So I'm looking at some of the OffPlays that I'd like to use and trying to use the method that someone recently told me about best-guessing who the short-pass (in this case) would be thrown to (I know in theory it could be any of the rx).
They said look which of the Rx goes short - that makes sense :) especially when some go long/med.

However, on some of the runs they go fwd only 5yds (seems short to me), but then miles out to the sideline. I think this still constitutes a short-pass for this MFN game but really the distance mathematically is much further now - a medium pass??

Take the FL Slant (a short pass play) for example: Wr1 drags left so short pass right; wr2 goes 5yds then a bit more diagonally - more like medium pass? wr3 technically doesn't advance but drags a long way to the left - medium / short pass?? RB goes fwd the least but is 2nd nearest to the QB, so still short?

This is just one example; I'd like to know people's opinion on Double Outs - which is the most obvious pass? Is there a set algorithm/formulae to help me (ie. RX goes fwd less than one green row (5yds?) = short; 5-10yds = medium? 10yds+ = long??)

Thanks in advance!

The Route is determined Long/Medium/Short based on the Distance DOWN FIELD.

So a Slot running an Out can go a long way... 5-7 Yards 'Down Field' then another 20 Yards to the Side Line... but it's still considered a '5-7 Yard Route'.

Generally the Route Length is determined by the 'Break Point' of the Route. For instance, on a Curl the Receiver is going to run X Yards down field... and basically 'turn around and stop'. So it's a question of his Break... because you can run a 3 Yard Curl (short) or a 15 Yard Curl (Deep). (Although the Deep Curl has been somewhat replaced by what is called a 'Come Back Route', the difference being you keep slowly working back to the QB on a Come Back to make the throw easier... but that's another matter for another time.)

So... look for the Break. How Deep does the Route go before it breaks into a new direction?

There IS an exception to this... though I haven't seen the Route in the game yet. It's Double Move Routes. Like a 'Stop and Go' or an 'Out and Up'... in which case the Break can be very early in the Route (Short) but the INTENT is the 2nd Break sends you down field Deep.

Hope this helps.

That's great it does clarify the main issue of whether lateral / diagonal movement is included in the distance - clearly not. Just downfield - thanks

But: what distances downfield to the break would be called as Short/Med/long? Less than 5yds/5-10yds/10yds+ ??

Thanks!

You actually determine this, though generally 0-9 Yards is 'Short', 10-15 Yards is 'Medium' and 15+ is 'Long'...

however, this varies for everyone, even in the NFL. Some will say a Short Pass is 0-7, a Medium is 8-12 and a Long 12+.

Other will say a Short is 0-10, a Medium 11-20, and a Deep 20+.

The Offensive System will sometimes dictate this... what is Medium for a West Coast isn't always Medium for a Run and Shoot or a Spread Vertical.

Generally speaking though, look at Short as 'Under 10 Yards' when talking about Pass Distance, and remember that's from the Line of Scrimmage, not the QB. A Medium can be viewed generally as 10-15 or 10-20 then, and anything past 15 or 20 is Deep.

Thanks I've come to learn in this game that nothing is set in stone but that's a great starting point for me - much appreciated!

Just remember, even though I say a 'Medium' in a WC CAN be different from a 'Medium' in a Spread Vertical... these differences are not extreme. It's a very minute difference, not more than a Yard or Two.

Statistically, like on NFL.com, you can get Ranges for Short/Medium/Long that are universally accepted.

This being a Game, I'm sure it's coded what the 'Depths' are (though in theory it could also be coded for each Offensive Type... but really that's not needed).

So work with the 'general' information, as that is what will likely be applied here.