NFL Head Coach

"Next Gen Game below Par"

The EA Sports game NFL Head Coach is a great idea. I always here about people how don't like to play the game itself in Madden but rather does the business and coaching side. Well I am going to give you my take on NFL Head Coach for the PS2.

First off the create-a-coach is ok. Its not good or great. They lack several options for making your coach. They are lacking in the amount of coaches you can choose from, the type of hair styles, facial hair and clothing. But this is not a reason to skip this game. Its just something that need work. Now you pick if you are an offensive guru or a defensive mastermind. Once again EA came up short on this cause when it comes to offense there are so few choices to pick. I would love to see a power football option or a one-back offense. With defense they have it covered.

When looking for a job you need to look at the offers you get. There is no option to see if you can get a better contract. Why I don't know.

The office runs pretty smooth. You have get to cover all the bases like hiring or firing a coach. Taking care of the players you are letting go or keeping, and the all important NFL Draft. The process is kind of slow seeing how you can do it all in a matter of a few days and they you will want to skip ahead to the next period. Once the RFA period starts you will not want to skip, cause you could miss an email or phone call about a player you are trying to sign. Most emails or phone calls happen toward the end of the RFA period. And don't forget the better the player the more you have to give up if he is on another team.

The things that upset me is that you can only do to actions in a certain period of the day, like you can only make or edit 2 positions on your sub list. Now I know you should not be able to do 50 things in one period cause its based on time. But 2 is a little unreal.

Now here is where I have my problems with the game. Now if you don't know me I am a football coach, and I think a pretty good one. I can see any play offense or defense twice and give you 2 names its called for each level of football. Or maybe I am just a nut? But when it comes to the play editor and play-maker EA really went to sleep on this. First off when you are a head coach you come in with your OWN playbook. Not something preset. Now I know not everyone is into football like me but I think most people can say what plays they want in their playbook. They is why I would like to see a blank playbook where you would hit a button to add a play to it.

And as for the play-maker...its not a play-maker its a play EDITOR. You don't get to make plays, you can only edit them. And if you move guys around to make a new formation you will only have ONE play for that formation. Which if what I hear about the AI will pick up on as soon as you walk to the line. Editing O-Line blocking is non-existent. You have only 4 choices run, pass, pull or screen. And I email EA every week during the season to go back to 2001 where you could block left, right or middle with your O-line along with the pulling and screen blocks. But then again it make just be the coach in me. So unless you really have a Jones for making a running play it better be a dive, lead or slant play cause you really cant do much else with it.

And when making a passing play I just want to scream! Where are all the routes? What happens if you want to make a play-action play, or a bootleg or a roll-out ? Or better yet what if you want to do a halfback pass ? You cant do this in the game. Ever since Madden 2001 the play-maker have went down the tubes.

Next is the UFA period and yes T.O is still an Eagle, Culpepper is still a Viking and the Bus is still in the league. So you will need to look elsewhere. Now if you want to make a trade be warned the Al that runs the other GMs will try to get over on you so think about it before you say yes. And yes some of their stupid trade will be that obvious.

Now we got the draft. Which is a big surprise to me. The rank of the players is NOTHING like the real NFL Draft. So if you have not heard by now The Texans take A.J Hawk #1. And some of the player that went in round 1 are still around in round 3. It this to me is a good surprise, I really had to search my scouting reports to see who to draft based on my needs. So once the draft is over you need to sign your new players. This is also a good surprise cause I guess they know they are rookies, even though they make have been picked #2 they will not try to ream you.

Now we got training camp. This is really hit or miss cause on one hand the AI for a player during a practice play is really too much. Now I know training camp is to get your players into playing form, but they AI is a bit exaggerated. I have seen CB run 10 yards further down the field even thought the WR has curled. Now if you want to talk to a player, position or group you can do it after the play. Remember player stats will go up or down depending on how to talk to them. So this is something you need to feel out.

How every when you FINALLY get to play a game its either 1 AM or you just had your fill of the game for the day. But one thing that gets me is the play-calling. On offense if you want to shift the formation, slide the line or send a man into motion, you have the use your HUD. You would think you could install some of this in practice with your QB. I mean you really risk the chance of getting a delay of game call all because you were trying to set your blocking. On defense line, linebacker and coverage shifts have to be done PDQ or the offense will snap the ball before you are ready. Like I said some of this could be installed in practice with your Defensive captain for him to look for and make the calls.

All in all the game is below average for an EA Sports game. I know its the first offering of the game, but I thought they could have worked on it some more. To me it feels like they rushed this one out of EA.

Thats why I gave it a 4 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 07/05/06