                    MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Typed by ???  Edited by PARASITE.
NOTE: These are edited from the IBM docs, but they look very close!


INTRODUCTION                                                 4
ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:20 YEARS OLD AND RUNNING STRONG  5
ABC SPORTS BROADCAST TEAM                                    7
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS                                          8
THE MENU SELECTIONS                                         11
HOW TO USE THE SONY SPORTBOOK                               13
JOYSTICK CONTROLS                                           14
KEYBOARD CONTROLS                                           15
KEYPAD CONTROLS                                             16
LIGHTS! CAMERA! KICKOFF!                                    17
CONTROLLING PLAY ACTION                                     18
THE PLAY SELECTION SCREEN                                   22
OFFENSIVE PLAY SELECTION                                    23
OFFENSIVE PLAYBOOK                                          25
DEFENSIVE PLAY CALLING                                      27
DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK                                          28
ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL STRATEGY                        29
PLAYMAKER UTILITY:INVENT YOUR OWN PLAYS                     35
THE KICKING GAME                                            37
THE SCOREBOARD                                              41
FUMBLES                                                     42
INTERCEPTIONS                                               42
INJURIES                                                    43
LEAGUE PLAY                                                 43
PENALTIES AND OFFICIAL SIGNALS                              44
TIPS AND HINTS FOR PLAYING BETTER FOOTBALL                  46
ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME                    48
A FOOTBALL TUTORIAL:HOW TO BECOME A PRIME-TIME PLAYER       50
ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TRIVIA GAME AT HALFTIME         53
THE ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PLAYERS                     54
FOOTBALL TERMS AT A GLANCE                                  58


3: INTRODUCTION

Congratulations! You have just purchased the most exciting,
technologically advanced football game available. ABC's Monday Night
Football gives you football action like you've never seen before! This is
the only game that takes you from the bright lights of the announcer's
booth to the gut-wrenching action on the field. As Frank Gifford calls
the action,you play the game in the trenches with the roar of the crowd
all around you. You're the quarterback, a field marshall directing his
troops. You call out the signals,the center snaps the ball and all hell
breaks loose. You can feel the hits and hear the grunts as your All-Pro
offensive linemen battle against your opponent's front line.
You scramble back to escape an oncoming defensive linemen. You quickly
check the defense,lock onto your intended receiver and release the ball a
split second before being leveled.
The ball zips toward its mark. Now you're the receiver who's put some
fancy moves on the defensive back. You've got him by a step,but can you
get to the ball?  You run with everything you've got,leaping high with
arms outstretched.
Never taking your eyes off the ball for a second,you bring down the
football safely tucked into your chest. Touchdown! It's just another play
on the most thrilling sports game ever,ABC's Monday Night Football!
From the cheerleaders on the sidelines to the infamous blimp,you'll get
the true experience of an ABC's Monday Night Football game.
Now it's time to play some defense. As the defensive coordinator of your
team,you set the formations and you call the plays. You've got to
outsmart your opponent by anticipating his moves and countering them with
your brilliant defense. Calling that corner blitz can make you look like
a genius when you stuff your opponent's run. But you better hope he
doesn't go for a long bomb or you'll get burned! It's all part of the
high strategy and high stakes of ABC's Monday Night Football!

This manual has been designed to help you get the most out of ABC's
Monday Night Football. If you're a football rookie, we'll teach you the
game.  If you're a seasoned veteran,we'll make you better. So put on your
helmet and get ready for the opening kickoff. But first, a few pre-game
activities.

4: ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:20 YEARS OLD AND RUNNING STRONG

At the time it seemed like a hugh gamble. On September 21,1970,ABC
television took the risk of broadcasting an NFL football game on Prime
Time and on a weekday.  Nervous TV executives hoped people would tune in.
But when the New York Jets lined up against the Cleveland Browns on that
fateful Monday night, no one dreamed that ABC's Monday Night Football
would become not only a smash hit, but an American Institution.
Over the course of the next few years, ABC's Monday Night Football
changed the habits of the nation. For 20 years now,millions of Americans
have planned their Monday nights around ABC's Monday Night Football.
Restaurants and bars created Monday Night Football parties for their
patrons. Bowling leagues changed nights and women's groups held their
meetings on Monday nights so their husbands could watch the game. In
1980,even a Presidential Debate was changed from Monday to avoid the
conflict! Amazingly,even the crime went down every Monday night across
the nation because of ABC's Monday Night Football. Tuesday mornings the
main subject of conversation around the office water cooler was what
happened the night before on ABC's Monday Night Football.
And the action on the field? Pumped up by their prime time exposure,
players responded by giving us some of the most incredible and memorable
plays in the history of the National Football League. Who could forget
those stirring Raider comebacks? On a 1988 ABC's Monday Night Football
game,the Los Angeles Raiders got behind the Denver Broncos 24-0. They
came roaring back to tie the game and then win it in overtime,30-27. Ten
years ago,renegade Raider quarterback Kenny Stabler threw three touchdown
passes to bring his team back from a 35-14 defecit to a 42-35 win in the
final moments. Players like Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell and Refrigerator
Perry became football legends because of their stunning performances on
ABC's Monday Night Football.

5:

ABC'S Monday Night Football was unique in another way,too. It was the
first football show to have three announcers and the stars in the
broadcast booth have shined as brightly as the stars on the field. People
tune in to hear what they have to say to each other as much as to hear
what they have to say about the game. The current broadcasters,Frank
Gifford,Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf, have the show running like a finely
tuned automobile at full throttle.
Now,in this 20th anniversary season,a new American tradition begins:ABC's
Monday Night Football computer software game. For the first time,all the
excitement and action of ABC's Monday Night Football has been captured
for you.
You don't have to just watch those superstars in action;now you can
become one!

6: ABC SPORTS BROADCAST TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES WITH FRANK,AL AND DAN

The ABC Monday Night Football broadcast is so smooth and professional
that what they do may look easy. It isn't. Imagine trying to learn over
80 new players every week,memorize their names and remember their
strengths and weaknesses.
But that's what these guys have to do. Even though only 22 players are on
the field at any one time,modern football is a game of constant
substitution.
Coaches make full use of their 47 men rosters. New players come in all
the time. For example,if a coach thinks the other team will be attempting
a pass,he may send in a pass specialist to replace a rushing specialist.
Frank, Al and Dan have to stay on top of that at all times. Days before
the game, they begin studying films of the two teams,they interview
coaches and players to find out who's healthy and who's injured and get
hints about the coaches' strategies.
After all the hours or preparation,finally it's game time. The director
counts down the seconds and then it's Show Time! During the game,ABC uses
as many as 12 cameras to get all the action from every angle. "Spotters"
help Frank, Dan and Al quickly identify different players. And you may
have noticed those headsets they wear during the game. While they're
talking to you over the air, ABC directors are talking to them through
those headsets. They may be telling them how long until the next
commercial or advising them on what to say. Have you ever tried to talk
while someone's blabbing in your ear? It's not easy.

To start ABC's Monday Night Football using the floppy disks (called
Cameras in this manual),boot Camera 1 into drive 0.

The first time you play the game,you need to configure the game so it
works optimally with your computer system. The screen will prompt you to
make the following choices:

Players 1 and 2 select their game control modes. Both players can use
joysticks.  One can use a joystick and the other the keyboard or keypad,
or one can use the keyboard and the other the keypad.
If you select the joystick,the screen will prompt you to adjust your
joystick.  Most joysticks have horizontal and vertical control
adjustments. The initial calibration screen will request that you adjust
these to the lowest number

9:

larger than 20. Follow the directions on the screen by moving the
joystick in requested directions and then hitting the FIRE button. This
process guarantees that your football players' movements will be
precisely calibrated for your joystick.
You can speed up or slow down all the game's sounds - from Frank
Gifford's voice to the referees calling penalties. If you speed it up
enought,the voices will sound like chipmunks. To adjust the voices,press
the + or - keys to speed up or slow down the sound. Then press ENTER to
set the sound speed. Any time during the game you wish to further adjust
the sounds,you can do so by pressing the + or - keys whenever the
scoreboard screen is up.
In the setup screens you will also be given the option to have the
Cheerleaders

Trivia Game camera(disk) On or Off. If you're playing from floppy disks
instead of a hard drive,you can cut down on disk access time and disk
swapping time if you select Camera Off.

After the opening graphics,a security guard asks you for a password. On
the screen will be the words PASS CODE and a number representing a page
in this manual. Just Hit return, Its CRACKED!  The security guard
will let you into the stadium.

Next the Game Selection menu will pop up. Select your game and press
ENTER. If the game you have selected requires teams to be selected,then
the Team Selection menu will pop up. Use the arrow keys and the ENTER key
to pick your team. Just like the pros,there are 28 teams. Every pro city
is represented on ABC's Monday Night Football.

10:

To get into the Main Menu,hit the ESCAPE key when the Scoreboard is on
the screen. You are then given the choice of taking a timeout for either
team (each team gets 3 timeouts per half)or going into the Main Menu.
Timeouts can also be called during the game play by pressing the F1 key
for Player 1,and the F10 key for Player 2.

