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League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By raidergreg69 - League Admin
4/12/2020 1:46 pm
How are you handling or not handling punt blocks in your league(s)? I'm finally hearing about it in USFL and I don't have the desire to go through every game log or start kicking people out of the league. I don't like the exploit and I want it gone, so what do I do?

For now, I'm trying a Name and Shame in the hopes that getting called out publicly will stop it. I'm not sure if an outright ban would work, and I don't want to just have anything goes.

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By CrazyRazor
4/12/2020 6:29 pm
This is what I did:

CrazyRazor wrote:
If you run the punt block exploit, I will boot your *** out of this league. Idc how long you've been here. If you don't like that, then leave now.

CB's & WR's are only allowed to play the wing positions #1-4.
LB's are only allowed to play the wing positions #5 & #6.
DL are the only players allowed to play Rushers.

I will check rosters and I will check game film to see that GM's are abiding by the guidelines. If there is a line-up that does not follow the guidelines, the offending GM will be approached. If there happens to be a punt block during the season or playoffs because an illegal line-up got past me, the offending GM will be removed from the league without contact from the Admin.
Last edited at 4/12/2020 6:29 pm

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By TheAdmiral
4/13/2020 7:21 pm
My rules

As some of you are aware, the Punt Block exploit has been skewing results throughout MFN Leagues. In a bid to bring Punt Blocks in line with the NFL (ie less than one per week) Please can we all adhere to this rule.


No Secondary players (ie CB, FS, SS) and No Wide Receivers in the ST Rushers section of your depth chart. You CAN use these players as Gunners.

IF you autoset this area, please check and remove any of the above if they are listed there.


For those unaware of this blight on the game, if you line up small, lightweight speedy guys in these positions on the Punt Return team. Then there is a strong possibility that your team will get multiple Punt Blocks in a game - often resulting in a TD.

In reality, these players should get bulldozed by the Offensive Line players, protecting the QB.


Should anyone choose to flout this rule (and it will be obvious, if you do). Then there will be consequences.

During Regular season games -

First time: Warning and Named and Shamed on the League Forums
Second time: Final warning
Third time: Ejected from the League

During Playoffs -

First time: Ejected from the League.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moving on to Kickers and Punters.

Every team must have a minimum of 1 recognised Punter AND 1 recognised Kicker on their squad for Regular Season games and Playoffs.

Playing without either of these two positions basically gifts a walkover win to your opponent. 'Tanking' is not something I like to see in any League. It should be a matter of pride to get at least one victory in a season and whilst getting a high pick in the draft is a nice 'reward' there should be a stigma attached to it also.

I have no issue with blooding youngsters, late in the season if your playoff chances are in ashes, but I don't recall any team, ever. playing without a Kicker and a Punter.
Last edited at 4/13/2020 7:22 pm

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By Gustoon
4/14/2020 10:49 am
TheAdmiral wrote:
My rules

As some of you are aware, the Punt Block exploit has been skewing results throughout MFN Leagues. In a bid to bring Punt Blocks in line with the NFL (ie less than one per week) Please can we all adhere to this rule.


No Secondary players (ie CB, FS, SS) and No Wide Receivers in the ST Rushers section of your depth chart. You CAN use these players as Gunners.

IF you autoset this area, please check and remove any of the above if they are listed there.


For those unaware of this blight on the game, if you line up small, lightweight speedy guys in these positions on the Punt Return team. Then there is a strong possibility that your team will get multiple Punt Blocks in a game - often resulting in a TD.

In reality, these players should get bulldozed by the Offensive Line players, protecting the QB.


Should anyone choose to flout this rule (and it will be obvious, if you do). Then there will be consequences.

During Regular season games -

First time: Warning and Named and Shamed on the League Forums
Second time: Final warning
Third time: Ejected from the League

During Playoffs -

First time: Ejected from the League.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moving on to Kickers and Punters.

Every team must have a minimum of 1 recognised Punter AND 1 recognised Kicker on their squad for Regular Season games and Playoffs.

Playing without either of these two positions basically gifts a walkover win to your opponent. 'Tanking' is not something I like to see in any League. It should be a matter of pride to get at least one victory in a season and whilst getting a high pick in the draft is a nice 'reward' there should be a stigma attached to it also.

I have no issue with blooding youngsters, late in the season if your playoff chances are in ashes, but I don't recall any team, ever. playing without a Kicker and a Punter.



I really like this and might steal it ;)

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By Redneckgopher
4/15/2020 10:26 am
Ok I have seen this happen and I have been the recipient, so if I want to quickly correct this am I to understand it is straight forward and easy or do I have to go and dig deep into this? How deeply?

In the ST depth chart I have thrown LB'r DE's and CB into Gunner at random and also into ST Rusher along with some other suitable DLine duds all at random, between my few teams there has been an assortment of different players and with injuries it changes a lot and at times there have been a few CB and safeties
Ok so if that created issues, Uh OK but I thought that was what I was supposed to do,
But it sounds like it's fairly easy to remove CB and Safeties from the ST Rusher spot if I am to understand and follow along. That I can do as pretty straight forward

So now your telling me I also have to set up wings?
I guess you require an additional level of involvement then cause I am not so sure I understand.
I have taken the effort to go look at punt return in Overrides? I think that is what you mean and while I have no "red" players slotted into override it does list some example players of which it fills in names. It includes CB and other players so how the heck am I supposed to correct this? Does that mean it will auto place a CB on the outside? I didn't have any CB listed in the ST Blocker Depth chart section. So would I then get kicked out of your league?

