NFL Strategy Rulebook

Table of Contents

How to Play NFL Strategy
Play Options
Timing Charts
Notes on Play Nomenclature
Glossary of Terms

How to Play NFL Strategy

1. Pick Your Play Card

There are five playbooks, titled "Defense," "Runs," "Passes," "Screens-Draw," and "Special Teams." Inside each playbook are the play cards defined by that category. Each player secretly selects a play card from the appropriate playbook.

2. Place Defensive Card Over Offensive Card

The defensive play card is placed on top of the offensive play card.

3. Flip the Selector Bead

The selector is a D100 (percentile) randomizer — in earlier editions a spring-loaded bead, in later editions a pair of dice read as a 1–100 result.

4. Read the Yardage Results

There are five small "yardage windows" showing through the combined cards, giving 15 possible results for this combination of offensive and defensive plays. Find the proper yardage window using the scale printed beside the cards: the scale is read from bottom to top, so if a set of lines reads "20" and the next line reads "50," the range is 21–50 (1–20 was before the line, 51+ is beyond the line). Follow the line for that scale range to find the yardage window that applies to the D100 result.

5. Read the Correct Yardage

Only one of the three numbers printed in the yardage window is correct for the play. It depends on whether the play started in the center of the field, or on the left or right hash mark. The ball marker on the field carries two sets of colored triangles, one set facing each way: on the left, a black triangle; in the center, red; on the right, blue. If the play started with the ball in the center of the field (red), read the red number in the yardage window; if on the left (black), read the black number; and so on.

6. Mark Off the Yardage and Move the Ball Right, Left, or Center

Slide the ball marker forward or back to show the new yardage. Check the small square hashmark dot printed just to the left of the correct yardage figure in the yardage window: if that dot is black, move the ball to the left hashmark; if red, move it to the center; if blue, move it to the right hashmark.

7. Advance the Time Clock

Mark off time according to the type of play and the yardage gained or lost (use "no gain" for negative yards). During the last two minutes of each half, use the "2 Min" time options if you choose — you are not required to use them, and may choose not to conserve time. The time consumed by each type of play is summarized in the Timing Charts, below.

8. Time Outs

Three time outs are allowed per team, per half. When a team calls a time out, do not adjust the time marker for the play just run — a time out must be called before the play is run. Keep track of time outs remaining on the scoreboard's time-out indicators.

9. Set the Clock Before Starting the Game

Set the clock to 15 minutes before starting the game and before each new quarter. A quarter ends when the clock again reaches zero.

Recording the Score

Keep track of quarter, down, score, and time outs remaining on the scoreboard. Use the 10-yard marker on the edge of the field as you would a chain on the sidelines, to mark the yards needed for a first down.

Play Options

The rules of NFL football apply.

Kick-off / Onside Kicks

Use the special kick-off card. The kicking team inserts the card for a kick-off or an onside kick and operates the probability selector, moving the ball the resulting yardage. The receiving team then operates the selector to determine the runback and lateral field position. If the kicking team tries an onside kick, and the returning team's result is an "F," the kicking team recovers the ball at the spot indicated.

Punts / Angle Punts

Use the special card for the punt and return. All punts are measured from the line of scrimmage. If an angle punt does not go out of bounds (OB) and is not a touchback, use the punt return column to determine the runback.

Blocked Kicks

A result of "BLK-10" indicates a blocked kick recovered by the defense 10 yards back of the line of scrimmage. All blocked kicks are recovered by the defense.

Fumbles

A result of "7F" indicates that the ball is fumbled after a 7-yard gain and recovered by the opponent. A result of "-7F" indicates a loss of 7 yards before the fumble. Fumbles recovered by the offense are not indicated. If the play carries to or over the goal line before the fumble occurs (for example, "10F" from the defense's 5-yard line), it is a touchdown, since the fumble did not occur until the runner crossed the goal line. Fumble results include any runback which may have occurred.

Interceptions

A result of "13i" indicates an interception and a return to within 13 yards of the line of scrimmage. A result of "-17i" indicates an interception and a return 17 yards beyond the line of scrimmage toward the offense's goal. A pass intercepted beyond ten yards into the end zone (for example, "37i" from the defense's 5-yard line) is ruled incomplete.

Penalties

If the selector lands in the "P" area, there is a penalty. Flip the selector once again to see what the play would have been. Then the offensive player inserts the special penalty card and flips the selector again. A result of "O15" means a 15-yard penalty against the offense, whereas "D5" means a 5-yard penalty against the defense. On kickoffs, the kicking team is considered to be the offense; all 5-yard penalties are measured from the kicking team's 35-yard line and the kick goes over; all 15-yard penalties are measured from the end of the return, and it becomes first and ten. The opponent of the penalized team always has the choice of the penalty or the result of the play plus loss of down, and a result of "D15fd" means a 15-yard penalty on the defense plus an automatic first down.

Field Goals and Extra Points

Use the special card. If the selector produces a "37," and the line of scrimmage was the 37-yard line or closer, the kick is good. If the line of scrimmage is the 40-yard line or farther and the kick is no good, the kick is assumed to be short and could be fielded by the defense, so the defense may choose to return the kick if it wants, using the punt return card and figuring the return from the goal line.