The Main Menu gives you the following options:
1. Quarter Length
2. Playmaker Utility
3. Team Modification Utility
4. Interface Options
5. New Game
6. Return to Game
7. Exit to DOS
To make a selection,use the ARROW key to select the option you want and
hit the ENTER key, the joystick, or the number keys on the keyboard to
punch in the desired number and hit the ENTER key. Here's a rundown of
the menu options:

1. Quarter Length. You can select between 5,10 or 15 minute quarters.
2. Playmaker Utility. You select this option to create your own plays
from scratch. In addition to the 30-play standard playbook that comes
with ABC's Monday Night Football,the Playmaker Utility enables you to
create unlimited offensive plays of your own. This can really give you a
leg up on the competition! To find out how this works,turn to the
Playmaker Utility cahpter starting on page 35.
3. Team Modification Utility. You can select a new team,change your
team's colors or the athletic ability of every member of your starting
lineup as well as the reserves.
To Change Teams or Colors:Scroll through the teams or colors using the UP
and DOWN arrow keys and then press ENTER. Or use the number keys on the
keyboard to select your team and then press ENTER.
The Team Modification menu allows you to change the athletic ability of
all your important players. This enables you to set up your team's
strengths and weaknesses. If you're the kind of guy that loves the
passing game,you can create a quarterback with a great arm and receivers
with hands like glue.  Maybe you want to pattern your defense after the
great Chicago Bears defense of 1985.
No problem. You can give your guys great rushing and coverage ability.

11:

There's just one catch. Just like in real life,in order to get something,
you usually have to give something up. Whenever you increase a player's
ability in one football skill,you automatically decrease a different
skill. For example,if you make your quarterback a great passer,he's not
going to be a great runner. A defensive back who's great at pass coverage
will be weak at tackling. Here's how it works:
Every offensive and defensive player(except linemen, which are rated as a
group)will be rated on two skills. The two skills make a combined total
of 5. For example,if you give your quarterback a 4 rating for passing,
he'll get a 1 for running. If you give him a 2 for passing,he'll get a
3 for running. The highest rating you can give a player is 4; the lowest
rating is 1.

On offense,the football skills that are paried are:
QUARTERBACK:             RUNNING        PASSING
FULLBACK:                RUNNING        HANDLING
HALFBACK:                RUNNING        HANDLING
LEFT WIDE RECEIVER:      RUNNING        RECEIVING
RIGHT WIDE RECEIVER:     RUNNING        RECEIVING
TIGHT END:               RUNNING        RECEIVING
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:  RUN BLOCKING   PASS BLOCKING

On defense,the football skills that are paired are:
MIDDLE LINEBACKER:       COVERAGE  TACKLING
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 1:    COVERAGE  TACKLING
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 2:    COVERAGE  TACKLING
RIGHT CORNERBACK:        COVERAGE  TACKLING
LEFT CORNERBACK:         COVERAGE  TACKLING
STRONG SAFETY:           COVERAGE  TACKLING
FREE SAFETY:             COVERAGE  TACKLING
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN:   RUN RUSHING   PASS RUSHING
If you make your quarterback a good passer,a greater percentage of his
passes will be completed. But at the same time,he will get "sacked" or
tackled more easily because his running ability won't be as great.
However,if you make your quarterback a good runner,it will be more
difficult for the defensive players to tackle him,so he'll be better at
avoiding the pass rush and gaining yardage on the ground.

12:

To change your players' football abilities,first use the UP and DOWN
arrow keys to line up the flipping icon next to the player you want to
adjust. Now use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to increase or decrease
their skills.
To save these selections for your team,at the Team Modification menu
select the Save Changes option.
4. Interface Options. Use this option to change the Control Mode(joystick
or keyboard),the Graphics Mode and the speed of the sound. These are
discussed in the Loading instructions on page 8.

PAUSE
To pause the game at any time,hit the ESC key. Hit the key again to
resume play where you left off.

HOW TO USE THE SONY SPORTBOOK
If you want to use the Song SportBook, load up and start the full ABC's
Monday Night Football game.
When the playcalling screen and scoreboard are displayed,press the ESCAPE
key to go to the game menu.
At the game menu,press 3,then ENTER to select the main menu.
At the main menu,press 2,then ENTER to select the Playmaker Utility.
From the Playmaker,select the Load Playbook function and follow the
screen prompt to load your Song SportBook.
With the Playmaker Utility you may now add another 18 plays to your
playbook, or begin playing ABC's Monday Night Football with the existing
12 offensive Plays in the Sony SportBook.
Consult the section on the Playmake Utility on how to create additional
plays for ABC's Monday Night Football.

13: JOYSTICK CONTROLS
ABC's Monday Night Football can be played with one or two players and one
or two joysticks. One player can play against the computer,two player
teammates can play against the computer,or two players can go head to
head against each other.
Joysticks 1 and 2 are controlled as follows:
The player you're controlling will run in the direction you point your
joystick:Left,Right,Up,Down,Up/Left,Up/Right,Down/Left and Down/Right.

JOYSTICK BUTTON:Hold down joystick button to scroll through receivers.
Release button to SELECT receiver you want. Press quickly and then let up
on button to PASS.(See section of Keypad Controls for Handing Off.) You
also hit the button for PUNTS,FIELD GOALS and EXTRA POINTS.(See chapter
on Controlling Play Action for complete details.)

14: KEYBOARD CONTROLLS
You can use the keyboard keys to control your player's movements as
follows:
Q    Up and Left
W    Up
E    Up and Right
A    Left
S    Stop
D    Right
Z    Down and Left
X    Down
C    Down and Right

The SPACE BAR and SHIFT keys perform the same function as the joystick
button:
Hold either of those keys down to scroll through possible receivers.
Quickly hit either of these keys to pass,handoff or kick the ball.
For Play Selection(explained in next section),hold down the A key for a
SHORT play, the S key for a MEDIUM play or the D key for a LONG
play,simultaneously while pressing the SPACE BAR or left SHIFT key to
select that play. To scroll through your playbook,hit the W key to scroll
forward or the X key to scroll back.

15: KEYPAD CONTROLS

The Keypad controls your player's running as follows:
7    Up and Left
8    Up
9    Up and Right
4    Left
5    Stop
6    Right
1    Down and Left
2    Down
3    Down and Right
Selecting and Passing to Receivers:The INSERT key(0 key on
keypad)performs the same functions as the joystick button:Hold down
INSERT key to scroll through
receivers. Release INSERT key to select receiver. If your intended
receiver is covered, you can hold down the INSERT key again to scroll
through receivers again. Quickly hit the INSERT to pass.
Handing Off and Lateralling to Running Backs:As the quarterback calls out
the plays at the line of scrimmage,hold left(4 key)or right(6 key)and
hold button (INSERT key) as he yells "HUT". The ball will be given to the
running back who is in the direction you have selected.
Making Play Selections(explained in Play Selection section of this
manual):To make a play selection,hold down the "4" key for a SHORT
play,the "5" key for a MEDIUM play or the "6" key for a LONG
play,simultaneously while pressing the INSERT key to select that play. To
scroll through your playbook,hit the "8" key to scroll forward and the
"2" key to scroll back.

16: LIGHTS! CAMERA! KICKOFF!
Just like the real ABC's Monday Night Football,the action on the field
begins with the kickoff. The sports blimp gives you a breathtaking aerial
view and the excitement builds. The computer randomly picks the teams the
kickoff.  (The other team will automatically receive the kickoff to begin
the second half). The camera then takes you to the field behind the
kicking team as the ball is kicked into the air. After the ball is
kicked,the screen perspectives changes to the Kick Return Specialist.
On offense,you control the ball carrier as soon as he catches the ball.
You begin to run upfield,left,right or diagonally by pushing your
joystick in directions you wish to go. With a burst of speed and a few
good cuts, maybe you can run it back all the way for a touchdown. But the
entire defense will be swarming all over you and will do their best to
smash you into the ground. On defense you control the one player closest
to the ball carrier and the computer controls the rest of the team.(Once
the ball carrier is tackled or runs out of bounds,the whistle blows,the
ball is spotted and the two teams go into a huddle as the Scoreboard and
Play Selection screens come up.)You are now ready to begin play from
scrimmage.

17: CONTROLLING PLAY ACTION

OFFENSE
After you and your opponent have selected plays,your players all come to
the line of scrimmage. You're about to receive the snap,so you might want
to think about those great Monday nigh performances by quarterbacks over
the past 20 years. Terry Bradshaw going long to Lynn Swann. Joe Montana
threading the needle to Jerry Rice in heavy coverage. You,too,can achieve
football immortality throught ABC's Monday Night Football.
As the teams come to the line of scrimmage,you now see the field from the
quarterback's point of view. The quarterback automatically calls the
signals, and the center will snap the ball when "hike" is called by the
quarterback.
Since the play doesn't begin until the ball moves,you have to be ready at
any time for the ball to be snapped.
As soon as the ball is hiked,you ARE the quarterback. One of the great
features of ABC's Monday Night Football is how easy it is to check off
possible receivers and then pass or handoff the ball to one of them.
Here's how it's done: When your team comes to the line of scrimmage,and
throughout the play action,there is a row of 6 HELMET ICONS on the bottom
of your screen.
These helmets are labeled with the letters representing these different
players on your team:

1. QUARTERBACK:QB        4. LEFT WIDE RECEIVER:LWR
2. HALFBACK:HB           5. TIGHT END:TE
3. FULLBACK:FB           6. RIGHT WIDE RECEIVER:RWR
As soon as you get the ball and start to move back th throw,HOLD DOWN the
joystick button. This enables you to scroll through the different
players. As you scroll through the possible receivers,you will see a
different helmet highlighted one at a time. The highlighted helmet
changes color. When the player you want to pass to is highlighted,RELEASE
the joystick button to SELECT that receiver's point of view.

