QB not doing what the gameplan calls for, and ending up on his A$$ for it

[neromadrid]

Hey folks,

I'm Dolphins GM in RNFL. So far in 2005, which we just started my team hasn't come close to expectations. Part of me wants to attribute it to early season jitters based on a lack of cohesion due to a new QB, LT and WR in the fold (Brunell, Deese, Boston).

But aside from that there is a glaring area where I'm simply getting crushed in, QB sacks. After giving up 4 in the first week of play I've gone on to give up 7 and then 5 for a grand total of 16 in 3 games.

I understand that Brunell is a risk in this way, with his 23 Sense Rush rating and all but this might be a bit over the top. He's also an 80 in Read Defense. Doesn't that mean he should be able to recognize when a blitz is coming?

This past week I took the offense and reigned it in a bit, basically setting up a West Coast passing game on top of my rushing attack but that still didn't do the trick. My O-line matched up nicely against my opponent but Deese alone gave up 3 sacks and he's a 90 in Pass Block. The rest of my line is Very Good as well. Minus the RT spot who is still growing, but I can live with him giving up 10 sacks this year.

Brunell ended up going deep 6 times which was about 6 more than I had hoped for since the goal was to get the ball out of his hands quickly.

My loss was by 3 points this week and they scored a TD with 1:10 remaining. So playing from behind can't be blamed for why he went deep.

My questions are:

1) Do I have a renegade QB on my hands? How can I get him in line and have him execute my bidding?

2) How can I minimize my exposure to sacks? This is the big one. I figured a quick passing game and a heavy dosage of run would do it. My top RG was just lost for 46 weeks, which means a rookie will get in at RG even complicating this more.

I have a top TE and top blocking FB.

Anyone care to opine?

[Pyser]

i would think you are on the right track, throwing shorter and running more often...but im interested to hear other people's thoughts. this is something im sure everyone would like some help in - minimizing sacks...

[Noop]

The game is flawed. And will remained flawed..

[scarface132]

Te's don't pass block at all, it has been proven at fofc in another thread.

A bug if I ever have seen one imo.

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by Noop

The game is flawed. And will remained flawed..

darrrrrrrrrrr

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by scarface132

Te's don't pass block at all, it has been proven at fofc in another thread.

Actually, what we *know* is that TEs do not get charged with sacks allowed.

Maybe that means they aren't included in pass blocking at all. Maybe it means that they factor in in a general way, but are never in a single blocking assignment. Or maybe it means something else, more subtle than either of those.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Brunell ended up going deep 6 times

Just wondering, is there something in the WR's/WR ratings that could influence this?

[neromadrid]

interesting thought Jon, but I have two starting WRs who are rated 60 and 58 current. both very well rounded guys and my RB and TE are 84 and 81 respectively...I doubt it's the targets

[Franklinnoble]

Mark Brunell is your starting quarterback.

Address that problem, then get back to me.

[j51]

Sense Rush is all that matters. If he doesn't have that, he's going to be sacked often no matter what you do.

[Icy]

Being off topic, neromadrid, are you from Madrid? I feel alone being almost the only Spanish here along with KeyserSoze

[MIJB#19]

Balance on offense to limit succesful gambling by the defense can help too, I think.
Personally, I've got a QB's around 50-60 in sense rush, two guards who can't protect the pass (below 25) and the RT and C are just above average (50-60), while the LT is elite (almost 90), but also injury prone. Maybe having a blocking FB (and TE?) does help out, meaning that using FB-less formations make you more viable to getting sacked?

Of course, with a sense rush of below 40, you're asking for trouble, but I am not that's all there is. When I had a 99 sense rush QB, he still got sacked about 2 times per game behind a crappy OL (4 of the 5 starters below 25 in pass protection).

[neromadrid]

Icy, I'm living in Madrid but not Spanish...

MIJB, From what I've gathered so far the game hasn't been designed to be linear and in that I mean that not just one variable tells the story. I would be too simple otherwise.

That having been stated, I was looking for answers that might be "tip of the iceberg" towards figuring out what matters where.