The Franchise will be run in a sim style manner. In this way, it is expected that all players conduct themselves in a manner that makes the game fun, fair, and challenging for both parties involved. The primary goal, in my opinion, for participating in a video game league is to have fun. We all know that some of the cheap lobby tactics that take advantage of the CPU AI or just display poor sportsmanship can quickly turn playing the game into an unpleasant hour of gaming. The rules/guidelines are not here to make people feel restricted or confined in their game play but more so ensure that the hour you spend playing is enjoyable in victory or defeat.

Difficulty Level - All-Pro
Quarter Length - 7 Minutes
Game Speed - Normal
Injuries - On
Fatigue - On

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.) Call a Paced Game
. . . . 6.) Play-Action
. . . . 7.) Defensive Coverage
. . . . 8.) 4th Down Rules
. . . . 9.) User vs. AI Games
. . . .10.) Disconnects
. . . .11.)Banned Plays
IV.) Breaking of Rules
V.) Reporting Broken of Rules
VI.) Trades
VII.) Free Agent Market
VIII.) Team Salaries
IX.) The Offseason

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. 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. Most NFL Offenses are reiterations of the same base playbook, and most defenses originate from the same "Tampa 2" or 3-4 attack schemes.

II.) Advancement:
The league will advance every Sunday and Wednesday. There is not a set time I will be able to advance. It can range anywhere from 12 pm to 12:30 am Thursday morning. The point being, get your games in.

III.) Gameplay Rules:
1. No cheesing:
While EA has done a decent job of removing AI flaws in their games, should any cheap tactics like rocket user catching and nano blitzing 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. (Current Exploits banned: QB Sneak, Hot route slants towards the near sideline (away from midfield))
2. Moving Players Pre-Snap
A.) Moving defensive lineman manually is not allowed. (L1/Strategy Pad adjustments only)
B.) Moving Linebackers is allowed, but limited. You may not move your LB forward closer to a gap. Once you move your linebacker, you must stick with them; you may not change to another player to move.
C.) Moving DB's will follow much of the same reasoning as LB's, in that a safety must remain a few yards minimum behind a linebacker's depth unless you are showing blitz coverage (with Triangle + Right or Up + Right). If in blitz coverage, the Strong Safety is treated like a linebacker, the Free Safety must remain deep. Cornerbacks pretty much have free reign. They must stay outside the Tackle box, if in zone they must be on their side of the field, if in man to man they must follow their receiver.
3. QB Scrambling
QBs may not drop back more than 10 yards. QB's may not 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 sim. 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.
4. 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. 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.
5. Call a paced game
Do not rush plays to try and pad stats, and do not milk the clock until the final 3 or 4 minutes of the game in a certain victory.
6. Play-action
In past games, play-action often took advantage of a weak AI no matter the down and distance. Because of that, do not call play-action passes on 3rd and long (5 yards or more to go).
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. User vs. AI Games (Stat Padding)
Often, the AI does not offer a challenge for players. Because of this, User vs. AI games can get out of hand. As sim style goes, it can be difficult to regulate players who stat boost star players in hopes of leading the league in different categories.

In playing AI games, there will be no stat boosting allowed. It is expected of owners to sub in reserve players by removing the player that is putting up big numbers. And yes, even if you're breaking away for a big run or catch, don't finish it, run out of bounds or something.
Player stat limits:
QB's.) 300 Yards passing, 3 TD's
RB's.) 125 Yards rushing, 2 TD's
WR's.) 125 Yards Receiving, 2 TD's
Defense.) 2 Sacks, 2 Forced/Recovered Fumbles, or 2 INT's
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
Unless EA decides to fix it, the QB Sneak is not allowed, ever. There's a bug that guarantees yardage with the QB Sneak and even though a situation might dictate to use it, it's an unfair AI advantage for the defense.

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 be released for the duration of the suspension.
2) Booted from the league.

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. Sometimes 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.

