because as soon as he passes RB #2 he becomes a good target for a first down pass. ------------- Formation 3 Shotgun XY Bomb O---------------->WR#1 O----------------->RB#1 /------------------------- RB#2 LT \ LG \ QB C RB#2 RG RT O---- ->TE \-------------/ O---------------->WR#2 Offense: This play is, as you might expect, a bomb. Everyone goes long and the best chance you have of making it is if one person is uncovered. You should toss to them promptly after you have identified them, because the longer you wait, the easier it will be for more defenders to obstruct the pass. The only real diversity in the play is the shortest pass to RB #2. Your opponent may try to lure you to pass to him since you can't see where the defender or the receiver is on this play until you pass, and then move in for an interception or whatever. I don't like this play because it just doesn't have a whole lot of options or complications. You either make it or you don't. The closest thing to a call-safe receiver is RB #2 (A 3x). Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 TE Defense: Note the trap with RB #2 above. The only thing to watch for is a QB sneak that might come when you move away to cover a slightly open man. Shotgun C Draw: WR#1 (these two go out and block) RB#1 RB#2 LT /\-------------LG------>RB#2 QB C RG RT TE (these two go out and block) WR#2 Offense: The main difference between this play and Shotgun Draw is that this play keeps the ball out of the running back's hands for two seconds after the snap, when the QB tosses it to the running back. Thus, this can only be used as a surprise play since an opponent can cause severe problems with this. Defense: If you want to watch for this play, simply look at the running back. If he stays put for more than a second, then this is it. To prevent it from developing, either wait as before or simply move in. You can even go in right after the snap and engage the running back in a struggle, causing a minor fumble, but that usually doesn't pan out for you. It's better just to tackle the runner for a loss. ------------- ----------------------------- Strong-I Formation WR#1 LT LG RB#2 QB C RG RB#1 RT TE WR#2 General Comments: The plays from here are decent, with Toss Sweep Right and Offset Flare E being the better plays. It has good runs and good passes which complement each other. Offset Flare E: O--------------| WR#1 LT LG O QB C RB#1 \ RG / \ O---/--O-------- \ RE/---O \ TE- --O--------RB#2--------------->WR#2 General Comments: Good play, concentration to the bottom and a short range bias, but plays well into a mixed pass-run strategy. RB #2 is the call-safe receiver (A 3x). You can throw a curl-pass to WR #1 move straight out if you pass 50%-80% of the way through his motion, when he gets about 6-8 yards out. Know that RB #2 is going to be thrown to a lot because the MAN can often use the Circle of Death technique to cover both the RB #1 and the WR #1 and go for the INT on both. You can often get the auto-dive if you go to RB #2 whilst the MAN is circling. Call-Safe Receiver: RB#2 (A 3x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 Bomb Threats: WR#2 Defense: The long receiver is usually covered, so just stay in the middle of the field about five yards from the center for best results. Nose tackle dives and other sacking techniques work here. You would rather get all three short receivers covered than just the RB #1 and the WR #1, but if you have a good coverage or a good pass rush, you definitely want to blanket those two receivers and try for the INT or sack. Play Action: O----------------->WR#1 LT LG (slight shift up of these) O--QB-------O-C------RB#2 / RG \-RB#1 (blocks) O-- RT TE WR#2 \ O------------------/ RB #1 is a roving blocker. Offense: This play only has three receivers, and two are short. Make sure your opponent is probably not going to call a pass play before you use it, because three receivers can be easily covered. One redeeming feature of this play, though, is that it has a free blocker who goes out and takes on defenders, which often opens up the shortest man for a pass. You will get sacked if this is called. One way that you can defeat an ROLB moving in on you is to alternate this with FB Power Dive to confuse your opponent. Running your QB is surprisingly effective (though not very effective compared to other plays). Passing Order: WR#1 RB#2 WR#2 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: Watch the blocker, because he will cause you grief if you don't. A nose tackle dive will finish this play off without a hassle. Unless you feel your opponent is going to heave the ball instead of running it with the QB, I wouldn't pass rush because of the complicating blocker and also because only three receivers exist, with only one long. If you want to go after the QB, the ROLB will be able to get in, but your opponent may still be able to get a pass off. The diagonal rush is the best in the case - you just have to recover if they wind up running FB Power Dive. Toss Sweep R: O---- \ \ LT WR#1 (blocks) LG O QB C \ RG \ RB#1 RT \ TE (all these but RB#2 block) --------RB#2 WR#2 Offense: This is a great play, with lots of low blockers. It can be close to invincible in certain situations, such as when you are shifted toward the bottom. Staying behind the blockers is a good idea on this one. It can be reversed to some extent as well. Defense: If you take a hard inside cut against the grain of the play, you may be able to get around the edge with an ROLB or RILB without the blockers seeing you, but this can be risky, especially if the play is reversed. The key is to watch the pulling guard motion - he has to get about 3 yards up before he won't target you. There are a few holes in the line; if you can avoid the C coming down, you can get inside the play with the ROLB or RILB if you can catch the back. If you use the RILB for this, you must circle away from the C so that he does not see you. You can take the nose tackle inside, moving at a diagonal, and follow the runner, but you have to slide tackle and this method is not consistent even with a good nose tackle. Otherwise, take a higher defensive back or a higher linebacker and move through or around the blockers at the first opportunity. Moving around the whole line is also possible with a good linebacker, but not recommended otherwise. You can try and free up your LOLB with the left end right after he gets blocked and then he will come free to rush the RB, but it won't work every time; however, it can be good if you can dominate down low with the LE. You can also engage with the LOLB and then come free after the blockers pass; this is worth trying if the RB is not that fast and your opponent also has FB Power Dive in. FB Power Dive O--- \ \ LT WR#1 (blocks) LG (all the top offensive linemen shift up) O--QB-------O-C----->RB#2-->RB#1 (blocks) / RG RB#1 RT TE O----------WR#2 (blocks) Offense: This is a dive play which means that you can either take it through the middle for almost guaranteed yards, or, move to the top or bottom around the blockers (usually the top for this one) and move out from there. This play has a great reversibility, like almost all runs through the middle, and has a blocker through the middle as well. Couple this with Play Action if you can. If your opponent tries to use the ROLB, just move straight through the line and don't look back behind you at the ROLB chasing. Defense: Nose tackle dives kill this play instantly. If this is not allowed, take one of the defensive backs (because the linebackers have to take care of the blocker) and tackle the runner. However, this will only work if you can get the linebackers to take on the blocker that comes through the middle. If you have a fast and powerful ROLB, you can run around the line and catch the runner from behind. Another way to stop this play is to free up your boys from the top of the line with the ROLB, and those boys you free up will go tackle the ballcarrier. When the ball is snapped, free up the two boys struggling right next to the hole, first the top one, then the one next to the hole. At the snap, the RILB engages the LT and the RE engages the LG, and the NT engages the C. You are going to free up the RE and NT. Then they will maul the ballcarrier. This is how it looks: ROLB LTRB#1 |\---RT--TE(block) WR#2---------/ The tight end first takes some steps back, and then moves forward again to block, coming all the way around the right tackle, not through the gap. The right tackle moves diagonal downward to make the hole. Offense: There are two main routes you can take on this play: one through the gap in the line, and the other moving around the whole line altogether. Usually, you want to move through the line if that will put you closer to a decent opening, or all the way around if that will. If you move through the line, watch out for a slide tackle, and don't go all the way around if you don't have a fast enough back to make it before the secondary or your opponent can stop you. You can reverse the play, but I don't recommend it in most situations. Defense: If you think this one is coming, take the FS or RCB or ROLB and just move in to tackle the runner. Watch out for any unexpected blockers that may break out. The ROLB is guaranteed in many cases but no other LB necessarily. Also, you can use the RILB to free up your boys, then tackle the ballcarrier with your horde. The LILB can do this as well, hitting the LOLB's man, but it's much riskier. In addition, you can take the LOLB, engage his man (the RT), then after you throw him, the RB will be in your lap. Weakside Open: WR#1 (blocks) ---O QB | RB#2 (blocks straight out) | | LT | | LG O ----|---O C <- variable motion \ / | RG \ | RT (blocks) \ |TE-O (the tight end moves like FB Offtackle R) ----|-->RB#1 (blocks) WR#2---------/ The tight end first takes some steps back, and then moves forward again to block, coming all the way around the right tackle, not through the gap. The right tackle moves diagonal downward to make the hole. Offense: This is a play which you need to use with discretion. Make sure you stay behind the blockers and don't move around too much. It is more reversible than FB Offtackle R, but it's not that good of an idea unless your opponent is hurtling straight for the spot where you will end up if you use the play normally. Sometimes you will see a hole open up in the middle, which is an option depending on how the defense is set up. I tend to use the middle hole more frequently in goal line and short yardage, as the press up to the line will either confuse someone coming from down low, or can bait a top side defender into trying and pursuing you through that hole, and then you can bounce back outside. You can use the WR #2 to cut block the defenders by running him through the RG. If you have a pesky SS or LCB you are worried about, this play can really cut through those positions, provided you can hold out with your A button; the SS is particularly vulnerable if you let your WR #2 go down to the bottom of the formation, as he will then become a cut blocker in various situations as far as the SS is concerned. If you can then hold out against the SS, (and the SS doesn't just blow up your guy), then this play can really work for you, because the cut blocker will throw off the SS on you, and, since it is a MAN, you can spring a big play off this if the cut blocker stays with the SS. Defense: The key with this play, as it is with several sweep plays that go to the bottom, is to get out of the way of the blockers. You can either move through the blockers, if you have a strong player who can end things quickly, or you can bide your time and move around the whole group and tackle the ball carrier from behind. As far as tactics are concerned, if you use any DB but the LCB, or the ROLB, you can cut in close to the line blocking and out of the "vision" of the CPU blockers. Then you will have a clean shot at the ballcarrier. If you use the SS for this, you have to move up into the middle of the field, then move back down to make this play. Also, you can use the RILB or the LILB to free up your RE and LOLB on the bottom of the blocking, this works pretty well as well. You can also engage the RT (NOT the TE, who is on the bottom, he pulls back) with the LOLB, throw him, then the blockers will have passed you and, provided you did that quickly enough and you have a fast enough LB, you can liquidate the RB right there. Also, you can use a shortcut that uses the LOLB (and also the left end or the LILB, depending on how good they are) to move in between the line and the blockers when they first materialize and throw down the back before the play gets going. That, however, is more than a tad risky; the key to tell if you can't do this on that play is to watch the center; if he moves, then you can't perform this trick successfully, at least with the LILB, whereas if he stays in, you have a clean lane to the RB. If this play is shifted to the bottom though, you cannot perform this trick consistently with the LILB. However, the LILB (maybe others) can go around the initial wave of blockers and never be "seen" if the center stays in, even if the play is shifted to the bottom. The center stays in during run calls, often those out of Run 1 and Run 4 (I think); however, he will stay in during Run 3 as well sometimes. However, with pass play calls, he usually jumps out at you. If you have a fast ROLB compared to the RB, you can just go straight around the line and bring him down from behind. I personally like to use the RCB to defend this play. This play can be confused with Flea Flicker. Roll Out L: O----RB#2--------------->WR#1 ---O / QB | RB#2--- | | LT | | LG TE O --------O C / \ / | RG / --------WR#2 \ | RT / / RB#1 | O----- / | / ------------- Offense: You need to make sure your opponent does not know you're going to call this play. Predictability is disaster, because if your opponent knows what's going on, he can make you lose nine or ten yards no problem. This is the weakest one-man-shift play against a good defense. Look for both short and long receivers developing as your quarterback moves up and throw right after you gain control of your quarterback. This play is not call-safe at all (except for one or two notable instances in which the quarterback gained control of the pass before the defenders caught up with him, then threw it to RB #2 right away). You won't have much time with this, so think about to whom you're going to pass as the your QB moves into position. Passing Order: RB#2 TE WR#2 WR#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: This play has a simple and deadly defense. Take a free safety, the RCB, the ROLB, or the RILB and move around the offensive line, moving straight for the quarterback, like this: WR#1 ------O--------X (Die, QB, die!!!) / | RB#2 / | LT (get him)| LG RB#1-----|--QB C | RG | RT | TE | WR#2 Since the quarterback cannot pass or move outside of the track until disturbed or until he finishes his movement, simply slide tackle him or struggle him down when he looks to have moved back around ten yards. Voila. Free loss. You can tell if this is a Roll Out L because the tight end will come forward, leaving you plenty of time to kill the QB. Flea Flicker: O---RB#2------ ---O / | | O---- WR#1 | LT | LG QB ----|---O C \ / | RG \ | RT \ |--O (moves out and blocks) RB#1|\------TE ->WR#2 -----------------/ The tight end first takes some steps back, and then moves forward again to block, coming all the way around the right tackle, not through the gap. The right tackle moves diagonal downward to make the hole. This motion is similar to that of FB Offtackle R and Weakside Open. Defensive Shifts: Flea Flicker - Any Play in Slots 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 Offense: Pass quickly when you gain possession of the ball. This play is not call-safe (unless you get very lucky, and it does happen, in which case you pass to whomever, who usually ends up being WR #2, who is uncovered). If your opponent has a defensive shift, just pass as soon as you can, if possible, and hit A otherwise if you manage to get the ball. Make sure to be ready to cover a fumble if there's a defensive shift. Passing Order: WR#2 RB#2 WR#1 Defense: This play can easily be defended by simply covering the three receivers. Also, you can take a defender inside and tackle the man tossing the ball back or take out the QB and cause a fumble. You can tell that this is a Flea Flicker because the quarterback moves straight back into a passing position whereas the run plays don't have this feature. If you see a defensive shift, then this is the play, and you can just take someone inside for a fumble. Consider calling defenses that will reveal this play. This is a twin of Weakside Open. ----------------------------- Shotgun 3-Wing Formation: WR#1 LT LG QB C RG RB#1 RT TE RB#2 WR#2 General Comments: This formation is handy if you have a fast quarterback, but a little predictable. You can usually get at least a few yards using its two plays. Shotgun 3-Wing (Pass): ->WR#1 O-----------/ LT LG QB C TE RG / O RT / \ O------ \ O-----------RB#2 WR#2 \----------RB#1 / O---------------- Offense: This play is good, with five receivers. The concentration short-range could be better, but this is pretty nice. Move your quarterback down to stifle defenders on one man from moving to the one you pass to before the ball gets there. You have a possibility of a RB #1 catch if this play is called (A 4x). Call-Safe Receiver: RB#1 (A 4x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 TE RB#2 RB#1 Defense: Make sure that the two longer receivers are covered, and then put yourself in a position where you can move to any of the uncovered short-range receivers when the pass comes off. Shotgun Sweep L: -------(LG & RG & TE block)----->QB / / WR#1 (blocks straight out) / | LT | |-O O | C (block straight out) /|-O RB#1 | RT |-O RB#2 (these three block) WR#2 RB#1 stays put. The guards and the tight end make a column that moves up the line behind the blocking tackles and the center and WR #1 following the path of the QB and blocking him thereby. Offense: Simply run it the way it looks. You have a good number of blockers on the play and people get caught if they move into your line. Just run as usual and you'll come out well. This play can't easily be reversed, but you can move the other way if you are really in danger. Defense: If you see this shotgun formation, and you must stand your ground, don't think about taking the nose tackle. Take the ROLB, the RILB, or even a fast free safety, so that you can run around the sweep and slide tackle the QB as he runs. If you try to struggle with him, you probably won't succeed because blockers will knock you off him. You may have to mash the B button if you use the linebacker, because Tecmo does not respond well to that move. Alternatively, you can take the strong safety or lower linebackers and move through the sweep, then struggle the man down. If you have strong people, then often the slide tackle isn't necessary. Using the top guys ends up being a gamble. If you want more of a contain, particularly when you call a passing play, use the LCB and move up around the sweep. You should be able to keep the QB to five yards or less if he's not a rushing quarterback. Calling a running play against this often seals up the hole, but it gets the QB more guaranteed yards. ----------------------------- Slot Formation: WR#1 WR#2 O------- LT \ LG | QB C | RG | RT RB#2 | TE | RB#1 General Comments: This is not the best formation, since the run play is not terribly good, but the pass is a pretty decent move. Only use the run if you want to surprise your opponent, because the run can be killed quite easily if you do it regularly. The pass, however, can be abused. Slot L Z Drive: O------------>WR#1 O------ \ O------- LT \ \ LG \ QB|---O C WR#2 | RG | RT O | O----| ->RB#1 \ | TE / ----------RB#2---------- Offense: This is a pretty good play, with five decently and non-regularly spaced receivers. If it did not have this irregular formation, it would be great. Still, you can tag good receivers at any length. You should run to the top in order to make your opponent come up to you if he wants to stop your run. Call-safe receiver is RB #2 (A 3x). Call-Safe Receiver: RB#2 (A 3x) Passing Order: WR#2 TE RB#2 RB#1 WR#1 Bomb Threats: WR#1 Defense: This play is a tough sucker, largely because it has a good mix of ranges. Just cover whoever would cause the most damage if two or more men are uncovered. If you are trying to stop a short-range pass, move into the bottom. You can use the nose tackle dives and other usual tactics here as well. Slot Offtackle: WR#1 (blocks straight) WR#2 (blocks straight) ----------->RB#2 O-----/- LT / \ LG /<-----QB C / | RG | | RT O | TE (blocks straight) | O ----RB#1 (blocks straight) Offense: You don't really have a lot of blockers on this play. The only thing it really does is disable most of the defensive line. You should choose whatever path you think will get the most yards and incur the least defenders, which depends on what player your opponent is controlling (in the case of a man vs. man game). This play is somewhat reversible. Defense: Simply take the ROLB or RILB and pursue the running back by attacking from a diagonal position into the path of his run. You can also use the RCB to decent effect. WR#1 WR#2 (attack)<------X (Eat turf, sucker!) O------- LT \ LG | QB C | RG | RT RB#2 | TE | RB#1 You can struggle if you're fast enough at bringing him down, or just slide tackle and that will finish it quite nicely. ----------------------------- WTE Formation: WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB C RG RT TE WR#2 General Comments: This is the worst possible formation to have in your playbook because whether you choose the passing WTE Flea Flicker or the running WTE Offtackle R, both plays can be almost instantly stopped with a slide by a lower linebacker or the left end. Not only that, but both these plays aren't very good in their own right. WTE Offtackle R: WR#1----- \ RB#2 (blocks) LT LG O--QB---O C \ RG \-----O-----RB#1 RT/O (blocks) TE-/ / WR#2----- Offense: This play should be used with discretion and only if the defense slide is disallowed. You can usually get a few yards on it with a decent running back, but there's only two blockers that come out to help you, leaving you at the mercy of the secondary, and a human player will catch up with you. This play is mildly reversible, but is not call-safe at all. Defense: This play has an incredibly easy defense. Simply pick the left end or a lower linebacker and move into the running back, then struggle or slide tackle, like this: WR#1 RB#2 LT LG RB#1 QB C (slide)RG <--------X (Getting a free five yard loss!) RT TE WR#2 If this is forbidden, take one of the safeties or cornerbacks and move into the fray. WTE Flea Flicker: WR#1----------> RB#2 LT LG O<-----QB C \ \ RG \RB#1 O RT/O TE-/ WR#2----------> Offense: Only if you can find an open man out of only two receivers, both of whom go long, do you stand much of a chance. This is a surprise play and little else. Run early and run often. Passing Order: WR#1 WR#2 Bomb Threats: WR#1 WR#2 Defense: You can use the same tactics as for the run and slide in or you can simply take a linebacker or lineman and cover the two men who go long. Not much else about it, or to it. One odd thing that you can try if you're really bored is to see if you can disturb the QB during the flick to cause a fumble by using a linebacker or cornerback. That tactic isn't terribly useful, however. ----------------------------- Formation/Play Oneback Z Cross O -->WR#1 | / |--------- TE LT LG RB#1 QB---O C --WR#2 | RG / | LT / \-------|--O-----| | | | O | RB#1 -------------->RB#2 General Comments: A first grader could spot this particular play, but the receivers will give almost anyone trouble for a few plays. This play has an automatic defensive shift on defensive pass play calls that must be taken into account. Defensive Shifts: Oneback Z Cross - Any (Pass) Play in Slots 5, 7, and 8 Offense: Don't call this play very often, because its best feature, the erratic paths of the receivers, is weakened by frequent use. Other than that, you might want to move your quarterback lower to take advantage of the three receivers on the bottom. Don't forget that you can move the receivers somewhat by changing the time of your snap to coincide with