how do you improve on 3rd down defense?

[jbmagic]

i am last in 3rd down defense in my league. giving up over 51% completion on 3rd down defense.


is there anything i can do in the gameplan to improve it?


thanks

[MIJB#19]

You could try to find out why your team is allowing third down conversion. It could be three-fold:
1. your defense gives the opponent easy third down to go yardage figures
2. your defense is not picking the right plays on third down
3. your defense lacks the talent to beat the opponent on third down

To fix number one, you have to fix your whole defense, and that's probably what you don't want to hear. To fix number two, it might be smart to figure out in which situations the third down conversions take place, maybe you're allowing too many third and short running plays to be converted, it could be smart to address that. To fix number three, you can try to find a better game plan, or just hope that your guys will have the dice with them the rest of the season and do your best in the off-season to acquire better players.

[st.cronin]

I don't play FOF much anymore, but I remember noticing that blitzing often on 3rd down (esp. 3rd and long) was a great way to give up 30 points a game.

[Warhammer]

It depends on the QB that you are going up against. If you are going up against a QB with a poor sense rush it actually works well. I think coverage is a bigger deal here.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I don't play FOF much anymore, but I remember noticing that blitzing often on 3rd down (esp. 3rd and long) was a great way to give up 30 points a game.

Unfortunately, you can't change your blitz settings for each down-and distance.

[Kozure]

I think your coaches also have some influence over how well you perform on not just third downs, but on nearly every aspect of your team's performance.

One league I'm in, I cannot stop the pass, regardless of how I gameplan against it. After a few seasons of this, the only contant has been my coaching, so I believe it's going to have to change.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Kozure

I think your coaches also have some influence over how well you perform on not just third downs, but on nearly every aspect of your team's performance.

One league I'm in, I cannot stop the pass, regardless of how I gameplan against it. After a few seasons of this, the only contant has been my coaching, so I believe it's going to have to change.

I blame Earl Riley, personally.

[Kozure]

Originally Posted by stevew

I blame Earl Riley, personally.

it's been a prob for much longer than Riley has been there. But, i agree, Riley is very much overrated. I think he is the most overrated player in all of FOF..and of all its leagues! The guy should put up monster numbers.

Going to mess with running finesse settings this year to try to see if it helps his performance, but I doubt it will. I didn't do it in week 1.