A step in the right direction
Gameplay is based around you either tweaking your depth charts or signing or trading players, if you swap out tasks for them. You also have a trust with the different GM's and different agents. When you get into preseason and the season you will spend time running drills with your team. Here's where it gets interesting, as you need to develop your players through this.Every player has a rating that has a range from somewhere low to high. Depending on how you coach up a player that rating will reach it's full height or they will be low and their abilities will suffer as well. Example: Let's say Shaun Alexander has a rating of 65-99. If Alexander gets the bulk of the reps during the week and is used often, then he will be at or near his optimum and will be tough to stop. But if he never sees a snap, he will be at the low end and probably be as good as the third string rb. This is another decision you will make in NFL Head Coach. Do you work on your first string and if a injury pops up you are stuck with unpracticed players? Or do you balance it out so everyone isn't optimum, but all are good.
The gameplay on the field is you calling plays, and depending on how well you practice them the success of them. During time outs and ends of quarters you can talk to players on the field, or on the bench during the game while the play is going on. You can tell the DL if they can't get to the QB to change their movements, and reprimand or praise anyone on your team depending, with a little boost or loss depending.
The Graphics are decent looking like a little cleaner Madden 06, but probably won't look as great as Madden 07. Sound is good, with the NFL Films music playing in the background and the crowd getting into the games.
This is definetly a game to look out for. Much like a rookie coach, it has it's problems, but looks like if it will get a second year, to be a game on the rise.