particular movements. There are no truly call-safe men on this one: RB #1 (A 1x) and RB #2 (A 2x) are only partially call-safe. The pass trajectory determines whether they are or not. If your opponent's LCB shifts up to match your WR #2's movement, then your opponent has called a pass play and you must get rid of the ball quickly before everyone is covered. If he doesn't, he's either called your play or he's called a run. Call-Safe Receivers: RB#1 (A 1x) RB#2 (A 2x) Passing Order: WR#1 WR#2 RB#2 RB#1 Defense: Nose tackle dives and pursuing the QB are decent here, but you might want to take a man and cover the lower receiver nest. One thing to remember however is that WR #1 is the top receiver on this play and pinned quarterbacks may default to him. Your LCB will shift up if you called a pass play against this (except for this play itself). ----------------------------- Formation/Play No Back X Deep -----RB#1---------| --------| | | WR#1 | | | | | ----|-O----| O | | LT | | LG QB-|---|-O C | | RG -------->RB#2 | | RT | O---| | TE | | O | --|--------| O------------->WR#2 General Comments: This is another unique play that can be seen by any decent Tecmo player (since there is literally No Back), though it is harder to tell it from others with teams like Washington as opposed to the Redgun of Denver. It has good short and long pass opportunities. Defensive Shifts: No Back X Deep - Any Play in Slots 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 Offense: The short receiver on the top is a good one to go for. Watch out for the receiver in the middle, because he can be quickly covered by any wandering defender out there for the top or bottom long receivers. Since this play shifts, you can change the destinations of your receivers by hiking the ball at different times before they get set. Call-safe passes are to RB #1 (A 2x) and to RB #2 if you let him move all the way down to the bottom of the screen before hiking the ball (A 3x). The defensive shift here isn't very important. If you want to see it, you should give enough time for RB #2 to move around and draw the cornerback. Call-Safe Receivers: RB#1 (A 1x) RB#2 (A 3x) Passing Order: WR#2 WR#1 RB#1 RB#2 Bomb Threats: WR#2 Defense: Don't let this play confuse you with the shift or the funky receiver paths. Just move long in the middle, since that receiver doesn't get covered often, and, as always, make sure someone has that short man obstructed. A nose tackle dive or any defensive lineman or linebacker rush can also work for this play. You don't really need to care if your cornerback moves, because if you can't see this play without a defensive shift, there's little chance that you will be able to tell this play with the shift. However, if you want your opponent to see that you called one of the plays that shift, you need to switch around your cursor and change defensive players long enough to delay the snap so that the motion will draw off the cornerback. ----------------------------- Formation/Play Run And Shoot 3-Wing O------------->WR#1 LT LG O QB---O C ----TE--->RB#2 \ RG | | \RB#1 RT | | O--------- | O--------------| O------------->WR#2 General Comments: An easy play to spot, R and S 3- Wing gets its strength from the four longer-range receivers, one of whom turns up short for a ten-yard pass. It does have a nice call-safe receiver though. Offense: Pick your best long opportunity and go for it. If you want to go short, make sure you pass quickly before your competitor can spot your open man. Call-safe receiver is RB #2 in the middle (A 1x). Call-Safe Receiver RB#2 (A 1x) Passing Order: WR#1 RB#2 TE WR#2 Bomb Threats: WR#1 WR#2 Defense: Rushing the QB does well here, with either nose tackle dives or just general pressure tactics. This is because the play doesn't really develop until the receivers move several yards out. If you want to go out into the field, just go long as soon as the man in the middle is taken care of. ----------------------------- Formation/Play Redgun Z Slant |-O------RB#1----->TE /| O---------- / O------ \ / LT \ \ | LG \ \ QB | C WR#1 RB#2 | RG O RT O-------------->WR#2 General Comments: A good play, lots of receivers, but everyone knows this play when they see the formation since it is unique. This play is very popular in Madison tournaments. Defensive Shifts: Redgun Z Slant - Any Play in Slots 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 Offense: Timing the throw to the TE is critical because defenders will peel one way or the other, and you want to get the ball in the window before your opponent also sees which way the drones cover. Call-safe receiver is RB #1 at the top, short range (A 4x). If you can avoid the blitz, WR #1 will also come open. This is a deadly situation with QB Eagles or other fast QB, because you can also run the QB to the bottom and put marker on RB #1. Progression: - If top corner follows WR #1 pre-snap, you definitely have either RB #2 or TE. (depends on several factors which) In this case your likely play is to run to the top and have RB #1 come out of the backfield for the 8-10 yard gain. - If both corners go in, the TE and WR #1 are open, and you should play from the pocket. - If the bottom corner and the bottom safety go in, WR #2 is open and the play is to either go RB #1 or run the QB down bottom (watch out for all the LBs in the area). - If no DB goes into the middle, WR #1 is open and the play is either the 2-man game of RB #1 and WR #1 from the pocket, or QB running the football up top. - If the bottom corner goes in and top corner does not follow WR #1, WR #1 is open. - You can tell if RB #1 is open based on RILB motion, but your eyes should be downfield. - Don't use RILB to cover, as sometimes he pulls up to catch RB #1. However, he also tends to trail RB #1 and so a QB run through middle with option to RB #1 is effective on the goal line. - On the goal line you can run the QB through those big splits that open up. - If you need a play and you have a team like the Oilers with a fast RB #2, you have a window to throw it to RB #2 as he crosses the shoulder of the FS. However, this play only works with accurate QBs and decently fast RB #2. Either the FS or the SS can make the "turn of death" if they wind up matched against the TE and WR #2, respectively. That is, if you stay in the pocket, you can time a throw to either of them as the FS or SS curl back towards their target. Rolling to one side gives the S a chance to tip the pass. vs. MAN: If you see him use the RILB, RB #1 is open at any time. If you see him use the LCB or SS, and the RCB doesn't follow WR #1, you probably have one of your WRs open. Stay in the pocket and also look for the RB #1. If you see him use the RCB or FS, you know you have a throw to the top of the screen and you roll to the top of the screen. Another good opportunity to dump to RB #1. If you see him use a front seven player and the play is called, you have a better than normal chance of buying enough time for the WR #1 to stop, allowing you to complete a pass to him. Call-Safe Receiver: RB#1 (A 4x) WR #1 (A 0x, or one A tap after RB #1) (late in play). Recommend to mark RB #1 - if you can't buy time, throw it to him, otherwise freeze the MAN and throw to whichever one seems more open. Passing Order: WR#1 WR#2 TE RB#2 RB#1 Bomb Threats: TE WR#2 Defense: This is essentially another shotgun play. Make sure all the receivers going long are covered and catch them if they aren't, and otherwise, watch for the short pass and QB sneak. A good place to put yourself is in the middle of the field if you have to guard both short receivers. Don't use the RILB, he will sometimes cover RB #1. ----------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Passing There are several concepts you want to master here: The Short-Long Game When you have one receiver long and one short, you wait long enough in the pocket, moving yourself in position for an accurate deep throw (behind the receiver). You make the MAN commit to either short or long, then switch to the other side. The marker should generally be on the long receiver because that means your bail-out against the pass rush will be a bomb. (but that's situationally dependent). The same concepts apply when the QB is running and you just have the long receiver. The Top-Bottom Receiver Game When the two open receivers are both short, you position yourself in the middle and wait for the MAN to commit to one or the other, or to go in no-man's land. You hold marker on one and wait for the circling MAN to make a mistake. Note that you should try to put marker on the one with fewer taps to the other. The Short-QB Run Game When you only have one short receiver, you run the QB to the other side with marker on the receiver, forcing the MAN to commit to one or the other. The Quick-Hitter Game This is play-dependent, but on some plays you have targets (e.g. RB #2 on Pro T Flare C) that, if your opponent chooses certain players, that they can't possibly cover. This is a component of goal-line play when using certain plays, like Pro T Flare C, that don't work very well on the goal line. Leading Receivers Open/Flattening Out Routes On some plays (e.g. Pro T Flare C) you can change a receiver's route by throwing to them prior to a curl or other motion. JJing from Curls On any play with a cut-in (e.g. R&S Z Fly) or a curl action, you can throw a pass that will cause the receiver to jump if you throw it to them right after they cut. Just like dive tackling, the throwing targeting lags the receiver route slightly. Window Throws Available Because of CPU Defensive Technique On certain plays (e.g. Redgun Z Slant RB #2) you can complete passes to that receiver as they cross the shoulder of the defender (often the FS for Redgun Z Slant). The defender won't recover because they are standing still and you are throwing the ball at the point of maximum speed delta. Another situation that you see frequently is on R&S Y Up, where many players will throw to RB #1 out of the backfield, and it works because the covering defender is stopped while the receiver is in the flat area. Another common situation is when you have a FS or SS covering a deep route. What they will do is bail out in a curve to the sideline, allowing the receiver to momentarily get behind them. If you throw from the middle of the field while the defender is adjusting, the WR will be open. Window Throws Available Because of Mismatch On pretty much any route, when you see a receiver and a defender with a big difference in speed, then you may be able to throw it to the receiver, who gets behind the defender and remains uncovered. This is a primary skill to master if you want to be successful as the Dolphins. Throwing Proper Jump and Deep Balls With high PS and PC QBs, this can be throwing on an offset angle. With typical iffy Tecmo QBs, this is typically rearing back on the direct line to the receiver and throwing it (because they will be quite inaccurate enough as it is). Time your pass so that the person who needs to be catching the ball is still moving. This increases the chances of the ball overshooting the receiver, making it more possible for him to have an opportunity to jump. This also hinders the efforts of defenders, because a defender farther away from the receiver will jump and miss or not jump at all, and one on the "X" for the pass will not even get a chance to intercept or interrupt the pass if the receiver jumps and picks up the ball. It also prevents the receiver from becoming lost in a clump of defenders who zero in on a stationary man in no time at all. The second way to do this is to juke your QB backwards a bit so that the pass goes awry. This gives more movement and more freedom to the receiver. The third way is to attempt to loft only when a receiver has no definite target. If he does, oftentimes he will stop and either be too slow to catch the pass, or the pass will go straight to him, AND the defenders that move in on the target point. I must emphasize that using your best receivers in jump ball makes things much easier because they have higher probabilities of catching a difficult pass. Bo Jackson types need not apply. Some players also like to throw the ball off-line, that is they will stay in the middle of the field and throw to either side. I tend not to use this technique because it makes the throws significantly less accurate, but it does help with players who know how to get in passing lanes and deflect. The one situation where this clearly outperforms is when you may have the defender beat with WR speed. In that case, going on an angle allows the receiver to possibly catch it on the X. Shifting to Pocket Presence to Extend Time Particularly on certain called plays, like Redgun Z Slant, where you get late-developing open receivers that can put your opponent in a no-win situation. Same technique as dodging defenders normally, but you have to put your eyes back to the pocket from downfield. Once you beat the defenders, then you can set back up to deliver the pass. Throwing Through Passing Lanes You have to avoid the ILBs if you want be successful throwing the ball with mid-to-low tier QBs. You also want to avoid throwing with guys in your face, you get incompletions that should have been first downs. Hitting the correct receivers on called plays. You should almost never throw a garbage ball on a called play - only an over or undertap. Make sure you have your marker switches solid. Switch pass (A then B) is helpful on called plays or 2-man games. (But if you have an iffy controller then slow down marker technique.) Remember to switch to your high-frequency tap technique when you let go of the ball. If the MAN is circling and trying to cover the passing lane on the further target, you want to try and time against his circle so that he's on his near-swing, forcing him to slow down and opening up the passing lane for the longer-distance throw. Even Rod Woodson will go at about 1/4 of the edge-to-edge distance per second or less if you throw it behind him. The key is to avoid throwing the ball in the same direction that the MAN is going. This is when the speed of the elite DBs comes into play, or even the not-so-elite LBs. Don't Run the QB Too Much If you run the QB a lot, you are not going to get what you want out of the play most of the time. It's one thing to run on 4th and 1, but running on 3rd and 8 can often result in not picking up the first down. You must be disciplined and fake the QB run, while relying on it only if your QB is fast and/or you are in a key situation, your RBs can drop the ball, or you need to mentally relax. In order to force the MAN out of run calls/air patrol schemes, you must be able to exploit the wide-open receivers deep and not allow him to get picks or fumbles off you. This means not only going out of bounds when your receiver or QB runs with the ball, but also not taking sacks by fooling around too close to the LOS where the CBs and LBs are. As the quarterback, you can choose to use the dupe pass (A after B) to induce your opponent to take a bad angle to the ball and lose his speed, but I find it a waste of time. You should have burned your opponent with technique, and he should be watching the ball out of the QB's hands. With that said, it does work, even against good players. Remember, particularly with iffy QBs, to get rid of the ball before you get high defensive pressure. If you have only one guy, make him dive before you throw, or directly engage him. If you see that all the receivers are covered, and you don't have a viable deep throw under coverage, you can throw the ball to a player that is running a route towards the sideline. Most of the time, that ball will go straight out of bounds. Against a called play or a nose tackle dive, hold a direction at the snap. If you see the MAN blitzing at you, just run straight back and find your receiver. It is possible to pull up, grapple, then have the OL knock him off you, but the QB tends to be slow and is vulnerable to dive tackles. In theory you can use the "Dave Krieg play" by engaging the man that is covering your short target, but it's very risky because the LBs shed their blockers and tackle you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Pounding the Rock The keys when running are: - Don't get too far away from your blockers unless you intend to solo grapple the MAN. - Don't run in one straight line for too long close to the MAN, otherwise you become vulnerable to the dive tackle. If you see the MAN circling on a line, this is a clear indication he may be looking to dive at you. - Switch thumb technique to your high-speed move. - Remember to vertical cut as well as diagonal zig-zag. Vertical cutting is the best way to deal with high-speed CPU defenders, and also against MAN players that like to dive tackle. Mostly just practice. Some specific pointers follow: Runner Types Runner Tips The Triangle Dodge The Sine Dodge The Circle Move Free Form Advance Move To The Middle When Not The QB, Hit A Attack Drone Players ---------------------- Runner Types When you get control of your runner, you have to consider a) your runner's speed and b) your runner's hitting power. If your runner is slow, you should probably go for guaranteed yards and stay behind the blockers. Reversing the run play is not a good idea with a slow fullback like Ickey Woods, because the defense will advance upon you, breaking through the offensive line and causing you big problems with slide tackles, struggles, and assisted tackles (struggle+slide or struggle+defender who moves in on your struggle). Breaking out is very hard with slow people. As your speed increases (with different runners or with the same runners in better condition), you want to take more chances, move between more defenders, and go for the holes in the defense, even if they are far away, so that you can break out and get the big yardage. If your runner has little hitting power, you can't engage in struggles beyond one-man with the computer, and don't engage at all with a MAN if your thumb isn't good (although if your thumb is good, you will want sometimes to advance upon a human player if you can win consistently, because getting rid of the MAN is a big bonus in Tecmo). As your hitting power increases, you can take more chances on struggles, which means that you should go for a hole that's almost open, but blocked by, say, a defensive back that you would have to engage. With a decent hitting power, you can go for him and knock off people who attempt to interfere in your struggle, and once you've beaten him, you can continue on to a touchdown, instead of taking only two more guaranteed yards that would be your only recourse if you had low hitting power. If your runner has high hitting power, what you should do is actually go for the weak defenders head-on. If a defender is weak enough, and your hitting power is high enough, you can knock over the defender with little difficulty, which can open up new routes for you, since you don't have to worry about the defender in the middle of your path. Moreover, that defender won't get up for two or three seconds. This tactic is quite effective when you scout your opposing defenses' weaker players. If you have a powerful back like Christian Okoye, you can emphasize routes that go by weak corners or safeties, or know that you can move up into a limp linebacker squad to dodge a powerful secondary. So I will now recap: what do you do for certain types of runners? ---------- The Limp Noodle (slow and weak): With this character, you should simply focus on just getting yards. Stay behind/inside the blockers and don't reverse. A good way to describe this play style would be computer-esque. Don't be innovative because you have enough problems with rushing as it is. ---------- The Slow Fullback (slow but powerful): With a slow fullback, you should mainly follow the play, but you will also want to note whom you can bowl over when your blockers dissipate. Get into struggles if you must, but be wary of doing so in crowds. ---------- The Flash (fast but weak): Press the hole, but reverse the play or move laterally if you have space. ---------- The Running Jack (mildly fast and with a dose of hitting power): When you run with this person, you have a greater advantage over the Flash in a man-to-man situation, because your higher hitting power gives you more ability to cope with the likes of Singletary and Taylor. However, you still want to follow the play, though you can reverse and go for holes if those options are viable. ---------- The Demon (fast and powerful): This runner is the best of all worlds. You should be aggressive in seeking to break out because that is something which a Demon can do very easily. You should adopt the Flash's "hole-seeking" strategy, but you must also remember that with a high hitting power, a Demon can make holes through lesser defenders. If someone is between you and the clear beyond, and you know that you can knock them down, go for the hole and ram through that player. You can be especially effective if you watch the defenders as the play develops, because you can keep track of the strong people that you have to avoid and the weak people that you can move through. You can apply this rushing knowledge to receivers and tight ends after they get a pass as well. In addition to the knowledge above, generally, with a tight end, you just want to get your yards, since there usually aren't many holes with linebackers behind you, corners near your sides and ahead, and safeties on the horizon. As regards wide receivers, you want to dodge and outwit the usually-powerful secondary that is after you. When a running back acts as a receiver, he's either short, which means he needs more of a tight end strategy, or long, which entails a wide receiver approach. ---------------------- Runner Tips Also, when you get behind your blockers, try to move yourself into a position to set up opponents in their paths. For instance, if you've got a human Mike Singletary running after you and you run Pitch L Open, if Singletary comes up behind you, move down and force the defender to move into your blockers to get at you or force him to move around and slow down his tackle. The ideal would be to force the MAN to either bail out of pursuit or force him to make a sharp cut to avoid a blocker, causing him to lose his speed. When you do this, try to take a sharp angle to dodge a dive tackle. One move that you can try when you're desperate is to move inside the offensive line and try one of the holes there. Most of the time, you won't want to do this since you can bounce off the line and essentially stop your advance. However, if you need a reverse and if you see the defense plugging up your hole, go through the line, in between the linemen (obviously), and try to break out from there. Another move that you can use if you have a power back is to smash into struggling players to open up a hole. For example, if you are trying to cut back inside, you can smash your center in the back to try and knock off the tackle. The good thing about this tactic is that unlike on defense, where you will fall down if you don't have enough hitting power, you will just bounce off a little bit. You can then use this bounce to move into a hole on either side of your center, since you just smashed into him. However, the big drawback on this move is that if it fails, you will have lost a lot of time and gained no yardage. Make sure to scout the matchups on the line and the anticipated matchups of your other blockers and their targets before trying to do this methodically. Whenever a run play is called, there's always a best direction you can go in to minimize your losses. Find it and go for it. Sometimes, there will be a gap between one group of defenders and another. Move through this gap; it often allows you to escape if you have a fast back. Don't give up just because the play gets called. ---------------------- ---------------------------- The Triangle Dodge This is the classic way to avoid getting tackled. Whenever you get the ball and are in front of all your pursuers, simply move up and down like this: \ /\ /\ / \ / \ / \ / \/ \/ \/ When you do this, your computer controlled opponents will attempt to slide tackle you, but will miss. Also, when the defenders change direction, they will slow down in many cases. ---------------------------- The Sine Dodge The Sine Dodge is like the Triangle Dodge, but used whenever you have men in front and men behind. What you do is simply maneuver in the spaces in between players and then, when you get significantly past the player in front in the y-direction (up and down), you move past the player in front. It looks somewhat like this: | ___ \ / \ / \ X / X \ X / \___/ \___/ This is useful when you escape the initial defenders on a punt return and also when you are using a run play or short pass. ---------------------------- The Circle Move "The circle move is like...the extreme...corner move." Really, it's like...the extreme...MAN defender speed-draining move. When the MAN comes close to you and is almost about to catch up to you, pull the circle move by moving in a circle (so you avoid him), first in the direction that he was heading, then come back around into the direction that you were going previously before the MAN entered the picture, like so: ____ / \ -----------/->MAN O \ \ \ YOU In this way hopefully he will make a turn too sharp and lose his speed, or get a bad angle to take towards you. Keep in mind that this won't always work, especially if your opponent is wise to this and goes straight for you or moves in a big circle. Also if the defender is too fast you may not see any gains out of it because they won't lose enough speed to allow you to gain yardage. There is a variation of this that doesn't circle, but hard cuts against a MAN who is pulling even with you. If the MAN instinctively reacts, he will lose his speed by trying to stay with your cut. ---------------------------- Free Form Advance The best Tecmo dodging strategy combines the above three with a few twists: 1. Try to change directions whenever someone is about to slide tackle for best results. 