Defensive Playcalling

[friscob]

Quote: Originally Posted by GruffyMcGuiness

1. The defense on this game is awful. Pick any play and hope for fumble or interception 2. Profit? Nope.

Don't hold your breath for fumbles!

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by servo75

Hello, I need some help when it comes to defensive playcalling, because I don't believe the "Ask Coach" always gives such wise information. I know I have a lot of questions, but ANY help is much appreciated... 1. If I choose 4-3, how do I decide whether to choose over, under, stack, etc.? 2. What do the different zone coverages mean, and when to choose each? 3. If I want to take away a specific receiver, should I "spotlight" him, send the zone in that direction? What does "spotlight" do anyway? 4. What plays are best in taking away the option? 5. General defensive playcalling advice. I tried strategy guides in the past, but I found they just tell you how to run Play X against Play Y and say very little about actual strategy. Thanks in advance!

1. Generally you should use over/under when you expect something like a stretch running play. The outside LB that lines up on the LOS can prevent the RB from reaching the corner. Should help a little against the option as well. But you may be vulnerable to counters and misdirections. Over shifts also help if you have a DT who is able to get pressure (think of Warren Sapp on the Buccaneers)

2. Zone can be effective in the game, but it is risky. Many times my safety has reacted to a phantom WR and allowed a real WR to be wide open deep. Cover 2 can be effective, but you should manually control the mlb because if left to the AI he will drop back way too far and the middle will be wide open. Also in cover 2 coverage shift your safeties towards the sidelines. Zone blitzes do not work against the AI because even true freshman QBs are excellent at reading coverages in this game.

My base defense is typically cover 1. Two man leaves the middle wide open and cover one also helps against the run (one safety playing down) but if you are getting beat near the sidelines two man may be better. Cover one may also require better CBs so keep that in mind

3. I never use zone spotlight so I can't say how effective it is. What I do is double the WR with a safety. Or control the safety and keep an eye on him yourself.

4. The option is very difficult to stop this year and because there are so many option plays there is no single approach to stopping the option.
If you work out of a 4-3 you could try putting the line to qb contain and pinching the LBs if you are worried about the triple option. For read options try QB contain plus blitzing a OLB or SS.

5. If the offense comes out in twins or trips (i.e. all the wrs on one side) you need to know two things: first, look for a run towards the empty side, and second, most zone defenses are a bad idea (e.g. cover 2 zone against y trips is asking for trouble). Use man defense and shift the safeties to the stacked side. You could also manually control the backside safety and bring him down for run support.

Blitzing a nickel or dime back is probably the best blitz in the game. Under nickel normal look for overload blitz. But any zero blitz is risky, and if they bite on playaction you are in trouble.



6. If you got time, give this series a read:
http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2...fenses-part-1/

[servo75]

Thanks for the input, and I'll definitely check out that link!

I don't usually control defensive players unless it's a DL or a LB on a blitz or man-on-RB. I suck controlling any player in "space," so between letting the CPU controlling my linebacker, and my stick skills, I'll take the mediocre CPU control

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

1. Generally you should use over/under when you expect something like a stretch running play. The outside LB that lines up on the LOS can prevent the RB from reaching the corner. Should help a little against the option as well. But you may be vulnerable to counters and misdirections. Over shifts also help if you have a DT who is able to get pressure (think of Warren Sapp on the Buccaneers) 2. Zone can be effective in the game, but it is risky. Many times my safety has reacted to a phantom WR and allowed a real WR to be wide open deep. Cover 2 can be effective, but you should manually control the mlb because if left to the AI he will drop back way too far and the middle will be wide open. Also in cover 2 coverage shift your safeties towards the sidelines. Zone blitzes do not work against the AI because even true freshman QBs are excellent at reading coverages in this game. My base defense is typically cover 1. Two man leaves the middle wide open and cover one also helps against the run (one safety playing down) but if you are getting beat near the sidelines two man may be better. Cover one may also require better CBs so keep that in mind 3. I never use zone spotlight so I can't say how effective it is. What I do is double the WR with a safety. Or control the safety and keep an eye on him yourself. 4. The option is very difficult to stop this year and because there are so many option plays there is no single approach to stopping the option. If you work out of a 4-3 you could try putting the line to qb contain and pinching the LBs if you are worried about the triple option. For read options try QB contain plus blitzing a OLB or SS. 5. If the offense comes out in twins or trips (i.e. all the wrs on one side) you need to know two things: first, look for a run towards the empty side, and second, most zone defenses are a bad idea (e.g. cover 2 zone against y trips is asking for trouble). Use man defense and shift the safeties to the stacked side. You could also manually control the backside safety and bring him down for run support. Blitzing a nickel or dime back is probably the best blitz in the game. Under nickel normal look for overload blitz. But any zero blitz is risky, and if they bite on playaction you are in trouble. 6. If you got time, give this series a read: http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2...fenses-part-1/

[servo75]

Quote: Originally Posted by makeithappen

Step 1. Never run zone in this game. Step 2. Commit to pass on obvious passing situations Step 3. Manually cover the tight end yourself, because he will always get open, no matter what. Hope this helps.

What exactly does "commit to pass" do?

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by servo75

Thanks for the input, and I'll definitely check out that link! I don't usually control defensive players unless it's a DL or a LB on a blitz or man-on-RB. I suck controlling any player in "space," so between letting the CPU controlling my linebacker, and my stick skills, I'll take the mediocre CPU control

Yeah I hear you on that. Each year it takes me a while for my thumbs to get back in football shape to control safeties lol. But if you strafe it makes it a lot easier.

