Fun FOF9 stories

[Passacaglia]

I thought maybe a thread for fun stories in FOF9 might be fun. FOF8 too, sure, whatever.

So I'm currently playing as the Raiders. I've been playing with "AI makes minor roster decisions on" because I don't feel like doing it. There's a backup tackle, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, that the AI released a couple times, and I kept re-signing him. It's 2026, we're 4-3 and playing at the 4-2 Chiefs. We go take the lead 28-24 with 34 seconds left, but of course, Patrick Mahomes completes a 56 yard TD pass with no time left. BUT -- who gets the holding call to nullify the play? None other than our good friend Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, who apparently was released by the AI again and signed by the Chiefs! I thought it was a bug for a while.

[kingnebwsu]

Fired up FOF for the first time in years & Joe Burrow got hurt in the 2025 opening game vs the Browns then Mike White came in and played pretty well. The final play of the game was when the game was tied & Mike White throwing the ball to Tee Higgins who ran 45 yards for a TD as the time expired.

Welcome back to FOF, I guess

[Passacaglia]

I'd be tempted to trade up for this guy if not for his name.

[Passacaglia]

Alontae Taylor, have a game.

[KingZal]

I played a universe a while back where I took over the Detroit Lions (based off nilodor's files) and met the Packers three straight years in the playoffs. Whichever team won would go on to win the Super Bowl each time, and one of their matchups - the 2015 NFC Championship - had the craziest ending I've ever seen in this game. At the Packers' 10-yard line with 2:00 to go, the Lions were down 28-21 and in need of a touchdown when this happened:

1-10-GB10 (4Q: 02:00) James Starks ran outside the right tackle for 6 yards. Tackled by OLB Brett Goode. Key block delivered by Don Muhlbach.
2-4-GB04 (4Q: 01:15) Matthew Stafford read the key pass defender, handing the ball to Theo Riddick, who ran around right end for O yards. Tackled by DT Jerel Worthy, assisted by OLB Brett Goode. The defense looked very familiar with that
play. The ball was fumbled and recovered by DET Amini Silatolu to the GB04.
3-4-GB04 (4Q: 00:45) Matthew Stafford pass was dropped by RB Theo Riddick.
4-4-GB04 (4Q: 00:41) Matthew Stafford pass was completed to RB George Winn for 3 yards. Tackled by CB Matt Daniels. Winn gained 1 yard after the catch. The ball goes over on downs.

Not looking great, but at least the Lions have all three timeouts. I figured we'd shut down the run, get the ball back with 30 seconds left and decent field position. Instead, all hell breaks loose:

Possession to Green Bay

1-10-GB01 (4Q: 00:33) Andrew Quarless ran inside the left tackle for 0 yards. Tackled by ILB Ramik Wilson, assisted by S James lhedigbo. The ball was fumbled and recovered by DET ILB Ramik Wilson for 1 yard and a touchdown.

SCORE: Green Bay 28, Detroit 27

That's right, just like that insane Bills-Vikings game from a few years ago.


I was in control of playcalling in this one so naturally I thought, why not go for two? I don't think "momentum" is a real thing in this game, but it felt like the suitably chaotic thing to do:

(4Q: 00:33) Matthew Stafford passed to T.J. Jones for the successful two-point conversion.

SCORE: Detroit 29, Green Bay 28

That's it. With Aaron Rodgers AND his backup out of the game with an injury, all we need to do is hold on for thirty seconds against third-stringer Scott Tolzien. Unfortunately, there was another real-life parallel in store for us:

(4Q: 00:25) Kai Forbath kicked off 74 yards from the DET35. Touchback.

