Down & distance

Down & distance hands over the coach's headset. Each question sets a scene: the down, the yards needed and where the ball sits on the field. The task is to pick the call most teams would usually make. It tests game sense rather than memory, so it suits beginners who have learned what the downs are and want to see how they shape decisions, as well as seasoned fans who like to shout advice at the telly on fourth down. There are no trick questions about obscure rules, just the everyday choices that decide how a drive unfolds.

It works like the other mini-games. There are 8 questions and a run takes about five minutes. Tap an answer, read the note explaining why most sides make that call, then move on. Nothing is saved to an account, so it is easy to replay and see whether the thinking has sharpened.

Anyone wanting a reliable dose of down-and-distance drama to practise on could do worse than American Thanksgiving. The Detroit Lions started their tradition of playing on the holiday in 1934, and apart from a gap between 1939 and 1944, the Thanksgiving game in Detroit has carried on ever since.