2. If you have a computer or human opponent that is far ahead of all the others, and you know that player poses the most threat to you, simply run up to him and solo grapple. If you can throw him, it makes it much easier to move upfield, especially against a human who is much smarter than a drone. 3. Even moving backwards can help your advance, because everyone will follow you back. If you have a fast enough player, you can then move in a circle around the mob and get everyone behind you, which makes it easier to dodge people as they approach. ---------------------------- Move To The Middle Whenever you use a run play or catch a short pass, moving along either side is fine for getting guaranteed yards, but you can often get cornered before you can break out. One way to avoid this is to move into the middle or 1/4 off the boundary early in the run, so that you can dodge each defender in ones or twos instead of fours and fives. You can also use this tactic on defense if a good running back is destined to advance ten or more yards, because getting into the middle makes it harder, especially for a human player, to completely break away from you. ---------------------------- When Not The QB, Hit A When you are not controlling the quarterback, you are either a defender or a ballcarrier. A defender should hit A prior to any contact to avoid getting knocked over and to give oneself an advantage in struggles (and even giving oneself enough power to flatten an offensive player). An ballcarrier needs to hit the button for the important struggle advantage and to raise one's power enough to flatten defenders. In either case, hitting A in advance of contact is a good idea (except for your poor wrists). ---------------------------- Attack Drone Players The best way to attack drones is to hit them with a high Hitting Power player, either on offense or defense. If you have 50 more HP than the drone, they won't even be able to make you struggle, and you will beat them down. If you hit them from the sides or the back, you can get away with 44 HP difference or maybe even less. However, do note: conditions change before the game even begins and continue changing during the game, so do know that sometimes this won't work. Another miscellaneous point is that drone contact is irrespective of your movement. If you stand still and do nothing, you can still take people down or people will still bounce off you. As an example, I ran over Phil Simms with Karl Mecklenberg without hitting A at all, and I once stood in the middle of the Indianapolis defense with about 6 people just bouncing off Tom Rathman. HOWEVER, this does not apply for MAN contact. Also, on many plays, players are controlled by the computer until some specified point. For instance, on handoffs, neither a runner nor a quarterback has any player control until the handoff executes, and even then, sometimes the quarterback is uncontrollable. What you want to do is exploit these opportunities and tackle or hit drone players to stop a play or force the MAN to do something completely different. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Pass Defense Notes on pass defense, especially manually rushing the passer: Coverage Tips Rushing The Passer ---------------------- Coverage Tips Many times, you will be faced with situations where one or more deep receivers is open and you need to cover all of them. The way to do this is to "split" the two receivers (hopefully that's all you have open) by running back in the middle of the field. When the quarterback throws a pass, you can then easily move to whatever side of the field the pass is going to. One thing to remember about this is that even if one of two deep guys is uncovered, for example, you still want to remain in the middle to help the coverage out on the other side of the field. You can cheat a little, but don't sell yourself out just to cover one receiver. In many instances, that works against you because the receiver will jump for the ball while you stand like a doofus on the 'X' on the field - you can get there too quickly. So make full use of the time it takes the quarterback to get the deep ball to the receivers by running in the middle and thus covering everyone who is deep. Many times, you end up in a situation where you have multiple receivers to cover short, and you don't have any help. One way to contain this situation is to run around in circles between the players you want to cover. This allows you to maintain a high speed while still remaining able either to tackle the receiver who gets the ball or to cover them before the ball gets there. If you stand still, you won't get where you want to be as quickly as you would if you ran around. Locate your circle in either a) the closer of the two receivers if you are covering 2 or more short ones or b) the far side of the short receiver if you are covering one short and one longer. Know that a great opponent can try and time your circle move in a way that will cause you to autodive. Prefer the pass tip to getting on the X to mitigate this. Also try varying the size of your circles or change pattern shape. If you know you aren't going to be able to get to the receiver, then don't get too close to them. The game can make you "autodive" and you will totally miss them and the ballcarrier will get 20 additional yards while you pick yourself up off the ground. Sometimes, you end up covering receivers (and good passing games) with only LBs, for instance. In these cases, you can try to cover by using tipped balls. To tip a pass, get into the line of the pass, and trail the receiver by about 3 player lengths. If the pass is high, hump him. Thus, you can make plays without having to take chances on the receiver winning the battle for the ball. ---------------------- Rushing The Passer These tips do not address tactics that are suited to particular plays - only the nose tackle dive is really touched on. Linemen Linebackers Defensive Backs Safer Blitzing (DLs & LBs) ---------- Linemen The linemen are the hardest to get a clean, pure rush at the quarterback with. This is because they absorb the offensive linemen and get pursued by them in many cases. The first and by far the easiest way to attack the quarterback are the various dives, most nefariously the nose tackle dive, but also the left and right ends can do damage of their own if they can get inside without being engaged. These must be used with a little caution, however, as a good quarterback can simply dodge or escape them, not to mention the perils involved in using a lineman to dive when a Pitch L Open starts breaking. About 19 MS for the quarterback is when the nose tackle dive loses its effectiveness. However, if your nose tackle is bad, you can still end up not being able to sack a 13 MS QB. Look to the beginning of the play explanations section (currently Section 4) for more info on the NTD. The second way is to simply rush the QB with the lineman. It's easiest to use the nose tackle, but you can also use the others, especially if you stunt them by moving them around another struggle. With the nose tackle, you should move diagonally up or down toward the line and then move more or less straight in - a nose tackle dive, but without the actual slide. Most of the time, the center won't catch you, letting you advance. However, do take note that the center then pursues you, and there may be a running back or other blocker inside the pocket. With the ends, simply move towards the nose tackle and then move in, or move in an arc around the guard and then rush, with the same caveats as for the nose tackle. However, if you have a strong nose tackle, one thing you will be able to do is to have the weaker guard bounce off the struggle and be taken out of the play, since the guard wants to go through the struggling nose tackle and center to get to you. This stunt blitzing is good stuff and you want to use it if possible when you rush a lineman. The third method is to take one lineman and exchange him. To do this, one must take a lineman who is not the best on the line (you can, but that's counterproductive, as you shall see) and ram him into the struggle between the best lineman and his offensive counterpart, pressing A as you do so to raise your power. You then cause the struggle to break up and the lineman that you freed to run straight for the quarterback without any blockers to stop him. Sometimes you will accompany him, but you often get caught up with the offensive lineman that you ignored in order to free your teammate. ---------- Linebackers Linebackers have an easier job and can rush in two ways. The first is to simply move right through the line. With an outside linebacker, you need to make sure that the tackle for your position doesn't get in your way. To avoid him, use the gaps between the center and the guards to move inside. The inside linebackers can use those avenues as well, and would be best advised to use them in any case. You can also free up your boys with your LBs, but linebackers often don't have the hitting power and sometimes bounce off, especially when the person rushing doesn't hit A enough. This can be a very effective tactic, particularly if you have an Interceptions linebacker and can then drop back into coverage, but be warned, you can get burned if you have too many open receivers. Another way in which linebackers can rush is by moving around the pocket and hitting the QB from the side or from behind. This is mainly limited to faster outside linebackers and takes more time than with the gap rush, but can yield results if your opponent isn't watching the sides (which happens a good deal; I myself scan the pocket, then the middle (top and bottom), then guess as to whether someone has gotten out of coverage offscreen, but don't often look directly at the quarterback). It works better with certain formations that don't have as many people dropping around a particular side, like the formation for Offset Flare E. ---------- Defensive Backs These guys don't have much of a role in attacking the passer, though they sometimes can help. The main places they fall into are the tactics for certain plays, but they can also follow a certain play that looks like a run, but turns out to be a pass. In such cases, it's simply a matter of following the QB. You want to be as direct as possible because some receivers aren't being covered when corners and safeties go inside to hurt the QB. Sometimes you also have situations where your opponent loves to roll out to the side of a certain receiver, or rolls out to one side to avoid the pass rush on the opposite side. In these situations, an occasional unexpected CB blitz on that side will cause problems, especially for QBs who crumble under pressure and extra movement. However, you must have pass coverage behind it, and you have to have an opponent who won't just stand in the pocket, seeing that your guy is open, because you won't have enough time to hit him. The problem is that the receiver is usually going deep on your side, and those routes are difficult for the CPU-controlled FS to pick up, though the SS is sometimes surprisingly smart. Therefore, it is only a measure to be used against certain opponents in certain situations, not a general move that can be applied against every player; I for one never see when guys are trying CB blitzes because I release the ball well before the impact would ever come. ---------- Safer Blitzing (DLs & LBs) Oftentimes your scouting report will tell you whether the opposing QB is susceptible to the blitz in terms of a) his ability to evade the blitz and b) his ability to throw the ball while the blitz is coming, to a receiver who can make a big play out of it. Typically, the receivers are good enough to where you can give up humongous plays if the QB delivers the goods, so the key focus is on jarring the QB and forcing an errant pass to an open man, or in forcing a situation where the QB doesn't have enough time to get the ball to the open man. Few QBs in this game are both slow enough and poor enough (Jeff George) to where you can just go straight after him with bloodlust, provided you called a pass play. Therefore, you must detect the amount and depth of the pass coverage BEFORE you totally commit yourself to a blitz; otherwise, you can end up with a deep receiver like WR #1 on many plays, on whom the cursor initially rests, and who will burn you for the TD if the QB can deliver the ball. To do this, you must know the opposing plays possible; then, when the receivers show the play, you must read _your_ defense, especially the corners, to find out whether or not your guys have adequate coverage to hold the QB until you can get your hands on him. If you can see that your defense will get the primary receiver (usually WR #1) and then the primary checkdowns from that receiver, you continue your blitz. Mind you, you've already started your motion; ILBs blitz off-center, DEs stunt around the NT, and OLBs begin evading the tackle. In the first second of the blitz you determine if you can proceed; if not, your ILB reverses direction, your DE peels off, and your OLB cuts back outside into coverage. Even LT can be beat if he has nothing but air behind him, so be responsive to what your defense is doing for you to keep the ball out of the hands of the receivers. ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Run Defense There are three main ways of handling runs: Confrontation Gang Tackling Tactics (not covered here) ---------------------- Confrontation Confrontation is the best way to handle a CPU with low hitting power or a MAN with low hitting power and a bad thumb. Simply take your best guy with good to great hitting power and just touch the runner while hitting A, and, if necessary, have a brief struggle. You can also have a kind of confrontation with a slide tackle against strong backs, through I would not recommend using that against a human unless you are sure that you can make the tackle. The best people to do this with are linebackers, though you can also do it with linemen (having circuitous routes) and the secondary (risking breakouts). Three ways that you can tag the runner are to move around the play and hit him head on, or to cut through the blockers and hit him on the sides, or, in the case of certain sweep plays and others where the player you use to stop runs is at the tail end, is to go behind the play and hit the runner from behind, which has the added advantage of reducing the hitting power needed for an instant tackle. One key to remember if you get into the backfield or you are all alone is that if your opponent uses the circle move or something similar, they may be able to make you lose your speed and thus get past you. Another classic trick is to move through their own blockers and thus tie you up. In order to avoid this, run in circles if they are trying to lead you into a trap, so that you can keep the RB contained and let your boys help you, and also don't pursue too quickly to the RB without help, sometimes you can overpursue and end up behind him, thus losing your speed. Only if you must make the stop should you take risks like that in the backfield. If you are playing against a tapper, sometimes you can bait the tapper into going lateral as he tries to seek you out. Don't make it too obvious though. ---------------------- Gang Tackling If this is not feasible because the runner has a high hitting power or he has a lot of friends around him to smash you to kingdom come, then you can use a gang tackle. The traditional way of gang tackling is that, you let the play draw out, then, once the blockers are engaged and can't hit you, go for the runner and keep struggling until you either tackle him or your drones help you make the tackle by hitting the running back. One thing to remember is that once your opponent is tied up, you can slide tackle into the struggle and bring down the runner. This won't help you much in short yardage necessarily. The key here is to contain the big play that you know you will get toasted on if you try and confront the runner. One easy way to get some guys to help you take down the MAN is to free up some boys. Also, if you have to use this strategy, calling runs gives you a lot more support. ---------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Playbooks/Playcalling (needs update) This part has information about having certain formation combinations in your playbook as well as amalgamated playbooks, good and bad. Note for defense that, if your opponent is calling a lot of runs or passes, you should adjust your play calling accordingly. Index: Slot Recommendations Good Playbooks And How To Shut Them Down Vs. MAN Playcalling CPU Playcalling ----------------- Slot Recommendations These are some general feelings I have about the plays in each slot and which ones you should choose for each. More specific recommendations are in the Good Playbooks section. When I say a play has good compatibility, I mean that several other plays also run from that formation and that this is a good fit for those plays. I have ranked them in categories and within categories: the higher up it is, the more I like it. ------- Slot 1: Great Choices: 15: Toss Sweep R - Strong-I Formation: This is a great run to just knock people away with. Smash-mouth football should not be played without this run. Other Choices: 12: Run And Shoot Sweep L - Run And Shoot Formation: This is a great run, not as good as R&S Sweep R, but very compatible and a little effective. 17: T Power Sweep R - T Formation: This is a nice, solid run, but it does nothing particularly great, especially since it's not hard to stop. 14: FB Open L - Shifting Onesetback Formation: This run has good compatibility, but it lacks blockers. 13: FB Offtackle R - One Man Shift Formation: This one has pretty good blocking, but it lacks compatibility. It's also (almost) mirrored by a play in Slot 2, so you want to think twice about this one. 11: Onesetback L - Onesetback Formation: This one is a decent play, but it can be shut down with certain tactics and has a (almost) mirror in Slot 2. Bad Choices: 16: T Fake Sweep R - T Formation: You can get wiped out in several ways with this play. Only good as a surprise play. 10: WTE Offtackle R - WTE Formation: This is the worst play you could possibly put in this slot. Don't do it. ------- Slot 2: Other Choices: 25: T Sweep Strong - T Formation: This is just another solid run play. 24: T Offtackle R - T Formation: You get a good push with this that can beat up linemen and linebackers, but you are pretty defenseless against the secondary. 23: Weakside Open - One Man Shift Formation: This play has only a few blockers, but it has fair compatibility. Not that that's of any use as all the One Man Shift pass plays suck. 22: Oneback Sweep R - Shifting Onesetback Formation: The compatibility on this is iffy and it has an (almost) mirror in Slot 1, but it has really good blocking in the front seven. However, it can be weak if your opponent doesn't sell himself out trying to take you down behind the line. 27: FB Offtackle L - Onesetback Formation: This play is (almost) mirrored in Slot 1 and can be shut down, but it does give you a decent shove. 26: T Power Dive - T Formation: This dive has someone clearing the way for you, but it has a race defect, so it isn't terribly optimal. If NTD is banned it becomes a lot more viable. Bad Choices: 21: Pitch L Fake - Onesetback Formation: This is pretty weak. It takes a long time and it doesn't come out strong. 20: Run And Shoot Draw - Run And Shoot Formation: This play just reeks. You can see it coming so easily and stop it almost as readily. Choose any play but this for this slot. ------- Slot 3: Great Choices: 37: Run And Shoot Sweep R - Run And Shoot Formation: Great compatibility and decent blocking on a direct route with no holes make this the best one for this slot. Other Choices: 33: Pitch L Open - Onesetback Formation: This run will bash the bones out of the secondary on top. 32: Cross Offtackle - T Formation: This one can stuff an ROLB very well and gives you a good shove off the snap. 30: T Cross Run L - T Formation: This play is not that good, but it is mostly useful and compatible. 36: Shotgun Draw - Shotgun Formation: This is a quick shot off that can get you yards, but if your opponent is awake, you may not be able to get very far. This is one to go for if you have Shotguns though - but watch that race defect. 31: Slot Offtackle - Slot Formation: This play is not very good because it has little compatibility and because you get thrown out in between the defensive backs and the linebackers with no one to block for you. It can work with fast runners, though. Bad Choices: 35: WR Reverse L - Shifting Onesetback Formation: This is only a little better than the worst play for this slot. Your opponent will nail you unless blockers can somehow miraculously intercede between the two of you. 34: WR Reverse R - Onesetback Formation: This is the worst play because it operates out of an even worse sequence (Top Handoff) than WR Reverse L. It's just as bad in effectiveness as well. ------- Slot 4: Great Choices: 43: FB Power Dive - Strong-I Formation: This is a RB #2 blocking dive that works decently on the reversal to the top. 47: Shotgun Sweep L - Shotgun 3-Wing Formation: This is brutally effective with several blockers and play reversal ability. Its only flaw is its low compatibility. 40: Run And Shoot QB Sneak - Run And Shoot Formation: This will get you only a few yards usually, but it does well against players who like to take defensive backs. Good Choices: 42: Pro T Dive - T Formation: You go in alone on this one, but it can be reversed to either side. 41: Onesetback Dive - Shifting Onesetback Formation: This one can't be reversed as well as Pro T Dive, and its compatibility is not as good. Other Choices: 46: Run And Shoot QB Run - Run And Shoot Formation: This play will only work if your QB has feet and your opponent is in the blocking path of this. Otherwise, you're probably dead, unless your opponent is weak enough that he can't flatten your QB with one touch. Bad Choices: 45: Reverse Pitch R - T Formation: A wide receiver reverse is bad news, and this is no better. Too slow and too weak. 44: Shotgun C Draw - Shotgun Formation: This is obvious from the get-go. If your opponent is watching your running back, you're gone. If you're showing him the race defect, you're really gone. ------- Slot 5: Great Choices: 57: Run And Shoot Flare C - Run And Shoot Formation: Nice receiver spread and great compatibility. Other Choices: 54: Pro T Screen L - T Formation: This is a pretty decent play, but you will get nailed almost automatically if it's called. 