XOR NFL Challenge 1968 AFL Sim Season

[zonecadet]

G'day all,

Here is Week 1, Game 1 of my AFL sim using XOR's NFL Challenge with modifications to the Playbooks and Curves File (relating to Runs, Passes and Field Goals).


Chargers 4 turnovers and poor 3rd down percentage restrict
potent offense while Bengals' Paul Robinson has huge game in
very low scoring affair.

Results from Game 1

----------------1----2----3----4----Total---
Bengals 0 7 0 0 7
Chargers 0 6 0 0 6
--------------------------------------------

14:36 2nd - San Diego - Partee 33 FG
8:51 2nd - San Diego - Partee 41 FG
4:07 2nd - Cincinnati - Robinson 14 run (PAT Livingston)

Team Chargers Bengals

First Downs 24 20
Run-Pass-Pen 11 - 12 - 1 12 - 7 - 1
3rd Down Conv 4 - 12 - 33.3% 5 - 12 - 41.7%
4th Down Conv 0 - 0 - 0.0% 0 - 0 - 0.0%
Time of poss 30:58 29:02

Total Net Yards 436 355
Plays - Avg 69 - 6.3 67 - 5.3
Net Yards Rush 186 238
R Plays - Avg 34 - 5.5 44 - 5.4
Net Yards Pass 250 117
Att-Comp-Int 33 - 18 - 2 22 - 9 - 2
Average Pass 7.1 5.1
Sacks - Yards 2 - 9 1 - 7

Punts - Avg 4 - 45.3 7 - 38.4
Return Yards 87 52
Penalty - Yards 10 - 85 5 - 43
Fumbles - Lost 3 - 2 1 - 1
Fumbles - Chargers: Hadl 1-0, Post 1-1, Alworth 1-1
- Bengals: Robinson 1-1,

Individual Statistical Results

Chargers - Rushers
No. Pos Att Yds Avg Lg TD
22 HB 20 114 5.7 26 0 Dickie Post
37 FB 12 67 5.6 12 0 Gene Foster
21 QB 2 5 2.5 5 0 John Hadl
--- --- ---- --
34 186 5.5 0

Bengals - Rushers
No. Pos Att Yds Avg Lg TD
18 HB 30 188 6.3 19 1 Paul Robinson
45 FB 11 48 4.4 21 0 Tommie Smiley
16 QB 2 -2 -1.0 0 0 Dewey Warren
38 (HB) 1 4 4.0 4 0 Estes Banks
--- --- ---- --
44 238 5.4 1

Chargers - Passing
No. Pos Att Cmp Pct Yds TD Int Lg
21 QB 33 18 54.5 259 0 2 25 John Hadl (QBR 54.8)
--- --- --- -- --
33 18 259 0 2

Bengals - Passing
No. Pos Att Cmp Pct Yds TD Int Lg
16 QB 22 9 40.9 124 0 2 30 Dewey Warren (QBR 21.8)
--- --- --- -- --
22 9 124 0 2

Chargers - Receivers
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
27 SE 7 104 14.9 21 0 Gary Garrison
19 FL 6 92 15.3 25 0 Lance Alworth
22 HB 2 28 14.0 19 0 Dickie Post
83 TE3 1 17 17.0 17 0 Willie Frazier
38 TE1 1 10 10.0 10 0 Jacque MacKinnon
37 FB 1 8 8.0 8 0 Gene Foster
--- --- ---- --
18 259 14.4 0

Bengals - Receivers
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
42 SE 3 63 21.0 30 0 Warren McVea
23 FL 3 34 11.3 18 0 Rod Sherman
84 TE1 1 14 14.0 14 0 Bob Trumpy
34 TE2 1 7 7.0 7 0 Ken Herock
45 FB 1 6 6.0 6 0 Tommie Smiley
--- --- ---- --
9 124 13.8 0

Chargers - Interceptions
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
33 SS 1 11 11.0 11 0 Kenny Graham
45 RCB 1 0 0.0 0 0 Speedy Duncan
--- --- ---- --
2 11 5.5 0

Bengals - Interceptions
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
30 SS 2 3 1.5 3 0 Jess Phillips
--- --- ---- --
2 3 1.5 0