18:

(Remember,all great quarterbacks need to anticipate who their receiver is
going to be.)As soon as you release the button,the screen point of view
changes to the receiver. Your joystick movements now control that
receiver, not the quarterback. The computer is now controlling the
quarterback's movements.
You can see if the receiver is covered by a defender or in the open. To
PASS to a receiver,quickly tap the joystick button once. If your intended
receiver is covered and you want to pass to another player,don't tap the
joystick button yet. Instead,HOLD DOWN the joystick button again to
scroll through the other receivers. But remember,just like in real
football,you don't have all day. If you're facing a team with a great
pass rush like Chicago's "46" defense,you're going to get sacked if you
don't throw the ball! If no one's open,you can always cycle back to the
Quarterback helmet icon and run the ball yourself or tap the button to
throw it out of bounds.
A play might unfold like this:You receive the snap from the center and
hold down the joystick button to cycle through possible receivers. When
the left wide receiver (LWR) helmet is highlighted, you release the
button and the screen    now shows the wide receiver completely in the
open. You hit the button to pass the ball and the receiver catches it.
Using your joystick to control the receiver,you run it for a touchdown.
Or maybe the ball is thrown wide to your right and you can't get to it.
Incomplete pass. The whistle blows and both teams go back in the huddle
to select the next play.
To make it easier for you to follow the action,the offensive player you
control at any time is marked by a YELLOW TRIANGLE icon next to that
player. The defensive player you're controlling is always the one nearest
the player carrying the ball,and there's a YELLOW CIRCLE icon next to
that player. Also, when choosing a receiver,that receiver is marked by a
flashing yellow triangle.

19:

To Automatically Select a Running Play:Whenever you hold down the
joystick button BEFORE and during the ball snap,a handoff or lateral
running play will be initiated to either the fullback or halfback,
depending on the formation and the play selection.
When you hold down the joystick button and move the joystick left or
right,the ball is automatically handed off to the player that is running
in the direction you point the joystick. If both backs are running in the
same direction,the ball will is automatically handed off the the player
running the widest. For example,suppose the fullback is running inside
left and the halfback is running a sweep left. If you hold down the
joystick button and move the joystick left as the ball is snapped,the
ball will be handed to the halfback. If you move the joystick to the
right while holding the joystick button,the ball will go to the
fullback.
One of the unique features of ABC's Monday Night Football is playing two-
player teammates against the computer. When you play this way,you can use
both joysticks to control two offensive or two defensive players at the
same time. For example,one player will start out as quarterback and the
other will be one of the receivers or running backs. When the quarterback
selects a receiver, the second player becomes that receiver. If the
receiver catches a pass and starts to run, the player who was the
quarterback now becomes the player closest to the receiver with the ball.
He can now block for his teammate to help him get more yardage. In this
way,you are always involved in the play,as the joystick controls shift
from the quarterback to the receiver to the blocker.

20: DEFENSE

On DEFENSE,you control one player at a time. When you're playing one-
player against the computer,or two-players head-to-head,the computer
controls the rest of the team. You will know which man you control by the
yellow circle icon.
You start off controlling the nose tackle at the line of scrimmage. Once
the ball is snapped you can rush across the line. But you can control any
of the defensive linemen by hitting the joystick button. This will cycle
through each of your defensive linemen by hitting the joystick button.
This will cycle through each of your defensive linemen. Otherwise you
will control the man closest to the ball. If it's a passing play,once the
ball is passed,you become the defensive player nearest the intended
receiver. If you're good, you can INTERCEPT the pass by getting to the
ball before the receive does. Or you can TACKLE the receiver after he
catches the ball and starts to run. If you hit the joystick button when
playing defense,your player will dive.

21: THE PLAY SELECTION SCREEN

You call the plays on ABC's Monday Night Football. Remember,you're
playing in front of your peers. All those guys who play on Sunday are now
at home watching you. You want to show them what you're made of. You want
to be good at play selection. Here's how to do it:
The Play Selection Screen is shown in the illustration above. This screen
comes up before every play,so that both the offensive and defensive teams
can decide which plays to use. On the upper right and lower right corners
of the play selection screen are two helmet icons,one for each team. Your
helmet will be your team's color;your opponent's helmet will be his
team's color. Under each helmet will be the word "Offense" or "Defense,"
so you'll always know which side of the ball you'll line up on. The
offensive team has 45 seconds to make a play selection. The clock ticks
down until you pick a play. If you don't select in time,you will be
penalized five yards for delay of game(see chapter on Penalties). Once
the 45 second clock starts,the Defense has 5 seconds to select a play,or
until the Offense picks a play. If 5 seconds have elapsed and the Offense
has selected a play but the Defense has not,the defensive play selection
will automatically default to the Medium yardage play. Once the offensive
play is selected,the 45 second clock stops and the players all come to
the line of scrimmage.

22: OFFENSIVE PLAY SELECTION
When you're playing OFFENSE,you select running,passing or kicking plays
of Short,Medium or Long yardage. Short plays are selected when you need
to only gain a few yards. For example,suppose you're at midfield and it's
second down with 2 yards needed for a first down. You could go for the
long bomb, but why risk an interception in this situation. All you need
is 2 yards for a first down, so it's a good time for a Short play.
Long plays are the riskiest, because the ball is in the air for the
longest amount of time. This gives the defense more time to intercept the
ball. But a long play that works is a thing of beauty. And one great long
play can turn a game around in seconds. It's the long plays that go down
in history, making heroes and legends of quarterbacks and their
receivers.

23:

There are 30 offensive plays in ABC's Monday Night Football Playbook.(To
find out how to create your own plays,see the Playmaker Utility chapter.)
The Short, Medium and Long yardage plays are displayed on the screen next
to the Offensive and Defensive helmet icons. Short plays are to the left,
Medium plays in the middle and Long plays to the right. These plays can
be selected by holding the joystick left,center or right and pressing the
joystick button. The plays are selected by the following joystick
positions:
LEFT      Short Plays
CENTER    Medium Plays
RIGHT     Long Plays
If you don't like any of the three plays that are displayed, move the
joystick DOWN to scroll forward to another set of plays or UP to scroll
back.
The play you select will NOT be highlighted on the screen. So your
opponent will have to guess which play you've selected and you'll have to
figure out which play he's selected. This makes ABC's Monday Night
Football as challenging as real football.  (To improve your play
selection strategy,see the chapter "Tips and Hints for Playing Better
Football.")
When your selection is made,the 45 second clock stops and a bell rings,
indicating that you have made your choice.

24: OFFENSIVE PLAYBOOK (THIS SHOWS 15 PLAYS)

25: (THIS SHOWS 15 PLAYS)

26: DEFENSIVE PLAY CALLING

Defensive play calling works the same way as calling the Offense does. On
Defense you have 12 plays to choose from.
On Defense you also select Short,Medium or Long Yardage plays. A Short
defensive play defends against running backs breaking through the line or
any other kind of short offensive play. A Long defensive play protects
against the long ball as well. These defensive strategies prove,just like
in real football, that defense can make or break a game.
To select a play,hold the joystick left,center or right and hit the
joystick button. Joystick positions control plays as follows:

LEFT      Short Plays
CENTER    Medium Plays
RIGHT     Long Plays
If you want to scroll through other possible plays,move UP to scroll
forward and DOWN to scroll back.

27: (THE SHOWS 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYS)

28: ABC's MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL STRATEGY

OFFENSIVE FORMATIONS: HOW TO USE THEM
Your play-calling strategy is the key to your success in ABC's Monday
Night Football. Select your plays wisely and they'll be calling you a
genius.  But if you pick plays randomly without thought there's a good
chance you'll end up on the football scrapheap.
All the plays in the game are variations of basic football formations.
ABC's Monday Night Football gives you four different offensive formations
to play with.  You can pass or run from any formation,but each has
strengths and weaknesses.  For example,one may be well suited for running
plays,but poor for passing plays.  Another may be great against a certain
defensive formation,but weak against another.
With ABC's Monday Night Football,you select plays from these four basic
Offensive Formations:

1. PRO SET - The PRO SET is the most commonly used offensive formation.
That's because it provides a good balance between the running and the
passing game. The two running backs line up on either side of the
quarterback and behind him. The better blocker of the two backs(usually
the fullback)lines up on the strongside(the side with the tight end)for
extra power on "sweep",running plays around the end. Because the backs
are behind the quarterback,they can either take a handoff from the
quarterback,or go out for a pass. Since the Pro Set formation can easily
be used for either a passing or running play,your fullback and halfback
should be farily good at both running and ball handling. You want
players who can both catch passes and run without fumbling when you use
this formation.

