Rules

Custom Owners: We will all be mandated to create a custom owner to run their teams. Real coaches will then be available to be hired/fired whether you use a custom playbook or not.

Table of Contents
I.) Play Style
II.) Advancement
III.) Gameplay Rules
. . . . 1.) No Cheese
. . . . 2.) Moving Players Pre-Snap
. . . . 3.) QB Scrambling
. . . . 4.) Play-Calling
. . . . 5.) No-Huddle
. . . . 6.) Clock Management
. . . . 7.) Defensive Coverage
. . . . 8.) 4th Down Rules
. . . . 9.) User vs. AI Games
. . . .10.) Disconnects
. . . .11.) Banned Plays
IV.) Trades
V.) Reporting Broken of Rules
VI.) Breaking of Rules

I.) Play Style:
Everyone has a play style of their own. These differences are more than welcomed as it makes for a diverse league, but it's still important to mix up your play calls. Mixing up running and passing. Calling different types of man defense, zone defense, blitzes, and zone blitzes. While people have favorite plays in key situations, running it over and over in that situation should be avoided, such as screen passes on multiple 3rd and longs or FB Dives on every 3rd and Short. Hot routing every play should be avoided as well. Run the plays how they're intended to be ran. Hot route combos should not replace your playbook. You should have diverse enough play-calling that multiple matchups with the same opponent should have different plays called.

Even the Pats show attempts to have a running game.  On defense, you shouldn't be calling the same Cover 2 Man play every other play.  Variety is risky, but it's part of the game.  You're expected to take those risks, just as your opponents is expected to take risks.  Most NFL Offenses are reiterations of the same base playbook, and most defenses originate from the same "Tampa 2" or 3-4 attack schemes. The 3-4 shouldn't be an excuse to call Cover 2 Man, rush three fat asses, and patrol with the one zone defender. Mix it up.

II.) Advancement: 
The league will advance at irregular intervals ranging from 3-5 days depending on weekends.  There is not a set time I will be able to advance.  It can range anywhere from 12 pm to 12:30 am the next morning.  The point being, get your games in. Schedule games with your opponents early to keep things rolling.

III.) Gameplay Rules:
01. No cheesing:
While EA has done a decent job of removing AI flaws in their games, should any cheap tactics like rocket user catching, nano blitzing, and LB shaking be found, they will not be tolerated. Play the game against your opponent, not the AI.  If an exploit is found down the road that you've been using, you will be booted immediately. Not running the clock down to zero every play, and no excessive, quick snapping with no huddle.
02. Moving Players Pre-Snap
Moving a player is allowed. They must stay in their general area though. For example, a MLB remain between the OLBs. You cannot drag a player across the field out of position. D-Line must stay on the line. You can not pull them back and reposition them. Safeties must stay a few yards or more behind LBs. If in the blitz coverage look, the SS acts as a LB.
03. QB Scrambling
QBs may not drop back more than 10 yards.  QB's may not immediately bolt out of the pocket to game the passing angles/defense for an easy throw.  Sim play as your QB is mandated.  Should you be flushed from the pocket, or be scrambling to avoid a sack, anything goes, that's legit.  Bootleg plays are fine, they are sim and give QBs a run/pass option.  Learn to be aware of the pocket, and the only time you should be leaving the pocket on a pass are the two situations above, pressure and bootlegs. Dropping straight back to avoid pressure is unsim. Learn to use the right stick to dodge defenders.
04. Play-Calling
Mix up play calling on both offense and defense. Expand your playbook by trying new plays and formations in Practice Mode if you're not comfortable with a big playbook. Madden 25 is a new game, plays that may not have worked last year need to be re-tried this year. You'll be surprised.  If the offense spreads the field with 4 receivers or more, you shouldn't be in a base defense, you need to be in Nickel and Dime. If you're backed up into your own red zone, whatever formation you want to use is fine because the situation dictates it. When on Defense, call your play after the offense to ensure you're not mismatching personnel.
05. No-Huddle
No-huddle is the major fad these days, and EA did a great job implementing a great audible feature this year. No huddle is fair game. However, be fair about giving your opponent a chance to call their own audible. The offense already gets the upper-hand in forcing the defense to stay in that personnel group. The offense is too, but the options are great to create a mismatch.
06. Clock Management
Do not rush plays to try and pad stats, and do not milk the play clock until the final 3 or 4 minutes of the game in a certain victory.
07. Defensive Coverage
This goes along with mixing up your play calling. Do not call Bump and Run on every single play. Mix man and zone. Call more than just Cover 2 and Cover 3.
08. 4th Down Rules
Up by 14 or more – You are not allowed to go for it. You must kick (FG or Punt).
Up by 13 or less (or tied) – You may go for it if it is 4th and short (3 yards or less) but only if you have reached your opponent's 35 yard line.
Losing by 16 or less - you may go for it in on 4th and short (3 yards or less) but only once you have crossed midfield and entered your opponent’s side of the field.
Losing by 17 or more - you may attempt a 4th down conversion in any situation.
***If you find that a player broke a 4th down rule, it is expected that the violator punt the ball to the opponent immediately.
09. User vs. AI Games (Stat Padding)
Hopefully sliders will boost the challenge of CPU games.  If, the AI does not offer a challenge for players, stat abuse will not be tolerated and we will adjust sliders or post limits while exploring adjustments.
10. Disconnects
Only the two owners playing the game really know how the flow of the game was going.  Should a disconnect happen, please take the time to discuss how to proceed via text, email, PSN, etc. If you both agree, fantastic!  If you're not coming to a consensus, these are the agreed upon guidelines to follow. Typical guidelines are to replay the game unless it is late in the game and out of reach (up by 17+ with <4 min in the 4th).
11. Banned Plays
New year, clean slate. Nothing is banned until something is discovered as broken.

Trades
--Probation Period: A new owner (having never played in the league) must complete 1 user game in the regular season before they can trade players. Every owner must have at least 1 Scouting Report written by the user they faced. They must also write at least one scouting report on their opponent.
--Restrictions: Players rated 88 Ovr and higher are untradeable. No CPU trades. All trade offers must be posted and approved by both parties in a trade thread, and approved by the commissioner, or co-commissioner.

V.) Reporting Breaking of Rules
The hardest part of enforcing rules is proving the infraction took place. The most important part is avoiding the immature he said/they said type arguments. We are adults, let's act like it. Stats are the easiest to track. Providing proof is important if you want to PM me with your concerns. Videos or snapshots, or a cell phone picture of something displaying the infraction can become important. We have a good group of guys, so this shouldn't become an issue.[/color]

IV.) Breaking of Rules:
Should an owner break a rule, the infraction will be taken into consideration and 1 of 2 scenarios can take place.
1) Suspension of star/key player(s) for a number of games. The player will need to be completely benched in all phases of the game for the duration of the suspension.
2) Booted from the league.

So don't break the rules. I don't want to go all Brady on you.  
And we don't want you getting all Tebow on us.  


While I feel firmly about these rules, they are open for discussion for the most part, but keep in mind we've spent 4+ years refining these.  Send me any questions or open discussion of the rules and we can talk about them.