Chargers - Sacks
No. Pos Cnt
82 RDE 1 for 7 Steve DeLong
---
1 for 7 yards

Bengals - Sacks
No. Pos Cnt
83 RDT 1 for 3 Bill Staley
76 LDE 1 for 6 Jim Griffin
---
2 for 9 yards

Chargers - Punt returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg FC TD
45 DB 4 43 10.8 16 0 0 Speedy Duncan

Bengals - Punt returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg FC TD
19 RB 2 8 4.0 6 0 0 Essex Johnson

Chargers - Punting Dennis Partee
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TB 20 Blk
42 P 4 181 45.3 50 1 2 0
Punts: 45R, 50TB, 44cc(20) / 42cc(20)

Bengals - Punting Dale Livingston
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TB 20 Blk
11 P 7 269 38.4 51 1 1 0
Punts: 38R, 30cc(20), 51R, 28oob / 34cc(TB), 48R, 40R,

Chargers - Kickoff returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
45 DB 2 33 16.5 20 0 Speedy Duncan

Bengals - Kickoff returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
42 WR 3 41 13.7 19 0 Warren McVea

Chargers - Kicking
No. Pos Ep-att Fg-att Lg
28 K 0/0 2/4 41 Dennis Partee (40WR,33,41,40WR)

Bengals - Kicking
No. Pos Ep-att Fg-att Lg
11 K 1/1 0/0 0 Dale Livingston ( )

INJURIES - 19 Alworth FL (SD) - 49 (1st) 1-5
32 Alison TE2 (SD) - 42 (1st) Game
18 Robinson HB (CIN) - 38 (1st) 1-5
55 Buncom ROLB (CIN) - 56 (1st) Game
27 Garrison SE (SD) - 49 (2nd) 6-10
40 Beauchamp FS (SD) - 36 (2nd) Half (seconds to go!)

70 Appleton RDT (SD) - 86 (3rd) Half
81 Staggs LOLB (SD) - 61 (4th) 1-5
37 Scott (CIN) - 48 (4th) 1-5
72 Kirner LG (SD) - 71 (4th) Half with 5:29 to go

[stratonapba]

Great Start zonecadet, Maybe if you want to put a season file for the 1968 AFL Sim Season along with other stuff that what you need, I'll be happy to put you in the Next Update along the 2023 Regular Season Rosters for NFL Challenge, Thanks!

[zonecadet]

Great Start zonecadet, Maybe if you want to put a season file for the 1968 AFL Sim Season along with other stuff that what you need, I'll be happy to put you in the Next Update along the 2023 Regular Season Rosters for NFL Challenge, Thanks!

I'll finish the season, then put the teams back to week one status (I accommodate injuries etc in my replays) and let you know. It will have to be a stand alone complete game file season as I have altered the Curves.nfl and PLS.nfl files to re-create the 1960s football of the AFL with poor completion percentages but long gains. In 1968, six of the ten teams averaged 15yds or better per completion (no team in the NFL does that these days). I've got 4 teams doing that and a couple close to it.

[Pregadordouard]

Great Start zonecadet, Maybe if you want to put a season file for the 1968 AFL Sim Season along with other stuff that what you need, I'll be happy to put you in the Next Update along the 2023 Regular Season Rosters for NFL Challenge, Thanks!

I'll finish the season, then put the teams back to week one status (I accommodate injuries etc in my replays) and let you know. It will have to be a stand alone complete game file season as I have altered the Curves.nfl and PLS.nfl files to re-create the 1960s football of the AFL with poor completion percentages but long gains. In 1968, six of the ten teams averaged 15yds or better per completion (no team in the NFL does that these days). I've got 4 teams doing that and a couple close to it.

Did you just change the roster ratings or sliders?

[zonecadet]

Great Start zonecadet, Maybe if you want to put a season file for the 1968 AFL Sim Season along with other stuff that what you need, I'll be happy to put you in the Next Update along the 2023 Regular Season Rosters for NFL Challenge, Thanks!