          X    X    X    X    X
     X                    X        X
     WR                   TE       WR
                 X      X
                 HB        FB

          PRO SET FORMATION

29: 2. I FORMATION

In the I-FORMATION,both running backs line up in a straight line (an "I")
behind the quarterback. This formation is used mostly when you want to
run the ball. It's effective because the back who takes the handoff can
pick his "holes"(openings in the defense). Since the back begins play
directly behind the quarterback,once he gets the ball,he can cut right,
left, or straight ahead,depending on where the offensive line has created
holes for him. Since this formation is used mainly for running,you want
to give your offensive line very good blocking abilities if you plan to
use it. That way they can create big holes for the running backs. Your
backs should also have strong running abilities if you use this formation
frequently.  Having two backs available to run the ball can really keep
the defense off-balance. For example,the quarterback can fake a handoff
to the fullback, who then power straight up the middle as a blocker.
Meanwhile the quarterback gives the ball to the faster halfback who will
hopefully hit a hold created by the fullback. For short yardage,the
quarterback can handoff to the fullback for a bullish run up the middle.

          X    X    X    X    X
     X                    X             X
     WR                   TE       WR
                    X QB
                    X FB
                    X HB

          I-FORMATION

3. DOUBLE TIGHT-END
In the DOUBLE TIGHT-END formationk,the fullback is behind the
quarterback, with the halfback split slightly to one side or the other.
The key to this formation is the second tight end. Football teams run to
their strength,and their strength is usually the side with the extra
blocking potential of a tight end.  (In a single tight-end formation,that
side is called the Strongisde;the side without the tight end is the
Weakside). The second tight end eliminates this distinction;now plays can
be run either right or left with equal blocking power. This is a very
popular formation in goal line or short-yardage situations.
Here again you want an offensive line with the blocking ability to create
movement and holes. Near the goal line you will want to use a fullback
with good ball handling ability-you don't want to cough up the football
so close to the end zone.

30:

The two tight end formation allows you to run the ball up the middle,but
you can also plan your runs away from the strong safety,toward the free
safety, who is often not as good a tackler. This is also a good formation
from which to run "play action passes" near the goal line. In these
plays,you might fake a handoff to a back then throw to one of your tight
ends,who have run a crossing pattern into the end zone. In this case,you
want tight ends and wide receivers with especially strong receiving
abilities.

          X    X    X    X    X
     X                     X       X
     WR                    TE      WR
                    XFB  XHB

          DOUBLE TIGHT-END FORMATION

4. SHOTGUN
The SHOTGUN is a popular formation in obvious passing situations. Instead
of standing directly behind the center,the quarterback receives the snap
standing five to seven yards behind the line of scrimmage. This way he is
able to get his pass off more quickly,because he does not have to "drop
back" to avoid the defensive rush after getting the ball. Meanwhile,one
or both running backs lines up at the line of scrimmage or just a yard or
two behind it so he can get free more quickly on his pass pattern. When
this formation works well, five receivers can be available quickly.
If you go to the shotgun a lot,your quarterback needs a rifle arm more
than he needs to be mobile. Your tight end and wide receivers need to
have strong receiving abilities.  But remember,the defense expects you to
pass when you line up in the shotgun.  You may get good yardage by
surprising them with a running play. For that reason, give your halfback
and fullback good running abilities.

          X    X    X    X    X
     X                      X      X
     WR                     WR          WR
               X              X
               HB             FB
                    X
                    QB

          SHOTGUN FORMATION

31: DEFENSIVE FORMATIONS: HOW TO USE THEM
ABC's Monday Night Football gives you four defensive formations to choose
from:

1. The 3-4
The 3-4 got its name from the number of defensive linemen(3)and
linebackers(4).  There are only 3 defensive players at the line of
scrimmage-the nose tackle and two ends-but behind them are 4
linebackers(two outside and two inside)for medium range pass coverage.
Behind the linebackers are 2 cornerbacks and 2 safeties. The 3-4 is very
effective against the pass,because there are so many players in the
backfield to cover receivers. You should give your defensive backfield
strong coverage abilites.  Keep in mind that with only 3 defenders at the
line of scrimmage,the 3-4 formation is vulnerable to the run.
Therefore,you should only call this formation when you're expecting the
pass.  The 3-4 is a common formation in what is called a prevent defense.
In this defense,you are willing to give up short yardage,but you're
preventing the Big Play by the offense that could put up points. If,for
example, you have a big lead and the other team is deep in their own
territyory and time is running out,the chances are higher they are going
to pass a lot to try to make that big play.

2. The 4-3 and the Flex 4-3 - The 4-3 formation also gets its name from
the number of linemen and linebackers in the alignment. This defense
features four defensive linemen(two ends and two tackles)and three
linebackers (a middle linebacker and two outside linebackers). The 4-3 is
one of the more balanced formations in football,because it is more
effective than the 3-4 against the run,but still provides decent pass
defense. However,it is not as good against the long pass as the 3-4.
In the Flex 4-3,there are seven men near the line of scrimmage - four
linemen and three linebackers. The word Flex stands for flexible,and
flexibility is the whole idea behind the Flex 4-3. The linemen and men
off the line of scrimmage are supposed to "read" the play first,then
react to the ball. This is called a "reading" defense,as opposed to a
"penetrating" defense where defensive players rush the passer as soon as
the ball is snapped. The Flex 4-3 is designed mainly to stop the run by
closing all the gaps in the line. However,it is weak against the
pass,because defensive linemen are not pressuring the quarterback
quickly.  This gives him more time to find an open receiver.

32: 3. SHORT YARDAGE OR GOAL LINE

When the opposing team is getting near the goal line, the defense will
often bring in extra men to the line of scrimmage. These three or four
extra linement can replace the linebackers or safeties. So while this
defense is well equipped to stuff the run,it is very vulnerable to the
pass.  The defensive linemen set up in the gap between each offensive
linemen. Their job is to counteract the force of the offensive push,fill
in the holes in the line and stack up the runner,hopefully behind the
line of scrimmage.  Because there is so much attention given to the
run,any defensive backs have to watch out for receivers who may sneak
into the end zone completely unnoticed and be open for a touchdown pass.

4. NICKEL/DIME - If it's second down and ten or third down and seven,it's
a good idea to put extra defensive backs in the game. Why? Because these
are likely passing situations. The nickel(so named because there is a
five-player defensive backfield),is an excellent formation for obvious
passing downs. In this formation,the defense has an extra cornerback or
safety with the speed and hands to cover a third wide receiver. Often the
nickel is used with five defensive backs and a full pass rush.
The Dime Defense puts a sixth defensive back in the game,sometimes to
cover a fourth wide receiver.

33: BLITZES

A blitz is a full-force attack on the offense. As soon as the ball is
snapped,not only the defensive linemen,but also some or most of the
backfield charges the line of scrimmage and tries to get the quarterback.
The goal is to sack the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before
he can get a pass off.  Linebackers and safeties commonly are used in
blitzes. In addition, a cornerback may charge the quarterback or run
around the end.  The blitz has several advantages. First there is the
element of surprise. The backs often look like they're in a normal
formation until they charge.  Also,even if the quarterback isn't
sacked,he often will have to hurry his throw,increasing the chances for
an incompletion or interception. With all those charging defenders in the
middle of the field,the blitz can also be effective against runs up the
middle.  However,blitzing is a very high-risk play. If the quarterback
can get off a good pass before being tackled,his wide receivers will be
wide open for short or medium passes. And after they catch the ball,there
are very few,if any, defensive backs to catch them. So blitzes that fail
can spell disaster for the defensive team.

34: PLAYMAKER UTILITY:INVENT YOUR OWN PLAYS

Maybe you're really a genius at football strategy. Now's your chance to
prove it. ABC's Monday Night Football allows you to create an almost
unlimited number of offensive plays in addition to the game's pre-
existing Play Book of 30 plays. These new plays are created with the
Playmaker Utility.  Like a coach diagramming plays on a chalkboard,you
can control the moves of all eleven offensive players on every play from
scrimmage.(The pass pattern each receiver runs,the direction each front
lineman blocks,whether the tight end blocks or goes out for a pass-you
control all this with the Playmaker.)  Here's how it works:Get into the
Main menu by pressing ESCAPE key when the scoreboard screen is up. Once
in the Main Menu,select option #2, the Playmaker Utility.
When ABC's Monday Night Football Playmaker screen comes up,you will first
want to set your formation. Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move the
ABC icon to the "Change Formation" option. Press the ENTER key to scroll
through the four possible formations:Split Red,Near Blue,I-Formation or
Shotgun.
Now use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to move the ABC icon to select the
player whose moves you want to set. One by one,you can go through your
entire offensive lineup and tell each player what to do.
You select among:

QUARTERBACK         LINEMAN 1
FULLBACK            LINEMAN 2
HALFBACK            LINEMAN 3
LEFT WIDE RECEIVER  LINEMAN 4
RIGHT WIDE RECEIVER LINEMAN 5
TIGHT END       ALL LINEMAN
Once you have selected a player,use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to
select different options for that player. For example,suppose you want
the halfback to run the ball. By using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys,you
can scroll through 10 different running options for a halfback,from a run
to the left of center, to a sweep right,to a sweep left.