53: T Play Action D - T Formation: This play gives you decent receivers, but loses time in the handoff. 55: Play Action - Strong-I Formation: There aren't too many receivers here. Get this only if you've got other Strong-I plays. Bad Choices: 51: Roll Out R - Shifting Onesetback Formation: The receiver spread is pretty decent, but you are in a formation where your opponent will be looking at the QB, and you have a lot of lag time before you can pass on this one. 52: Roll Out L - One Man Shift Formation: You can snooker people with this, but you will get totaled if your opponent is wise to it and/or uses a top-side defender. 56: Pro T Waggle L - T Formation: You have three receivers at three different ranges, but you will get waxed if your opponent is looking at your QB. 50: Pro T Waggle R - T Formation: All of your receivers are within ten yards, and your QB is a sitting duck for a defensive back as he rolls out ever so slowly. ------- Slot 6: Great Choices: 61: Run And Shoot Z Fly - Run And Shoot Formation: Someone is almost always going to be open. What more can you ask for? 60: Shotgun X Curl - Shotgun Formation: You get one running back beside you, two short options, and two medium options, with no NTD possibility. This is a great insurance play. But note it is a Shotgun, so it has a race defect. 62: Pro T Flare D - T Formation: Three call-safe receivers, short, medium, and long options, plus five wideouts, with your running backs on either side ready to take off. It doesn't get much better than this. Other Choices: 63: Offset Flare E - Strong-I Formation: This play is a little compatible and you get a nice range of receivers. 65: Oneback Flare A - Onesetback Formation: You don't have many receivers, but they come at good ranges. 66: Power Fake Z Post - Onesetback Formation: You don't get a lot of options, but you get decent compatibility. 64: Formation/Play Oneback Z Cross: This play has no compatibility, but otherwise it offers lots of receivers on good paths. Bad Choices: 67: WTE Flea Flicker - WTE Formation: This play gives you two easily-covered long receivers and huge weaknesses otherwise. Don't make yourself suffer with this one. ------- Slot 7: Great Choices: 70: Shotgun X Drive - Shotgun Formation: This is not the best play, but you get a good range of receivers with a running back at your side. Take care about the race defects. Other Choices: 72: Playaction Z In - Shifting Onesetback Formation: Good receiver spread and good compatibility. 74: Pro T Flare C - T Formation: You get a slanting tight end, but everyone is rather distant. 77: Power Fake X Fly - Onesetback Formation: Four receivers, but all go medium to long. 75: Shotgun 3-Wing - Shotgun 3-Wing Formation: This gives you five wideouts, but three of them are clustered close. 71: Formation/Play Run And Shoot 3-Wing: Everyone goes medium to long on this and you have no compatibility. Bad Choices: 76: T Flea Flicker - T Formation: This one can get you a fumble if it's called. Don't be so hard on yourself. 73: Flea Flicker - One Man Shift Formation: This one is a flea flick on top of an obvious formation. Really, don't waste your time. The only good thing about this play is that RB #2 has a tendency to get open on it. It also has a defensive shift that shows your opponent what play it is. ------- Slot 8: Great Choices: 84: Shotgun Z S-In - Shotgun Formation: RB #1 curls on the top, WR #2 curls in the middle, RB #2 curls off the screen, and WR #1 and the TE go long. This is a great spread to have. Just watch the race defects. 87: Run And Shoot Y Up - Run And Shoot Formation: You get a close running back and a man in the middle in addition to three long men. 80: X Out And Fly - Onesetback Formation: Two go long and three cluster in the middle in a very compatible package. 85: Formation/Play Redgun Z Slant: You get RB #1 on your left and a moving target in the middle, plus three long bombs. However, there is no compatibility to speak of. Other Choices: 82: Slot L Z Drive - Slot Formation: Little compatibility, but great receiver spread, including one on the bottom that comes out and WR #2 in the middle. 83: Formation/Play No Back X Deep: No compatibility, but a fair spread across the field. Bad Choices: 86: Shotgun XY Bomb - Shotgun Formation: Your shortest man is off the screen and most everyone is long gone and covered after two seconds. I wouldn't even call this as a desperation play because there will be all kinds of coverage. You can use this to clear out for QB run, and it works pretty well for that. The race defects don't matter so much for this, but it is a weak play nonetheless. 81: Reverse-Fake Z Post - Onesetback Formation: Two wideouts (one of them is your running back who wades through the entire defense) on top of a ball-switching frenzy that takes five seconds makes this clearly inferior to any other play in this slot. ----------------- Playbooks On this rev I've tried to cover more common playbooks and give some more indication of when you are likely to see each/when they are useful. Note that for many playbooks, due to the fact that I typically play no-holds-barred, you don't see the Pro T Flare C and Redgun Z Slant mentioned as much. I do try to give some detail on those, but it could certainly stand improvement. Also note that I haven't had the experience with the coverage schemes in some of the playbooks I give below, most of them I am not sure of. It's something you can figure out though, and if by experience you do manage to work out what does what then by all means contact me with your results, and I'll credit you in here for them. The Defensive Play vs. Offensive Play is by slot, where say, for Draft Standard Playbook Z Fly, R&S Z Fly is 6, and the play that heads them is the defensive call. However for similar playbooks, I reversed the two so that I wouldn't be wasting space and time. Herein are some playbooks. I rank them according to a one to ten system, where ten is the highest value that a playbook could have and one is the least. Example Formation - Balance Of Formation - Ranking Play in Run Slot 1 Play in Run Slot 2 Play in Run Slot 3 Play in Run Slot 4 Play in Pass Slot 1 Play in Pass Slot 2 Play in Pass Slot 3 Play in Pass Slot 4 -------------- Good Playbooks And How To Shut Them Down Draft Standard Playbook Z Fly | 3-2-2-1 | 8/10 Best with 2 RBs This playbook is designed so that the runs are going to be very difficult to stop with just one player. The passes are not complete yet as I haven't analyzed the coverages but this at least seems to be the best what I can muster up as far as runs are concerned. People will typically use a playbook like this when they feel confident in their red-zone passing, as the passes tend to be pretty tough to complete down in the red area. Also note that this playbook does better in no-lurch formats; otherwise the Strong I plays are fairly useless. Toss Sweep R Weakside Open R&S Sweep R FB Power Dive Play Action R&S Z Fly Shotgun X Drive Shotgun Z S-In Defense: Call Toss Sweep R, then NTD away FB Power Dive and Play Action. Alternatively you can LOLB dive and react to the Toss Sweep, or bring the ROLB down. Call R&S Sweep R, then use the ROLB tactic for the FB Power Dive in order to give you a chance there, and play Toss Sweep R as you go. However I wouldn't call it unless you are really certain that you are going to be in good shape because you aren't going to get any coverage vs. the pass with R&S Sweep R. Beat down Weakside Open with simple tactics, try and get good anticipation of run vs. pass, you'll need it. Either shotgun will stand you in good stead when it comes to the pass but will get you blown up on the run. Play Action is at least a better all-around defensive call. Defensive Play vs. Offensive Play: Toss Sweep R vs: Toss Sweep R - Called play. Weakside Open - Pretty good defense. R&S Sweep R - Shut-down defense. FB Power Dive - Room to run, blocker often is free. Play Action - SS sets up 10-yard zone, FS drops low and deep, everyone open. R&S Z Fly - Now and then SS sets up 10-yard zone. Shotgun X Drive - Unpredictable coverage, at least two guys open. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable, often RCB on RB #2 and SS in medium zone. Weakside Open vs: Toss Sweep R - Defense gives no room to run. Weakside Open - Called play. R&S Sweep R - Defense gives a lane alone the sideline. FB Power Dive - Random DBs descend on the hole, decent defense here. Play Action - Corners pick up WRs, sometimes a guy tries to cover the RB #1. R&S Z Fly - SS sets up a 10-yard zone. Shotgun X Drive - Unpredictable, but at least 2 receivers will be open. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable, but at least 2 receivers will be open. R&S Sweep R vs: Toss Sweep R - Defense gives a little room at the bottom. Weakside Open - Defense gives a little room at the bottom. R&S Sweep R - Called play, RB can escape out wide now and then. FB Power Dive - DBs mostly converge on hole. Play Action - Sometimes the corners pick up the WRs. R&S Z Fly - LCB picks up WR #2. Shotgun X Drive - No coverage. Shotgun Z S-In - SS drops deep. FB Power Dive vs: Toss Sweep R - Bad defense. Weakside Open - Shutdown defense. R&S Sweep R - Pretty good defense. FB Power Dive - Called play. Play Action - SS sets up 10-yard zone, FS drops low and deep, everyone open. R&S Z Fly - RCB picks up WR #1 usually, LCB picks up WR #2. Shotgun X Drive - FS sometimes sets up 10-yard zone. Shotgun Z S-In - SS sometimes sets up 12-yard zone to the bottom. Play Action vs: Toss Sweep R - Terrible defense. Weakside Open - Decent but thin layer of defense - easy to break out. R&S Sweep R - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. FB Power Dive - Defenders come in the area and contain. Play Action - Called play. R&S Z Fly - Unpredictable, but at least 1 receiver will be open. Shotgun X Drive - Unpredictable, but at least 1 receiver will be open. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable, but at least 1 receiver will be open. R&S Z Fly vs: Toss Sweep R - Terrible defense. Weakside Open - Terrible defense. R&S Sweep R - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. FB Power Dive - Defenders come in the area and contain. Play Action - Wildly unpredictable coverage. R&S Z Fly - Called play. Shotgun X Drive - Great defense, often only 1 receiver open, sometimes none. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable, but usually 1 receiver will be open. Shotgun X Drive vs: Toss Sweep R - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. Weakside Open - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. R&S Sweep R - Terrible defense. FB Power Dive - Stationary contain, can run right through it. Play Action - Unpredictable, but at least 1 receiver will be open. R&S Z Fly - Great defense, often 1 receiver open. Shotgun X Drive - Called play. Shotgun Z S-In - Great defense, often 1 receiver open. Shotgun Z S-In vs: Toss Sweep R - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. Weakside Open - Defense gives a lane along the sideline. R&S Sweep R - Terrible defense. FB Power Dive - Stationary contain, can run right through it. Play Action - A guy often tries to cover RB #1, WR #1 covered, WR #2 often covered. R&S Z Fly - Unpredictable, but at least 1 receiver will be open. Shotgun X Drive - Great defense, often 1 receiver open. Shotgun Z S-In - Called play. Draft Standard Playbook Flare E | 3-2-2-1 | 8/10 Best with 2 RBs This playbook is designed so that the runs are going to be very difficult to stop with just one player. The passes are not complete yet as I haven't analyzed the coverages but this at least seems to be the best what I can muster up as far as runs are concerned. This one changes Play Action for Offset Flare E so that the NTD won't be so brutal, provided your QB has good feet. Toss Sweep R Weakside Open R&S Sweep R FB Power Dive R&S Flare C Offset Flare E Shotgun X Drive Shotgun Z S-In Defense: Call Toss Sweep R, then NTD away FB Power Dive and possibly Offset Flare E. Can also LOLB dive or LILB absorb, or use ROLB. You can use the RCB to some extent on this one because the top receiver doesn't go deep. Call R&S Sweep R, then use the ROLB tactic for the FB Power Dive in order to give you a chance there, and play Toss Sweep R as you go. However I wouldn't call it unless you are really certain that you are going to be in good shape because you aren't going to get any coverage vs. the pass with R&S Sweep R. Beat down Weakside Open with simple tactics, try and get good anticipation of run vs. pass, you'll need it. Either shotgun will stand you in good stead when it comes to the pass but will get you blown up on the run. R&S Flare C is at least a better all-around defensive call. Offensive Play vs. Defensive Play: Here it is reversed since there are only a few changes. I just put down the stuff that isn't in the other playbook of this type. R&S Flare C vs: Toss Sweep R - FS sometimes sets up a 10-yard zone. Weakside Open - FS sometimes sets up a 10-yard zone. R&S Sweep R - Unpredictable coverage, at least 3 receivers open. FB Power Dive - Unpredictable coverage, at least 3 receivers open. R&S Flare C - Called play. Offset Flare E - Unpredictable coverage, at least 1 receiver is open. Shotgun X Drive - Unpredictable coverage, at least 1 receiver is open. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable coverage, at least 1 receiver is open. Offset Flare E vs: Toss Sweep R - SS drops into 17-yard zone, everyone is open. Weakside Open - SS drops into 17-yard zone, everyone is open. R&S Sweep R - SS drops into 17-yard zone, unpredictable coverage, 2 men open. FB Power Dive - SS drops into 17-yard zone, unpredictable coverage, 2 men open. R&S Flare C - Unpredictable coverage, RB #2 usually open. Offset Flare E - Called play. Shotgun X Drive - Unpredictable coverage, RB #2 usually open. Shotgun Z S-In - Unpredictable coverage, RB #2 usually open. Power + Cover Playbook | 4-4 | 7/10 Maxes RB #2 This playbook puts in the powerful Toss Sweep R and FB Power Dive to enhance the strength of the run, specially with less able players. This covers the new additions by complementing them with pass plays. It also adds the superb Pitch L Open to further make FB Offtackle L viable and to enhance the running game generally. It also introduces a race defect in Pitch L Open, so watch your backs and make sure they are of the same color. This is a typical playbook against a strong RCB like Wayne Haddix or Deion Sanders, when the opposing team doesn't have many good alternatives. Note also you have substantial weaknesses against NTD in this set; better for no-lurch rules. Toss Sweep R FB Offtackle L Pitch L Open FB Power Dive Play Action Offset Flare E Power Fake X Fly X Out And Fly Defense: Call Toss Sweep R, then nose tackle dive everything in the Strong-I form. Call X Out And Fly, and skewer the runs with the left end. Not much to this one. Get caught by the Onesetback form, and go to the left end to stop the run if he can also cover the pass, otherwise use the SS or LCB. Get caught by the Strong-I form, and defend against Toss Sweep R. If you have to use the RCB, try running him down whenever the opponent runs at you, then after the blockers have found targets, come back up to make the tackle. No-Lurch Run & Shoot | 6-2 | 7/10 Maxes RB #1 This is a common playbook used by non-lurchers. It still has a number of opportunities for counterplay, but is a good way to take advantage of players like Bobby Humphrey. This playbook is especially good to use if your RB has 56+ MS, as the LOLB dive becomes less effective at higher MS. R&S Sweep L T Power Dive R&S Sweep R R&S QB Sneak (or QB Run if fast QB) R&S Flare C R&S Z Fly Pro T Flare C R&S Y Up Defense: When you see the T formation, you know the only run is going to be T Power Dive. Refer to the section on that specific play for defenses. Unless you are going to get wrecked on tapping or are in short yardage with no options I recommend never calling it; players get away from the dive too easily, even if they are successful with it. Mainly this is because of the fumble factor, but also because players get discouraged by having to run, and using a fairly complicated run with high volatility. Otherwise the only run worth calling is R&S Sweep R, which has the usual caveat about no pass defense. Against the R&S QB Sneak call a pass, against the QB Run defend it the way you would typically do R&S Sweep L. When you see this playbook and a < 56 MS RB, expect a lot of passing. No-Lurch Conventional Power | 3-2-2-1 | 7/10 Best with 2 RBs This is a fairly common configuration in no-lurch as well. If you are skilled in the power dive and have reasonably fast backs going against weak defenses, this will outperform the R&S heavy playbooks. The Redgun Z Slant sometimes gets abused, although more typically with high PS QBs. Toss Sweep R T Power Dive R&S Sweep R FB Power Dive R&S Flare C Offset Flare E Pro T Flare C Redgun Z Slant Defense: The key to stopping this playbook is to stay in Offset Flare E calls instead of Toss Sweep R, since you cannot NTD away the power dives. This requires game-specific strategy, but here are some suggestions: - Good ROLB against both runs - Quick adjust LOLB to handle both runs - Great RCB hard down - Blow up blockers On the T set, follow previous suggestions. The Redgun will also be challenging against a skilled human opponent because you will probably wind up doing some R&S Sweep R calls. I suggest just bailing out if you are not in a pass call; the WR #1 in the low flat is too far away from the RB #1 that comes out to really deal with both without help over the top. Another, far risker, option is to try and bait a throw to the deep receivers and get either the tip or the incomplete. I only really recommend this against moderate PS QBs and a player with good Interceptions. -------------- Older Playbooks And How To Shut Them Down Shotgun 2 & 2 Playbook | 4-4 | 5/10 This playbook takes the 2 & 2 and puts in some non-race defective shotguns in order to stop any persistent nose tackle diving. Run And Shoot Sweep Left T Sweep Strong Run And Shoot Sweep Right Pro T Dive Run And Shoot Flare C Pro T Flare D Shotgun X Drive Shotgun Z S-In Defense: Call R&S Sweep R, when you get them into an obvious passing situation, call anything but Pro T Flare D (it is too call-safe). 2 & 2 Playbook | 4-4 | 5/10 I really don't believe I missed this one for so long. This playbook has three 5-receiver plays in it and two-way runs for two formations (you have to reverse and go up for Pro T Dive). The biggest asset of these plays is the balance of options. R&S goes Left and Right, T Sweep Strong goes south, and Pro T Dive goes through the middle and can be reversed to go in any direction. One nice thing about putting in Pro T Dive instead of R&S QBSneak is that it puts a person with actual Hitting Power (and no, Dan Marino, you do not have Hitting Power in this game, sorry) on the run through the middle, and it makes problems for the top linebacker, who can run around T Sweep Strong and also rush the QB, but will get into a struggle if he runs straight in or downward, causing him to stall on the other T formation plays. The R&S passes are good for short and long opportunities, Pro T Flare D needs no explanation, and Pro T Flare C has the moving tight end that causes big problems. You also have good flash opportunities on Y Up and D, as well as good field saturation on the other two. This, my friends, is (nearly) boss. Run And Shoot Sweep Left T Sweep Strong Run And Shoot Sweep Right Pro T Dive Run And Shoot Flare C Pro T Flare D Pro T Flare C Run And Shoot Y Up Defense: Call R&S Sweep R, bye bye run (provided you use the LOLB or somesuch). Then you can use whatever pressure tactics you want in obvious passing downs. 2 Shotgun Playbook | 4-2-2 | /10 If the nose tackle dive is allowed, this gives you five plays immune to its effects instead of three as 2 & 2 does, and sacrifices some unpredictability thereby, but not too much, since there are still passes for every run. This does have a race defect, though, so you need to take that into consideration as well. Run And Shoot Sweep Left T Sweep Strong Run And Shoot Sweep Right Pro T Dive Run And Shoot Flare C Shotgun X Curl Pro T Flare C Shotgun Z S-In Defense: Call R&S Sweep R and you should have no problems with the run if you are going to play it with the LILB or a DB, for instance. Against Shotgun X Curl, call R&S Flare C to get good coverage. Redgun T: This one has 7 T Formation plays and Redgun Z Slant for two-minute offense. It's decently strong, but it is susceptible to tactics, especially if the opponent has good linebackers or a good RCB. T Power Sweep R T Offtackle R Cross Offtackle T Power Dive Pro T Screen L Pro T Flare D Pro T Flare C Redgun Z Slant Defense: Call T Offtackle R and then use the RILB to throw this running game down, or call a pass and use your best DB to stop the runs before they can get any yards. Don't call Pro T Flare D, it is not easy to stop even if you do call it. Power: This playbook's strength is the number of blockers and receivers that come out, but its weakness is its three-formation split and predictability, not to mention a race defect. Toss Sweep R FB Offtackle L Pitch L Open FB Power Dive Play Action Shotgun X Curl Power Fake X Fly X Out And Fly Defense: Use the LE against the Onesetback plays, call Play Action if Shotgun X Curl is being abused, but otherwise, call either Strong-I running play. T Run Playbook | 6-2 | 5/10 This offers the balance and power of Run And Shoot without the lousy Draw (there are more appropriate vulgarities for that horrid play, but I'll simply leave it at this) and the predictable 3-Wing. Run And Shoot Sweep Left T Sweep Strong Run And Shoot Sweep Right Run And Shoot QBSneak OR QB Run Run And Shoot Flare C Run And Shoot Z Fly Pro T Flare C Run And Shoot Y Up Defense: Call R&S Sweep Right, use the ILBs against the T, pressure the passer as you desire, there should be no real problems here. Power Shoot Playbook | 5-3 | 5/10 One of the great things about Onesetback plays is that they break through the defense very well in many cases. This playbook substitutes Run And Shoot Y Up with X Out And Fly to offer the ability to have HATS Plays without having to worry about an impudent defender slide tackling the running back or the quarterback all of the time. Run And Shoot Left FB Offtackle L Run And Shoot Right Run And Shoot QBSneak OR QB Run Run And Shoot Flare C Run And Shoot Z Fly Power Fake X Fly X Out And Fly Defense: Against the pass, call X Out And Fly, then NTD. R&S Z Fly will do well if you can't NTD the QB because he's too fast, so long as you remember the curl-pass defense. If you are thinking run, call R&S Sweep R, that will screw them up good, and defense the Onesetback form as you normally would, while defending the other two plays with, say, the LILB (though many other positions will work as well). Overall this is just not strong at all. Shift And Shotgun Playbook | 6-2 | 6/10 The Shifting Onesetback is also a very respectable formation, not least for the ability to shift receivers. This playbook provides Shotguns to fill in the gaps in the playbook where no original formation play exists. It does introduce a Shotgun race defect though. FB Open L Oneback Sweep Right WR Reverse L Onesetback Dive Roll Out R Shotgun X Curl Playaction Z In Shotgun Z S-In No defenses for this one, haven't seen it much at all, got pretty good at shutting the Washington offense down and this is basically a slightly upgraded Washington system. Total Power Playbook | 4-2-2 | 4/10 (this is one to use on the computer) This is a tested playbook that I have used on the computer for quite some time. Since the computer has no real intelligence, it doesn't really care a whole lot what plays you call and it doesn't have a good idea of how to kill some plays. Thus, this playbook sacrifices predictability for the advantage of increased yardage gains due to the power of the individual plays chosen. Toss Sweep R FB Offtackle L Pitch L Open FB Power Dive Run And Shoot Flare C Run And Shoot Z Fly Power Fake X Fly X Out And Fly -------------- ----------------- Other Tricks/Pointers in Vs. MAN Playcalling A little trick you can use is to open up the menu by pressing A when you are going to call a pass. Your opponent may then think you were trying to call a run and thus will call a run. Of course, like anything else on the play