I'll finish the season, then put the teams back to week one status (I accommodate injuries etc in my replays) and let you know. It will have to be a stand alone complete game file season as I have altered the Curves.nfl and PLS.nfl files to re-create the 1960s football of the AFL with poor completion percentages but long gains. In 1968, six of the ten teams averaged 15yds or better per completion (no team in the NFL does that these days). I've got 4 teams doing that and a couple close to it.

Did you just change the roster ratings or sliders?

I altered the outcomes within the CURVES.nfl file to limit FG length, increase long gains on pass receptions and run plays. There are other things you can do. I removed a lot of offensive and defensive plays like fewer zone coverages and blitz plays

[Pregadordouard]

I'll finish the season, then put the teams back to week one status (I accommodate injuries etc in my replays) and let you know. It will have to be a stand alone complete game file season as I have altered the Curves.nfl and PLS.nfl files to re-create the 1960s football of the AFL with poor completion percentages but long gains. In 1968, six of the ten teams averaged 15yds or better per completion (no team in the NFL does that these days). I've got 4 teams doing that and a couple close to it.

Did you just change the roster ratings or sliders?

I altered the outcomes within the CURVES.nfl file to limit FG length, increase long gains on pass receptions and run plays. There are other things you can do. I removed a lot of offensive and defensive plays like fewer zone coverages and blitz plays

really really cool, do you plan to do this with the other eras too? 1972 to 1977 (with the change in Harshmarks RB's as OJ Simpson surpassed 1,000 yards) and 1978 (QB exploded in yardage numbers after changing the contact rule up to the first 5 yards) ?

Regarding the playbook, there are still more plays like Draws, misdirection, in all formations variations. When I try to play similar to that time, I realize that the playbook is very limited, since I play a game based on the ground game with 2 RB's . https://www.footballxos.com/download/19 ... 1694803462

[zonecadet]

Did you just change the roster ratings or sliders?

I altered the outcomes within the CURVES.nfl file to limit FG length, increase long gains on pass receptions and run plays. There are other things you can do. I removed a lot of offensive and defensive plays like fewer zone coverages and blitz plays

really really cool, do you plan to do this with the other eras too? 1972 to 1977 (with the change in Harshmarks RB's as OJ Simpson surpassed 1,000 yards) and 1978 (QB exploded in yardage numbers after changing the contact rule up to the first 5 yards) ?

Regarding the playbook, there are still more plays like Draws, misdirection, in all formations variations. When I try to play similar to that time, I realize that the playbook is very limited, since I play a game based on the ground game with 2 RB's . https://www.footballxos.com/download/19 ... 1694803462

What actual game are you playing? As for other Eras, maybe, takes an awful lot of time to create the players, rate the players, test play the teams, make adjustments for the era and then complete the teams.....

[Pregadordouard]

I altered the outcomes within the CURVES.nfl file to limit FG length, increase long gains on pass receptions and run plays. There are other things you can do. I removed a lot of offensive and defensive plays like fewer zone coverages and blitz plays

really really cool, do you plan to do this with the other eras too? 1972 to 1977 (with the change in Harshmarks RB's as OJ Simpson surpassed 1,000 yards) and 1978 (QB exploded in yardage numbers after changing the contact rule up to the first 5 yards) ?

Regarding the playbook, there are still more plays like Draws, misdirection, in all formations variations. When I try to play similar to that time, I realize that the playbook is very limited, since I play a game based on the ground game with 2 RB's . https://www.footballxos.com/download/19 ... 1694803462

What actual game are you playing? As for other Eras, maybe, takes an awful lot of time to create the players, rate the players, test play the teams, make adjustments for the era and then complete the teams.....

If it is not something so complex, after finishing this modification for the 60s (which goes until the 1971 season) perhaps the sliders could solve this, since for the 1972 and 1978 seasons it would be enough to increase the skill level of the running backs and receivers .