35:

A flashing black and white ARROW will diagram each move. If you want your
left wide receiver to run a Short Out pass pattern,for example,a flashing
arrow will show the ground he will cover. In the above example,the
flashing arrow shows the receiver running downfield about five yards,then
cutting toward the left sideline. If you want him to run a Corner pass
pattern,he will run downfield, cut right,then cut toward the left
sideline at a 45 degree angle. There are 8 additional pass patterns for
you to choose from,all diagrammed for you on the screen with the flashing
arrow.
The quarterback,fullback and halfback each have 10 different run options.
The wide receivers and tight end have 10 different pass routes they can
run. The tight end can also block in any direction. Each lineman can be
made to block individually in whichever direction you choose,or the front
line can all block together in the same direction.
You can diagram your plays from scratch,creating moves for all 11
players,or you can begin with a play from the ABC's Monday Night Football
Playbook,and make changes to that play.
To change a play from the ABC's Monday Night Football Playbook,use the UP
and DOWN arrow keys to select the "Change Play" option on the Playmaker
screen. Now press ENTER to scroll through the Playbook(10 Short,10 Medium
and 10 Long plays will be displayed). When you see the play you want to
run,use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to select the player(s)whose moves you
want to change,and then the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to change their run
or pass patterns.
To create a play from scratch,select the "Clear Play" option on the
Playmaker screen. When you do this,all the existing running,passing and
blocking assignments will be erased for every player. Now go through each
player and select how you want them to run,pass and block.
NOTE: If you create a play from scratch,make sure you give all 11 players
an assignment, or they will just sit around during play action.
To load a playbook,select the "Load Playbook" option on The Playmaker
will now prompt you to insert the desired playbook in drive A. Pressing
ENTER will now load the playbook on that disk.
To save a playbook,select the "Save Playbook" option on the Playmaker
screen.
The Playmaker will now prompt you to insert a pre-formatted disk into
Drive 0.
The Playmaker will now save your custom playbook.
When you are through creating,loading or saving playbooks,selecting the
quit function will return you to the main menu. You will now be playing
ABC's Monday Night Football with the new plays you have chosen.

36: THE KICKING GAME

The kicking game is a very important part of football. Many close games
are won or lost on the strength of the kicking unit. The kicking game
includes kickoffs, punts,field goals and extra points. At the beginning
of the game,the beginning of the second half,and after every score,there
is a kickoff.
The main idea when kicking off is to kick the ball as deep as possible
into the opponent's territory. That way he has much further to go to make
a touchdown.
After the receiving team catches the ball,they attempt to run with the
ball as far as they can toward the opposing end zone. This is called the
"run back". When kicks go all the way into the endzone without being
touched by the receiving team,that is called a TOUCHBACK. After a
touchback,the ball is automatically placed on the 20 yard line and the
offensive team begins with first down.
A PUNT is also a kick toward your opponent's goal,but punts are mainly
used on fourth down when you are a great distance for your opponent's end
zone and you feel there is too far to go for a first down. Let's say it's
fourth down and six yards to go from your own 30 yard line. In this
situation you would probably want to punt,because if you fail to get a
first down on the next play,your opponent will begin from your 30 yard
line-in other words they only have 30 yards to go for a touchdown. But if
you punt the ball(a punt can go 50 yards or more)you may be able to pin
your opponent deep in his own territory.  A FIELD GOAL is an attempt to
kick the ball through the uprights of your opponent's goalpost. The kick
must travel the remaining distance to your opponent's end zone plus the
length of the end zone. A field goal requires both power and accuracy.
Technically,you can attempt a field goal from any spot on the field,but
few are successful from beyond your opponents 40 or 45 yard line.
A team will generally attempt field goals when it is fourth down,they're
in fairly good field position,but they don't think they can make a first
down. As mentioned earlier,a field goal gives your team three points.
An Extra Point,or Point After Touchdown(PAT)is like a field goal from a
short distance-the ball is hiked back from the 3 yard line and kicked
from about the 10 yard line. After each touchdown,the kicker attempts to
kick the ball through the uprights. A PAT gives the scoring team one
extra point. You cannot kick a PAT unless you first score a touchdown.

37: HOW TO KICK ON ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

To begin the game and the second half,and after every score,the Play
Selection screen will give you three kickoff selections:
1. JOYSTICK LEFT:   Onside Kick(K1)
2. JOYSTICK MIDDLE: Normal Kick(K2)
3. JOYSTICK RIGHT:  Squib Kick(K3)

K1                            K2                       K3
ONSIDE KICK(K1)               NORMAL KICK(K2)          SQUIB KICK(K3)

To begin a kickoff,push the joystick left,center or right and hold down
the joystick button to select the type of kick. The computer will then
initiate the kick you've selected.
An Onside Kick(K1)must go a minimum of 10 yards. This type of kick is
usually attempted late in the game when the kicking team is behind in
points. The idea is to kick it a short distance and recover the ball for
the kicking team.(Once the ball travels 10 yards anyone can grab it.)That
way they retain control of the ball. The risk is that the receiving team
will recover the ball and,because it is a short kick,they will end up in
a very good field position.
A Normal Kick(K2)will usually travel 40 to 50 yards and even though the
kicking team is giving up the ball,the idea is to make the receiving team
begin play deep in their own territory.
A Squip Kick(K3)is difficult to return. It is usually a low line drive
that bounces wildly as soon as it hits the field.

38: HOW TO KICK PUNTS AND FIELD GOALS

On fourth down,the Play Selection screen will first display three kicking
plays.(If you don't want to kick,you can scroll forward to select another
type of play). To select a punt,fake punt or field goal,push the joystick
left, center or right and hold down the joystick button. The joystick
movements control your kicks as follows:

1. JOYSTICK LEFT:Punt
2. JOYSTICK MIDDLE:Fake Punt.
3. JOYSTICK RIGHT:Field Goal.

P1             P2
PUNT           FAKE PUNT      FIELD GOAL

The game screen will now show a field view for a PUNT or an end zone view
for a FIELD GOAL.
The computer will initiate the PUNT. A FAKE PUNT begins with the ball
being hiked to the kicker. But instead of kicking,he's going to run with
the ball,pass it or hand it off. This play is used when your opponent
expects you to punt,and you think you can catch him by surprise by
getting a first down or even a touchdown. Once the ball is hiked, the
play unfolds like any other play.

39:

A FIELD GOAL,usually attempted when you're within your opponent's 40 yard
line and on fourth down,will give you three points if successful. But to
get one on ABC's Monday Night Football requires timing and accuracy. Once
you select Field Goal,you get a great view of the kick from the box seats
right behind the goal posts.

POWER METER/ACCURACY METER
On the bottom of your screen a POWER METER and then an ACCURACY METER
will appear. First the Power Meter will start to turn blue,from left to
right. You should tap the joystick button as soon as the meter turns
completely blue. Now the Accuracy Meter appears on the bottom of your
screen. This meter fills up from right to left by turning red. Just above
the meter in the middle of the screen is a little football icon. Your job
is to stop the meter by hitting the joystick button when the red is
squarely in the middle,directly below the football. If the red goes too
far to the right of the football,your field goal will be wide right. If
the red goes too far to the left of the football,it will be wide left.
When you are close to the red zone the meter fills up slowly and it is
easier to kick down the middle. But the further away you are from the end
zone,the faster it fills up and the harder it is to kick an accurate
field goal.

40: THE SCOREBOARD

At the beginning of the game,and between every play,the ABC's Monday
Night Football Scoreboard appears on the game screen.

          (PICTURE OF SCOREBOARD SCREEN)

The scoreboard gives you this important information:
The team names
The score
The scoring by each team each quarter
The time left on the game clock(You can pick 5,10 or 15 minute quarters)
The quarter(There's a total of four quarters in the game)
The 45 second clock(You have 45 seconds to select each play)
The number of timeouts each team has left(Each team gets three timeouts
per half)
The down and number of yards to go for a first down.

41: FUMBLES

If the ball carrier fumbles the ball,a ref's voice calls the fumble. Just
like in the real game,when a football fumbles,no one knows which
direction it may bounce or when it may stop. The first player to get to
the ball will recover the fumble.

INTERCEPTIONS
Whenever a defensive player catches a pass intended for an offensive
receiver, it's called an interception. After he catches the ball,he
immediately becomes an offensive player,and can run toward the oponent's
end zone until he tackled or runs out of bounds. If he runs it back all
the way,he's scored a touchdown. On ABC's Monday Night Football,defensive
players,usually the safeties, cornerbacks and linebackers,can intercept
passes. Using the joystick,you must place your defensive player between
the ball and the intended receiver. You must do this by getting as close
to the intended receiver as possible without causing "pass interference".

