Only typically call 6 or 7 different plays during a game because....

[tommygunn]

95% of the plays in the game are completely ineffecive. You can throw away pretty much all of the play action plays. And they psychic DBs and LBs take away most of the other plays. Anyone else finding this?

[MIFB13]

PA works great for me, also, I've found using Air Raid concepts to help out a lot in passing because it spreads out the zone defenders a whole lot more than the normal pass plays.

I call my custom playbook "SmashandDash" because it's built around the power run, but almost all of my passing plays are Air Raid. Once you learn the reads for the mesh/dig/stick plays it helps a whole lot in passing.

[blkrptnt819]

Quote: Originally Posted by MIFB13

PA works great for me, also, I've found using Air Raid concepts to help out a lot in passing because it spreads out the zone defenders a whole lot more than the normal pass plays. I call my custom playbook "SmashandDash" because it's built around the power run, but almost all of my passing plays are Air Raid. Once you learn the reads for the mesh/dig/stick plays it helps a whole lot in passing.

Agreed, I love all three concept mentioned and X Follow.

[blkrptnt819]

Quote: Originally Posted by tommygunn

95% of the plays in the game are completely ineffecive. You can throw away pretty much all of the play action plays. And they psychic DBs and LBs take away most of the other plays. Anyone else finding this?

Practice, it helped me tremendously. U have to have amazing timing but don't think u can lead a pass. In my experience that's just asking for trouble

[nova91]

I disagree, I run about 30 unique plays a game and I have success on about 17-20 of them, I'm not talking 10+ yard run success or 20+ yard pass success I'm talking about 4-5 yard carries, 10-15 yard passes, converting on 3rd and short with a nice run and 3rd and long with a strike to the WR. Play action from shotgun is effective with the right personnel but you have to run play action from under center when they're setup and you have to be prepare to audible if the CPU defense shows blitz.

[sniperscout75]

Quote: Originally Posted by tommygunn

95% of the plays in the game are completely ineffecive. You can throw away pretty much all of the play action plays. And they psychic DBs and LBs take away most of the other plays. Anyone else finding this?

I disagree completely. Given the right situation and defense that is presented to you there are any number of plays that can be and are effective if executed properly.

In my playbook I have 12 formations that I can comfortably call 3-4 very good plays out of given certain situations. That is alone 36-48 plays that can be called and be my most productive plays. I also run other plays from those formations too but the 36-48 mentioned are sort of favorites of mine.

Now, if one chooses I suppose you could only run a few plays a game but to me this is not enjoyable to me as I try and play as true to real as I can. In other words, I dont run the same play every 3rd and 1 because I know I can get it due to the cpu ai lining up incorrectly. To each their own if you enjoy playing with only 6-7 plays a game but I personally could not enjoy that.

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by tommygunn

95% of the plays in the game are completely ineffecive. You can throw away pretty much all of the play action plays. And they psychic DBs and LBs take away most of the other plays. Anyone else finding this?

I totally disagree and I have been playing this game non stop since release.

Here's what I've found. This game, unlike Madden, has truly adaptive AI on defense. Yes, it cheats at times, but you can work around this and get to the level of real strategy pretty easily.

You have to really pay attention to what the defense is doing and what you're calling from each of your formations. You have to call a variety of plays from each formation if you want them to work, and you have to be ready with your audibles.

I'll give you an example. I'll want to run a PA boot out of a 2 TE set. I will run the power-o twice maybe first over a drive or two, hopefully for some yards. Then I'll hit the PA, but if I see the LB creep up too closely, I know they'll be blizting, so I'll check out to a run or quick pass.

If they appear to be blitzing early and jumping the snap, a few quick throws and screens will pull them off this. Then you can have the space/time for a PA, or even for some runs.

That's just one example, but that's how it works.

I really pay a lot of attention to what I call from each formation, noting when the D seems to be switching from aggressive to balanced mode, and what the pre-snap cues are looking like as far as blitzes. You can do a lot with your offense when you do this, and pretty much use every play you have. The only play I can't use is the read option. Everything else works fine for me.

[nova91]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trojan Man

I totally disagree and I have been playing this game non stop since release. Here's what I've found. This game, unlike Madden, has truly adaptive AI on defense. Yes, it cheats at times, but you can work around this and get to the level of real strategy pretty easily. You have to really pay attention to what the defense is doing and what you're calling from each of your formations. You have to call a variety of plays from each formation if you want them to work, and you have to be ready with your audibles. I'll give you an example. I'll want to run a PA boot out of a 2 TE set. I will run the power-o twice maybe first over a drive or two, hopefully for some yards. Then I'll hit the PA, but if I see the LB creep up too closely, I know they'll be blizting, so I'll check out to a run or quick pass. If they appear to be blitzing early and jumping the snap, a few quick throws and screens will pull them off this. Then you can have the space/time for a PA, or even for some runs. That's just one example, but that's how it works. I really pay a lot of attention to what I call from each formation, noting when the D seems to be switching from aggressive to balanced mode, and what the pre-snap cues are looking like as far as blitzes. You can do a lot with your offense when you do this, and pretty much use every play you have. The only play I can't use is the read option. Everything else works fine for me.

This sounds like wishful thinking to me, there's nothing adaptive about this defense in the least.