Reported Errors | FAQs | Information Request

This is a support site for the 4th Street Software football board game. 

Errors

Occasionally errors will occur on player rating zones, in the rules, or elsewhere.  If you suspect an error, please submit it using the form at the bottom of the page.  The links below contain links for files saved in Word 2000 format.  Although only the player listed is effected by the changes, the entire sheet that contained his ratings is included.  All are in color.  If you need black and white, simply choose that option from your printer options box when printing.

2006

Brodie Croyle, Kansas City, was inadvertently excluded from the player database.

2005

Scott Shanle, Dallas, should have C-D-E ratings of 3-2-1 rather than 4-3-2

Drew Henson, Dallas, should have an injury rating of -7 rather than +5

Jake Scott, Indianapolis, should should also be rated to play at T

2004

Micah Knorr's injury rating should be "-1" rather than "-5"

Justin Smiley was 23 last year, not 65 :^)

Sean Mahan, OL Tampa Bay, should have A-B-C-D-E ratings of 6-6-6-6-6.

2002

2001

K Lassiter (pretty much the entire set of ratings in each column need to be changed)

K Poole (not included in the 2001 player file, but should be)

1970

Frequently Asked Questions:

These are questions frequently asked by customers:

How do weather effects enter in to the game?

If the "45" result number was found on a defensive player's card, credit him with the sack.  Otherwise, the QB has made it to the line of scrimmage (rather than being tackled for a loss) and the result of the play is a 0 yard gain (no sack is credited) on the run.

The defense double covers a WR on an out pattern. The 10 sided dice roll was 7 so the defense won the matchup. Which defensive player card should the result come from? The defense had their LCB and nickel back covering him. I would assume you would use the player with the higher rating but what if they are both the same?

Use the player with the lowest "token value", as per below:

1 LDE
2 LDT
3 RDT
4 RDE
5 LLB
6 MLB
7 RLB
8 LCB
9 RCB
10 SS
11 FS

This is a change from  version 1.0 rulebook, where the player with the highest token value is used. This will be revised in the version 2.0 rules.

As you are in a nickel defense, the nickel back would be substituted in for one of the LB's (presumably the MLB). Therefore, he would be "the guy".

ALTERNATIVE

As many gamers...especially solitaire gamers...don't always use tokens, here is another method of resolving whose card to read the result off of in a "stack" situation (contributed by John Allain):

"On running plays, DL always beats LB, which always beats DB.  When it's two players of the same category, inside always beats outside.  That is, the MLB beats OLB, S beats CB, DT beats DE.  The "winner" is the card the results are read off of.  Along these lines, on pass plays - DB's always beat LB's, which always beat DL.  If two of the same player types are in the same zone, the player who was originally there should have the play result read off of his card.

Is 4th Street planning on releasing any more "retro" seasons?

The 1970, 1971 and 1972 seasons have been released and are available for purchase in both board game and computer game format.  The next season will most likely be 1969.  Its release date has not been set, but will most likely be in the winter of 2006.

 

When are new seasons usually released?

Typically in early to mid-June each year.

 

I am thinking about starting a board game draft league.  Can sheets be constructed which have player ratings on them based upon our newly drafted team rosters?

Yes!  You need to contact Bryan with an e-mail (scroll to the bottom of the page) for more details.  Typically, this involves you first drafting the players and setting up platoons using the computer game, then sending 4th Street a "platoon" file so that we can port over the information into the board game format.  As of summer, 2004, the cost is $10 per team.

 

I don't understand the ABCDE ratings at all.  Do you have a primer on that?

These ratings are at the heart of the game.  They help determine the matchup winner on virtually every play.  The ratings have different meanings for different positions.  The following is a brief rundown on what each rating means for each position:

 

These average ratings are average ratings for starters...not reserves.  On each play the ratings of two players are matched up against one another.  For example, on a counter (quick running play), the "B" rating of the offense's left guard (LG) and the "A" rating of the defense's right defensive tackle (RDT) may be called into question.  If the LG's "B" rating is an 8 and the RDT's "A" rating is a "2", the offensive player will win the matchup 70% of the time.  Why?  Because 8 minus 2 is 6, so results 0 through 6 on a d10 roll (7 chances out of 10) will be won by the offense.  The actual play result is then read from the appropriate column of the winning player's ratings. 

All of this is done "under the skin" in the computer game, but is done on every play nevertheless.