42: INJURIES

Unfortunately,injuries are a big part of professional football. Sometimes
the injured list is longer than the starting lineup. Injuries can happen
on ABC's Monday Night Football,too. It's something you must keep in mind
when you're choosing your plays. Just like an NFL coach must use his
players wisely or risk injury,so must you. Injuries on ABC's Monday Night
Football are determined by player usuage. The more you use a particular
player,the more likely he is to get hurt. If you run your quarterback on
too many plays,your quarterback may have to be carried off the field on a
stretcher. If you go to a particular running back for almost every
play,he,too may end up on the sidelines. So it would be wise to choose a
more balanced attack. When a player is injured,he is automatically
replaced by  player from the reserve. The reserve player is picked by the
computer and automatically put into the game.

LEAGUE PLAY
The ABC's Monday Night Football League has 28 different teams,just like
the pros. These teams are divided into two conferences. Within each
conference are two divisions,East and West.
When you are doing your game setups,you can choose to get into Leagure
Play, which means the best teams will make it into the playoffs and
eventually the championship. You can choose between a one to four team
playoff schedule.
Playoff games cannot be played as teammate games;they must be head to
head. If you choose the one to ten team playoff mode,your season will
consist of four games leading to the championship battle.

43: PENALTIES AND OFFICIAL SIGNALS

Like every other sport,football has rules. And like every other
sport,when you break the rules,you pay the price-if you get caught. The
referees (nickname Zebras because of their black and white striped
shirts)are there to enforce the rules and give out penalties. They also
signal touchdowns,field goals,first downs and make other calls. ABC's
Monday Night Football has animated officials.
Whenever there is a penalty,or something happens on the field that
involves an official,a referee appears on your screen and you will hear
him make the call.
And just like in real football,the official also gives the appropriate
set of animated hand signals to let the fans know what the call is.
The following offical signals are displayed on ABC's Monday Night
Football:

OFFSIDES-If either team crosses the line of scrimmage before the ball is
snapped,that team is offsides. However,if the defensive player does not
make physical contact with an offensive player and returns to his side of
the line of scrimmage before the ball is hiked,he is not penalized.
Defensive offsides is also called "encroachment".  Penalty for offsides:5
yards.

TOUCHDOWN OR FIELD GOAL-Whenever a team scores a touchdown,or kicks a
field goal,the referee will raise his arms as shown at left.

EXTRA POINT-The refree will signal when an extra point has been made and
say, "The kick is good."

DELAY OF GAME-This penalty is called whenever the team with the ball
fails to make a play selection before the :45 second clock runs down.
Penalty for Delay of Game:5 yards.

44: PERSONAL FOUL

On ABC's Monday Night Football,this penalty covers a variety of
infractions,from grabbing a player's face mask to making an illegal
block.  Penalty for Personal Foul:15 yards.

PASS INTERFRENCE:With ABC's Monday Night Football,this penalty is called
on the defense for illegally hitting or grabbing an intended receiver who
is trying to catch a pass. A defensive player is not allowed to bump an
intended receiver after the first 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
Penalty for Pass Interference:Automatic first down and the ball is placed
at the point which the pass interference occurred. If the receiver
catches the pass,but the completion was shorter than 15 yards,the defense
is given a 15 yard penalty from the original line of scrimmage.

INTENTIONAL GROUNDING-When the quarterback throws the football,he must
have a receiver in the area near where the ball is thrown. If the
quarterback throws the ball just to avoid being "sacked"(tackled)by his
opponent,he may be called for intentional grounding. If the quarterback
is called for intentional grounding in the end zone,it results in a
safety.  Penalty for Intentional Grounding:10 yards and loss of down.

SAFETY-Whenever a player is tackled in his own end zone,it's a safety and
the other team gets two points. After a safety,the team that was scored
upon must kick for the 20 yard line to the scoring team.

TOUCHBACK-The referee calls a touchback after a kickoff or punt when the
ball goes all the way into the opponent's end zone without being touched
by the receiving team. The ball is automatically brought out to the 20
yard line and the receiving team takes over.

45: TIPS AND HINTS FOR PLAYING BETTER FOOTBALL

Executing your plays well is,of course,vital to being successful with
ABC's Monday Night Football. All the physical ability in the world won't
be enough if your opponent knows exactly what you're going to do. Your
play selection strategy-calling the right play at the right time in
pressure situations-is the key to winning. This doesn't mean always
calling for a pass in an obvious passing situation or running the ball in
short yardage situations. Running out of a passing formation or passing
out of a running formation can catch your opponent by surprise and yield
good results.
Your basic strategy in a game should be based on the strengtha and
weaknesses of the particular players you put on the field. Tailor your
play selection to your team. For example,if your team has a powerhouse
offense,but weak defense,you might get into a high scoring shootout with
your opponent based on the passing game. On the other hand,if you have an
inept offense but a defense that gives up very few points,you may want to
play conservative ball control on
offense:run the ball a lot,eat up time on the clock of offense,and hope
your defense can create turnovers and make something happen.
The more you know about your opponent,the better off you are. If you know
your opponent is vulnerable to the run up the middle,exploit that
weakness. If your opponent has a safety or cornerback who doesn't match
up with your wide receiver,get the ball to that receiver. It's your job
to plan the matchups so that your team's strengths will go head to head
with the other team's weaknesses. If you've never played a team
before,the only way to discover their weaknesses is to watch them play
and test them early in the game. On defense,you need to figure out what
plays your opponent is likely to call,and then what you need to do to
stop him when he tries it.  To discover your opponent's offensive
tendencies,you have to watch him in action and ask yourself these
questions:Is this a team that likes to run more or pass more? Do they
frequently call the same play in key situations? Does their quarterback
run the ball well,or is he strictly a passer? Who is his favorite
receiver and what are that receiver's favorite pass routes? Do they
always pass or run on a particular down? What do they do when they're
near the goal line? Who is their best runner? Does the quarterback
usually go for short, medium or long passes?

46:

The more answers you have to the above questions,the better you'll be
able to defense your opponent.
You must watch your opponent's defense just as closely. Are they stronger
against the run or against the pass? What defensive formation do they use
the most often? When do they use the 3-4 and the Flex 4-3? On third
down,how often do they put in their Nickel defense? When do they blitz?
Are they stronger defending against runs up the middle or sweeps to the
outside? Which defensive back is the weakest pass defender? Which
linebacker is most vulnerable to a running play? How effective are
different defensive players at tackling?
As you make mental notes about your enemy's tendencies,you'll get more
and more effective at shredding his defense and stopping his offense. And
that's what football is all about.
Always keep in mind the down situation. When selecting plays,you're
always guessing the chances a certain play will succeed in a given
situation. First and ten presents a different group of plays than third
and one. For third and one you'll probably want a tried-and-true short
yardage play. Of course,the defense will be expecting a short yardage
play in that situation, so occasionally you'll want to surprise them with
a trick play.  But in general,sticking to the odds and sticking to the
fundamentals is going to get you more touchdowns than trying a lot of
gimmick plays.
Know when to gamble. If you're on your own five yard line,it's not a good
time to trot out the fancy high-risk plays. You want to use
conservative,quick-hitting plays that will get you away from your own
zone. You don't want a safety and you want to get out far enough to punt
deep into your opponent's territory if you have to. Quick handoffs to a
surehanded fullback are a good bet. Once you get out to your 0 yard
line,then you can start to loosen up a little and start taking chances.
Know a few statistics. It doesn't hurt to know what NFL teams pass the
ball 75% of the time when it's first and more than ten,second and more
than seven of third and more than three. Or that most teams run short
yardage plays if it's second and less than five. Or that if a team runs
their offense from a double tight end formation,they'll run the ball
about 75% of the time. If you remember these things,you'll do a bette job
of anticipating your opponent's moves.

47: ABC's MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

ABC's Monday Night Football has given us many unforgettable moments over
the past 20 years. But a special few players,and a few teams,have
performed so well that they have earned entrance into the ABC's Monday
Night Football Hall of Fame. With a little luck,maybe your name will be
added someday.
TONY DORSETT-The Dallas Cowboys' running back seemed to always come
through on Monday night,but never better than on January 3,1983. That
night he made the longest run from scrimmage in the history of the NFL-99
yards on one play.
Dorsett holds another ABC's Monday Night Football record:He has scored 17
touchdowns.
ERIC HIPPLE-The Detroit Lions' quarterback holds the distinction of
completing the longest pass ever in an ABC's Monday Night Football game
of 94 yards.
1976 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS-This record belongs more in the Hall of Shame
than the Hall of Fame. On a rainy Monday night,this team lost 8 fumbles
to the Washington Redskins. That remains an NFL record to this day.
THE OAKLAND/L.A. RAIDERS-No team has performed as well on Monday night as
the Raiders. No other team has even come close. Owner Al Davis told his
team to "Just win,baby" and they certainly have on Monday Night. They're
26-6,with one tie. That's a winning percentage of .787.
BO JACKSON-The Raiders running back is a superstar in both football and
baseball. On November 30,1987,he entered the ABC's Monday night Football
Hall of Fame by rushing for 221 yards,an ABC's Monday Night Football
record.
O.J. SIMPSON AND KEN ANDERSON-O.J. ran for the Buffalo Bills. Anderson
passed for the Cincinnati Bengals. On November 17,1975,they thrilled the
nation with their powers. While Anderson passed for an ABC's Monday Night
Football record with 447 yards,"The Juice" ran for 197 yards.
TONY FRANKLIN-The Philadelphia Eagles kicker earned his wings on November
12, 1979. And he did it barefoot. On that Monday night,he kicked an
incredible 59 yard field goal,at the time the second longest in NFL
history.