menu, your opponent may be wise to this and crush you. Likewise, if you DID accidentally open the play menu, you can try and go to "Change" to make it appear as if you didn't screw up so badly. Defensively of course you can't go into Change. :) Defensively, if you are getting beaten a little by a particular play that isn't a threat to break out, let the MAN use it a little bit. Then, start calling it on a key play and then return to normal playcalling. Always remember defensively that if you have already called a given play out of a formation, don't bother about trying to defend it, because you should have it shut down (most of the time anyway). There are a couple exceptions, mainly involving fast QBs, but you can react to those on the fly. ----------------- CPU Playcalling The computer, being plain silly, always chooses to return the ball if it wins the coin toss. The computer's patterns are set before the end of the first half, at least. It may also switch in the fourth quarter. Once you find these patterns, it becomes much easier to exploit the computer, on both offense and defense. The defense especially benefits from knowledge of patterns. The easiest way to do that is to keep track of what plays the computer calls, even in your head, because that aggregate probability is what usually determines what the computer is going to do. Sometimes, you'll light upon a computer doing the same things it did in a previous drive, and you can exploit that, playing just as you did on that drive to beat the computer down. CPU Playcalling On Fourth Down: If the computer is behind the fifty-yard line and it isn't fourth quarter, the computer will almost always punt. It will also punt in front of the fifty-yard line if the kicker is not all that good - how bad determines where the computer will kick a field goal. During the fourth quarter, if the computer is losing, it will keep the ball, but if not, it will punt it as normal. If it is past the fifty yard line and it isn't fourth quarter, the computer will kick a field goal. During the fourth quarter, if the computer is losing by seven points or more, it will almost always try for the touchdown/first down and call a play. If it is losing by few enough points such that a field goal will win it for the computer, the computer will kick a field goal. Its behavior in the intermediate range I have not yet determined, since I either blow the computer out or am worried about losing so much I don't give it much heed (if I am less than 7 points ahead). I believe, however, that it will go for the touchdown or first down if the point difference is more than 3. I don't think it is entirely predictable, certainly not to the degree that the others are. ----------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Tweaking The Tecmo "Just a few more adjustments, and your Tecmo will be better than ever." Herein are some nice tips and tricks, some obvious and known, others obscure, that generally help your game. Index: Call-Safe Your Playbook Call Plays That Cover For Others Watch For Blocking Intending To QB Run From The Beginning Watch The Shift Use Different Players On Defense Freeing Up Your BOYZ Run Along The Sidelines To Suppress Fumbles Cover A Fumble Behind The Line Cover A Fumble With A Slide Tackle Two-Tap Field Goals And Punts Check Your Returner's Condition Set Your Backups To The Return (Season Mode) Change Your Lineup Vary Your Hike Time With Shifting Plays Coach Mode for Training *FORBIDDEN* Look At Your Opponent's Controller Hide Your Controller Look At A Play You're Not Picking Look At Your Opponent's Face/Eyes (with XRayMind) Skip The Coin Toss If You Lose ---------------------------- Call-Safe Your Playbook One thing that will improve your game drastically is a play that you can use even when your opponent calls it. How about having several of those? What you want to do is stack your playbook with pass plays that have call-safe receivers and run plays that running backs like Bo Jackson can get out of, such as Run and Shoot Sweep Right. Not only is it demoralizing for your opponent, it also can gain you five or more yards. As the defender, this is an opportunity to bait the QB if you have a good Interceptions player. ---------------------------- Call Plays That Cover For Others On some plays, especially passes, people move in ways that either hurt or help your defense. One thing that they do is that they move up to the line (like cornerbacks). Another is that they spread out over the field. What you should do is watch how your defenders move on certain plays and take that into account as you call your plays. If your corners always move up on one pass play when you really need them, or your safeties are contracting, call another pass play to get better coverage, or if one run play call is really getting you pounded, call another that allows you to contain better. Pass #1 (Slot 5) is a common play used in this role; sometimes guys will just sit on this play if you aren't hurting them that much in the passing game. ---------------------------- Watch For Blocking On some plays that begin alike, one way that you can tell whether the play action ends in a run or a pass is to look at whether wide receivers and others are making contact with defenders. If they are, then it's a run, and if they are passing through, then it's a pass. ---------------------------- Intending to QB Run from the Beginning One particularly effective tactic when you are on offense is to be able to both run and pass with one play. Pro T Flare D can do this a little bit, with the two running backs on either side of the pocket, but it's not really that sound given that the back has to catch the ball (they don't always do this), be uncovered, and that everyone on the opposing team goes after him. In certain short and medium-yardage situations, it makes more sense to just run the QB without ever intending to throw. Partially this is because your QB-target combination has poor ability to complete passes. Sometimes it just helps your QB to have some advantage against a MAN defender who is primarily concerned with covering open receivers; you can start your QB rush before the MAN gets into his short-yardage loops and traps. Remember that the QB only has 44 Ball Control, so you don't want to do this with the intention of getting tackled unless you need to cross the marker. ---------------------------- Watch The Shift When a player gets tackled on the top or the bottom of the field, the ball will be shifted to that particular side. What this does is it makes it harder for a player to run to the particular side the ball is shifted to, and easier for the other side. On a pass, it concentrates receivers on one side or the other. What you want to do is take this into account when you call your plays (mainly for runs though - the pass shift is usually insignificant). If you think there's going to be a run play called, and your opponent (Player 1) is shifted to the top, and he has both Run And Shoot Right and Left, you want to call Run And Shoot Right to cover your weaker side, letting the blockers that are already going to be close for the run take care of a run to the top. Because of the bias, those blockers will be concentrated more heavily at the top than at the bottom, and will make it harder for the runner to the top to try to make it out. It usually won't completely eliminate yardage gains, but it does reduce their magnitude. ---------------------------- Use Different Players On Defense Sometimes on defense your opponent will try and key in on a particular player that you are using with success. To combat this remember that if you have two or more viable players, you should try and attack the opponent's play which is attacking the player the MAN hates. Of course, if you are fully dominating with that player or if you wouldn't do any better using a different player, don't switch up. ---------------------------- Freeing Up Your BOYZ If you are playing as a strong linebacker and a run play is happening behind the line of scrimmage (as with wide receiver reverses, for instance), what you can do to increase the efficacy of your run defense is to hit the struggling linemen. That way, your defensive linemen will be freed up to start roaming and your opponent's offensive linemen will be lying on the ground, not only taking them out of the blocking picture, but also opening up holes for you and your fellow defenders to run after ballcarriers behind the line. However, if the run is going straight out from the line, don't waste your time getting extra run blockers that will never arrive in time to catch the runner. On a power dive, you can also use safeties to achieve the similar effect. You can also use this tactic to get a pass rush. And also remember conditions change during a game, so you might go back to a matchup that you abandoned earlier in the game. It seems that this is more effective with higher HP/MS players, and against a matchup where your player has a clear advantage. With a strong player, it seems to be about an 85% chance that you will roll the CPU blocker. With a weaker player, it seems more like 50%. ---------------------------- Run Along The Sidelines To Suppress Fumbles If you don't want to lose yards and possession of the ball to fumbles, moving along the sidelines ensures that nearly half of the fumbles that occur will go out of bounds. In addition, if you really want to ward off fumbles, simply run out of bounds to avoid the tackle. ---------------------------- Cover A Fumble Behind The Line Because a MAN-controlled player cannot pick up a fumble in most cases, what usually ends up happening in situations where a fumble occurs behind the offensive line or close to it is that the computer for the offense will get a man down there, pick it up, and start running for yardage, sometimes getting first downs, or, occasionally, touchdowns. Therefore, when a fumble happens, you should either, if you think your players might be able to recover the ball, struggle off your opponent's men and keep them away from the ball, or, if you don't think you can recover the ball, move away from it somewhat and tackle the person who picks up the ball to end the play. Also, make sure to slide tackle through the opposing players. ---------------------------- Cover A Fumble With A Slide Tackle One nice thing about Tecmo is that when you hit the slide tackle button, the ball is the target. So, when the ball gets loose and opposing players are all around it, slide tackle through them to knock them down and keep them from gaining possession and/or tackle one who may come up with the ball. ---------------------------- Two-Tap Field Goals And Punts Don't take chances with your playcalling. When you choose either a punt or a field goal, only tap twice - that is, tap twice downward to punt, and tap twice upward to kick. There are several advantages to this, the principal one being that you can't go over or under your choice and choose a field goal or a punt that you don't want and that can kill your game. Moreover, if you under-tap, then you will either use a timeout or you will go into the change menu - two quite harmless actions compared with kicking a punt from your opponent's thirty-yard line or kicking a field goal from your own. ---------------------------- Check Your Returner's Condition Ball Control is crucial to successful kick and punt returning. If you don't have a lot, then you will put the ball on the grass, which means excellent field position should your opponent recover a fumbled kickoff and a free touchdown on a fumbled punt. To avoid this, if you have a returner who only has 50 Ball Control, even in a Preseason game, check his condition during the game to make sure he doesn't drop below 50 by changing condition. If he does, put in someone else. You simply cannot afford fumbles on the return. Conditions change after every quarter. ---------------------------- Set Your Backups To The Return (Season Mode) Returners have a tendency to get injured because because they take at least three or four tackles a game, and sometimes, if you set one person to both kick and punt returning, that can increase to eight or ten a game. So, don't set your starters, especially your good starters, to returns in Season games because they can get injured quite easily. ---------------------------- Change Your Lineup One good way to screw with your opponent, if it is allowed, is to change your offensive lineup once or twice every drive. One thing this does is it makes it harder to exploit race defects. Another thing it does is to add one more layer of paranoia and guessing to the play. If you shift a receiver into the fullback slot and you have Pitch L Open in your playbook, your opponent may think, "Gee, I wonder what play he's going for.", and call Pitch L Open. In the meantime, you've called X Out And Fly, leaving two open receivers, one of whom is your substitution. Or maybe it's the other way around! Maybe he thinks it will be X Out And Fly, then you call Pitch L Open to drive him into the turf. It's one more dimension of Tecmo. ---------------------------- Vary Your Hike Time With Shifting Plays If you switch around your snap time with plays that have motion, you can deceive your opponent and just generally annoy him/her. For example, with a Shifting Onesetback formation, you can let the motion end for, say, FB Open L, and hike quickly for Playaction Z In. Then, you hike quickly for your next FB Open L and your opponent can lose a second on the play from the general disorientation, especially if you've been using that shift pattern for a quarter or more. You can also just randomly hike the ball to keep your opponent focused on when the snap will come (since the motion distracts from readiness). Another trick you can use is to snap the ball so that a wide receiver or other player will come out of the formation and get in the way of an opposing human player. ---------------------- Pick Up The Interceptor's Fumble By Tackling Him In Bounds Unlike most situations, you CAN pick up a fumble if a defender who intercepts the ball then fumbles it on the tackle. Therefore, be persistent about tackling the defender in bounds and not allowing him to save the ball for the offense. ---------------------------- Coach Mode for Training Useful in particular for practicing how to score and move the ball even when your opponent has picked your play. ---------------------------- *FORBIDDEN* These are some tactics that most people don't allow, but which do belong in your arsenal if you have a no-holds-barred game. Look At Your Opponent's Controller - If you know what play your opponent has called by doing this, it makes your game easier for obvious reasons. Hide Your Controller - If you have a game where you can look at your opponent's controller, you need to do this in some way. Look At A Play You're Not Picking - If you can look at your opponent's face and eyes, you will want to deceive him like this. Also, you can look at the play you're going to call, get it called, then look at another play that you haven't called, and fake out your opponent. Look At Your Opponent's Face/Eyes (with XRayMind) - This can do the same thing as looking at your opponent's controller. Watch out though - your opponent may try to deceive you and look at one he/she is not calling. Skip The Coin Toss If You Lose - This gives you a chance to reset the flip on the initial kickoff. Pretty much angling in my opinion, you shouldn't be worried about the chance to put your opponent behind 7 points to start the game. ---------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 11. The Pro Bowl "Tecmo Super Bowl should only be attempted by trained professionals." This is in three sections now: Pro Bowl Game And Roster Data Gaffney's Pro Bowl Even Teams Training Exercises (Best & Worst Teams) ---------- Pro Bowl Game And Roster Data In this mode, injured players are playable (in Bad condition). Also, there seems to be some sort of operation which Tecmo performs on the players: many times it will take players' stats down a notch for all the players, or sometimes some of the players. This seems to turn off if you then enter Team Data and look at the affected players. Also, some of the worse players will move up in terms of stats when in the Pro Bowl rosters. It's quite strange. Conditions also shift in this mode as in Preseason. There's one bug that's unique to this section, which I will get more into in a second: the fourth player on the third AFC Central Team (Ernest Givins/Oilers in Tecmo 1991) is in the Pro Bowl roster as the fourth WR (unless you've changed that position). However, if you switch him out, you cannot put him back as a WR, but only as a RB! Be careful. When you use the AFC/NFC All Stars rosters, you can choose from only the categories that are listed for each position. However, this doesn't work like you would think it would. It goes down the list of offensive players in a similar fashion to the OF Starters menu. This is how it works: QBs - Put in any QB in either of the slots. RBs - The players that you can use here are the four that are listed after the QBs (3-6). Most of the time these are running backs, but they can also be wide receivers (like Ernest Givins). WRs - You can use the players from the 7th-10th slots here. These are usually WRs, but there are also some running backs here that you can put in. TEs - You use the players from the 11th through 12th slots here (the ones right before the center in the list). There are tight ends, and also some WRs. C - Self-explanatory. G - You can put either left or right tackles in either of the slots. T - You can put either left or right tackles in either of the slots. DE - You can put any defensive lineman (left end, right end, or nose tackle) in these slots. NT - You can put any defensive lineman in this slot. LB - You can put any linebacker in these slots, irrespective of their original position. CB - You can put any cornerback wherever you like here. S - You can put any safety in any combination in these slots. K - Self-explanatory. P - Self-explanatory. The Ernest Givins bug occurs because the game does not select players based on their position, but rather their place in the rosters. I suspect this was done to make the roster more ergonomic, but it kind of backfired with three or four WR offenses. So, you ask, how were they able to get Ernest in the roster? They could get Ernest in there because Tecmo stores the information in the rosters with pointers. Instead of duplicating even all the name data, the game simply "points" to where the information is stored on the normal rosters. What I suspect they did was to enter in Ernest manually with the default information into the fourth WR slot without using the normal mechanism, the menu that we use, which filters out the 3rd-6th slots for that position. That also means that you can put other players that don't belong in that slot if you put other data in there. ---------- Gaffney's Pro Bowl Even Teams These teams were hammered out by Jeff Gaffney to give each side an equal team. As he says on his webpage: "There are only three dissimilarities in the teams... The first is that Maury Buford has slightly less Avoid Punt Block than Brian Hansen. Of course, punts cannot be blocked in this version of Tecmo (go ahead and try, you either get tackled or get the punt away, there is no blocking), so this difference is essentially non-existent in gameplay. The other two differences kind of balance each other out. Tim McKyer and Don Griffen have identical stats, except McKyer has 44 Hitting Power, while Griffen has only 38. Brian Washington is identical to Mark Murphy, except he has 38 hitting power and Murphy has 44. Thus, they essentially cancel each other out - sure one could argue that the hitting power is better served in the safety position, but over the course of a game, the difference is really negligible. Anyway, as far as I could tell, this is as close as you can get. If you find any better plan, please let me know, especially if I overlook a pairing. For the most even results, plug the players into the positions defensively in the order listed for both teams. To add more of a managerial aspect, you can allow players to use only the given players, but switch around where on defense they play to best defend their opponents offensive style. I'm sure you can tell the QB's and LB's suck, but the DB's, WR's and RB's aren't half bad. It makes for some pretty interesting gameplay, I must say." Here goes nothing: AFC QB #1: Steve Beuerlein (Rai.) QB #2: Gary Kubiak (Den.) RB #1: James Brooks (Cin.) RB #2: Blair Thomas (Jets) RB #3: Chris Warren (Sea.) RB #4: S.Jennings (Cin.) WR #1: Haywood Jeffires (Hou.) WR #2: Stephone Paige (K.C.) WR #3: Mark Jackson (Den.) WR #4: Irving Fryar (N.E.) TE #1: Ozzie Newsome (Cle.) TE #2: Paul Green (Den.) C: Paul Fairchild (N.E.) G #1 (top): Gregg Rakoczy (Cle.) G #2 (bottom): Randy Dixon (Ind.) T #1 (top): Will Woolford (Buf.) T #2 (bottom): Jeff Criswell (Jets) DE #1: Doug Smith (Hou.) NT: Ron Stallworth (Jets) DE #2: Lee Williams (S.D.) LB #1: Kevin Walker (Cin.) LB #2: Ed Reynolds (N.E.) LB #3: Chris Singleton (N.E.) LB #4: Terry Wooden (Sea.) CB #1: Raymond Clayborn (Cle.) CB #2: Tim McKyer (Mia.) S #1: Brian Washington (Jets) S #2: Jarvis Williams (Mia.) K: Pete Stoyanovich (Mia.) P: Brian Hansen (N.E.) NFC QB #1: Stan Humphries (Was.) QB #2: Anthony Dilweg (G.B.) RB #1: Emmitt Smith (Dal.) RB #2: Harry Sydney (S.F.) RB #3: Robert Drummond (Phi.) RB #4: John Harvey (T.B.) WR #1: Gary Clark (Was.) WR #2: Sterling Sharpe (G.B.) WR #3: Robert Clark (Det.) WR #4: Hassan Jones (Min.) TE #1: Ed West (G.B.) TE #2: Damone Johnson (Rams) C: Mark Stepnoski (Dal.) G #1 (top): Ron Hallstrom (G.B.) G #2 (bottom): Todd Kalis (Min.) T #1 (top): Tim Irwin (Min.) T #2 (bottom): Ron Heller (Phi.) DE #1: Darryl Grant (Was.) NT: Erik Howard (Gia.) DE #2: Freddie Joe Nunn (Phx.) LB #1: Mike Wilcher (Rams) LB #2: Darrion Conner (Atl.) LB #3: Eric Hill (Phx.) LB #4: Fred Strickland (Rams) CB #1: Mark Lee (G.B.) CB #2: Don Griffin (S.F) S #1: Mark Murphy (G.B.) S #2: William White (Det.) K: Steve Christie (T.B.) P: Maury Buford (Chi.) ---------- Training Exercises I have to date found only one other use for the Pro Bowl that develops your skills: use the Pro Bowl Change Players option to choose any player from the respective conferences (AFC and NFC) to stack the deck against yourself with horrid players, like the backup receivers of Chicago and Hugh Millen for the NFC, or Steve Grogan and the whole defense of Indianapolis for the AFC. Here are some of my vile creations for this purpose, with a bad playbook to give yourself headaches. Give your opponent whatever playbook you have the most problems with. Note that for the playbooks, there are several alternate players with the same stats, who are just as bad and can be substituted, and some other things which I have noted. Tips on making this harder for all teams: switch in the pathetic WRs for the faster running backs or even put them in at tight end if you can spare it. For your opponent, put in the demons (Okoye and Anderson) as the primary running backs and returners, because those guys will give you no end of trouble; Bo Jackson can't even compare. AFC's Worst Lots of people from Cleveland, Indianapolis, and New England on this one, although Buffalo makes a good showing, mainly because they had the first people with the worst stats on the list. The Broncos and Jets also show they've got the talent to be "Super Bowl Champions". QB #1: Steve Grogan (N.E.) QB #2: Jeff George (Ind.) RB #1: Kenneth Davis (Buf.) RB #2: Don Smith (Buf.) RB #3: Anthony Johnson (Ind.) RB #4: Sammy Winder (Den.) WR #1: Al Edwards (Buf.) WR #2: Fred Banks (Mia.) WR #3: Terance Mathis (Jets) WR #4: Jojo Townsell (Jets) TE #1: Mike Dyal (Rai.) TE #2: John Talley (Cle.) C: Paul Fairchild (N.E.) G #1 (top): Damian Johnson (N.E.) G #2 (bottom): Brian Baldinger (Ind.) T #1 (top): Paul Farren (Cle.) T #2 (bottom): Danny Villa (N.E.) DE #1 (RE): Tim Goad (N.E.) NT: Jeff Lageman (Jets) DE #2 (LE): Harvey Armstrong (Ind.) LB #1 (ROLB): John Grimsley (Hou.) LB #2 (RILB): Fredd Young (Ind.) LB #3 (LILB): Richard Harvey (N.E.) LB #4 (LOLB): Chris Singleton (N.E.) CB #1 (RCB): Carl Carter (Cin.) CB #2 (LCB): Wymon Henderson (Den.) S #1 (FS): Thane Gash (Cle.) S #2 (SS): Kevin Porter (K.C.) K: Jerry Kauric (Cle.) P: Bryan