Is it possible to make the kick animation a little slower by modifying these files? In Madden 04 it is a little slower and allows some blocks, in 08 it is practically impossible

[zonecadet]

Did you just change the roster ratings or sliders?[/quote]

Sorry, I mis-understood this question. I create my NFL Challenge rosters from scratch (well, there's me and this other guy, he does most of the grunt work in getting names, numbers, weight, experience and positions all correct and then gives them XOR ratings himself). Me and him differ on the ratings approach and I tend to down-rate his rosters after a lot of play testing, which also leads to the odd positional change, especially in AFL teams as they had such small rosters. These teams have only 42 players compared to the usual XOR roster of 49. But if you're asking do I use Madden rosters, no, we don't. I have formulas I have extensively tested through three or four Season sims and am pretty confident they get things close to realistic bearing in mind the actual game runs about 15% more plays per game than normal so season stats can get blown out a bit but things like completion percentage, FG accuracy, punting averages I can get all within reasonable variances of the real thing

[zonecadet]

Patriots dominate with passing and defense and overcome six
turnovers. Somehow!

Trailing 16-17 after three quarters, Boston's QB Taliaferro
(15 of 39 3 INTs) made way for Tom Sherman (8 of 9, 91yds,
1TD), who led the team to three scoring drives to seal the
deal.


Results from Game 2

----------------1----2----3----4----Total---
Patriots 10 3 3 17 33
Bills 7 3 7 0 17
--------------------------------------------

12:36 1st - Buffalo - Moses 5 pass from Darragh (PAT Alford)
8:11 1st - Boston - Mitchell 103 interception return (PAT Cappelletti)
0:20 1st - Boston - Cappelletti 34 FG
5:23 2nd - Boston - Cappelletti 29 FG
0:06 2nd - Buffalo - Alford 17 FG
6:54 3rd - Boston - Cappeletti 47 FG
0:43 3rd - Buffalo - Costa 23 pass from Rutkowski (PAT Alford)
7:32 4th - Boston - Nance 1 run (PAT Cappelletti)
2:08 4th - Boston - Cappelletti 38 FG
1:55 4th - Boston - Whalen 10 pass from Sherman (PAT Cappelletti)

Team Bills Patriots

First Downs 18 21
Run-Pass-Pen 9 - 9 - 0 4 - 16 - 1
3rd Down Conv 8 - 20 - 40.0% 10 - 20 - 50.0%
4th Down Conv 0 - 0 - 0.0% 0 - 0 - 0.0%
Time of poss 27:01 32:59

Total Net Yards 269 392
Plays - Avg 76 - 3.5 82 - 4.8
Net Yards Rush 133 119
R Plays - Avg 35 - 3.8 32 - 3.7
Net Yards Pass 136 273
Att-Comp-Int 37 - 14 - 2 48 - 23 - 3
Average Pass 3.3 5.5
Sacks - Yards 4 - 22 2 - 14

Punts - Avg 11 - 40.4 4 - 45.8
Return Yards 153 197
Penalty - Yards 4 - 35 8 - 70
Fumbles - Lost 3 - 1 5 - 3
Fumbles - Bills: Anderson 1-0, Brown 1-1,
- Patriots: Colclough 1-1, Porter 1-1, Taliaferro 1-0,
Nance 1-0, Thomas 1-1,

Bills' Onside Kick after FG end of 2nd Qtr failed
QB Sherman recovered a fumble on KR coverage!

Individual Statistical Results

Bills - Rushers
No. Pos Att Yds Avg Lg TD
22 HB 14 62 4.4 24 0 Max Anderson
36 FB 13 42 3.2 12 0 Bob Cappadona
33 (HB) 7 19 2.7 6 0 Ben Gregory
40 QB 1 10 10.0 10 0 Ed Rutkowski
--- --- ---- --
35 133 3.8 0

Patriots - Rushers
No. Pos Att Yds Avg Lg TD
22 (HB) 10 27 2.7 6 0 Gene Thomas
13 HB 8 25 3.1 7 0 R.C. Gamble
35 FB 7 15 2.1 5 1 Jim Nance
17 QB1 4 54 13.5 20 0 Mike Taliaferro
14 QB2 3 -2 -0.7 0 0 Tom Sherman
--- --- ---- --
32 119 3.7 1

Bills - Passing
No. Pos Att Cmp Pct Yds TD Int Lg
10 QB1 33 13 39.4 135 1 2 25 Dan Darragh (2-22)
40 QB2 4 1 25.0 23 1 0 23t Ed Rutkowski (none)
--- --- --- -- --
37 14 37.8 158 2 2