48: EARL CAMPBELL

On November 20,1978,Houston oilers rookie Earl Campbell became a
household name by rushing for 4 touchdowns and 199 yards in one of the
most exciting ABC's monday Night Football games ever.
JIM McMAHON-Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon really rose to the
occasion on September 19,1985. He was injured,hadn't practiced and wasn't
expected to play. But with his team behind in the second half,he came off
the bench and immediately threw two touchdown passes. He later threw a
third touchdown to guarantee a victory.
1988 INDIANAPOLIS COLOTS-An otherwise ho-hum team simply exploded on
Halloween night. Was it magic? Was it voodoo? Who knows. But the Colts
scored an ABC's Monday Night Football record of 55 points that night.

49: A FOOTBALL TUTORIAL:HOW TO BECOME A PRIME-TIME PLAYER

This software game manual has been written for anyone who enjoys
football-from first-time novices to longtime football fanatics. Like any
other sport, football has rules and language all its own. If you're just
learning the game, read on and you'll be scoring touchdowns in no time.
The rules of ABC's Monday Night Football are similar to the rules of the
National Football League. Your main goal in Football is simple:score more
points than your opponent. When you have the ball,and are trying to score
against your opponent,you are on OFFENSE. When you don't have the
ball,and are trying to prevent your opponent from advancing and
scoring,you're on DEFENSE.
The playing field is 100 yards long,divided into two 50-yard long
territories.Wherever the ball is placed at any particular moment is
called the line of scrimmage. As you march down the field,the first 50
years is your territory. Once you cross the 50 yard line,you're in your
opponent's territory,and the field markers cound down 50,40,30,20,10
yards and into your opponent's end zone.
To score on offense,you must move the football down the field and into
the opposing team's end zone. The line across the field marking the
beginning of the end zone is called the goal line. Once you cross the
goal line,you've scored a touchdown,and your team gets 6 points. Sounds
simple,right? It isn't.
Because the defense has put 11 men on the field whose sole purpose in
life is to prevent you from moving the football downfield.
While on offense,you have four plays(called "downs"),with which you must
go a minimum of 10 yards. You do this by either throwing the football to
your teammates("passing plays")or running with the football("rushing
plays"). The defensive team tries to prevent you from moving forward by
tackling whoever has the ball or catching a ball thrown by your
quarterback(called an "interception").
On offense,if you can gain 10 or more yards in four tries,you get a
"first down" and another 4 plays to go 10 yards. If you on't get 10
yards,you turn over the ball to your opponent,without a change of field
position. Your opponent will be trying to move the ball in the opposite
direction toward your goal line. Now you're on defense and the other team
plays offense.(With ABC's Monday Night Football,when a team fails to get
a first down on fourth down,that

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team automatically goes on defense,and the opposing team on offense.)
Every time the ball carrier is tackled,runs out of bounds or drops a
pass,the play is over. The important information is put up on the ABC's
Monday Night Football scoreboard,just as it is for all real NFL games.
For example,if on a first down a player runs 5 yards and is then
tackled,the scoreboard will show that it is now second down(remember,you
get four downs to go 10 yards)and 5 yards to go for another first down.
Immediately after you score a touchdown,the next play is always the point
after touchdown(PAT),also called the "extra point." In each end zone are
goal posts.  You must kick the ball "between the uprights" to gain
another point. Again,you can only do this right after scoring a
touchdown. The PAT is worth one(1) point. The touchdown and PAT will give
you a total of 7 points. You can also score points by kicking field
goals. This is similar to the extra point kick,and is usually done on 4th
down when you are in your opponent's territory but you are unable to
score a touchdown or get a first down. Your kicker must kick the football
between the uprights on the goal posts. Obviously the further away from
the goal post you are,the more difficult it is to score a field goal.
Field goals attempted from further than your opponent's 35 yard line are
very hard. A successful field goal gives your team 3 points.
Even though the defense's main goal is to stop the other team from
scoring points,the defense can also score points for their team. They are
able to do this two ways:through safeties and getting the ball into the
end zone after a turnover.
There are two types of turnovers:interceptions and fumbles. An
interception
happens when a defensive player catches a ball intended for an offensive
receiver. A fumble occurs when an offensive player drops the football and
it is recovered by a defensive player. When these things happen,the ball
is still "live",meaning that once the defensive player gets possession of
the ball, he can run with the ball for a touchdown. To do this he runs in
the opposite direction the offensive team was going.
To score a touchdown on a fumble,a defensive player usually recovers the
fumble in his opponent's end zone. However,if he is lucky enough to
recover a fumble outside the end zone and there are no offensive players
in the area, he may be able to run the ball in for a touchdown.

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A safety happens when instead of progressing forward,the offensive team
is driven backward by the defense into its own end zone. When the ball
carrier is tackled in his own end zone,it's a safety,worth 2 points to
the opposing team.
To sumarize,there are four ways to score in football:

TOUCHDOWN: 6 points
POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN(PAT):1 point
FIELD GOAL:3 points
SAFETY:2 points

Football is divided into two parts-a first and second half. Each half id
divided into 15 minute quarters(With ABC's Monday Night Football,you can
choose between 5,10 or 15 minute quarters.)Each team is given 3 timeouts
each half. If you're unsure which play to call and need more time,you may
call a timeout to stop the clock.
At the end of the fourth quarter,whichever team has more points wins. If
the score is tied,the teams play until one team scores. The first team to
score wins. This is called "Sudden Death Overtime".

52: ABC's MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TRIVIA GAME AT HALFTIME

At halftime,you may want to grab a soda or some popcorn,but don't miss
the halftime festivities. We've got cheerleaders! We've got music! And,
we've got the ABC's Monday Night Football Trivia Game. How much do you
really know about ABC's Monday Night Football? Find out when you play the
halftime Trivia Game!
For those players who have to get back to the action:Hit ESCAPE and it
will take you right back to the game.

53: THE ABC'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE OFFENSIVE UNIT

QB=Quarterback
FB=Fullback
HB=Halfback
LWR=Left Wide Receiver
RWR=Right Wide Receiver
TE=Tight End
OL=Offensive Line

The offensive team is made up of 11 players. In the backfield is the
quarterback(QB),the fullback(FB) and the halfback(HB). Playing up front
at the line of scrimmage is the offensive line(OL),one or two tight
ends(TE)and the two wide receivers(LWR and RWR). The offensive line is
made up of the center (who snaps the ball to the quarterback),flanked by
two guards,then two tackles. The right ends line up next to the tackles.

QB-The quarterback is the key to the offense. He stands behind the center
and each play begins when the center "snaps" the ball to the quarterback.
Once the quarterback gets the ball,he can do one of several things. He
can throw the ball to one of his eligible receivers-this includes the
fullback,the wide receivers and the tight ends. He can handoff to one of
his backs and they can run with the ball. Or he can run with the ball
himself. The quarterback can run around as much as he wants behind the
line of scrimmage(the point from which the ball is snapped),and still
pass to one of his receivers. However,once he crosses the line of
scrimmage,he can no longer pass;he must run with the ball.
You can see that the ability to pass and the ability to run are two key
ingredients to quarterbacking.  FB-The fullback is usually the largest
and strongest running back. He is not called upon to catch passes very
often,but often runs with the football in crucial situations. If your
team just needs a short distance to make a first down,or if you're very
close to your opponent's goal line,you may want to rely on your fullback
to get you the yardage or get the ball into the end zone. A

54:

fullback's ball handling ability should be high;after all,you don't want
him fumbling the football in important situations. But he should also be
able to run well,so he can blast his way through the defensive line. A
fullback is most commonly used to run up the middle in the "I" Formation.
HB-Halfbacks are good ball carriers,usually taking handoffs or pitchouts
from the quarterback. But they can also be very good pass  receivers,
catching short screen passes or,to surprise the opponent,going for a long
pass out of the backfield. Because halfbacks are usually not as big as
fullbacks,they are generally faster. Using their speed,they are more
likely to run outside,as opposd to trying to bulldoze their way up the
middle like the fullback.
Halfbacks must be very good at handling the football,not only to catch
passes,but to withstand the hits put on them by the defense when they're
tackled. A halfback with poor handling ability will fumble more often,and
that can spell diaster for a team.
WR-Good wide receivers are not only the fastest men on the team,they also
generally have "hands like glue",which means they can catch almost
anything they touch. When your quarterback unloads that long bomb,you're
going to want your best wide receiver on the receiving end.
TE-The tight end is actually part of the offensive line,so tight ends are
generally excellent blockers. However,he is the only member of the front
line who is eligible to catch passes. So when primary receivers are
covered,it's the smart quarterback who can quickly dump off a pass to the
tight end. When a team plays with only one tight end,the side he plays on
is called the Strongside;the other side is called the Weakside.
THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN-These men on the front line include the center,who
snaps the ball to the quarterback,and the guards and tackles who flank
him. None of these men is eligible to catch a pass,and they are often the
most unappreciated members of the team. But in many ways they are the
most important members of the offensive unit. Their job is to protect the
quarterback from the oncoming defensive players. A good offensive line
gives the quarterback time to pass.
Without time,a quarterback will get tackled("sacked")before his receivers
can get open. On running plays,the offensive linemen open holes for
running backs.  When a running back makes good yardage,it's often because
of the high quality of the offensive line.

