(Photos via Sam Riche)

USA Football’s Rookie Tackle pilot program made its NFL regular-season debut Sunday to rave reviews.

The program, which features smaller fields and fewer players per team on the field at a time, began earlier this year as a bridge between flag and tackle football. USA Football, in conjunction with youth leagues, introduced the program in 10 youth football leagues in eight different states.

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The game was on display during halftime of Sunday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium. Four teams took the field simultaneously, with two playing against each other on opposite sides of the 50-yard line. One play in particular got plenty of crowd reaction.

Great seeing two of the ADM Pilot Leagues in action at the Colts game! #RookieTackle #HUF #INDvsCLE @usafootball pic.twitter.com/vu8MZbGnEr

— Dan Doell (@RedWhiteDanBlue) September 24, 2017

The teams that scrimmaged Sunday were from Westfield, Indiana, and Indianapolis youth leagues. The program featured New York-area teams at halftime of the New York Giants' preseason game Aug. 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In addition to serving as a way for flag football players to transition to 11-person football, Rookie Tackle will also provide another entry point for those wishing to begin to learn football in a smaller setting with more hands-on instruction.

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As you could see from the above video, a traditional field is large enough to contain two Rookie Tackle games at once. Teams consist of six, seven or eight players, and those on offensive and defensive lines begin each play in a two-point stance. There are no special teams, fostering a quicker-paced game with more offensive and defensive snaps as players rotate through multiple positions.

Check out these photos from Sunday’s action.

RELATED CONTENT: Rookie Tackle takes the field for the first time 

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