Gameplay Rules

Gameplay settings:
All Madden (Custom Sliders)
9 min qtrs
17 sec accel clock
INJ On
Trades Open - Human Only
Trade Deadline: Regular Season Week 12

Advance schedule: Every 48 hours at 9 pm eastern

Offense

1. Swerving:

Defined as using the left stick to make unrealistic "Swerving" motions to avoid tacklers. This is not allowed, if it happens accidentally that's one thing, but when you constantly repeat this is another. Use the right stick for jukes and your buttons for other ball carrier animations. Think of Kick returns how everyone online jerks to the left at the last second, or runs a toss and jerks out around defenders.

2. Play Calling:
Mix up your play calls and formations, don't use the same play repeatedly for every third down.

Change up runs, not just outside, or multi wr set draws, you should be fairly balanced between inside and outside runs and draws. Draws shouldn't be your only inside runs.

Passing must be mixed as well, dont just hot route curls, slants, and out routes, consider actually running the play you called, or using a formation audible. It is ok to use some hot routes, but don't change every WR.

Scrambling with the QB is allowed, but only after a solid attempt to look at whats going on down the field. No 20yd drop backs, no hiking and immediately and rolling out, unless its a designed QB run play.

QB running plays are allowed, but these play should be limited, the Triple Option should not be the basis of your offense. QB's cannot have more rush attempts then HB's. Maybe once or twice a drive at the most. If this becomes a problem then the Options will be banned all together, so don't abuse this and ruin it for other League Members.

TEs and/or RBs should not be leading your team in receptions, for a game or for the season.  A game or two a year where a TE is leading receiver with 5 catches while a WR had 4 is acceptable, but a TE with 10+ receptions with a WR only having 2 is not.

#1 WR catch ratio should be balanced.  At the end of the year, having WR1 with 100 receptions while WR2 or WR3 have only 20 catches is not acceptable.  Spread the ball around.

3. 4th Down Rules:

You must punt or kick a FG on all 4th downs, unless one of the following conditions is met:
a. 4th and 1 yard or less on your opponents side of the field
b. Down by 9+ points in the fourth quarter anywhere on the field
c. Down by 17+ points in the third quarter and on opponents side of the field
d. You are losing and less than 3 minutes to go in the game anywhere on the field

4. No Huddle:
This is only allowed inside of 2 minutes of the half or the final 4 minutes of the end of the game. If you are up two scores in the first half you may NOT use no huddle inside 2 minutes. This should only be used in close one score games, or if someone needs to comeback in a realistic situation.

5. Scoring Rules
a. Against Other Users:
-No scoring a td to go over 42 points, unless your opponent is within 21 points.
-If you are at 42+ points and have a 21+ point lead, you may kick field goals
-If you have 42+ points and have a 28+ point lead, you may not kick field goals either
-If you are winning by 35+ points in the 2nd quarter, you should be running the ball every down, with an extreme bias towards "inside" runs.  If your opponent comes within 28 points, you may open up your playbook.  However, this does not mean you should be passing on every down, just means you can pass on 2nd and long/3rd downs to keep the chains moving.
-If you are winning by 28+ points in the 3rd quarter, you should be running the ball every down, with an extreme bias towards "inside" runs.  If your opponent comes within 21 points, you may open up your playbook.  However, this does not mean you should be passing on every down, just means you can pass on 2nd and long/3rd downs to keep the chains moving.
-You are not allowed to pass in the 4th quarter when winning by 21+ points.  You may open up your playbook if you opponent comes with 21 points.  However, this does not mean you should be passing on every down, just means you can pass on 2nd and long/3rd downs to keep the chains moving.

b. Against CPU (this includes SUPERSIMS, no excuses)
- No breaking single game records against CPU
- No more than 42 points total with starters, backups, or otherwise.
- If you need more than 42 points to beat CPU, cry me a river, take the loss.
- Max Position Stats vs CPU
QB1 - 350 yards, 4 TDs (combined rushing/passing)
QB2 - 300 yards, 4 TDs (combined rushing/passing)
RB1 - 2225 yards, 3 TDs (may have ONE additional receiving TD)
RB2 - 175 yards, 3 TDs (may have ONE additional receiving TD)
WR, TE - 200 yards, 3 TDs

- Treat CPU games like they are a preseason game. Starters should not play the entire game amassing huge amounts of yards/tds.  If it is a competitive game where you are losing or in risk of losing, then keep your starters in, but take care not to surpass the yardage and TD totals above.