Passes

A result of "Inc" denotes an incomplete pass — no hashmark dot is shown, since the next down starts at the same point. The five long passes (X Fly, Z Fly, Z Post, and 54 Y Go) may not be used on the opponent's 20-yard line or closer.

Short Yardage Defense

This defense can be used only on third or fourth down with one or two yards to go for a first down or a touchdown, or at any time when the defense is on its own three-yard line or closer.

Too Many Yards

If a play gains more yards than needed to score a touchdown, it is ruled a touchdown, even if the gain on a pass carries the ball out of the end zone.

Two-Minute Options

To make the play of the game even more realistic and exciting, different play times should be used during the last two minutes of either half (see the Timing Charts, below). A play is considered to have gone out of bounds (O.B.) if it starts and ends up on the same hash mark, left or right. A play starting in the middle cannot go out of bounds, no matter where it ends.

Timing Charts

Normal Play

	Inc. or No Gain	1 to 20 yds.	21 yds. or more
Pass	12 sec. (1 click)	24 sec. (2 clicks)	36 sec. (3 clicks)
Run	36 sec. (3 clicks)	48 sec. (4 clicks)	60 sec. (5 clicks)

Two-Minute Clock

Play	Seconds
Runs	48 (4 clicks)
Runs O.B.	24 (2 clicks)
Passes	24 (2 clicks)
Passes O.B.	12 (1 click)
Inc.	12 (1 click)

Realistic Clock Variant

For more realistic time usage, do not use the time card, but manually advance the clock according to the table above. During the last two minutes of each half, a play is considered to have gone out of bounds (OB) if it starts and ends on the same hash mark. A play starting in the middle cannot go out of bounds no matter where it ends.

	Seconds
OB Runs	24 sec. / 2 clicks
OB Passes	12 sec. / 1 click

For the ultimate in realism, use a timer to limit how long each player has to call a play, with a 5-yard penalty applied for Delay of Play.

Notes on Play Nomenclature

Running Plays (Blue Cards)

Running plays are called by designating the back to run the ball, the hole in the line through which the play is to run, and the name of the pattern.

Example — 28 Sweep: the #2 running back (left running back) takes the ball through the #8 hole (between the Tight End and the right Wide Receiver/Flanker) in a "Sweep" pattern.

Holes, left to right across the line: 9, 7, 5, 3, 1-0, 2, 4, 6, 8. Receivers X, Y, Z line up as: X on the left, Y (Tight End) between the line and Z, Z on the right. Backs 2/A, 3, 4/B line up behind the line, with 3 (the fullback) in the middle.

Passing Plays (Red Cards) & Screens/Draws/Play Action Passes (Purple Cards)

Passing plays are called by designating the backs and their instructions (ignored in this game), the intended receiver (running backs are noted as A or B in passing plays), and the name of the pattern.

Example — 80 Y Cross: ignoring the two-digit number, which is not modeled in NFL Strategy (unlike running plays), the Y receiver (the Tight End) runs a "Cross" pattern.

Note: some purple cards do not follow this nomenclature.

Defensive Plays

Defensive plays are called by designating the front formation (either a hyphenated two-digit number, or an Over/Under shift to either side), what action the linemen will take, followed by the pass coverage.

Example — 4-3 Key Man-to-Man: the two numerals indicate 4 linemen with 3 linebackers. The linemen will "Key" (watch their blockers before reacting), and the pass coverage will be Man-to-Man, with each defender covering a specific receiver.

Play-Calling Key

X — Wide Receiver, left side
Y — Tight End
Z — Wide Receiver, right side
A — Left Running Back in a passing play
B — Right Running Back in a passing play

Glossary of Terms

Blast — Linemen charge before checking the blocking pattern.
Blitz — Linebackers/safeties rush.
Combo — Combination pass coverage by the weak-side cornerman and the safety, on X.
False Key — A blocker goes the wrong way to confuse defenders.
Fold Block — Center blocks the defensive tackle, guard blocks the middle linebacker.
Key — Defensive linemen watch their blockers before reacting.
Man-to-Man — Specific defenders cover specific receivers.
Mike — Middle Linebacker.
Mombo — Middle combination coverage by two Safeties, on Y.
Over — Defensive linemen overshift to the strong side.
Play Pass — A pass that starts as a fake run.
Prevent — Defense against desperation passes.
Quick Trap — Fast cross-blocking by the center and guard.
Sam — Strong-side Linebacker.
Safety X — The weak-side Safety crosses to his outside.
Strong-Side — The offense's right side, where the tight end lines up.
Tight Side — Closer to the sideline.
Trap — A defensive lineman is allowed to charge in, and is blocked from the side.
Twist — Defensive linemen criss-cross to confuse blockers.
Under — Defensive linemen under-shift to the offense's weak side.
Weak-side — The offense's left side, without the tight end.
Wide-side — Farther from the sidelines.
Will — Weak-side linebacker.
Zone — Pass defenders each cover a zone of the field, rather than a man.