Wagner (Cle.) KR: try Kenneth Davis PR: try Kenneth Davis AFC's Best This team has a very strong DL and QBs with great Pass Speed, as well as a better running game and receivers with massive ball control, with a great secondary. The only thing this team lacks in comparison to the NFC's best is a rushing quarterback and a better linebacking squad. Houston was the biggest because of their WRs with 81 Ball Control and 75 Receptions (no one in the AFC has 81 Receptions), but the Bills, Raiders, and Chiefs make their mark with stars on the run and on defense. Make sure to start Drew Hill and Ernest Givins. Kendal Smith and Dwight "hands of" Stone are there to return. QB #1: Warren Moon (Hou.) QB #2: Dan Marino (Mia.) RB #1: Bo Jackson (Rai.) RB #2: Christian Okoye (K.C.) RB #3: Thurman Thomas (Buf.) RB #4: Bobby Humphrey (Den.) WR #1: Dwight Stone (Pit.) WR #2: Drew Hill (Hou.) WR #3: Kendal Smith (Cin.) WR #4: Ernest Givins (Hou.) TE #1: Rodney Holman (Cin.) TE #2: Marv Cook (N.E.) C: Kent Hull (Buf.) G #1 (top): Bruce Matthews (Hou.) G #2 (bottom): Steve Wisniewski (Rai.) T #1 (top): Anthony Munoz (Cin.) T #2 (bottom): Richmond Webb (Mia.) DE #1 (RE): Bruce Smith (Buf.) NT: Greg Townsend (Rai.) DE #2 (LE): Howie Long (Rai.) LB #1 (ROLB): Derrick Thomas (K.C.) LB #2 (RILB): C. Bennett (Buf.) LB #3 (LILB): Greg Lloyd (Pit.) LB #4 (LOLB): Dennis Byrd (Jets) CB #1 (RCB): Rod Woodson (Pit.) CB #2 (LCB): Richard Johnson (Hou.) S #1 (FS): Eddie Anderson (Rai.) S #2 (SS): David Fulcher (Cin.) K: Nick Lowery (K.C.) P: Mike Horan (Den.) KR: Dwight Stone (Pit.) PR: Kendal Smith (Cin.) NFC's Worst These guys have a pathetic line and blocking capability due to the fact that WRs are put in for running backs and tight ends, with the commensurate results. If you can get the ball to the QB, though, you have extra Receptions of the WR running backs and tight ends. This team has an even worse defense than the AFC's Worst, due in large part to a total lack of hitting power. Four teams, Minnesota, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Detroit make up most of the list, with Detroit making its splash because of low Hitting Power WRs in RB and TE slots, and the rest because their players gimp around for a living. Shame of the day goes to Barry Helton, who disgraces the 49ers by appearing on this list of grannies. QB #1: Jeff Hostetler (Gia.) QB #2: Hugh Millen (Atl.) RB #1: Aubrey Matthews (Det.) RB #2: Michael Haynes (Atl.) RB #3: Jessie Clark (Min.) RB #4: Alfred Anderson (Min.) WR #1: Glen Kozlowski (Chi.) WR #2: Leo Lewis (Min.) WR #3: Danny Peebles (T.B) WR #4: Lonzell Hill (N.O.) TE #1: Mike Farr (Det.) TE #2: Terry Greer (Det.) C: Randy Grimes (T.B.) G #1 (top): Carl Bax (T.B.) G #2 (bottom): Ron Solt (Phi.) T #1 (top): Rob Taylor (T.B.) T #2 (bottom): Mike Kenn (Atl.) DE #1 (RE): Brian Smith (Rams) NT: Keith Ferguson (Det.) DE #2 (LE): Jim Skow (T.B.) LB #1 (ROLB): George Jamison (Det.) LB #2 (RILB): Eugene Marve (T.B.) LB #3 (LILB): Ray Berry (Min.) LB #4 (LOLB): Dennis Gibson (Det.) CB #1 (RCB): Mark Lee (G.B) CB #2 (LCB): Leroy Irvin (Det.) S #1 (FS): Scott Case (Atl.) S #2 (SS): Andre Waters (Phi.) K: Mike Lansford (Rams) P: Barry Helton (S.F.) KR: try Lonzell Hill PR: try Lonzell Hill NFC's Best This team has all-around capability, from linebacker interceptions to Boomers to Montana-Rice. The running game isn't as strong as the AFC's Best, but this team has QB Eagles, which is more than enough to justify this team's superiority. If you think the line needs more hitting power (such as if you don't take the NT inside) then you can switch out Bob Nelson with a guy like Pierce Holt. If you don't like Gary Reasons because he lacks hitting power, put Charles Haley in his place. Make sure that when you use the OF Starters screen and verify which backs run what that you don't get confused between the Andersons. Ottis should be the primary running back, with Neal doing everything else. You might want to temporarily switch in Sanders until you get things figured out and then put in Neal. QB #1: QB Eagles [AKA God, sharing duties with Rod "God" Woodson] (Phi.) QB #2: Joe Montana (S.F.) RB #1: Neal Anderson (Chi.) RB #2: Ottis Anderson (Gia.) RB #3: Barry Sanders (Det.) RB #4: Mel Gray (Det.) WR #1: Jerry Rice (S.F.) WR #2: Henry Ellard (Rams) WR #3: Andre Rison (Atl.) WR #4: Gary Clark (Was.) TE #1: Jay Novacek (Dal.) TE #2: Keith Jackson (Phi.) C: Jay Hilgenberg (Chi.) G #1 (top): Randall McDaniel (Min.) G #2 (bottom): Mark Bortz (Chi.) T #1 (top): Luis Sharpe (Phx.) T #2 (bottom): Stan Brock (N.O.) DE #1 (RE): Chris Doleman (Min.) NT: Bob Nelson (G.B.) DE #2 (LE): Reggie White (Phi.) LB #1 (ROLB): Mike Singletary (Chi.) LB #2 (RILB): Lawrence Taylor (Gia.) LB #3 (LILB): Gary Reasons (Gia.) LB #4 (LOLB): Pepper Johnson (Gia.) CB #1 (RCB): Wayne Haddix (T.B.) CB #2 (LCB): Deion Sanders (Atl.) S #1 (FS): Ronnie Lott (S.F.) S #2 (SS): Joey Browner (Min.) K: Steve Christie (T.B.) P: Sean Landeta (Gia.) KR: Mel Gray (Det.) PR: Mel Gray (Det.) Pro Bowl Pussycat Playbook (for the AFC's Worst and the NFC's Worst) WTE Offtackle R Pitch L Fake WR Reverse R Shotgun C Draw Pro T Waggle R WTE Flea Flicker Flea Flicker Reverse-Fake Z Post ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 12. The Season Game "How the seasons of Tecmo change! From fall to winter to spring to summer, the fields of Tecmo are always green (and the cheerleaders are always ugly)." There are some things that deserve mention as regards Season Game in Tecmo: Injuries Statistics Tecmo QB Rating Stat Limits The Computer Adjusts Itself To Your Record Controllers (1P vs. 2P) ---------- Injuries: Injuries only happen when a person is tackled, injuries can be avoided by simply running out of bounds when a tackle is imminent. The condition of a player does not really seem to affect his injury rate. A player's recovery from the given injury is at least partially random. Sometimes you can get a guy back in a week and other times you won't get him back for five weeks, and if you reset and play the game again the player may come back, or conversely, may not come back. You usually won't have him out for more than three weeks though. Injuries seem to be mostly random, unaffected by condition. The only reliable determinant of them seems to be the number of tackles a person takes, but no defender or offensive lineman or kicker or punter can get injured. According to the manual (which by the way I do not endorse, since it's quite wrong about the team assessments {take their comments about the Indianapolis linebackers as an example}): "There is a high probability that the Returner will be injured." "Some players will need three games to recover from their injuries." ---------- Statistics: It seems to me that the number of statistics that a player racks up helps the performance of said player ever so slightly, but this may just be psychosomatic. In any case, watch your players' ability stats after every game so that you can switch in other people if necessary (you may want to check their conditions after every quarter if you are really wanting to always have the best guys in). However, sometimes I think the game will downgrade your players' ratings behind the scenes if you always switch out players like that. You can stay on the leader board for QBs if you throw 7 or more passes a game (credit j<13 a's>y). ---------- Tecmo QB Rating Courtesy of Matt Knobbe, here is the Tecmo QB rating formula: "It's much like the NFL formula except that your QB rating can be a lot higher because it probably would have taken a lot more programing space to code in the limits that the NFL ratings have. Tecmo QB Rating Formula You need five numbers: Attempts, Completions, Yards, Touchdowns, and Interceptions. I will abbreviate them Att., Comp, YDs, TD, and INT. Next you need to figure out 4 values: Percentage of Completions, Average Yards Gained per attempt, Percentage of Touchdown Passes, and Percentage or[of] Interceptions. I will list the formulas, respectively, from A-D. A. (Comp/Att)*5 B. (YDs/Att)*.25 C. (TD/Att)*20 D. 2.375 - ((Int/Att)*25) Take those 4 values, add them together, divide by 6 and multiply by 100. Raw QB Rating = (A+B+C+D)/6*100 Tecmo does one more thing here: They subtract 37.6 from this number to come up with the QB Rating. So, take your Raw QB rating, subtract 37.6, and then round UP to the nearest decimal point and you will have your Tecmo QB Rating. (IE: 45.6544 = 45.7 and 45.6002213 = 45.7.) Tecmo QB Rating = Raw QB Rating - 37.6 I have this on a spreadsheet @ http://www.knobbe.org/qbrating.zip" ---------- Stat Limits Tecmo doesn't have infinite SRAM. Therefore, there are limits to how much of a given stat you can have. The carries/receptions max out at 255, the yards max out at 4095...therefore if you are going for major stat building with one player in a season game, watch out for a stat limit in whatever you are going for. ---------- The Computer Adjusts Itself To Your Record: As you win victory after victory, the computer opponent gets more and more ratings until you lose a game or two. Per bruddog and the Tecmo community, the ratings the CPU gains are: Defensive Speed, Offensive Speed, Interceptions, Pass Control, Receptions The pass coverage also gets better as you win more games. More detail available here: http://tecmobowl.org/forum/topic/ 68858-tsb%E2%80%99s-secret-%E2%80%9Cjuice%E2%80%9D/#comment-473798 This makes passing harder and running without capable (i.e. fast) backs almost impossible. It may actually be to your advantage, if you don't have any pride, to lose a few games in the normal season and forestall demonic computers in the playoffs. The ultimate result of this is running backs that clear ten yards in 1.5 seconds and linebackers that immediately stuff you when you dare to run against the God Machine. A point worth mentioning is that this works in reverse: if you lose a ton of games, the computer will get weaker. Probably the worst aspect of the cheating will be the turnovers the computer will force, especially fumbles, as a result of the stat increases, for whatever reason. Some claim this is a good argument for greater forced-fumbling ability by high-hitting power players. One note about this: in Coach Mode, the computer won't get any easier or harder. That's not saying much, though, seeing as how it's very tough to counter a balanced opposing offense in Coach. ---------- Controllers (1P vs. 2P) In the Season Mode, I believe that the teams for the two controllers in a MAN game are decided by the order in which the names appear on the schedule. For example, if G.B. * T.B. is on the schedule, Player 1 will be Green Bay and Player 2 will be Tampa Bay. However, keep in mind that the order of the teams on the schedule sometimes changes according to Tecmo's pseudo-random schedule re-ordering, BUT, this does not change 1P vs. 2P. In TSB 1991, BUF always has home-field because of this, and ATL is always away (left, right sides) in a 2-player game. ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 13. Bugs And Weird Stuff "Tecmo Super Bowl has some minor 'issues'." The strange things in this section are ordered by familiarity. The more something occurs, the farther down it is. I only put in stuff I see for this, though if I had multiple confirmations of something, I might add it in. Waters Broke The Ball: This has many variants, under the heading of "super jump bug", including different timings and scenes. During one of the most slaughterfest games that I have ever played, Troy Aikman passes to Michael Irvin, who is covered by a computer-controlled Andre Waters. Waters jumps up and smacks the ball, but as the ball is coming to the ground, it shows the "double jump" cinema, and then the ball flying right past the hands of Michael Irvin. The game then returns to the landing of the ball, which is nowhere near Irvin. I guess Waters just sliced the ball in half. So That's How You Got The Pick: I had the misfortune of passing with Jim Harbaugh, and, since I was playing against the skilled Minnesota secondary, they covered my men terribly well. So well, in fact, that on one interception, a Chicago black-and-white jerseyed player caught the ball - everything else was the same, just that the uniform was different, and the cinema was for a close catch (not the jump ball). Those defensive backs sure know how to bamboozle an offense (not to mention the hapless human player involved). Now That's An MVP: If a player catches a pass, and he fumbles, and if another player recovers it and scores a TD, then the player who recovered the ball will run the "receiver" part of the passing TD celebration. So if a QB recovers the ball, he will not only be the jumping quarterback, he will also be the running receiver! That's one way to get a big payday - throw a TD to yourself. Not even David Patten and Walter Payton have done that. Frozen by Fear: Every now and then, when a turnover occurs, the team that does not possess the ball will have its MAN player frozen. Example: Washington throws a pass which the receiver fumbles, then WAS recovers. My MAN defender was frozen and could not move as the WAS offensive lineman ran it in for a touchdown. In that case, it was ever after called, "The Grim Reaper." Lunatic: Now and then, on a caught pass, the defender will actually dive, not before the pass is caught, but AFTER the receiver clearly has the ball in his hands. This happens with no intervention on the human's part. Talk about bad coaching. I Can See The Dementia: In one game I played, after an opposing player made a pick, I lost control of my quarterback to the computer, which promptly proceeded, amazingly enough, to actually go after the ballcarrier. This happened twice during that game, which leads me to believe that turnovers dazzle the brain-beaten quarterbacks in Tecmo so much that they actually play properly. They Named A Power Bar For You, Boomer: After safetying Scott Mitchell (the Dolphins' backup QB), by using the nose tackle dive tactic against a Pro T Waggle L, the power bar came up and to the left of it was a 7-. Boomer Esiason, the QB for the Bengals, has number 7, and, as fate had it, I was playing as the Bengals. This bug can be replicated with any other quarterback as well - I did it with Dave Krieg too. Don't Hate Me Because I'm Perfect: I once had the occasion to run a perfect 100 yards on a kickoff return, all the way from one end zone to the other, and celebrated my massive accomplishment. Well, my friend Steven and I went after the game into the Kickoff Returns stat menu, and guess what? The 100 yards was NOWHERE! Somehow they just didn't count it at all. I was so pissed. What Are You Staring At Now, Rice?: During the Tecmo Passing Study, I was tossing the ball to Jerry Rice and was greeted by another odd little error; instead of getting on the X, Rice moved past it and stood there facing the other direction as Montana's ball bounced off two defenders. Good job! and I thought the 49ers were overrated. Who knows what he was looking at? There's a variant of this called, "I Guess You're Taking A Stroll, Eh, Cornerback?" Who's Got The Ball?: The notorious "fumble bug" first manifested itself to me on a field goal blocked by my Lawrence Taylor. The game said that he gained possession of the ball, but in actuality, the ball was sitting on the 20-yard line. A HUGE kill-the-man-with-the-ball game emerged as every player tried to get the ball in the middle of the field. However, no one could actually pick it up, except me. That didn't stop me from getting knocked around for three minutes as I tried to escape the mob. I finally did, and tried to see whether I could run out of bounds or score a touchdown or anything. No dice. So I had to fight my way back in to go get the ball and end the play as I was tackled on my fumble recovery to set up a Giants possession. I'm Getting There: It may not technically be a bug per se, but one interesting thing that happens on punt returns is the bouncing punt. If you have a slow returner, sometimes he won't get to the X on the field before the ball does, and the ball will bounce once before the returner picks it up. I See That Football Up Your Sleeve: On flea flicks (especially T Flea Flicker) and occasionally on punts, sometimes the ball doesn't even come close to the person trying to catch it. Even so, the person will still have a ball to carry or throw, and there's even a healthy accompanying thump. I think some of the offenses in the league have been to Las Vegas for a little "spring training." The Grass Gave Me Power: If an offensive blocker hits a defender with something that looks like a sliding cut block (which will knock him over) then he will become a god for the rest of the play, playing Tekken with every defender he meets, no matter their Hitting Power (credit Paul). They Must Be Really Hard Hits: Everybody knows that you can hit a person who's scored a touchdown in the end zone after they've scored, knocking them down, and sometimes struggling with them. Well, occasionally, if you get hit in the end zone, your player will fumble the ball. In so doing, the yards you've gained in getting the touchdown will be lost, since the game erases the yardage from a fumbled play. I think what must happen is that the intransigent tackler hits the man so hard that even the scorekeepers get amnesia. Are These House Rules We're Playing By?: Everyone at one point or another has had the chagrin or joy of having a reception out of bounds, a running back over the sideline, or even an interception off the field and getting the yards and catches counted. Not only that, but errant quarterbacks throw passes into the stands that both receivers and defenders run for, sometimes triggering "dropped ball" cinemas. The classic is the Jerry Rice catch of a ball above the line, then his landing out of bounds for a first down. One thing I would like to know: who gets sued when players run over the cheerleaders and the people in the "nosebleed" seats? Tecmo Is So Realistic, They Even Got The Refs Right: Tecmo has a tough time deciding whether certain hits are one or the other. For instance, you can slide tackle a QB in a flea flick or a running back in Shotgun C Draw as he gets the ball and the ball can pop, but the play is over. But if you struggle with these same people, the ball bounces off as a fumble. How does this come about, I wonder? (see Mechanics for Paul's explanation of this) (no funny comment here): Every time a player gets injured, no matter whether he is black or white, he will always be represented as a white player when he is lying injured on the field (before the "Injured!" cutscene appears on the screen). It Isn't Over Yet: On many plays, if you get a safety, the runner will continue to go if he can get up. In addition, if you tackle the QB on a pitch play and he gets up, he will "pass" the ball to the running back downfield, and sometimes he will miss him by ten yards! This works with any pitch play and even people who can't play QB (see Mechanics for why). Tecmo End Zone Dances: One thing you can do in Tecmo is get crazy things to happen to people caught in the end zone. If you hold the button in the opposite direction to the end zone, you can make a receiver move out of the end zone as soon as he catches the ball. In addition, you can make your runners move out of bounds and into the stands by holding the button in the appropriate direction. Moreover, if you have a defender who slides for a guy in the end zone, he can slide for twenty yards or even slide right off the screen. If a guy gets in a struggle with someone who's in the end zone, they can have it out, or in the best tradition, the successful team's man starts cheering and his antagonist keeps wrestling. One that I haven't quite figured out how to trigger yet is the moonwalk, where the player runs in and then runs backward. Paul says it happens sometimes when the player is hit as he enters the end zone. Is This A Comment?: The inability of a player controlled by a human to pick up a fumble in every situation but that of a dropped field goal (and the botched pitch) is truly amazing. Not only that, but the fact that a ball can be bouncing about in a swarm of twelve big, muscular guys, and move ten yards over out of bounds is stupefying. Is this the ultimate meaning of Tecmo - a parody of football players? I Guess This Is What Quantum Theory Is All About: No matter how many people stand between you and a ball carrier behind the line, you can move through all of them and just touch one pixel of the holder to take him down. At the same time, you can escape a slide tackle past the line if the slider flickers, even if the guy half engulfs you. In addition, if you end a struggle and a man is in your midst while you do so, you will be invincible against his attacks until you part company. And of course, the Ernest Givins Pro Bowl bug. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14. Mechanics "Let's take a look at Tecmo 'under the hood'." I put some interesting observations about the way that Tecmo works in here. Most of these are just the oddball tinkerings and curiosities of an fanatic, but a few of these are actually useful and/or interesting. On The Field Fumbles Possession Of The Ball Pitches Menu Screens Music And Sound ------------------ On The Field The reason why some plays work better when people are shifted to one direction is because not only is there more (or less) room to run (in the cases of few blocking and breaking out, and much blocking and getting definite gains), but also because the actual formation will shift a little. Players on the compressed side will move closer together, and players on the open side will move farther away. There's something to consider. Computer controlled players (the other 10 that you don't control) have fixed coverage patterns for one play vs. another. However, if one of those plays changes, the coverage pattern will change also. Sometimes on certain plays (especially on T Offtackle R), a computer controlled player will do a lateral slide tackle/cut block and hit opposing computer players. Us peon humans can't do it (why can't you use Select?). Paul says with an "Amazing, but true!" that if an offensive player does this, he will be invincible for the rest of the play and knock off defenders with impunity as per a fullback, but against any player for the defense. If you decide to QB sneak, the computer players will not catch on until you cross the line, so you can take your time and get yourself lined up for the greatest gain. Be aware, however, that sometimes linebackers will start going for you after a few seconds, so that may impede your run somewhat. ------------------ Fumbles Fumbles, are, as far as I can tell, dependent only on ball control. I think that every time you are tackled the game does a fumble check, and if you get unlucky, you fumble. QBs and defenders have 44 BC, per bruddog/jstout et al. There are two instances in which a human-controlled player can pick up a fumble: if a field goal is blocked; and if a pitch botches and falls to the ground. ------------------ Possession Of The Ball Thank Paul for this nice tip: The possession of the ball is determined by who the number (1 or 2 depending on the player) is over. Whenever the QB takes the snap, the number is over his head. When he passes, the number switches to the receiver (or another one if you use the dupe pass, but the computer still recognizes it the same way). With a pitch, the computer will switch the possession of the ball from the pitcher to the pitchee about halfway through the pitch. This accounts in large part for one "fumble bug": Sometimes the computer thinks that the person being pitched to has the ball and sometimes it doesn't. ------------------ Pitches A pitch in Tecmo is handled just the same way that a pass is. Whenever a player pitches a ball, the game does the same calculations that it would for a pass, which means that a person can throw a bad pitch just as they can a bad pass. So how can WRs and RBs and TEs pass, you ask? I think that there is a default value for people who don't have QB stats, probably around 50 for each of the categories, which would make the wildest pitches believable. I don't think that a person can drop a pitch, though. That much has been taken care of. ------------------ Menu Screens If you look closely at the background of the NFL Leaders screens, you'll notice that the motions on the cinemas therein are the same ones as actual cinemas in the game, except that the players change colors and there's no other detail. ------------------ Music And Sound Whenever you have the first down music playing, if you enter the menu it shuts off. I guess the menu noise is a little too much for the NES sound system. