Help me pick an offensive gameplan/approach

[QuikSand]

Okay, I have gotten complacent. I basically use the same offense and defense for all my teams. On a certain level, I think I'd be more entertained if I really were doing more customizing.

So - here's the relevant setup for one team and its offensive personnel. I'd like to spark a discussion about what approach would make the most sense for this team for the near term (and maybe beyond). Maybe as we go through this, there will be bits and pieces that are useful for me, or others, who would generally like more comfort with offensive gameplanning.

THE ROSTER

QB - 6th year starter is a 45/45 mixed-ratings guy with a nearly maxed-out Sense Rush (other notables: accuracy 26, range passing average maybe 40, 3rdD passing 59)... he has been in place for several seasons, but hasn't had much talent at WR to work with - his three seasons as a serious starter have set a baseline of about 7ypa, 2.2TD/Int ratio, and 80-85 rating...the reserve is more evenly rated 50/50, there's a case to be made he's slightly better overall, I could elaborate if there's interest

WR - the most interesting position of all, here. Free agent arrival is a 6th year 76/76 stud, very good overall, 98 endurance, a build-around talent. In the rookie draft, we landed a bookend guy with a top pick, he's 43/70 overall with 78/91 GD and 77 BPR. These two new arrivals join a mixed group of returning veterans - 11th yr 35/35 guy is cohesion monster but weak skills (about 6ypt career); 7th yr 38/38 new signing is BPR 67, punt returner but little else (5.8 ypt elsewhere); 5th yr guy 36/36 is BPR 90 and good cohesion (our draftee) but very little else (career 6.4 ypt).

TE - 12th year starter is our draftee so cohesion plus, but died in camp and is now mediocre-looking 34/34 with no run blocking skills; two others are both new signees, similar reserve-caliber skill sets - so not much to see here

RB - Nothing to write about extensively here, all are cheap castoffs, nobody is anything special. We have been happy with their production in past years, did not make the position a target for the draft - basically my usual situation at RB at this point with FOF.

OL - stud center (seriously), mediocre-plus talent everywhere else, generally run-inclined (built with QB maxed sense rush in mind)


So, hoping that's enough information to work with. Let's assume for these purposes that all avenues for trades or other material roster changes are behind us (effectively true).


The reason I semi-inquire here is...my best player is clearly the new FL1. Th most intriguing guy to line up alongside him is the rookie WR at SE1 -- but then I end up fielding two receivers with zero cohesion, and I don't love that. I could offset it a bit with the veteran TE (good enough to play, he's not holding back any stars) but that's about it. The only other pro-cohesion angle would be to use a lot of 3WR sets and get my oldest guy on the field a lot.

So... talent shifts to the WR position, which is a good thing. Do we open up the offense and basically become pass-inclined? Just stay balanced for now, and maybe open things up in a season or two assuming the wideouts stick around? Or something else?

[aston217]

I don't think there's any amount of talent I could accumulate on offense that would make me go pass-inclined. Balance is key for me...although not sure that gives you a 'new' direction to go with.

Particularly if you have run-focused OL and are leaning on your QB's sense rush. I see that as hurting the passing game significantly without helping the run game as much...but since it's what you've got, may as well try to lean on the runs. Perhaps to even a greater degree than usual.

With a line that is weak at pass blocking, high SR QB or not, you'll get more hurries and I am not sure, but this is probably more likely on deeper throws. I think any offense needs to take shots downfield and this is especially true if you want to take advantage of that stud WR. That's throwing long, not just medium, but long. However, with a less-than-stellar QB and a line that won't do a great job of protecting him, you're going to have to take your shots deep on 1st down, 2nd down, and probably try to avoid it on 3rd down. Your best bet at success, given the disadvantages, is throwing long when the defense isn't already expecting it.

Of your other WRs, the 90 BPR sounds like the best of the three in skills anyway, and the cohesion is not bad with him. Looks like a #2 there.

I'd look at the FA group and try to find some low OVR, high PB guys wherever I can, guard or tackle, potentially to supplant anyone you've got now, especially if they are very weak in Pass Blocking.

[aston217]

If you're going to use 3 WR sets and use the 3 BPR guys, make sure you're in throwing long situation when you do. For example, if you run 45/10/45 on 1st down, you should use the 3WR sets extensively in the 30-45% formation sets, and be more balanced in 46-60% and other formation sets.

I'm envisioning an offense that goes 45/10/45 on 1st & 10, which is very little running and a little dangerous, but makes up for this by going something like 61/30/9 on 3rd & long.

[Ben E Lou]

I'd go PAV and shorten up the long passing a bit to something like 30-25-20-15-10.