Video Game Idea: Bill Belichick's Situational Football

John Madden has made millions by lending his name to a video game. I think it's time for Coach Belichick to do something similar. This game will be different from all previous football simulations. You won't play entire games, you'll just play key moments, or key SITUATIONS. And unlike other football video games, you won't be playing as the ball carrier. You'll be playing at different positions for different situations. So on 3rd & 8 on the opponents' 35, you'll be a receiver, and you'll have to run your route deep enough to get the 1st down, or at least get to the 30 so your kicker can attempt a field goal. You'll be a gunner on punt coverage, a lineman pass blocking, a blitzing middle linebacker, et cetera.

And sometimes the position will seem boring. You'll be an offensive lineman and you'll have to try to hear the snap count in a noisy Indianapolis stadium. You won't get to let the entire play unfold. Once the ball is snapped, your job will be done and you'll move on to the next situation.

Another scenario: you'll be a free safety and you'll have to determine where to stand at the start of a play. Then you'll move on to the next situation.

And it won't just be on the field stuff. You'll have to know how and when to substitute in and out of the game. You'll have to memorize route trees. You'll learn how to answer questions from the media without really answering them. You'll have to turn on your video game system at a certain time each morning to arrive for practice, even if it's snowing.

This won't be as popular as Madden, which allows you to be the star of the game without any of the work or preparation. It will be more real, more down to earth, more nuts and bolts, and much less entertaining. Most people won't get it, will find ways to criticize it even though they don't understand it, then scratch their heads and wonder why it's successful. Some will then attribute its success to the players inside the game and not the coach.

I can't wait for Patriots' season to start.