I would prefer to play fairly but for a casual player with limited time I need to know my options and to have them clear. It does make sense, just want it easy

What would happen if I just leave it blank and didn't fill in anyone in the depth chart

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By Cjfred68
4/15/2020 1:10 pm
Redneckgopher wrote:
Ok I have seen this happen and I have been the recipient, so if I want to quickly correct this am I to understand it is straight forward and easy or do I have to go and dig deep into this? How deeply?

In the ST depth chart I have thrown LB'r DE's and CB into Gunner at random and also into ST Rusher along with some other suitable DLine duds all at random, between my few teams there has been an assortment of different players and with injuries it changes a lot and at times there have been a few CB and safeties
Ok so if that created issues, Uh OK but I thought that was what I was supposed to do,
But it sounds like it's fairly easy to remove CB and Safeties from the ST Rusher spot if I am to understand and follow along. That I can do as pretty straight forward

So now your telling me I also have to set up wings?
I guess you require an additional level of involvement then cause I am not so sure I understand.
I have taken the effort to go look at punt return in Overrides? I think that is what you mean and while I have no "red" players slotted into override it does list some example players of which it fills in names. It includes CB and other players so how the heck am I supposed to correct this? Does that mean it will auto place a CB on the outside? I didn't have any CB listed in the ST Blocker Depth chart section. So would I then get kicked out of your league?

I would prefer to play fairly but for a casual player with limited time I need to know my options and to have them clear. It does make sense, just want it easy

What would happen if I just leave it blank and didn't fill in anyone in the depth chart


You arent a punt blocker but have to adjust because the actual punt blockers lined up DBs, WRs or RBs...basically anyone undersized with +90 speed along the front four of the punt return formation. By overloading the line with speed....someone would break through unblocked and block punts to the tune of 2.5/ game.

On your depth chart...remove any non defensive lineman or linebackers from the ST Rusher and you will be fine.

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By setherick
4/16/2020 10:05 am
I posted this in a thread in Paydirt. I'll post the same response here.

Punt Blocks suffer from an observational fallacy. Since they are broken plays, when you suffer one, it's probably the only thing you remember about a game. But it is rarely going to change the course of a game. (You shouldn't be punting that often if you are game planning for your opponent anyway.)

I have two 96 SP gunners that I have put on the wings. In ~28 games between last season and this season, here are the number of punts that I have blocked or that I have had blocked. (I haven't uploaded the past few games from that league into my DB, and I know I blocked one last game, so there is at least one more in this mix.)

ARZ 4-5-ARZ 35 (3:32) Punt BLOCKED by 43-James Dilley! recovered by LA.-43-James Dilley to ARZ 7 for 9 y
SD. 4-10-SD. 15 (1:12) Punt BLOCKED by 29-Donald Higgins! recovered by LA.-40-David Harden to SD. 3 for
DET 4-17-LA. 43 (9:11) Punt BLOCKED by 43-James Dilley! recovered by LA.-99-Randal Swint to DET 33 for 2
JAX 4-1-JAX 50 (8:03) Punt BLOCKED by 43-James Dilley! recovered by LA.-29-Donald Higgins to JAX 29 for
LA. 4-3-LA. 33 (2:45) Punt BLOCKED by 45-Stephen Foster! recovered by IND-45-Stephen Foster for 14 yards
SEA 4-18-SEA 29 (12:56) Punt BLOCKED by 43-James Dilley! recovered by LA.-43-James Dilley for -2 yards.
SF. 4-11-SF. 40 (8:49) Punt BLOCKED by 43-James Dilley! recovered by LA.-43-James Dilley for 15 yards. T
NYG 4-31-NYG 15 (1:00) Punt BLOCKED by 29-Donald Higgins! recovered by LA.-40-David Harden at NYG 18. Ta

That's it.

The current argument goes I should be blocking a punt a game but I don't. Now, my team is pretty bad, don't get me wrong, so I don't force that many punts, so I don't have that many chances for blocks.

But if the argument was actually correct, I would expect more blocked punts.

THAT SAID, there is definitely a problem with punt team blocking that can be exploited and that should be fixed. It's the same problem that plagued the code for years in that punt blocking is SP vs SP and the defender will usually win.

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By CrazySexyBeast
4/16/2020 4:56 pm
Let the master JDB ponder and execute his will upon the land!
I'm pretty sure everything about this topic has been covered. Many thanks to all who weighed in, but it is my opinion that it would be best to leave it to JDB at this time, and continue submitting information in the background for his review.
The reason I propose this is mostly due to the flame wars, angst, and general tension created by the topic effects an equal negative impression upon a great game.
...but that's just me.
Stay Safe, Amigos!

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By Gustoon
4/17/2020 12:33 am
CrazySexyBeast wrote:
Let the master JDB ponder and execute his will upon the land!
I'm pretty sure everything about this topic has been covered. Many thanks to all who weighed in, but it is my opinion that it would be best to leave it to JDB at this time, and continue submitting information in the background for his review.
The reason I propose this is mostly due to the flame wars, angst, and general tension created by the topic effects an equal negative impression upon a great game.
...but that's just me.
Stay Safe, Amigos!


This /

Such an , excellent game, yes its not perfect but still remains A LOT of fun daily.

Stay safe everyone.

Re: League Admin Question RE: Punt Blocks

By Wolfkill
4/21/2020 6:08 pm
I don't cheat or whatever others want to call it, but I have my Coaches set ST all the time and shi* happens. Sometimes I pull out starters at critical positions because I don't want to risk injury , but I never purposely put CB's in those spots.