Excited to see this get implemented for the sake of how standings play out.

I imagine this will define a new Era for the league. Stats may not look quite the same for WR and QB. I think this will become the rise of the CB and LB play. Time to start attacking depth as teams figure out how to compensate for their passing game.

I'm in the conference that didn't get checked, but I currently have 32 offensive plays and 25 defensive selected. Most of my rules are defensive. Offensively, I have 3 two minute drill rules (one for first half, two for end of game) and a rule for when I'm pinned inside my 10 and that's it.

For my last 4 games, all 32 plays were called at least once, with 25 being used 5 times or more. My most used plays were used 20 and 17 times in 4 games.

Defensively, 23 plays were used at least once, with 16 being used 5 times or more. Top used plays were used 36, 30, and 20 times in the last 4 games.

I'm just posting this for comparison's sake.

I just looked at my best 2 offensive teams, Oakland Raiders in NFL League and New Jersey Generals in USFL. Raiders use 25 offensive plays, Generals 23. The Generals top 3 used plays are all runs, with 18 FL Hitches tied for top passing play used. My 2 FB Flat plays generate more yards than FL Hitch for that team.

The Raiders last 4 games include 2 playoff games and my top play used was a running play with FL Hitch second.

Those 2 teams use offensive rules, though to be fair, the rules exactly match the sliders and I don't try to isolate plays. They also have been top 5 offenses or better for the last few seasons, so there's more evidence that less plays = better offense.

I like this because I always have picked 40 off and 30 def plays every game but all the intricate technical talk makes my head hurt. I definitely think it would make things more competitive and realistic without one or four teams ALWAYS being the cream of the crop. Fair to middling teams like my own can do well only to a point. In individual games I can dominate for awhile milking the clock and holding onto the lead. Then boom boom boom. Three straight 75+ yard passing plays for tds or untimely one after another pass interference penalties on third downs when a crucial stop is needed. Hopefully this will help my team do better. I've only been in one championship game in my four years playing MFN which I lost 34-17. Making the playoffs hasn't been as hard to do though. Oh well this is just my ten cents worth.

I think 40 offensive plays it too many.

Simply because MFN has too many bad/broken plays that don't work. While I'm mandating 25 minimum on offense...I would highly recommend dropping to 30-32 offensive plays max.

The bottom line is you want to use your best plays more often without limiting play selection so they are called too much.

You have to figure on a great offensive game, you will run 80 offensive plays so the math is easy 80÷40 vs 80÷30 vs 80÷25.

yeah like that sweep to the left that loses seven yards a lot of the time.

I like the rule also. It will be interesting to see how it works out.

WHY THE NEW RULE???

Thus is a breakdown of the plays called in the Championship game. This isn't meant as an attack on smirt211 or Wolveraider because others including myself have similar play usage. It's an example of why we need a new rule.

BUFFALO

RUNS (10)
4.  Goal line normal FB dive 7
1.  Goal line normal HB pitch weak -3
3. shotgun 2 RB/3WR shotgun sweep 14
3.  Singleback normal HB inside weak 24
2.  split backs 3 wide dive left 11
4.  Strong I big HB dive strong 0
1.  Strong I normal HB dive strong 12
5.  Strong I normal HB off tackle strong 38
4.  Weak I normal HB inside strong 24
4.  Weak I normal HB inside weak 23


PASS (8)
2.  Goal line normal PA TE drag 4
10.  I formation normal FL hitch 71
8.  I formation twin WR Hard slants 21
2.  I formation twin WR slot out 19
18.  shotgun normal HB Flare 185
12.  split backs 3 wide WR quick out 61
8.  split backs 3 wide WR2 deep post 69
1.  Strong I big WR quick in 0

90 offensive plays
31 rush
59 pass

31 rush plays using 10 different run plays so that should be 3 times each play is used. For the most part that's what happens with 4 plays being used 4 times, 1 play 5 times, 2 plays 3 times, 1 play 2 times and 2 plays 1 time. No issue here as the randomness of play selection is within norms and goal line runs are rule and game situation specific.

59 pass plays using 8 plays means at minimum each play should be used 7-8 times each but 48 of the 59 pass plays called are just 4 plays.

HB FLARE 18 TIMES FOR 185 (10.3 avg)
WR QUICK OUT 12 TIMES FOR 61 (5.08 avg)
FL HITCH 10 TIMES FOR 71 (7.1.avg)
HARD SLANT 8 TIMES FOR 21 (2.63.avg)

That's 48 passes for 338 yards (7.04 avg) which is 81% of pass plays and 53% of all plays being 4 plays!!!

SAINT PAUL

OFFENSIVE PLAYS 65
RUNS 22
PASS 43

RUNS (5)
3.  Split back 3 WR dive left -2
3.  I formation normal HB dive 17
4.  Singleback normal HB inside weak 38
9.  Singleback slot strong HB strong inside 37
3.  split backs 3 wide dive left 0

PASSES (11)
3.  Weak I normal all go 0
5.  split backs 3 wide WR quick out 7
3.  Singleback normal quick slant 11
5.  Singleback normal FL go 13
4.  Singleback Big WR deep 0
5.  I formation normal SE post 0
6.  I formation normal PA Fullback flat 86
4.  I formation FL hitch 104
3.  I formation 3WR WR out 14
2.  I formation 3WR slot short WR deep 21
3.  I formation 3WR FL post 10

22 runs using just 5 runs means 4 times per play. 1 play was run 9 times while 1 play was at 4 and 3 plays used 3 times. One outlier but within norms.

43 passes using 11 plays means 4 times per play on average and 1 play was used 6 times, 3 plays used 5 times, 2 plays 4 times, 4 plays 3 times and 1 play 2 times. All where well within norms for the average.

So, despite the fact the Punishers actually used less plays then Buffalo 16 to 18...they were balanced more on average with no play overuse in comparison based on the average. This is what I'm looking for but based on 25 play calls!


My goal with a 25 play minimum on offense is this...On 100 offensive snaps which is nearly impossible...25 plays means no play should  ever called more then 5-6 times. The homerun plays should still be a part of every offense but with less play selection plus play call manipulation to call specific plays 10, 12 to 18 times will end. If I find that one of these plays is called consistently over 10 times per game when using 25 plays...I'm removing the owner.

Enomalies happen in this game and results in specific games may happen but over the course of a season...things will level out and the averages will be met.

Now I understand one crucial area of my mistake among many others I still need to learn. I've been calling all 40 plays all the time.

Will this just be a 1 year deal since next season we'll be using 4.6?