I’ve updated my Method of Play presentation to not only reflect my current methodology using the Master Game booklet, but to introduce modifications or workarounds that address unrealistic board results, rare situations that occur to frequently, mitigation steps for game engine issues, and techniques that improve playability to bring results more in line with actual statistics. I also wanted to share the new formula (excel spreadsheet) for “Keying/Double Coverage” that offsets poorly rated defenses that excelled in either run or pass defense (i.e., 2010 Chargers 34/34 defense was #1 ranked; 1970 N.Y. Jets 31/33 was a top 5 defense with #2 run defense, etc.)”

I’ve also conducted housecleaning of the “Method of Play” section and removed obsolete presentations and posted supporting files that augment my current method of play.  

The YPC ratings for the 1994 NFL season are now in the site library.

APBA instituted the Tom Dempsey rule, which KA* Kicker may attempt a field goal of up to 63 yards, play result of 37 shall be Good from that distance. All other numbers follow the play results in the 40–49-yard line column as indicated. This is great but it doesn’t address a 57-yard field goal attempt for kickers when the goal post was on the goal line. At the end of my last game of my 1970 replay between the Broncos and 49ers, the Broncos reached the 50-yard line, down by one point with one play remaining. The boards only extend to the 40–49-yard line and Bobby Howfield isn’t a KA* carded kicker. So, what does an APBA football coach do? In real life, the head coach chats with the special teams coordinator to determine the kicker’s long during pre-game warmups and considers the kicker’s past performance.  To translate this to the tabletop, I reviewed Bobby Howfield’s K-column to determine if he had one or more play result 37 on his card. Howfield had three 37’s for a 1:12 chance in successfully making the attempt, so I sent out the field goal unit. If the roles were reversed and San Francisco had the ball at midfield, I would have called a long pass (term hail mary didn’t exist yet) and hoped John Brodie hit one of his three numbers (1:12) for a touchdown because Bruce Gossett doesn’t have a play result 37 on his K-column.

For situations where the quarterback in the game doesn’t have play result 3 on his card, I would consider one of two options. I could either call a long pass and hope for a pass interference penalty or fall back on a face-to-face strategy and call a draw play to a K-carded running back with multiple play results 1 or 2 in his K-column.