Patriots - Passing
No. Pos Att Cmp Pct Yds TD Int Lg
17 QB1 39 15 38.5 196 0 3 26 Mike Taliaferro (2-14)
14 QB2 9 8 88.9 91 1 0 19 Tom Sherman
--- --- --- -- --
48 23 47.9 287 1 3

Bills - Receivers
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
25 FL 7 52 7.4 13 1 Haven Moses
28 SE 3 40 13.3 17 0 Richard Trapp
82 TE1 2 33 16.5 23t 1 Paul Costa
83 (SE) 1 25 25.0 25 0 Bobby Crockett
36 FB 1 8 8.0 8 0 Bob Cappadona
--- --- ---- --
14 158 11.3 2

Patriots - Receivers
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
82 TE1 4 77 19.3 26 1 Jim Whalen
21 (SE) 4 53 13.3 19 0 Gino Cappelletti
84 SE 4 49 12.3 19 0 Art Graham
29 FL 4 30 7.5 18 0 Aaron Marsh
13 HB 3 24 8.0 11 0 R.C. Gamble
81 TE3 2 40 20.0 20 0 Jim Colclough
35 FB 1 9 9.0 9 0 Jim Nance
86 WR3 1 5 5.0 5 0 Bob Scarpitto
--- --- ---- --
23 287 12.5 1

Bills - Interceptions
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
42 RCB 2 5 2.5 5 0 Butch Byrd
24 LCB 1 4 4.0 4 0 Booker Edgerson
--- --- ---- --
3 9 3.0 0

Patriots - Interceptions
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
41 LCB 2 112 56.0 103t 1 Leroy Mitchell
--- --- ---- --
2 112 56.0 1

Bills - Sacks
No. Pos Cnt
72 LDE 1 for 8 Ron McDole
59 LOLB 1 for 6 Paul Guidry
---
2 for 14 yards

Patriots - Sacks
No. Pos Cnt
78 LDE 1 for 7 Dennis Byrd
79 LDT 1 for 5 Jim Hunt
52 LOLB 1 for 7 Ed Philpott
65 RDT 1 for 3 Houston Antwine
---
4 for 22 yards

Bills - Punt returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg FC TD
45 DB 3 22 7.3 13 1 0 Hagood Clarke

Patriots - Punt returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg FC TD
27 DB 5 26 5.2 10 1 0 Willie Porter

Bills - Punting Paul Maguire
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TB 20 Blk
11 P 11 444 40.4 56 1 2 0
Punts: 56TB, 46cc(20), 36cc(20), 28FC, 56NR /
26cc(FC fumble), 34ccFC, 38R, 32R, 39R, 53R

Patriots - Punting Bob Scarpitto
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TB 20 Blk
11 P 4 183 45.8 51 0 0 0
Punts: 51R, 47R / 43R, 42FC,

Bills - Kickoff returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
23 RB 4 66 16.5 28 0 Charlie Brown
22 RB 3 56 18.7 27 0 Max Anderson

Patriots - Kickoff returns
No. Pos Cnt Yds Avg Lg TD
27 DB 3 59 19.7 25 0 Willie Porter

Bills - Kicking
No. Pos Ep-att Fg-att Lg
46 K 2/2 1/2 17 Bruce Alford (17,29WL)

Patriots - Kicking
No. Pos Ep-att Fg-att Lg
20 K 3/3 4/4 47 Gino Cappelletti (34,29,47,38)

INJURIES - 65 Antwine RDT (BOS) - 70 (1st) 1-5
22 Anderson HB (BUF) - 33 (2nd) GAME
79 Hunt LDT (BOS) - 70 (2nd) 1-5

13 Gamble HB (BOS) - 22 (3rd) 6-10
84 Graham SE (BOS) - 21 (3rd) GAME
28 Trapp SE (BUF) - 83 (3rd) GAME
10 Darragh QB (BUF) - 40 (3rd) 6-10
17 Taliaferro QB (BOS) - 14 (4th) HALF