My All-Underused Team, Version 1.2

[RogueHominid]

I hear you, man. I am SOOOO sick of the screen/swing game. I can't really use Hayes's hands ability all that much since I refuse to use those plays with good, sim players, though I will use the occasional double flats play, and perhaps some WC formations that put the HB on short curl routes and such. It was very refreshing to play you, and I wish there were more people out there who played straight up.

As for Manning, my experience was just as you say--he overthrew several wide open guys, and didn't really have pressure in his face when he did it. What's even weirder is that I have Jim Parker, who has stonewall, which means Manning should be super-duper calm. Oh well. I'm gonna stick it out for a little bit with him and see what I get. I can always go up and get a little used gold QB, such as Otto Graham or Sammy Baugh, or I can go down and use any number of underused bronze guys.

I have used Hilliard, and that spin move is nice. He has a little bit of speed, too. I broke a 73 yarder with him once. And he is good out of the backfield.

This game is so much fun because of all the experimenting you can do. I really want to get Henry Ellard on one of my teams, since I loved him and Flipper Anderson in LA, but I've yet to do it. There's just so many guys . . .

[RogueHominid]

Made the switch from Manning to Graham, and Parker to Yary. Much better QB production, and Yary is very solid at T.

[Radja]

i am curious about the screen passing you are talking about.. i only play my bro in law on line or my off line franchise. we both play sim and vary all our play calling.

is the screen and flat passes overdone? i call one or two a game at most and usually only with certain running backs/teams. it doesn't always work for either of us so i never knew it was a possible potential money play. off line i am not really sure of my success rate. (360 users)

i guess i will pay more attention now.

[RogueHominid]

Yeah, it gets overused online and its basic execution is far more successful than irl. The blockers get out way faster than the LBs, and the DEs never read the play and peel off. DB logic is screwy as well, as CBs never diagnose and charge the play.

It's not a cheese play, but it is one that works very well, and if overused can become cheesy imo. I can't tell you how many times high-ranked guys will go to swings and screens to Earl, Otis, Okoye, just because they know the play works. I think guys like the above, who were NOT noted for their receiving or open field ability, should not be able to run those plays nearly as well as guys like Thermal, Bienemy, and Craig.

That said once or twice a game is no big deal--that's about right for 5 min quarters, and it's totally fine if you have a team that it makes sense to run that play with. This team with Abner Haynes begs for it, and I think I'm going to allow myself one swing and one flats pass per game, though I'll probably avoid the screen for now.

There are others who have zero problem with the play whatsoever, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

[bigdunks4eva]

i personally love using screen passes. i like screens, reverses, pa reverses, etc. i wish there were more wr screen plays. now i dont abuse them. but its pretty lame playing someone who screens for his power back constantly. i mean you have to gameplan for those strong runs up the gut, and you cant really try to stop both every play.

[Radja]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigdunks4eva

i personally love using screen passes. i like screens, reverses, pa reverses, etc. i wish there were more wr screen plays. now i dont abuse them. but its pretty lame playing someone who screens for his power back constantly. i mean you have to gameplan for those strong runs up the gut, and you cant really try to stop both every play.

with over 6,000 plays, i just love using them all.

i tried the naked bootleg the other day for the first time with steve young. it ended up being more the 'naked get your booty slammed" play, but it felt good almost pulling it off. he had a back side blitz coming and i ran right into it. otherwise, his whole team was heading the opposite direction. to see wide open space just a juke away is quite frustrating.

the fact is, with so much to choose from, you should never get so caught up with one type of play. every time i find a play i may have never tried, and it works, it is the most rewarding feeling.

there is so much depth and you never perfect anything imo. for instance, for a while i could not miss a FG unless it was too short. then all of a sudden i cant make a FG. part of this is using different teams the players do play differently, but part is the controls are just loose enough to require precision but not feel impossible.