[loligag]

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.