Something no one ever mentions that is annoys me a bit

[bgeno]

The safeties. There's a strong safety and a free safety... the only problem is, they play more like a left safety and a right safety. If you look at videos, you'll have a free safety up toward the box and a strong safety playing back on a normal, base-ish defensive formation.

[rudyjuly2]

There isn't much difference between them in real life either. The SS just lines up on the TE side and can be brought closer to the line of scrimmage occasionally. Many teams can interchange their safeties so this doesn't bother me. Teams can always motion the TE to either side of the field so you don't see teams flipping their safeties around that much, particularly when the TE usually starts out on the right side of the offense.

What bothers me a lot more is the CPU calling goalline defense plays and leaving your WRs completely open at the start of the play. This happens a lot in the PS2 version where the CPU just completely sells out on the run.

[JayWeL]

I agree Geno. There's a couple of things that EA screws up along these lines. Have you noticed the ratings hit you take when you switch a SS to FS and vice-versa. You'd think you were putting a corner at DT. Plus most college teams have weakside and strongside linebackers not left and right OLB's.

[cliburn]

I'm with you geno. I long for the day we have a true stong safety, free safety, stongside linebacker, weakside linebacker, strongside end, and weakside end.

[BezO]

Another one for Geno. I've been asking for this for years, for both Madden & NCAA. I'll put it in the wishlist thread - again - once I play each game.

SOME teams have safeties that are interchangable. Most teams have a better tackler at SS, and a better/faster cover guy at FS. Having them line up correctly would really help making calls, and help improve coverage. I don't want my SS getting caught playing deep middle if that's not his strength.

Instead of the Flip Safeties option controlling left & right, it should control strong side & week side.

[donkeydrop]

In Cover 2, for example, the safeties do play left and right side, but you are right that the free safety should never play up. The strong safety is the only one who would line up with the linebackers or over a wide receiver.

[schwaby]

Quote: Originally Posted by shortsoldier

I'm with you geno. I long for the day we have a true stong safety, free safety, stongside linebacker, weakside linebacker, strongside end, and weakside end.

Thank you. I honestly can't believe they've not addressed this for almost a decade.

PS. Also a nose tackle

[Methlab]

Safety play means everything too. It controls how you read and react to a defensive look..in turn the safeties constantly out of position mean that the rotations are never ging to be true to life. It just simply is impossible to replicate a rotation if the safeties are out of position before the snap. I think that is a major issue if you want a true simulation of football.