One other thing, alignment is very important. What you could do is go to practice mode and see how different defensive fronts affect the blocking schemes. The outcome won't mean much cause it is practice mode, but do things like set the offense to run a play and test it against different fronts. Use that to find mismatches on the line

[servo75]

Quote: Originally Posted by InfiniteXavier

Include FBs and RBs well.

Wait how can I cover the FB, the HB, and the TE, I can barely cover one of them at a time.

[jmik58]

Quote: Originally Posted by servo75

Hello, I need some help when it comes to defensive playcalling, because I don't believe the "Ask Coach" always gives such wise information. I know I have a lot of questions, but ANY help is much appreciated... 1. If I choose 4-3, how do I decide whether to choose over, under, stack, etc.? 2. What do the different zone coverages mean, and when to choose each? 3. If I want to take away a specific receiver, should I "spotlight" him, send the zone in that direction? What does "spotlight" do anyway? 4. What plays are best in taking away the option? 5. General defensive playcalling advice. I tried strategy guides in the past, but I found they just tell you how to run Play X against Play Y and say very little about actual strategy. Thanks in advance!

1. Pay attention to the personnel groupings based on the number of TEs in the game and the down and distance. If it is a one-TE formation, go with stack, unless you want to defend against the run with an extra man on the LOS. If you are focused on the run, go with Over/Under. One tactic I use in One-TE sets is to shift my DL to the TE side for better alignment.

2. Choose Cover 2 if you want good outside run support. Your weak spots in the passing game are deep down the middle and on the sideline between the CB and Safety on each side. Cover 3 is a sound defense if you want to keep everything in front of you (like Cover 2) but it has less holes in the passing game. Cover 3, however, is vulnerable to anything short in the flats and puts a lot of pressure on the OLB to make outside plays. Since the CBs are playing back so far they aren't much help in run support. I like using base Cover 2 and Cover 3 unless it's an obvious passing down.

3. I don't believe in gameplanning for specific receivers. Choose any type of man coverage in obvious passing downs and use the "pass commit" as well. If you're only worried about an out route, Cover 2 is an option as it leaves the CB in position to stop the short route. An intermediate or deep out-route can beat Cover 2 if "smash" tactics are used which force the CB to cover a shorter route, leaving the deeper out-route open.

4. To take away the option in this game you should put as many guys on the LOS as possible. Put the pitch man directly beside the read man to put pressure on the QB to make hurried decisions. Also, if it's a one-back shotgun formation, slant the line away from the HB and use a LB to focus on the QB keep. The DL will take care of the HB and you can clean up the QB.

5. Matchup personnel as much as possible. Nickel and Dime should only be used in passing situations if possible. Nickel is good if a TE is on the field. Dime is best if there are no TEs or only one TE. Spread your LBs in passing situations so they can cover the screen. Pass commit, Pass Commit, Pass Commit! Don't blitz unless you're backed up against the goalline. Show fake blitz and disguise coverages when you can. Choose some random defense and then audible to what you want at the last minute sometimes (the CPU tends to know what you called).

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmik58

1. Pay attention to the personnel groupings based on the number of TEs in the game and the down and distance. If it is a one-TE formation, go with stack, unless you want to defend against the run with an extra man on the LOS. If you are focused on the run, go with Over/Under. One tactic I use in One-TE sets is to shift my DL to the TE side for better alignment. 2. Choose Cover 2 if you want good outside run support. Your weak spots in the passing game are deep down the middle and on the sideline between the CB and Safety on each side. Cover 3 is a sound defense if you want to keep everything in front of you (like Cover 2) but it has less holes in the passing game. Cover 3, however, is vulnerable to anything short in the flats and puts a lot of pressure on the OLB to make outside plays. Since the CBs are playing back so far they aren't much help in run support. I like using base Cover 2 and Cover 3 unless it's an obvious passing down. 3. I don't believe in gameplanning for specific receivers. Choose any type of man coverage in obvious passing downs and use the "pass commit" as well. If you're only worried about an out route, Cover 2 is an option as it leaves the CB in position to stop the short route. An intermediate or deep out-route can beat Cover 2 if "smash" tactics are used which force the CB to cover a shorter route, leaving the deeper out-route open. 4. To take away the option in this game you should put as many guys on the LOS as possible. Put the pitch man directly beside the read man to put pressure on the QB to make hurried decisions. Also, if it's a one-back shotgun formation, slant the line away from the HB and use a LB to focus on the QB keep. The DL will take care of the HB and you can clean up the QB. 5. Matchup personnel as much as possible. Nickel and Dime should only be used in passing situations if possible. Nickel is good if a TE is on the field. Dime is best if there are no TEs or only one TE. Spread your LBs in passing situations so they can cover the screen. Pass commit, Pass Commit, Pass Commit! Don't blitz unless you're backed up against the goalline. Show fake blitz and disguise coverages when you can. Choose some random defense and then audible to what you want at the last minute sometimes (the CPU tends to know what you called).

Good advice, but I would point out that cover three's biggest weakness is the intermediate sidelines. You could get killed by curls and outs. Cover three has a defender assigned to the flats so typically the flats aren't a concern (unless that lone defender gets blocked on a screen play). A play in most offensive sets called curl flats will eat a cover three all day.