Possession to Green Bay

1-10-GB25 (4Q: 00:25) Scott Tolzien pass was completed to WR Jordy Nelson for 16 yards. Tackled by OLB Ben Jacobs, assisted by OLB Kyle Van Noy. Nelson gained 6 yards after the catch.
Green Bay called a time out
1-10-GB41 (4Q: 00:14) Scott Tolzien pass was completed to WR Jordy Nelson for 3 yards. The receiver went out of bounds. Tackled by S Nevin Lawson. Nelson gained 1 yard after the catch.
2-7-GB44 (4Q: 00:08) Scott Tolzien pass was completed to WR Kevin Ogletree for 56 yards and a touchdown. Ogletree gained 1 yard after the catch.

SCORE: Green Bay 34, Detroit 29

FINAL SCORE: Green Bay Packers 34, Detroit Lions 29

If the Lions weren't coming off a Super Bowl win of their own, this would've been the worst loss I've ever experienced in this game. Honestly, it's still high up there. Taking the lead on a gift like that only to be outmiracled by our biggest rival - without Rodgers, to boot - that really hurt. We ended up beating the Packers next year on our own miracle go-ahead touchdown, but that 2015 loss still sticks out to me.

[MizzouRah]

Buffalo just beat the Eagles for the Super Bowl and their Center got SB MVP, I don't think I've ever seen that before.

Also, Las Vegas had the offensive and defensive rookies of the year.

[jcard]

Originally Posted by KingZal

I played a universe a while back where I took over the Detroit Lions (based off nilodor's files) and met the Packers three straight years in the playoffs. Whichever team won would go on to win the Super Bowl each time, and one of their matchups - the 2015 NFC Championship - had the craziest ending I've ever seen in this game. At the Packers' 10-yard line with 2:00 to go, the Lions were down 28-21 and in need of a touchdown when this happened:



Not looking great, but at least the Lions have all three timeouts. I figured we'd shut down the run, get the ball back with 30 seconds left and decent field position. Instead, all hell breaks loose:

That's right, just like that insane Bills-Vikings game from a few years ago.


I was in control of playcalling in this one so naturally I thought, why not go for two? I don't think "momentum" is a real thing in this game, but it felt like the suitably chaotic thing to do:


That's it. With Aaron Rodgers AND his backup out of the game with an injury, all we need to do is hold on for thirty seconds against third-stringer Scott Tolzien. Unfortunately, there was another real-life parallel in store for us:



If the Lions weren't coming off a Super Bowl win of their own, this would've been the worst loss I've ever experienced in this game. Honestly, it's still high up there. Taking the lead on a gift like that only to be outmiracled by our biggest rival - without Rodgers, to boot - that really hurt. We ended up beating the Packers next year on our own miracle go-ahead touchdown, but that 2015 loss still sticks out to me.

Just to confirm, I take it from the first play in the first series shown above that James Starks was on Detroit?

[KingZal]

Originally Posted by jcard

Just to confirm, I take it from the first play in the first series shown above that James Starks was on Detroit?

That's correct, good catch - I can see why that'd be confusing. He was a free agent going into 2015 and I signed him in late free agency.

[MizzouRah]

Damn you Joe Burrow, we (Tennessee Titans) were 1 play away from the 2027 Super Bowl and end up losing, 30-27.

[KingZal]

I lost on the final play of the Super Bowl like that in my Browns save file (23-20). They haven't been so close to a Super Bowl since - which I guess is fitting for the Browns.

[Haiku]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Damn you Joe Burrow, we (Tennessee Titans) were 1 play away from the 2027 Super Bowl and end up losing, 30-27.

It’s on the defense. Should have gone with Cover 4 or 6.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Haiku

It’s on the defense. Should have gone with Cover 4 or 6.

Definitely, I blame my DC, Raymond Ventrone (who is rated 100 in playcalling).

Heck, even a prevent defense would have been fine with me.

[Passacaglia]

Five way tie for the division title:

[MizzouRah]

2031 - The Tennessee Titans finally win a Super Bowl, Cam Ward was the MVP.

We are slated to move to St. Louis in 2035, so it was great to get Tennessee a Super Bowl Championship.

They turned down a new stadium so I took that opening to bring a team back to my hometown.