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 15. Reading Plays/Keys These are a series of lists detailing how you can identify particular plays and how then to destroy them, and what players to use for the job. It is organized by formation. I have not put in any of the single formation plays because it would simply be redundant. This should be useful for those of you who don't want to go and look through that whole horrendous Section 4 for tactics. This may not be entirely complete since I focused on tactics that usually always work (to one degree or another). I didn't put in a lot of personnel-dependent tactics. Glossary: Run stop - just do what you normally do to beat run plays. Cover - cover open receivers Blitz - go straight for the QB NTD - nose tackle dive Twin of - the play referred to has most of the same motions as its twin DB - defensive back T Formation (16 plays) (watch for a race defect to show T Power Dive) IF: QB drops straight back = Pass Set 1: Straight Back Plays IF: No wideout is behind the line = Pro T Flare C - 74 IF: The RBs both curl behind the line = Pro T Flare D - 62 ELSE Pro T Screen L - 54 Kill with NTD, Blitz or mid-long coverage IF: Blockers start moving up IF: WRs start blocking or RB #2 starts juking = T Cross Run L - 30 ELSE Pro T Waggle R - 50 Kill both with RILB or LILB or CB attack through O-line. These two plays are twins. IF: Blockers start moving down IF: RB #2 does as well = T Sweep Strong - 25 - Kill with man through O-line hole or Run stop ELSE IF: QB moves straight back = T Flea Flicker - 76 - Kill with Cover or Blitz ELSE IF: WRs start blocking = T Power Sweep R - 17 - Kill with man thru O-line or Run stop ELSE Pro T Waggle L - 56 - NTD, Hit QB, Cover, O-line hole run Kill most of these with RILB or LILB or DB through the O-line hole. Pro T Waggle L is the twin of T Power Sweep R IF: QB moves straight back for handoff IF: RB #1 moves close to the QB = T Power Dive - 26 - NTD or Run stop ELSE IF: WRs don't block = T Play Action D - 53 - NTD or Cover ELSE IF: RB #2 gets ball = Pro T Dive - 42 - NTD or Run stop ELSE T Fake Sweep R - 16 - NTD or Run stop Kill all of these with a NTD. All of these except for T Power Dive are twins. IF: WR #1 stays in place at top = Reverse Pitch R - 45 - Hit WR #1 ELSE IF: RB #2 comes diagonally up to QB = Cross Offtackle - 32 - RILB slide or DB Run stop ELSE T Offtackle R - 24 - LOLB slide or DB Run Stop Onesetback Formation (10 plays) (watch for a race defect to show Pitch L Open) IF: QB trots and pitches the ball with WR remaining at the top of the screen without blocking = Set 1: Top Handoff Plays IF: QB runs straight back = Reverse-Fake Z Post - 81 IF: WR takes handoff = WR Reverse R - 43 ELSE Pitch L Fake - 21 Kill with ROLB or RCB dive from top at RB #1 ELSE IF: QB moves for play action with RB #1 = Set 2: Handoff After The Snap Plays IF: WR #1 cuts down without blocking = Power Fake Z Post - 66 IF: TE goes out without blocking = Power Fake X Fly - 77 IF: Right guard drops back = Onesetback L - 11 ELSE FB Offtackle L - 27 Kill with left end dive, right end dive, RILB attack, or secondary stop or coverage, or for the runs, can also use LE ELSE IF: Tons of blockers come forth = Pitch L Open - 33 - Left end move up or wait and then go for man ELSE IF: RB #2 moves down into middle = Oneback Flare A - 65 - Cover or Blitz or NTD ELSE X Out And Fly - 80 - Cover or Blitz or NTD Run And Shoot Formation (8 plays) IF: RB #1 stays in place = Run And Shoot Draw - 20 - Slide tackle or stop ELSE IF: QB drops only a little and blocking starts = Run And Shoot QB Sneak - 40 - Attack QB maybe w/LILB ELSE IF: QB starts to sweep with blocking = Run And Shoot QB Run - 46 - Hit QB or LOLB tactic ELSE IF: QB pitches the ball = Run And Shoot Left - 12 if runner goes to top; = Run And Shoot Right - 37 if runner goes to bottom; Kill both with slide tackles and moving around the blockers or LOLB attack for R&S Sweep L ELSE: QB drops straight back IF: RB stays inside = Run And Shoot Z Fly - 61 - Cover or Blitz or NTD ELSE IF: RB moves up to the offensive line as WR = Run And Shoot Flare C - 57 - Cover or Blitz or NTD ELSE Run And Shoot Y Up - 87 - Cover or Blitz or NTD Shifting Onesetback Formation (6 plays) IF: The QB does play action with RB #1 IF: People block = Onesetback Dive - 41 - NTD or Run stop ELSE Playaction Z In - 72 - NTD or Cover ELSE IF: Blockers move upward IF: People block = FB Open L - 14 - Run stop ELSE Roll Out R - 51 - Hit QB or Cover ELSE IF: WR #2 stays in place at the bottom = WR Reverse L - 35 - Hit WR ELSE Oneback Sweep R - 22 - Run stop Good strategy against these: Call Roll Out R and attack runners with a strong defender. Roll Out R is the twin of FB Open L. Shotgun Formation (6 plays) (watch for race defects to assist you) IF: RB gets the ball right away = Shotgun Draw - 36 - Slide tackle or stop ELSE IF: RB stays by QB = Shotgun C Draw - 44 - Slide tackle or stop ELSE IF: RB goes straight out = Shotgun XY Bomb - 86 - Cover and watch for QB scramble ELSE IF: RB goes directly up and curls = Shotgun Z S-In - Cover ELSE IF: RB goes diagonally after the snap = Shotgun X Curl - 60 - Cover ELSE Shotgun X Drive - 70 - Cover Watch for a QB sneak on these. Strong-I Formation (4 plays) IF: QB pitches the ball down to RB #2 = Toss Sweep R - 15 - Run stop ELSE IF: QB drops straight back = Offset Flare E - 63 - NTD or cover ELSE IF: WRs block and hook in = FB Power Dive - 43 - NTD ELSE Play Action - 55 - NTD A good strategy is to call Toss Sweep R, then NTD. FB Power Dive and Play Action are twins. Can also free up RE and NT with LOLB on FB Power Dive. One Man Shift Formation (4 plays) IF: TE moves forward = Roll Out L - 52 - slam the QB ELSE IF: The right tackle goes downward = FB Offtackle R - 13 - Plug the hole & Run stop ELSE IF: QB moves straight back OR WRs don't cut in or block = Flea Flicker - 73 - Hit QB or RB #1 ELSE Weakside Open - 23 - Run stop A good way to stop these is to call Weakside Open or, if that's not available, FB Offtackle R, and cover the passes with a fast defender. Flea Flicker and Weakside Open are twins. Stop the runs by fighting the RT with the LOLB, RILB attack for both, taking a hard angle to the line with the ROLB, a FS or RCB, or the LILB freeing up boys on Weakside Open only. Shotgun 3-Wing Formation (2 plays) IF: WRs block OR guards drop out = Shotgun Sweep L - 47 - LOLB end-Run inside play or DB Run Stop ELSE Shotgun 3-Wing - 75 - Blitz, Cover IF: WRs go out OR guards stay in place = Shotgun 3-Wing - 75 - Blitz, Cover ELSE Shotgun Sweep L - 47 - LOLB end-Run inside play or DB Run Stop Slot Formation (2 plays) IF: WRs block OR QB slants downward = Slot Offtackle - 31 - RILB rr defensive back Strike ELSE Slot L Z Drive - 82 - Blitz or NTD IF: WRs go out OR QB drops straight back = Slot L Z Drive - 82 - Blitz or NTD ELSE Slot Offtackle - 31 - RILB or defensive back Strike A good strategy for these is to call the pass and cover the run. WTE Formation (2 plays) IF: WRs block OR QB fades = WTE Offtackle R - 10 - Left end dive or LOLB attack ELSE WTE Flea Flicker - 67 - Left end dive or LOLB attack IF: WRs move out without contact and QB stops running = WTE Flea Flicker - 67 - Left end dive or LOLB attack ELSE WTE Offtackle R - Left end dive or LOLB attack I should think you can figure out what you should do for these. These two plays are twins, but that's a bad thing rather than a good thing. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 16. Tactics List By Player (empty) Here, for your convenience, is a list of tactics that each player can execute, and the plays on which the player can execute them. At least, that is what I would have done with this section. :) I haven't seen much of a need for it, but I am too lazy to just edit this out. So I will just go and list the positions I like the most for putting great players for tactics: RCB NT FS LILB RILB ROLB LE SS LOLB LCB RE ---------------------------------------------------------------- 17. What Your Opponents Will Do (and what you can do to them) This section is kind of a cross between a "this is what you will see out of elite players" and a self-improvement guide. What follows is a list of priorities or hints that build up into you playing like a high-level player. (Personally I would not call myself an elite player at this point, so I don't make the promise that you would become elite if you did all these things. You will be pretty good, though.) Note that unlike the tips in Tweaking the Tecmo, these tips don't always apply to your play - you have to use them based on how your opponent is reacting. ------------ Full-Random Playcalling The basic strategy of football is to run the ball in relatively short yardage and throw otherwise. However, this allows your opponent to play original Tecmo Bowl against you, since you will often only use 4 plays on 1st and 2nd downs. In full-random playcalling, you call any play in almost any down and distance (usual exception being running in long yardage and late downs). You won't get the same yards per play, but you will have less volatility, and you can march yourself down the field. There's no real defense against this, but the way you play it is to choose a play (like Pass 1/Slot 5) and use that as your base defense. The idea is that you choose this play to give yourself a decent coverage against whatever play comes out; typically Pass 1 or Pass 2 do best, although sometimes you might do Run 1 or Run 2. Then you play bend-don't-break, and wait for your opponent to call your base defense play. Then you switch off your base defense play (typically into a pass since you just called his play) and then hope to get another called play, and therefore to stop the drive. The tricky counter-play is how the opponent reacts. Oftentimes, in a called run situation, the player will want to stay in that base defense, particularly on the goal line where you know that a run is the most likely call. In a pass defense situation, the opponent can either stay in it or go off. Here you will sometimes see higher-level players adjust their next call based on how tricky they think their opponent is. If they think their opponent is tricky, or if they have been setting them up, they will call the same play again, anticipating a shift off the base defense. At that point it just comes down to luck of who is playing on what level. The other thing you can do is be stubborn and refuse to call that play type or that particular play. In certain marginal situations like a 56 MS RB running R&S Sweep L against an OK defense and tapper, you can just run R&S Sweep L and other plays like it over and over again, since you know the opponent is not going off their base. The key here is to get out of bounds, since your yards per play will typically go down as the opponent sees that play again and again. (Also you tend to use mostly runs in that spot.) ------------ Setting Up A Tendency Naturally your tendency as a player is to run the plays that have been doing well and avoid the ones that your opponent is using. Some players will give you certain plays earlier in a drive and then crack down on them in field goal range. The idea is that they can't stop your defense on average, but they may be able to get 1 or 2 stops if they can set you up into a predictable pattern. You can do the exact same thing; this is particularly effective in Season mode when you are playing lots of games against the same players, as you can use the garbage time in one game to set up the tendency for the next game. The key to avoiding this is to reshuffle your strategy cards when you get a called play. That is, if you were going full random, switch to a pass-heavy or run-heavy alignment, and vice versa. Also, smoothing your distribution if you have been going heavy or being successful on one play by throwing in a couple other plays can allow you to catch your opponent on the wrong play and avoid the trap. ------------ Baiting Over-Use Of Pass Plays This isn't a frequently used tactic, but can set up other playcalling tactics. Good players know the passing order and can get the ball out to the hot read fairly predictably. The idea of this is not to smother the hot read, but instead to let the hot read catch the ball, but then get tackled right after the catch. You can use this to set up a trap to actually pick off the pass, but the more subtle use is to keep your opponent calling this particular pass play over and over again. The key is that you have to set up 2nd and 5, 2nd and 3 type of situations early in a drive. Once you have the opponent abusing that particular play, you then start calling it all the time and then stuff it every single time and/or shift defenders to confuse the MAN's read. This winds up achieving the same effect as a more conventional bend-don't-break, but may be easier to execute against players who have very strong passing offenses and aren't going away from the deep ball. You need to have a decent Interceptions defender to smother the hot read though. The defense is obvious, don't just keep calling picked plays. Some players get overconfident with guys like Marino though, and won't abandon their strategy card. ------------ Forcing Autodives and Speed Loss In the situation where your deep receivers are covered and you have a medium-speed defender, or one with low Interceptions, in the 5-10 yard area covering two receivers, depending on the Pass Speed of the QB and other factors, you can cycle between the two receivers and force the circling defender to change position or autodive on the other one. You have to have mastery over the passing order in order to time your opponent's circle at the apex. You also need to stop moving in the backfield, as any inaccuracy is going to walk your receiver into the defender. There is a variation of this tactic based upon the opponent's setup in the early part of the play. If you can recognize that a receiver is going to come open earlier in the play, you can wait until the MAN has begun to recognize this, and throw the ball right then. If timed properly, the MAN will get just close enough to the pass to autodive into it. If your opponent's angle is on a diagonal, you want to set up a hard cut backwards and then on the opposing vertical. The circle move works better against CPU defenders, but is often too wide in this situation against a fast MAN. You want to force the reaction right before you would normally collide, so that you can ideally force your opponent to get right into the spot where he is turning parallel to you, and then would have to go backwards to make contact. The defensive keys are to know when to bail out of a situation like this, and to face directly onto the ballcarrier, so that you aren't setting up extreme angles and can adjust to whatever the ballcarrier tries. On the pass plays, you can also try to defend one player with the passing lane (so jumping) and defend the other player on the X. This of course requires that the opposing QB has set up in a place where the two receivers are aligned, and so usually implies a QB run is also an alternative. ------------ Off-Screen Baiting You will see: On-line to on-screen: WR |> D WR Has fastest time to trap and covers passing lane on deep ball, but only works if QB is on that side of the field. You can avoid this trap by running the QB the other way and setting his feet if the trapper bails out. If you are on the same side of the screen, just go deep if you are worried about this. The MAN is going to have a very difficult time timing the tip anyway. Divide and shift: WR WR |> D WR Used in jailbreak situations when the MAN thinks you are trying to string him out deep. Not that fast to the WR, but if the target is relatively close to the edge of the screen, now and then the MAN may be able to jump the route. However, the main use of this is to stop the play before you can get to the first down marker. The key to breaking this is to have mastery of the passing order, so that you can pull on and off of the short receiver in order to try and influence the defender to pull to either side, or even to come on screen. Also, make sure to throw it deep in this spot sometimes, so you force the defender to stay honest. If you have a very accurate QB you can go to the off side (where the WR is not in this diagram) to force the DB to commit to the bottom WR. ------------ Exploiting Superior Tappers Being unable to out-tap the opponent is always a problem in Tecmo, but there are ways that you can mitigate that disadvantage. The first insight is that a tapper will usually take a direct line to the ballcarrier, instead of playing off. You then lead the tapper back behind the line of scrimmage or into the middle of the field, and force him into hard cuts, or even run right through your own blockers and force him off his pursuit angle. With slow running backs, this tends not to work, but with 50+ MS running backs against iffy defenses, this can get you good yardage. When running the ball, the tapper will seek open-field contact against the MAN. Get up close enough to him for him to target you, then start zig-zagging like against the CPU. This slows down his pursuit, allowing the drones to help you take him down. On certain runs, or on certain throws where you know where the receiver is going to land, you can get the tapper into a narrow situation and then dive tackle. This requires quite a bit of practice but is generally useful, not just against players who outtap you. Any advanced rushing technique such as waiting for your own blockers to throw their defensive players is also good as a change of pace. Don't shift too heavily into deep passes in order to avoid the tapper. While it does mitigate the tapper's advantage, then you will get killed by called plays. As a tapper, don't get ultra-aggressive; if you see trouble when defending the run, bail out. Also, force the issue when running the football and stay north-south. If the other guy wants to run away from your or do tricky stuff, let him. The further you can run away from the MAN, the more likely you can get that 1-on-1 in space. ------------ Extreme Pocket Discipline This is just, pretend your QB is a ballcarrier and keep dodging the pass rushers like they were in pursuit on a breakaway. When is this useful? When a fast defender goes up against a slow QB and multiple receivers are open in relatively long yardage, you need to create separation between the receivers in order to force the MAN to commit. You also have to buy time when you have successfully moved the MAN to one side of the screen to stop a QB run, but then you need to throw back the other way to the open receiver. Also, when your play is called and you have a relatively fast QB, you can buy an extra second or two by making some initial dodges (or just outrunning everybody if you are QB Eagles). This will get your receivers additional time to separate from the defense. ------------ Recognizing Conditionally Open Receivers Elite players know, based on their quarterback, their target, and the likely defender on that player, that on certain routes, particularly those coming out of the backfield, they can target the receiver and get a catch. This typically requires some combination of - A decently high PS QB - A decently fast RB - A route that continues in bounds - A angle to that route that doesn't pass directly over the drone defender Hence you rarely see me point out these opportunities in other parts of this FAQ, as I rarely play with teams that are good enough to consistently complete these passes. This tactic is somewhat opposed to the QB-run school of play, as it works a lot better from the pocket, both because of passing angles, and because when the QB moves, the throw becomes less accurate. Consequently you tend to see this used a lot more when the pass coverage is good, and less when the pass coverage is bad and the MAN expects you will bail out to cover deep. There is no obvious defense to this beyond double-covering, but you can try to force the MAN to cycle back and forth between the conditionally open receiver and the other open receiver, hoping that in the process of cycling back and forth, the MAN will make a mistake. If you have a fast defender, you can also try to cut off the passing lane, since the pass will be low to the ground. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 18. Basic Instructions "Let me show you the Tecmo, kid." This section is divided thus: Sound Test Preseason/Pro Bowl Team Data Season Mode Playing the Game ------------ Sound Test At the title screen, press Left and B to access the sound test. The sounds are as follows (names mine, and I know they're pathetic). 1. Tecmo "Killer Team" Intro Cinema (after "Ready!") with an additional flourish at the end (thank you Gaffney for pointing this out - what a mental error for me to have made) 2. Tecmo "The World Is Watching" Cinema (until "Ready!") 3. Tecmo "Killer Team" Intro Cinema 4. Pro Bowl - Theme Of Player 1 5. Pro Bowl - Theme Of Player 2 6. Postseason - Theme Of Player 1 7. Postseason - Theme Of Player 2 8. Season - Theme Of Player 1 9. Season - Theme Of Player 2 10. Preseason - Theme Of Player 1 11. Preseason - Theme Of Player 2 12. Super Bowl Finish Cinema #1: "Super Champions" (until the roster starts scrolling) 13. Super Bowl Finish Cinema #2: "Tecmo's Greatest" (when the roster starts scrolling) 14. Kickoff! 15. Theme Of Run Touchdown/Coin Toss - Kickoff Or Return? 16. Safety! 17. Touchback! 18. Interception! 19. Turnover 20. Theme Of Player 1 First Down 21. Theme Of Player 2 First Down 22. "It's Good!" - Theme Of Successful Extra Point And Field Goal Attempts 23. "No Good" - Theme Of Unsuccessful Extra Point (it happened once to me) And Field Goal Attempts 24. Injury! 25. "New Quarter" - The Theme That Plays When The Scoreboard Appears After The First And Third Quarters 26. Halftime 27. "Is It A First Down?" - Theme Of Measuring The Position Of The Ball 28. Tecmo Sports News 29. Division Champions 30. Conference Champions 31. "The Playoffs Await" - Theme Of The NFL Standings Sequence After Week 17 32. "Prophecy" (this theme is not used in the game, but it seems to me from listening to it that maybe it would have been used for a season cinema where a player commits a crime and gets put in the clink, kind of like an injury, but Nintendo didn't want to have to kids frightened by the shady characters in the holding pen, so Tecmo had to censor it out. However a much more probable scenario is that it would have been used when penalties were called, as there are some lines in the code that indicate plans were underway for some simple penalties like offsides) 33. Recovered! - Theme Of Injured Players' Return To The Game (also known as the "we nurses don't have anything better to do but stand up on the hospital all day long and wave at departing football players who don't have cars or changes of clothes and have to run to the game in their jerseys and pads - just what the doctor ordered for a guy who just got out of the hospital" cinema theme) 34. Theme Of Pass Touchdown 35. QB Sack! 36. Fumble! 37. QB Throws The Ball 38. Hike! (??) 39. Player Catches The Ball - Kicker Kicks The Ball 40. Players Hit Each Other #1 41. Ball Thump #1 42. Whistle 43. Ball Thump #2 44. Two Minute Warning 45. "Time Is Running Out" - Noise Played When Time Is Ticking Away At The End Of A Quarter 46. Gunshot - End Of Quarter 47. Ball Thumps Against The Uprights 48. "Press Start" - Noise When You Hit Start At The Beginning Of The Game 49. "What Do You Want To Do?" - The Unintelligible Muttering Of The Referee At The Coin Toss 50. "Kickoff/Return" - The Even More Unintelligible Muttering Of The Player Who States His Wish 51. Week Skip Selection Noise 52. Ball Is Punted Or Players Hit Each Other #2 53. Applause #1 54. Applause #2 55. Applause #3 56. Applause #4 57. Ready! 