So any play that has 2rb & 1te - I can then see which formation it'll be right?
That's very useful but I'd still prefer something like the diagram on the play card for each play or vice versa.

the diagram still only shows 10 players yet I thought there were 11 in an Offense?

Guess I'm going on the back of a few other managers saying what good te I've got yet I don't seem to be using them other than as another blocker then? Assumed they would offer more

What a numpty!! Just noticed that there are 11 players (1 is off the page on RHS!), due to the fact I still have to slide the bar at bottom of the screen to see whole page! And no other games causes this problem - tried everything everyone suggested when I mentioned it before; I've just had to deal with it

I still couldn't get the ball to my TE's the way I wanted, after my Initial Draft in the MFN featured a Superstar TE taken Pick 1.7.

I changed the Play Book to only have 2 TE Formations, and made sure the Primary Routes was to the TE... and he still wasn't getting the ball like I wanted.

So now he's my RB.

It may have, in the end, had more to do with my QB... who was really good in every Ability but 1, and that one was holding him back severely. His Back Up is already proving better despite way worse Abilities, and so is a Rookie who really is garbage but is doing rather well in comparison.

So I may have to get another Stud TE in the future and try it with a different QB this time. That may have been the real issue, instead of the Play Book or the TE Position.

How do you make sure the primary route is to a particular player/position? ! I thought you set the play but then it's up to the match engine and qb's intelligence as to which receiver he throws to?

Sometimes this is easy. It's in the name. Like "TE Corner". That let's me know the Primary is the TE and his Route is a Corner Route. To verify this, we can look at some things. TE Corners is in the Medium Route of my Play Book.

On this Play, if there is no Blitz to force a Hot Read, the TE Corner (15 Yards) is the Primary Route. Logically the Secondary Route would be the Slot Out (10 Yards) to the outside of the Corner, then the Flanker In (5 Yards) to the outside of the Out, followed by swithing to the opposite side of the Field to the Wide Out Come Back (10 Yards).

The issue here is that the TE Corner is the Deep Route, and a QB will 'watch' a Route to Completion. So on TE Corner in the 1 RB/1 TE/3 WR Set, your "Slot Out", "Flanker In" and likely "Wide Out Come Back" will all be done running their Routes before the QB stops looking at the TE Corner.

That's the risk in this game of running Deep Route Primaries, underneath stuff can be wide open while your QB is still staring down the guy 35 Yards down field who simply isn't open.

Of course the Risk of running the Short Route Primary is that while you can eventually get to every Route with Progression, if the Short Guy is Open it doesn't matter that the Long Guy wasn't covered... it's going to the Short Route.

Now, that's by Design. However, QB Intelligence, Play Knowledge and some other factors do indeed change things. Defense changes things. If a Blitz happens... and your QB is smart enough/good enough... he will 'Hot Read'. A 'Hot Read' is usually a quick throw to the area the Blitzer vacates. So if it was a CB Blitz from the CB covering the Slot Route (Nikle Defense) and my QB is 'Smart' and 'Knows the Play', he will instantly throw to the Slot Out, which should be open before the Cover can get to him.

That doesn't mean the TE wasn't the Primary... it just means your QB reacted to the Situation.

Overload Strong is the exact same play as TE Corner... with the exception that the RB 'leaks' to the Flats on the Overload side (most routes) and the Wide Out runs a Post (15 Yards). In this Play, I have no clue who the 'Primary' is. However, it being a Medium Play the two major options would be the Wide Out Post and the TE Corner. I doubt it is the TE Corner route as the Primary, because we have a very similar play where the TE is already the Primary. I assume the TE is used here to 'pull' the Over Coverage (Safety) away from the Middle of the Field, which will open it up for the Wide Out Post.

In TE Corner I assume the shorter Slot Out and Flanker In are designed to hold the CB from getting deep, so the TE can beat the S 1v1. It may also be to try to put the S on the Slot, so the TE can take a LB 1v1. It also happens to run to a 'gap' that occurs naturally in Zone Defenses. So it can be used vs. Man, Zone and Combination Defenses (basically, against anything).

So outside of it sometimes being in the name of the play, try to look at the Diagram and ask yourself 'Who is this intended FOR'. Routes are not 'independent' on a Play, each Route serves a purpose. What is the play DESIGNED to do... which the Short/Medium/Long help you figure out.

At least that's how I look at it, until some one gives me an easier way.

Wow not only is that a very comprehensive and in depth answer but I actually followed it - just! I'll have a look at what you said tonight and see if some of it becomes clearer.
It's a shame that during each play when watching the game it doesn't have an overlay sheet or something in top corner saying what the formation is and after showing the 4 routes taken etc and what defense was played to counter it - that I'd love!

Must be doing something right as we've just recorded the biggest win of the season: 81-0! Really looking forward to this season - shame I'll be in Italy for some of the mid season matches!

What you want is the Play by Play Tab, the middle one. Then you can see (1) What your Play Call was, (2) what the Defensive play Call was with Over Lays and then (3) click the Film Button to watch that Play.