What is the "x" rating used for?

"x" is a special blocking rating, primarily used only on TEs, RBs, and WRs.  Occasionally, these players will have their blocking abilities called into question (especially TEs and FBs).  The rating is used in the same manner outlined above for the ABCDE ratings.

 

Is the "x" rating ever used for defensive players?

Only if you decide to use one on offense, such as a blocking fullback like "The Fridge".

 

I think I get the zone/combo/man coverage rules.  When used, LB's always play "zone" and use the value called for on the play card ("C", "D", or "E") depending on the zone they're in.  However, man cover DB's always use their "E" rating.  However, the rules indicate that zone DB's always use their "D" rating - regardless of the zone they're in.  Is this true?  What if they'r up in the LB zones and the play card calls for the use of their "C" rating?  Is this only true when playing a "combo" coverage or "man" coverage?

When ever a player is in the LB zones, use the "C" ratings no matter who it is...DB, LB, or even a DL.  You're completely right on the LB's.  For DBs, use their "D" rating when they are in zone, but use their "D" or "E" column after they win a matchup, depending upon if they are in the medium or long passing zones.  So....if a matchup is called between the free safety (who is in the deep passing zone playing zone defense) and a WR, use the FS's "D" rating and if he wins the matchup, use his "E" column to find the result.  It's the same with man-to-man, except you'd use the player's "E" rating.

 

 

Are special teams plays the only plays that can have fumbles occur when the d10 and d20 match?

And also interception and fumble returns.

 

How about the "KC", "KR", "PR" and "PC" ratings?

These are used for kick coverage, kick returns, punt returns and punt coverage, respectively.  They are used in the same manner as outlined above for the ABCDE ratings.

 

How can more than 7 players rush the punter?  Also, I understand the benefit (d20 check more likely to result in a rush situation).  However, what's the penalty?  Doesn't seem that the other two or three guys back there really do much anyway (other than 20 on d20 results in the secondary return guy getting the ball).  By rushing two of them, I don't seem to lose much in the punt return.

If you move players into the front zone OR the LB zones, they are considered to be rushing the punter.  Actually, the punter's columns are set up so that they will yield a longer punt when rushed, but have a chance of having the punt blocked.  Also, if you move a player from his usual position in order to increase the rush, he is no longer able to block and the kicking team player should automatically win the matchup.

 

I have a question with regard to interceptions.  When the play results reads "Interception 20 + d10 yards downfield" and after rolling the d20 and checking the interception rating on the QB card and the result is not an interception, is the pass caught by the receiver for 20 + d10 yards or is it an incomplete pass?

The pass is incomplete.

When a linebacker is brought to the front line to "blitz" I see no gain
in doing this. All he does is leave his linebacker position empty and he
would still be filling the hole he is in even from back there.

In order to rush a passer, a player must be in the first set of zones.  If
an offensive matchup (say, involving the center) occurs where there is no
player opposite him, the offensive player automatically wins the matchup.
Therefore, a balance of blitzing and "playing it straight" needs to be
implemented.

In page 8 of the rulebook, it is written "...a defensive token (numbered 0-10)..." but the defensive tokens are numbered 1-11.  Is this a mistake?

Yes, that is a typo.

The ball is snapped from the opponent's 15 yard line, and the passer chooses a medium pass.  The pass is intercepted by a defender (result code is 65, intercepted 20+d10 yards downfield).  In this case, the position of the interception is beyond the end zone (d10 roll is an 8, so the ball is caught 28 yards down the field...3 yards past the end line of the end zone).  Is this an interception or an incomplete pass?

The pass is incomplete.  If the die roll had been 5 or less, the ball would be considered caught in-bounds (yes, even on a 5...the defender "just kept his feet in").

On kickoffs, when the kick reaches into the end zone, can the coach choose to return the kick or is it an automatic touchback?

The coach can choose to return the kick, but it is recommended that if the kick is more than 3 yards deep, a touchback is taken.

Play Card Fixes

Several of the play cards that come with the original game have been updated.  The fixed cards do not have the same clarity, but are made in color.  Download them, unzip, and print out on card stock (4th Street uses 110# tag).  This file also contains the play cards that were only available via download prior to October 1, 2004 ("Additional Play Cards").  The file is in Microsoft Word 2000 format.

Improved kicker cards

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Last modified: 03/05/07