58. Down! 59. Hut! 60. Touchdown! Once you've had your fun with this menu, hit Start. To select, press A, and to cancel, press B. ------------ Preseason/Pro Bowl This is a game where you can choose from a variety of man, com(puter), and coa(ch - where you choose the plays but don't actually control a player) games. The Pro Bowl is the same, but you play with the Pro Bowl people listed in the Pro Bowl menu under Team Data in AFC All Stars and NFC All Stars. The players' data that changes during a season also changes for the Preseason; if someone is injured in the Season, they won't be able to play in Preseason, and the condition of the player affects their performance. The Pro Bowl games will put all players who are injured into Bad condition, but otherwise is the same as Preseason. The AFC divisions are at the top and the NFC divisions are at the bottom, starting with Eastern divisions in the first column, Central in the second, and Western in the third. ------------ Team Data Team Data is where you find all the smatterings of team data like names and numbers and stats and plays. Options: Players Data OF Starters DF Starters Play Book Players Data To take a look at the players, go into Players Data and select the player you want to see. The positions are indicated at the top right hand corner with abbreviations. Here's a list of them: QB=Quarterback RB=Running Back WR=Wide Receiver TE=Tight End C=Center LG/RG=Left Guard/Right Guard LT/RT=Left Tackle/Right Tackle K=Kicker P=Punter RE/LE=Right End/Left End NT=Nose Tackle ROLB=Right Outside Linebacker RILB=Right Inside Linebacker LILB=Left Inside Linebacker LOLB=Left Outside Linebacker RCB=Right Cornerback LCB=Left Cornerback FS=Free Safety SS=Strong Safety Note that all the Right people are the top people and all the Left people are the people closer to the bottom for defense, and the reverse for offense. For detailed explanations of the players' statistics and conditions, go to the Roster section. Offensive Starters To change your offensive starters, go into OF Starters and choose the position you want to fill and then fill it with whoever is available. Players with red X's beside their names are injured and can't be selected unless they were just injured and need to be replaced. To reset the starters, press A on Starters before you go down into the actual starters and select Yes. If you want to look at players' data in this section, simply press Start when the cursor is next to the desired starter to see that person's stats. Defensive Starters To view the defenders and their positions, go into DF Starters. For those of you wondering where the top of the screen players are, the left is the top of the screen and the right is the bottom. Play Book You can change the plays by going into Play Book, hitting A on the slot of the play you want to change, and choosing from among the list. To reset the plays, select Data Reset at the bottom. The red dots are a pitch to a man, the red lines are either the path of a runner or the paths of receivers, and white dotted lines signify a shift before the play begins. Note that some shifts are not shown on certain plays. You have been warned. The names of the plays are shown at the bottom and the names of the plays that you can select from are shown on the menu bar (but when you choose run plays, you can't see the name of the play that is currently in the slot). The runs are the top four slots and the passes are the bottom four slots (to yet again state the obvious). ------------ Season Game There are several options here: Team Control Schedule Game Start NFL Standings Team Rankings NFL Leaders Team Data Team Control This lets you choose the type (man, com, coa, skp (don't play this game, but if the other team has an option set, this is com)) of control the team will have. Schedule Schedule is the place where you look at the past and upcoming games. Hitting the A button brings up a menu: Auto Skip - Choosing this lets you pick a week to skip to. This will automatically skip to that week and its games (if you choose Week 1, it will play all the games to Week 2) when you choose Game Start, unless you have man, com, or coa chosen for a team playing in those weeks, in which case it will stop skipping and return you to the Season Mode menu to allow you to play the game currently up by selecting Game Start. You can make the game stop Auto Skipping by holding the B button, which will return you to the Season Mode menu (thanks for reminding me, Paul). You can also tap the B button repeatedly for the same effect. Playoffs - This allows you to view the Playoff schedule as it is created through winning of division championships, and also when the the regular season is over, you can use it to go back to the Playoff schedule. Reset - If you choose this option, it will give you two menus to confirm that you really want to clear away all the season data. Selecting "Yes" for both of these will reset the season to the beginning of Week 1, change all the players' conditions to Average, and clear away all the players' statistics. During the Playoffs, the Schedule option will default to the Playoff Screen that shows the results and the upcoming games therein. Game Start Game Start plays or skips the games you've selected, according to the options that you've chosen. Keep in mind that if an option other than skp is chosen for a game, the game will be played out in full just like a Preseason game. NFL Standings NFL Standings shows the records and progress of each team in the NFL with total points for and against a team, as well as any wild card (noted with a white circle doodad under the team's helmet) or division champion status that team may have earned (noted with a red star under a team's helmet). The teams are listed by conference and division. Team Rankings This lists each team in the league or conference by the total amount of yards gained in Offense or the least amount of yards allowed in Defense, depending on what list you chose. Once you are in the ranking, you can then move the cursor right or left to show the ranked yards gained or allowed for passing only or rushing only. NFL Leaders This lists individual leaders in certain stats by NFL, AFC, and NFC. In each menu except for Sacks, you can press right and see another set of list options for each one. This holds true for all of the sub-menus as well. I have made a list of my own that shows the options for ranking as well as the initial ranking criterion: - Passing - Rating Rating Completion % # Of Pass Attempts # Of Completions Total Yards Gained Yards Per Attempt # Of Touchdown Passes Least Interception % Receiving - # Of Receptions # Of Receptions Total Yards Gained Yards Per Receptions # Of Touchdowns Rushing - Total Yards Gained Total Yards Gained Rushing Attempts Yards Per Attempt # Of Touchdowns Scoring - Total Points Total Points # Of Touchdowns # Of Extra Points # Of Field Goals Punting - Average Punt Yardage Average Punt Yardage Total # Of Punts Interceptions - # Of Interceptions # Of Interceptions Total Yards Gained # Of Touchdowns Sacks - # Of Sacks # Of Sacks Punt Returns - Average Yards Gained Average Yards Gained Total Yards Gained # Of Returns # Of Touchdowns Kickoff Returns - Average Yards Gained Average Yards Gained Total Yards Gained # Of Returns # Of Touchdowns Team Data This is the same Team Data that is in the first menu, but duplicated for your convenience in the Season Mode menu. ------------ Playing The Game Table of Contents: Other 1 Offense Defense Special Teams Other 2 Other 1 In a game, pressing B will skip through the coin toss and randomly assign a kicking and returning team. It will also skip through halftime. Offense A struggles (or hits) and B does nothing for a plain old vanilla-and-nothing runner or returner. On the play formation screen, A brings up a menu where you can call time outs, punt, kick a field goal, or change your offensive lineup. To choose a play, hit the directional arrow and button simultaneously that are shown underneath the play you want to call. To hike the ball, press A. For a run play, you only have to control the runner. For a pass play, you change receivers with A and pass with B. There are two more sophisticated ways of passing. One of them is the switch pass, in which you hit both buttons (A+B) at the same time, but with A a little earlier, which switches the pass from one receiver to the next in the order for the play. The second is the dupe pass, in which you do the same thing, but hit B first. This will shift the cursor to the next receiver, but will throw the pass to the one the cursor pointed to previously. Defense On defense, hitting A or B will move you progressively through the people you can control, with A moving forward and B moving backward through the players. B slide tackles and A struggles as with offense. You cannot change players during the course of the play. In the play screen, you can call time outs by bringing up the menu by pressing A. Special Teams Kicking a ball from a field goal position is done with A, the direction being determined by an arrow. Kicking off is done with A, with the power meter on top determining the strength of the kick. The higher the bar is when you hit A, the more powerful the kick will be. Kicking when the meter is in the blue will cause an onside kick. If you hit up or down when you kick, the direction of the kick will change to move up or down correspondingly. Punting is done the same way, but you cannot change its direction and you cannot "onside punt". Other 2 Note that the numbers and names of the offensive and defensive players are shown at the top (though often not in full). Also, in the playbook screen, it shows the person who runs the play atop the actual play for the run plays. At the end of the game, you can either hit A or B to exit the score screen. ------------ That's about it for the serious stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 19. Press Conference "I completely deny these false and Tecmo allegations." This is all the random thoughts I have (and others have, hopefully) about Tecmo. (Note to future writers: add your own below) ------------------- Leif Powers - Index: These names do not match the formal titles in some cases; but this is the general order of my press conference. How do I make Tecmo harder/teach others how to play? Do you run or pass? Do you defend the run or the pass? How do you measure your performance? What do you think about tactics? How long did it take to write this FAQ? ---------- I've beaten the computer for about the 10000th time, 259-0, 75 points 4th quarter, 500 yards passing, 500 yards rushing, 100% receptions with my backup QB, the worst person on my team returning both kicks and punts for a total of 300 yards, stopping so that the rest of my team could get some action, 0 first downs for and against, no yards against me, no one even shown for the computer on the game stats screen, 95 QB sacks, 25 safeties, -367 yards rushing for the computer (I was so bored I kept that stat myself), and to top it all off, 1 successful field goal for my 6 Kicking Ability (he was in Bad condition) kicker from my 30 yard line. But I love Tecmo so much, I don't want to stop playing, and say, go into accounting. How can I make Tecmo harder? Also, I want to teach my little sister how to play too. She just turned 4, and I figure I could use some competition. How can I? Some ways in which you can make it harder to play Tecmo are as follows: 1. Pick a horrible team and play against a great team (one way you can do this is to use the Pro Bowl options). 2. Set your slowest people to running backs, and try to get them with low Hitting Power as well. 3. Set your slowest/worst Receptions people to WRs. 4. Set a low Hitting Power/slow/bad Receptions guy to TE. 6. Put in your worst overall QB (low Pass Speed and low other stats). 6. Play some games in Season and win with the team you will want to play and lose with the one you want to oppose. 7. Don't do anything that is unrealistic, like nose tackle dives or other really, really, physics-defying stunts. 8. Pick the worst defender for any play to play as, or play games with whom you choose as your controlled man. Even worse, let your opponent select as whom you play. 9. Run straight out instead of using dodging tactics when you break out. 10. Give yourself time consuming plays like oneback reverses and low-receiver passes. 11. Give your opponent the plays and playbook which give you the most trouble. 12. Don't kick punts or field goals (though the latter may make it easier, depending on how good you are). And the worst way in which to make Tecmo harder is... 13. Use Coach Mode. Paul tells me that not hitting A in a struggle is one thing you can also do, but I don't know about that. As an equalizer of tapping, I like, but kind of messes up a number of other situations. You could also just stop whenever you get the ball. I think it goes a little bit too far, but you can try it if you like. ---------- Do you run or pass? I personally like to run. However, if my opponent is stacking up against my run, I look to go deep and let my best receiver go up and get the ball against single coverage, if the secondary is not good. Most of the time, I look to pass to the open guy instead of taking a risk, but if nothing is available short, I go long and take my chances if I can't run the ball with my quarterback. Throwing it up works better than one might expect if the QB-WR tandem is decent on the receiver side. Note that this strategy is not optimal with many good passing teams in Preseason. In those situations, you can know what your matchups are likely to be, and can throw into more dangerous situations than you would in a Season game. ---------- Do you defend the run or the pass? Right now, I have been looking to stop the run, and take my best player to stop the pass. However, this will not work if your opponent comes out throwing on every down and knows how to move with the quarterback. The opposing player doesn't necessarily have to be a good runner with the quarterback, but the opponent has to know where to move his QB to get himself in position to "chicken" the MAN defender or to set up a longer throw (not to mention avoiding the sack). If he does those two things, I have to call passes to get enough coverage to force the opponent to either call runs or take a bunch of hits on his QB as I slam into him when he tries to run. In a no-lurch environment, you are basically forced to defend the pass with playcalls and then deal wih the run via tactics. ---------- How do you measure your performance? Nowadays, there are a large number of live tournaments in which to test your skills. Watching the current players as of 2016, I'm about at the 50% - I haven't mastered the Higgins tapping technique, am rusty, definitely don't know how to play well with good teams, and am still having to adjust to almost exclusively defending the pass. ---------- What do you think about the scandalous nose tackle dives and tactics so well documented and perfected in your FAQ? Aren't they just cheap excuses for gameplay, the Virginia Woolfs of video game football, that only progeny of John Wilks Booth use, revealing the ineptness, juvenilinity, and Limburger-Brie-cheesiness of the person who uses them? About tactics...there are many people who play Tecmo who think that things like the nose tackle dive and a ton of the techniques listed in the plays are cheap and shouldn't exist in Tecmo. I'm not one of them. I look at it this way: if you're going to play a game, you should play your hardest (at least in most situations) or else you're not really playing at all. Would you not attack the castled king in chess because "it's cheap"? Would you forbid the Dragon Punch in Street Fighter because "the person who does it is invincible if you're in the air"? Of course you wouldn't; that's how those games work. To some extent, the NTDs and unstoppable tactics like the left/right end dive on HATS Plays are tough to handle. If people aren't allowed to choose playbooks before a game or season, then I can see full well how such tactics can be forbidden, because some playbooks can be shut down hard using tactics. But if people are allowed to weed out weak plays and put in strong ones, then they should be allowed to use whatever tactics they see fit. Otherwise, you have situations where all you can do against certain plays like Toss Sweep R and FB Power Dive is to sit back and watch as the fullback simply drives ahead for three or five yards a play, because you can't stop the passes with NTDs, and you can't call both FB Power Dive and Toss Sweep R, making it nearly impossible to halt the drive, even if you know what's coming. It would be like boxers who are only allowed to use one hand and could only hit the upper torso; the fighter who has the better combination of the punch and the body would win, with little room for ingenuity, upsets, and the use of natural strengths. Playing a game like 49ers-Oilers would be meaningless, because the 49ers have a much better defense as opposed to the Oilers, making it impossible for the Oilers to win without having some brains. But without tactics, how can those brains be utilized? Games simply become seesaws of offense followed by offense, each side scoring touchdowns because there's nothing to stop the advance of the runners or the bombs of the passers. Luck would prevail rather than skill. If you got two called plays in a four-down set, that would be the only way to make the offense buckle in a Preseason game. The person who got the most interceptions and recovered the most fumbles would be the winner. Tecmo becomes a coach game with improved offense if tactics are not allowed. So, for my part, I think anything you can do is legal as long as there's a way for your opponent to circumvent or defeat your actions. Have a problem with nose tackle dives? Call Pitch L Open. Gary Reasons covering all your men? QB sneak. And on defense: if they're battering you with runs, call runs and lurch. If they're hitting you with passes, cover the run with your best defender and call passes. Whatever you do, though, don't knock the people who use the game to their advantage. The only tactic that is game-breaking is looking at the other person's controller. ------------ How long did it take to write this FAQ? Physically it probably took over 200 hours to write out all the text and diagrams. Obviously in terms of research, that also goes into hundreds of hours outside the game itself, watching how the CPU is moving. Of course, I also spent a lot of time taking advantage of the help from the community and the information that folks have published on the forums over the years. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 20. Rumors And Myths ------------------ Rumors R=Rumor O=My Take R: People can catch blocked balls. O: I believe that it could be true, because I have seen people diving for the ball, but I have never actually seen it in action. However, the incidence of this phenomenon would be very rare. It's only the intended receiver who could do such a thing in any case, because they're the only offensive players who slide for the balls. R: Changing receivers a lot helps a QB's accuracy/receptions. O: This one is speculative. Maybe it does and maybe it doesn't. I might have seen some slight improvements with Steve Grogan. I don't think it does anything much for any decent passer though. R: Getting mob tackled increases the rate of injury. O: I studied this recently and it seemed as though tackles involving two or more defenders produced more injuries. However, I watch a lot of mob tackles that don't injure anyone, and one day, I had two single-tackler injuries in two games. R: Getting hit by powerful defenders increases the chances of a fumble. O: Very possible, but not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. R: Making your receiver dive for the ball increases the chances of a reception and decreases the chances of interception. O: Possible, certainly, but I am not at all sure about it. One of the problems with this rumor is that when a player makes a diving catch in coverage, you typically remember it but the interception on that play, not so much. Tough to say, but I have seen it happen a lot, that the defenders will be all over the play, and then the receiver slides in to make the catch. R: Struggling a lot/not struggling at all makes a person more fumble-prone. O: I think I would need more study on this before I could come to a real conclusion. R: Punts can be blocked, however rarely. O: This was probably a feature, like penalties, that the programmers and developers were going to put in, but never finished. Whether this can actually be activated is doubtful. Extensive tests have turned up nothing, not even a pressure. R: Changing plays in the middle of a season helps your ability to run them. O: Don't think this one is quite the case. ------------------ Myths M=Myth R=Reason(s) Why It's Wrong M: Quickness does anything significant. R: Many hours of tests prove this wrong. The fact that no one can agree on it is the most convincing argument. M: Running in the opposite direction makes defenders more likely to struggle with a runner instead of slide tackling. R: I checked on this for a few games, and noticed nothing significant. ------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------- 21. Taunts "Ha." Some of these taunts are lame, but some are all right. General: "With that kind of speed, you could play in Madden. Maybe you're even Madden himself." "O-ho! That's hitting power!" Kick field goals from where you would punt and punt from where you would kick field goals. Kick the extra point at the last minute or even take the tackle. On interceptions: Run the ball as if you were the intended receiver towards a touchdown. For even greater effect, make it into the end zone and start humming the pass touchdown music. "This is how got in the NFL, no doubt. He passes the Grogan test with flying colors." "It's too bad I can't set as a wide receiver." "Do you get bonuses for these?" On fumbles: "Couldn't hold your lunch, eh?" "I didn't know could pass." "If you keep behaving like Lorenzo White, you'll never win this game." "Thanks for giving me back my ball." "Touchdown celebrations are done in the end zone." On safeties: "You're safe all right - from getting a touchdown." "You ran to the wrong end zone." "You're better at getting to your end zone than I am." "You should have punted." "I don't have to play - you win this game for me." "You could have made things easier for me and kicked a field goal." "That was an old-school 2-point conversion." On BAD passes (credit Paul for some inspiration): "In another era, you could have been an anti-aircraft artillery piece/shuttle launching pad/flare gun." "The geese are breaking formation almost as quickly as you are." "Do you hunt that way?" "If you break the Tecmo blimp/scoreboard/uprights, you're going to have to pay for it, and on the salary you're getting next year, it'll be a tough buy - that is, if they don't fire you for and leave you totally destitute." "Giving the fans balls is certainly generous of you." "That's one way to avoid an interception." "If you could kick as well as you pass, every team in the league would want you. Are you trying to be the next Tom Tupa?" "The coaches don't need all this practice." "I repeat: just because the cheerleaders are in red doesn't mean they're your targets." "If you keep throwing like that, the cheerleaders are going to have to wear pads too." "I guess cheerleaders get breast implants to absorb your incoming passes." "Getting revenge on the mute fans, I see." "The parachutist only comes at halftime." "Are you Groganing again?" On dropped passes: "Gee, that guy came straight from junior high." "You have to catch the ball first to be able to fumble." "My linemen are better receivers." "You're confusing football with hot potato." "Gee, maybe I should have thrown it to the bleachers. Someone might have caught it there." " isn't catching and he isn't blocking. Why do you pay this guy?" On missed field goals: "The cheerleaders can kick better than you can." "You wanted to be a sniper, but..." "Too short to be a punter and too high to be a soccer player..." " gives away balls on passes and gives away balls on kicks." On oafed kicks and punts: "You're the argument for the thrown kickoff/punt." "You could have just thrown over the line with the ball and gotten more yards. Or for that matter, you could have kicked him." "In golf, that kind of thing is called a bogey. In football, it's called pathetic." ---------------------------------------------------------------- END OF FILE