Offensive Depth Chart

#1 rated WR must stay as #1 in the depth chart. Using formations, that move that WR around are fine, but constant abuse of this is not allowed either.

Te's may not play FB in the depth chart

HB's may not play FB in the depth chart

FB's can play HB

You may Edit offensive linemen to play either side, LG to RG etc.

Defense:

No nano's!!!

You may move one player pre-snap, but this is to be the player you control. Use your strat pad adjustments to align players as you see fit. No Shifting LB's back and forth constantly to open up a blitz. In certain circumstances if a player for whatever reason does not line up on his assigned man, u may move him and return to your user player.

You cannot drop multiple Dlinemen into coverage unless you have called a play I.E. a zone blitz, no changing Dlinemen's assignments to drop into spy or zone. If you wish to use a play with a spy then call a play with a spy in it. You may contain DE's if you see fit, use this logically and not the entire game.

Mixing up plays just like on offense is required, no Man Press or Bump all game. You may not use the same coverage on every 3rd down.

Defensive formations should be similar to offensive sets, if someone is using a 4wr set offensively, you should not be in a goal line defense.

LE rule, if your teams best pass rusher is already a LE then this is fine, RE's can play LE in one base set, and one pass defense set. I don't want people abusing the fact RT's are extremely weak this year.

Defensive Depth Chart

De's can be flopped but not in depth chart, and see last defensive rule..

CB can play Safety

Safety can play CB

CB depth can only be flopped in formation subs, i.e. CB swap

You may edit LOLB and ROLB to play either side

Special Teams

Onside kicks are only allowed in the 4th qtr when down by 7 or more.

You may not move blockers on kickoff return coverage

You may not drop an extra player into punt coverage

You may not move any player presnap on a special teams play. (yes this includes trying to block PAT)

You may not wait till the last second and "Swerve" with the left stick out to the left or right on kick returns. This is a huge problem again in madden 13.

Disconnect Rules

We all know how annoying disconnects are, and more often then not it is just a connection based problem.

IF a d/c occurs in the first half, the team with lead may make the decision to either restart from scratch or to play back to score.

Any d/c's after halftime must be played back to the score and team with possession. Yes this is tedious and not a lot of fun, but it is the fair option. (If the team with the lead prefers just to restart, they are allowed to make that call.)

Punishment for Violations
1. Gameplay:
-First complaint about gameplay will be an official warning

-Second complaint about gameplay will result in a one game suspension for the owner (you will be placed on auto for your next game)

-Third complaint will result in removal from the league

2. Stat Padding/Running Up Score/etc:
- First offense will result in a warning

- Second offense will result in player suspension

-Third offense will result in player suspension or removal from league

*Special Note - If a suspended player shows up in the stat sheet (pass attempt/rush attempt/reception/etc), that player will be suspended for the rest of the season.

GroupMe / Chatbox Rules
Friendly and playful banter back and forth is perfectly fine, no arguing or bickering about the game.

If you feel you're opponent is breaking rules, please try to contact them first and resolve the issue LIKE ADULTS. Then if no common ground can be found please reach out to a staff member.

Most important rule of all, if you're not sure something is allowed, ask first.

You are expected to treat other league members with respect, be fair in all the areas where the rules apply, and not to do anything "just to get a win".  It's a video game, not life or death, remember that.  Integrity in online gaming is near non-existent.  Occasionally, things happens in games that aren't intentional, sometimes you blitz and the QB gets sacked before he can drop back, or someone may have the momentary lapse of reason and drop back 20 yards, these things are fine as long as they are not consistent. So let's not complain about the accidental things, and just play the game fair.  If you come across an owner who is consistently breaking the rules, then please let one of the admins (Backley, Bayou, NTrain) know and it will be dealt with.  You will not be considered a whiner if you report something to admins, so please do not hesitate to contact them.

If you have any questions about the rules, or have suggestions for additional rules or modifications to current ones, please let one of the admins know.

i agree