55: THE DEFENSIVE UNIT

S=Safeties
CB=Cornerbacks
LB=Linebackers
DL=Defensive Line

THE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN-There are usually 3 or 4 defensive linemen in on
any particular play. The defensive linemen are the nose tackle,(who lines
up opposite the offensive center),two defensive tackles and two defensive
ends.  The job of the defensive line is to stop the offendsive's running
game and get to the quarterback to disrupt his passing. They fight the
offensive linemen all day in the trenches. When the offense tries to open
a running lane up the middle for their back,the defense tries to stuff
that runner or force him to run outside instead of up the middle. When
the offense is trying to protect the quarterback,the defensive linemen
are trying to open a hold to get to him.
Unlike the offensive linemen,defensive lineman are allowed to move(as
long as they stay behind theline of scrimmage)before the ball is snapped.
With ABC's Monday Night Football,the defensive lineman you control will
be able to move left or right before the ball is snapped. This is called
"defensive stunting".
If you believe your opponent will be running a sweep to the right
side,for example,you can move your defensive lineman to the right before
play begins,and he'll be in better position to tackle the ball carrier
when the play unfolds.
However,you be careful not to cross the line of scrimmage and make
physical contact before the ball is snapped. You will be called for
"encroachment". (See chapter on penalties,starting on page 44.)
LB-The linebackers generally line up directly behind the defensive front
line.
Linebackers have to do everything. They have to defend against the run,
sometimes they have to drop back to defend against passes,and sometimes
they act like linemen when they rush the quarterback in a play called the
Blitz.(See page 34 for description of the Blitz.)
A good linebacker has to be strong enough to stop a hugh fullback,fast
enough to blitz the quarterback,and quick enough to intercept a pass
intended for a speedy receiver.
The middle linebacker(MLB)is involved in almost every play from
scrimmage, and is often the defensive captain of the team.

56:

For this reason,he is sometimes called the "quarterback of the defense".
The outside linebackers(OLB)often cover the quick halfbacks who run to
the outside.
And on blitzes,the outside linebackers run around the offensive ends to
try to sack the quarterback.
S AND CB-Behind the linebackers in the backfield are the safeties and
cornerbacks. Their main job is to stop the offense's passing attack. But
on running plays,they must tackle any runners that get past the front
line and the linebackers. And they must be able to tackle receivers who
catch passes to prevent further damage. Occasionally they are part of a
"safety blitz",where they,too rush the quarterback,hoping they can sack
him before he can pass to an open receiver. This is a high risk defensive
play that is also discussed the section on strategy.
Safeties and Cornerbacks need good speed,good hands to intercept passes
and good tackling ability to make sure no one gets past them.

57: FOOTBALL TERMS AT A GLANCE

The following football terms won't instantly make you an expert like
Frank Gifford,Dan Dierdorf or Al Michaels,but it will help you better
understand and enjoy this great game.
BACKFIELD-The areas behind the offensive and defensive lines. The
backfield also refers to the players lines up behind the front line. On
offense,that's the quarterback,halfback and fullback. On defense,that's
the linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks.
BLITZ-A defensive assault on the offense where several of the backfield
players (linebackers,cornerbacks,or safeties)assault the line of
scrimmage rather than play back at their normal positions.
BLOCK-Generally an offensive maneuver to prevent a defensive player from
tackling the ball carrier. An offensive player can push and block a
defensive player,but he cannot hold him back with his hands.
BOMB-A long pass,usually with one or more receivers streaking downfield
and the quarterback throwing very deep.
COMPLETION-A successful pass from the quarterback to a receiver. This is
also known as a reception.
DEFENSE-The team that doesn't have possession of the football at any
point in the game.
END ZONE-There are two end zones,one at each end of the field. It is the
ten yards of field area between the goal line and the goal posts.
Whenever a team gets the football into the end zone,they are given a
touchdown.
EXTRA POINT-Also called the Point After Touchdown(PAT). The one point
awarded to the offensive team for successfully kicking the ball through
the goal post after scoring a touchdown.
FIELD GOAL-A field goal must be kicked through the goal post,just like an
extra point. However,it is worth 3 points and can be kicked by the
offensive team from any point on the field. A field goal can be kicked on
any down by the offensive team. But a field goal cannot be kicked after a
touchdown.
FIRST DOWN-The first of four plays,all called downs,during which the
offensive team tries to move the football forward at least 10 yards.
Whenever a team moves at least 10 yards in four downs,it is given another
first down.

58: GOAL LINE

The white chalk line signifying the boundary between the playing field
and the end zone. There is a goal line at both ends of the field. When an
offensive player carrying the football crosses the goal line,he has
scored a touchdown for his team.
GOAL POST-Ten yards behind the goal line,at both ends of the field,are
the goal posts. These are two upright posts connected by a horizontal
crossbar. A team attempts to kick the football between the uprights to
score field goals or extra points.
HALF-Two quarters(or periods)of play. A game is divided into the first
half and the second half.
HALFTIME-The intermission between the first and second half. On ABC's
Monday Night Football,this is the time to play the Trivia Game.
INTERCEPTION-Whenever a defensive player catches a pass thrown by the
quarterback. Once an interception is made,the defensive player becomes an
offensive player and runs in the opposite direction toward his opponent's
goal line.
INCOMPLETE PASS-Whenever a pass is dropped or missed by the intended
receiver,and nobody else catches it either.
KICKOFF-The play that begins each half of the game. Also the play
immediately following a touchdown and extra point,or field goal. During
kickoffs,the scoring team kicks the ball to its opponent.
LINE OF SCRIMMAGE-The imaginary line that separates the offensive from
the defensive team before play begins. It runs through the football and
runs the width of the field to each sideline.
OFFENSE-The team with possession of the football at any time.
OFFSIDES-A penalty called whenever a team crosses the line of scrimmage
before the ball is snapped. The penalty is five yards. An offensive
lineman will be penalized for any movement,but if a defensive player
doesn't make contact with an offensive player and returns to his side of
the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped,he is not offsides.
Defensive offsides is commonly called "encroachment."
OUT OF BOUNDS-The area outside the playing field.
PAT-Abbreviation for Point After Touchdown. Also called Extra Point.
PASS-Throwing the football downfield. A pass is usually made from the
quarterback to a wide receiver,a back or a tight end. However,some other
offensive players can also throw passes.

59: PASS PATTERN OR PASS ROUTE

The specific steps and changes in direction that a receiver makes to put
him in a position to catch a pass from the quarterback.
On ABC's Monday Night Football,the play selection screen uses arrows to
show the pass patterns different receivers run on specific plays.
PUNT-A kick to the other team,usually done on fourth down and out of
field goal range when the offensive team feels it is unlikely it will get
a first down. A punt is usually made about 15 yards behind the line of
scrimmage.
PUNT RETURN-The play in which the defensive player catches the punted
football and advances downfield against the kicking team.
SACK-Whenever a quarterback is tackled with the ball behind the line of
scrimmage,it's called a sack. When a defensive player makes a sack,it
makes his day.
SAFETY-A play in which an offensive ball carrier is tackled in his own
end zone. This results in 2 points for the other team,and the team that
was scored upon must kick the ball from their 20 yard line. Safety also
refers to a defensive player who lines up in the backfield and defends
against the pass and long runs.
SNAP-The center "snaps" the ball to the quarterback to begin each
offensive play from scrimmage.
TIMEOUT-When a timeout is called,play is stopped and the scoreboard clock
is stopped. Many times quarterbacks will call a timeout to discuss
strategy with their coach or because they see an unexpected defensive
alignment at the line of scrimmage and need to make offensive changes.
Each team gets 3 timeouts per half.
TOUCHDOWN-Also abbreviated TD,a touchdown happens when a team crosses its
opponent's goal line with the football. A TD is worth six points.
TURNOVER-Turnovers happen two ways:When the offense fumbles the ball and
the defense recovers;or when the defense intercepts a pass. In both
cases,the ball is then turned over to the defensive team.
YARD LINE-The white chalk line that runs across the field. Usually,a line
is drawn across the field. Usually,a line is drawn across the field every
5 yards,and short chalk lines are drawn for each yard in between.

End.
