Difference between linebackers

[Vinatieri for Prez]

What are the more important skills for LBs in FOF.

I've always though the following:

MLB - run d, play diagnosis, but generally good in all skills is important
SLB - pass rush tech. & strength, some run d
WLB - cover skills

Am I even close to knowing what I'm doing?

[MIJB#19]

This is what I look for:
MLB - run defense
SLB - run defense
WLB - run defense

Especially with the WLB, he doesn't need much else, I usually play nickel back heavy, meaning the WLB will only play on obvious running downs and clearly not on obvious passing plays.

The SLB and MLB will be facing covering duties a lot, meaning it could be useful to have pass coverage skills there, depending on your system and the coverages you run. Pass rush skills? Depends on your blitzing desire I guess. The recent patches toned down the sack numbers for LBs, so I guess they have become more important for covering the RB and TE on passing plays.

But then, even with arguably the best run stopping LB trio in the multiplayer league I'm in, my defenses have been terrible, even with probably the best DT making big plays in front of them.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Interesting. Perhaps, I don't know what I am doing with LBs, as I suspected.

[DeToxRox]

A lot depends on your scheme.

If you run a 3-4, you want ILB's who can stuff the run and have some pass rush ability. You want one really good OLB with pass rush ability and decent to good coverage, while the other has good coverage and decent pass rush (or so is my opinion). In a 4-3 I'd take guys who are more adapt to stuffing the run because you can have four rushing off the line. In a 3-4 you'll probably also want some DE's who are run stoppers too, while a 4-3 you'd want pass rushers.

[Passacaglia]

Keep in mind the WLB comes out in the nickel.

[QuikSand]

I think there are things that underly this decision:

-how frequently do you use the nickel/dime defensive setups?
-how do you orient your team blitzing?

Run defense is clearly important. Play diagnosis is rumored to be important, but is much tougher to quantify.

On a straightforward 4-3 defensive setup, with considerations for affordability, I might be inclined to look for the following:

MLB - best overall backer, run stopping + something everywhere
SLB - best pass rusher, give him high share of blitzes
WLB - run stopping most important, else is gravy

Playing single player, you really won't have to pay too much for decent guys at WLB and even SLB -- it's the MLB where you want to lock up a stud and keep him around.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Thanks for the help guys, I like to run the basic 4-3 with average nickel. I forgot all about losing the WLB in the nickel coverage. I was looking for WLB with coverage skills but not realizing they were coming out of the game many times in passing situations. Dumb.

[Leonidas]

What are the more important skills for LBs in FOF.

I've always though the following:

MLB - run d, play diagnosis, but generally good in all skills is important
SLB - pass rush tech. & strength, some run d
WLB - cover skills

Am I even close to knowing what I'm doing?

You've got it backwards. The SLB plays on the side of the TE and frequently has to cover him, or the slotback in a 3WR set. SLB needs great cover skills. WLB is a run defender and pass rusher on the side with no extra blockers. He is the guy you need to wreak havoc on the other side of the line.

Classic examples, Junior Seau was a great SLB, Lawrence Taylor the best WLB of all time. The WLB usually gets the greater stats with sacks, but the SLB has greater cover responsibility, and is probably the more important player.

[yabanci]

but what's true about linebackers in real life isn't necessarily true about them in FOF. Lawrence Taylor got a lot of his sacks on third down passing situations.

[stevew]

Man, i just realized that in a nickle situation my "other" DT comes in. I run the 3/4 and this is the first time i have even thought of that fact. :(

[Vinatieri for Prez]

You've got it backwards. The SLB plays on the side of the TE and frequently has to cover him, or the slotback in a 3WR set. SLB needs great cover skills. WLB is a run defender and pass rusher on the side with no extra blockers. He is the guy you need to wreak havoc on the other side of the line.

Classic examples, Junior Seau was a great SLB, Lawrence Taylor the best WLB of all time. The WLB usually gets the greater stats with sacks, but the SLB has greater cover responsibility, and is probably the more important player.

Ah. It seems Quiksand disagrees somewhat. He says the SLB should have the best pass rush skills.

[QuikSand]

Ah. It seems Quiksand disagrees somewhat. He says the SLB should have the best pass rush skills.

Not precisely so.

However, intuitively, I want my heavy-blitz LB to be the guy with the best pass-rushing skills. That makes sense, right? So, in theory, that could be any guy -- just blitz that guy the most, wherever he is slotted.

But in FOF, like it or not, when the defense goes into nickel package -- in pass situations (times when you might be even more likely to blitz) it's the weak-side backer who gets pulled (or WOLB, if you're playing a 3-4). So -- if you're slotting your best pass rusher there, like many NFL teams might, you're watching him walk off the field in lots of passing situations. That doesn't make much sense to me.

The strong-side LB is on the field all the time, in all passing situations, even if you go to the dime secondary (the MLB/SILB gets pulled). So -- while you are certainly free to do what you want, I think it makes sense to put your best pass rusher at SLB. If he's a zero in coverage, think twice -- he might be a liability in underneath coverage -- but overall, I think this makes the most sense.


More sense this time?

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Yes, this does indeed make sense. It is too bad one cannot choose who comes out in the nickel package.