advice for creating a good 3/4 defense?
 

Hey yall, so I always find myself running a 4/3 because I cannot for the life of me get a 3/4 front to play well. Meaning, I can get a 4/3 defense to be top 3 in the league pretty consistently, but my 3/4 defenses are usually just middling to straight up bad.

Is 3/4 weaker or am I just missing something? I know Jim made changes to 3/4 WLB to make it a more productive pass rusher, but Ive run sims for 20+ seasons and never seen a 3/4WLB lead the league in sacks or pressures, its ALWAYS a 4/3 front type end (270+). And whenever I run a 3/4, usually my defensive ends are getting more sacks than my WLB, usually 8-10 max. So how are yall getting your pass rush in 3/4?

Also, what are yall doing with your off ball linebackers in 3/4? I usually look for run stoppers to play WILB and SILB, although SILB should probably be able to cover too. And SLB is on the field in every personnel package so they should be the best overall.

Id love to hear from anyone who successfully uses a 3/4 in this version and what they look for on a position by position basis. Thanks

Are setting the defense gameplan and blitzing schemes or letting your coaches do it? I've found a defensive scheme that blends cover 1/2 off and press. Cover 2 for 3 WR sets or more, cover 1 for less than 3. Nothing else and my defense always averages less that 20 ppg allowed, with a few sub 15s.

I've had lean coverage years with a few low rated players that have no zone skills, but function fine in my defense. My backfield is almost always set to the lowest possible blitz setting. I don't want them stealing rush snaps from my primary LB rushers. You can also find cheaper coverage guys if non important or unused stats aren't adding to their overall rating.

I set my whole gameplan to 5 man pressure. I like seeing high sack numbers and sacrifice for it by allowing chunk yardage. WLB always blitzes. Then some variation of my SLB and inner LBs depending on their skill. Good LBs are one of the easiest positions to draft in the later rounds. There seems to be an abundance in many drafts compared to the other positions.

On the depth chart I focus on pass rush for my front 7, but I tend to have a run stuffing NT and handful of run defenders for the 2 WR, short yardage and goal line formation. Defending the pass is just more important to me. It feels like FoF9 has embraced the NFL turning into a passing league with so many QBs performing at a high level.

Wholeheartedly agree, though it's the same in FOF8. The behavior of AI teams to avoid quality LBs who are undersized leaves easy pickings for me during the draft.

At least, I think that's why they don't get drafted by the AI.