Trades
--Probation Period: A new owner must complete 1 user game before they can trade players. Every owner must have at least 1 Scouting Report written by the user they faced.
--Trade Limits: Any one trade scenario can only have a max of 3 pieces (players/picks) per team. You can only trade with a team once in any given (off)season cycle (Free Agency, Draft, Regular Season).
--Untouchables: The top 4 players at each "sexy" position (QB, RB, WR, TE, LB, CB, FS, SS) is immovable via trade. Top 2 players at lesser priorities are immovable (FB, LT, LG, C, RG, RT, DE, DT)
--->The intent is to protect the "integrity" of league rosters and prevent the Bradys, Mannings, Rodgers, and Rivers from leaving via trade, but those great QB's that haven't proven anything, like the Ryans, Schaubs, Vicks, and Cutlers could technically be moved if the right, fair deal came along.
----Untouchables Exception: Holdouts: If a player is holding out, a trade in principle can be agreed upon, the player can negotiate a new contract and then move him.
---> So in a situation where Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Jamal Charles, and Steven Jackson cannot be moved because they're the highest rated players at HB, CJ2K is still holding out for a new contract. A trade, in principle is decided upon to move CJ2K to the RB starved Seattle Seahawks. The Titans owner agrees on a new contract (with close input from Seattle to keep the contract as fair as possible), and the trade is then pushed through.
----Untouchables Exception: Franchise Tags: If a player's contract runs out and you can't resign them, you can apply the Franchise Tag to the player, and we will pay them "Top 5 money" (average of 5 richest contracts for the position). You can then either re-work a deal obviously, or reach an agreement to trade the player once a new contract is settled on.
---> So in a situation where Chris Johnson is slapped with the Franchise Tag, a trade, in principle is decided upon to move CJ2K to the Miami Dolphins. The Titans owner agrees on a new contract (with close input from Miami to keep the contract as fair as possible), and the trade is then pushed through.
--Flipping players: A traded player must complete a full year on a team. If traded in week 2, they can't be moved until week 2 of the next season, if a contract runs out and they reach the free agent market, you're not obligated to resign them. Traded picks can be flipped since LM is tracking it for us.
--Revoking of Trades: If an owner makes a trade and then leaves/gets booted from the league, any trade(s) they made within 4 weeks are revoked, and the players are moved back to their previous team.
--Trade Committe: Three active/impartial owners will be established, and a trade must get 2/3 approval (with me making any final decision if necessary as commish). If possible, I'd love an NCAA owner to be able/willing to act as the third member (Buckeye, truth, jacquito, etc.) to ensure impartiality. If a committee member is involved in a trade, they will not have a vote if the trade gets approved/denied.
--CPU Trades: You may trade with a CPU team. Despite LM having CPU trade logic presnt, a CPU trade will be EXTREMELY limited by the trade committee and will have to receive 3/3 approval votes, and the trade will have to favor the CPU team.

VII.) Free-Agent Market
1.) During Week 1 and Week 2 of the season, all owners are capped at a maximum of 2 signings per game week, choose your players wisely. Week 3 and beyond is uncapped.
2.) There is a 12 hour "Waiver Period" on all free agent signings before you can sign them. Post all players you're bidding on in the forum.
3.) Post all cuts/signings in the forum as well to make everyone aware of who is entering the market. Make sure to include the players Position, Name, Rating, Salary, and Cap Penalty.
4.) Like trades, any signings/cuts will be reversed if an owner is booted or drops from th league within 4 weeks of making a move.
5.) It is mandatory to use leagueManager to cut/bid/sign/trade players as it ensures accurate tracking of roster salaries/penalties/etc.If you don't know your EA login, you better find it (it's the same to log into EA's Online Franchise website, email/password).

VIII.) Team Salaries
1.) Minimum Salaries: $100,000,000 in the Regular Season
2.) Maximum Salaries: $140,000,000 at all times. No going over to sign a pick in the offseason.
--->2a.) Should you go over cap, the move(s) previously made will be reversed, or a star player will be suspended along with enough players to get you under cap if you can't do it yourself.

IX.) The Offseason (Pending, we'll figure this out closer to the end of the season. This is the likeliest scenario)
1.) We will have 2 rounds of Free Agency prior to the draft to allow players to resign contracts, and get their roster cut down to handle the forced signings by the draft console.
2.) The draft will be run through League Manager for ease of use -- True draft boards, CPU Logic, draft over time, etc.
3.) We will then have a 3rd and final round of free agency to help set final rosters heading into the regular season.

While I feel firmly about these rules, they are open for discussion for the most part, but keep in mind we've spent 2+ years refining these. Send me any questions or open discussion of the rules. There's also a separate thread for discussion.