TWO MINUTE DRILL · THE PLAYBOOK
38 seconds, no timeouts: find a touchdown
Use the boundary when it is open, but read the defense first. You trail 24–28 at their 40 with a stopped clock, 38 seconds left and no timeouts.
Should every pass go to the sideline with no timeouts?
No. In this fixed drill, a middle pass, a sideline pass and a deep shot score a touchdown with seven seconds left. Forcing six straight sideline passes leaves you short of the end zone as time expires.
Play this situation →SAME START · TWO PLANS
Compare the calls, one step at a time
Read the coverage
- Time left
- 0:38
- You–Opponent
- 24–28
- Down
- 1st & 10
- Ball
- Their 40
Same start. Compare the calls.
Use the open middle first, stop the clock against deep coverage, then take the deep gain against a balanced look.
Read the coverage
Use the open middle first, stop the clock against deep coverage, then take the deep gain against a balanced look.
| Call | Setup + play | Left | Ball | Down | Clock | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | — | 0:38 | Their 40 | 1st & 10 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 1. Middle passHurry | 0s + 8s | 0:30 | Their 24 | 1st & 10 | Running | 24–28 |
| 2. Sideline passHurry | 5s + 7s | 0:18 | Their 15 | 2nd & 1 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 3. Deep shotHurry | 0s + 11s | 0:07 | End zone | Drive finished | Stopped | 31–28 |
Drive won: Touchdown. Seven on the board. You reached the end zone. An automatic extra point adds seven in these simplified drills.
Force every pass to the sideline
Boundary coverage makes two passes incomplete. Stopping the clock does not help enough when the route fails to move the ball.
| Call | Setup + play | Left | Ball | Down | Clock | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | — | 0:38 | Their 40 | 1st & 10 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 1. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 6s | 0:32 | Their 40 | 2nd & 10 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 2. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 7s | 0:25 | Their 31 | 3rd & 1 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 3. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 7s | 0:18 | Their 23 | 1st & 10 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 4. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 6s | 0:12 | Their 16 | 2nd & 3 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 5. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 6s | 0:06 | Their 16 | 3rd & 3 | Stopped | 24–28 |
| 6. Sideline passHurry | 0s + 7s | 0:00 | Their 7 | Drive finished | Stopped | 24–28 |
Drive lost: The play ended. So did the clock. The play finished, but no time remained for another snap. You needed to reach the winning score on this one.
What should you take into the next drive?
With no timeouts, budget both yards and the next setup. A useful in-bounds gain can fit the clock; a stopped clock is not a substitute for reaching the score you need.
Why does the first middle pass make sense?
The first defense guards the boundary. The middle pass gains 16 yards in eight seconds, leaving 30 seconds with the clock running. The next defense protects deep space, so the boundary route is open. Hurry spends five seconds getting set and the pass uses seven, leaving 18 seconds with a stopped clock.
What happens if you force the boundary?
The first sideline pass is incomplete against boundary coverage. Later gains move the ball, but another boundary-covered look uses six seconds without a gain. The sixth pass starts with six seconds left; its seven-second duration reaches zero before the ball reaches the end zone.
Why not settle for a field goal?
You are four points behind, so three points still leave you losing. This single-possession drill ends with a kick. The score requires a touchdown, even after you move into field-goal range.
How does this compare with real football?
These are original teaching situations with fixed results, not plays from a real match. The official 2026 NFL rulebook, Rule 4, covers timing and timeouts; Rule 8 covers the legal immediate spike. Real plays, preparation times, catches and kicks are uncertain. This game uses five-, 15- and 35-second preparation, a two-second spike, guaranteed kicks of 52 yards or less and an automatic extra point. A score ends the single drive. Read the full game rules.
Try the 17-second timeout comparison, explore all eight football practice drills, or make your own calls from this start.