The new impact player option allows the gamer to edit the route or assignment of any play in the team's playbook. There's an all-new running game AI, and more than 1,500 brand-new catches, sticks, and hits, including some animations that were motion-captured using professional stuntmen swinging from rigging wires. Real player stats, abilities, attributes, and attitudes add detailed realism to the game. The enhanced Create-a-Player mode allows the user to not only select the player's height, weight, and position, but also the uniform, face, head size and type, size of pads, facemask, and more. The game features enormous 3-D player models, with bulging muscles and real-player faces.

The over-the-top gameplay features players leaping, soaring, and diving for passes; stiff-arming, bulldozing, and railroading would-be defenders; and passing with precision. Intuitive, fast-action, extreme-style controls allow for quick-response gameplay. The game is equipped with the original NFL Blitz point-'n'-pass system and icon passing. Dynamic camera angles capture all of the deep crossing routes and monster sticks by linebackers.