Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

[capp34]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

GREAT ARTICLE....I have been saying this all along. I have always played majority man and I only recruit man corners.

Now let the bashing begin from the people who refuse to play like this.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

This won't work online though.

[stoncold32]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

GREAT ARTICLE....I have been saying this all along. I have always played majority man and I only recruit man corners.

Now let the bashing begin from the people who refuse to play like this.

No one is bashing, but this is simply a workaround to a issue that should not be there in the first palce. Why do we even have other defensive sets in the game if man is the only thing we should play in?

[kindella2]

i think it depends on the speed of the defense. faster defenses play play better man to man IMO while zone is fine they tend to play according to zone rules so to speak. thus the semi break down in coverage. I play with UGA and FSU on dynasties and they play fast thus more picks and lower completions for the CPU.

With other teams with average defenses more completions are made and zone is not an option versus the CPU.

[BlyGilmore]

The only issue I have with this, is that it seems more like a work around, then anything strategic, in order to play reasonable pass defense.

I have a real problem with the idea of having to junk 30-50% of the defensive playbook simply to get this to happen.


I'd rather use a good set of sliders that help create more realistic results, and use all of the defensive plays in my arsenal, rather then play like this.

well i'd say the QB spy part is certainly a work-around.

the rest of it is really just a change in playing philosophy. I would say most folks who play heavy zone didn't arrive there because they loved zones but they took what the game gave then and adjusted accordingly.

The past few versions of NCAA and Madden have made zone coverage preferable to man. There was just too much risk of the WR or HB or TE breaking one tackle and then being off to the races.

Going back to pre-ps2 Madden folks played a lot more man coverage because it was too easy to pick zones apart if you knew it was coming.

So really things are coming fully circle in that regard.

As for versus online opponents - the number one thing is always going to be mixing up your playcalling and keeping your opponent guessing.

IMO way to many folks spend oodles of time worrying and practing their offense but completely neglect their defense.

[BlyGilmore]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

What is enough sacks to you? I average around 4, which is normal. Most bad teams gave up an average of 5 or less - like Notre Dame last year. I think a lot of people on here that complain about not getting sacks and pressure expect to bring the QB down like a dozen times.

You can send blitz even with man coverage, but the more effective plays will usually leave a man open, which is fine if you get back there in time. Or when you do blitz, overload one side and/or send the blitzer from the outside.

this is one of the problems IMO. folks have no idea what realistic is and are basing things on what they perceive to be realistic not what really is. Folks are used to playing games for years and getting 5 sacks a game.

Personally I never put a ton of emphasis on getting sacks. Instead i'm more worried about hurrying the QB and making him throw the ball before he wants to - especially against human opponents.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

well i'd say the QB spy part is certainly a work-around.

the rest of it is really just a change in playing philosophy. I would say most folks who play heavy zone didn't arrive there because they loved zones but they took what the game gave then and adjusted accordingly.

The past few versions of NCAA and Madden have made zone coverage preferable to man. There was just too much risk of the WR or HB or TE breaking one tackle and then being off to the races.

Going back to pre-ps2 Madden folks played a lot more man coverage because it was too easy to pick zones apart if you knew it was coming.

So really things are coming fully circle in that regard.

As for versus online opponents - the number one thing is always going to be mixing up your playcalling and keeping your opponent guessing.

IMO way to many folks spend oodles of time worrying and practing their offense but completely neglect their defense.

I have pretty much always been a believer in 2 man under and making the offense work for their points. It worked well for me last season. I only allowed around 11-12 ppg online in both Madden and NCAA. This year man just sucks online. HB's burn linebackers like it is nothing. Linebackers take such horrible angles , as well.

[rhombic21]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

As for versus online opponents - the number one thing is always going to be mixing up your playcalling and keeping your opponent guessing.

IMO way to many folks spend oodles of time worrying and practing their offense but completely neglect their defense.

Mixing up zone defenses only works if the zones guard the areas that they're supposed to guard.

Otherwise you get stuff like this:

http://files.filefront.com/PassDFrus.../fileinfo.html

Same pass play, all game. Nothing I could do to stop him from completing underneath routes, regardless of coverage.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

No one is bashing, but this is simply a workaround to a issue that should not be there in the first palce. Why do we even have other defensive sets in the game if man is the only thing we should play in?

I agree.

I do not want to be pigeon holed into playing the game ONE way.

I enjoy playing defense much more then offense because I like being creative in how I attack an offense.

I like to vary my looks constantly and I like to get creative with 1 or 2 hot adjustments.

What the article is saying isnt wrong..it works in the realm of this video game, but it is hardly realistic.

You simply do not see very many teams play man coverage 70-80% Often.

It requires a TON of talent to do, and teams that do play like this, do so when they are very confident that they have a physical advantage across the board.

Miami and FSU were renowned for doing this back in their hey-days. They would line up right in front of your recievers, and dare you to beat them, because they were churning out 1st round draft pick DB personnel year after year.

[Bumble14]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

The only issue I have with this, is that it seems more like a work around, then anything strategic, in order to play reasonable pass defense.

I have a real problem with the idea of having to junk 30-50% of the defensive playbook simply to get this to happen.


I'd rather use a good set of sliders that help create more realistic results, and use all of the defensive plays in my arsenal, rather then play like this.

How is it a work around? Shouldn't you expect the cpu to tear you up if you are playing in a soft zone and they are spreading the field? This is the kind of reasoning I don't get- I honestly think you guys never played football in your lives, let alone understand how defensive sets are called.

In high school our team would play an entire game in man to man if the opposing team was the type that loved to throw the ball around. We had speedy corners and linebackers, so we were able to do this. Looking back on it actually, I'm not sure we ever really relied on a zone heavy scheme- I'm not really sure of any team that really loves to play zone exclusively.

This game forces you to mix up coverages A LOT! You can't play man bump and run all game because they will eventually burn you deep. You can't play simple man all game because they will start running all over you or hit someone deep over the midde. You can't play in a qb spy all day because they will figure out a way to screw the players in the spy. You can't blitz all day because they will patch up the side you are going after (cpu uses slide protect too). Basically you need to mix things up a lot, and confuse the cpu.

The game has issues, but a lot of you are moaning and groaning like you expect everything you have used in past games to work this year. Just because you have been good at playing d in past football video games does not mean what you are doing is correct, or fundamentally sound in actual football. This game has the most realistic defensive recognition ai of any game I've played, and I think it's awesome that the cpu will pick me apart because I overused a zone, or blitzed a cb and got burned.

Again, the game has some issues, but for the most part if you follow this article and understand where it is coming from, you will be ok. I find it req=warding to play defense this year.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

this is one of the problems IMO. folks have no idea what realistic is and are basing things on what they perceive to be realistic not what really is. Folks are used to playing games for years and getting 5 sacks a game.

Personally I never put a ton of emphasis on getting sacks. Instead i'm more worried about hurrying the QB and making him throw the ball before he wants to - especially against human opponents.

I agree with that 100%. Sacks blow hot and cold like all stats do.

What's important is disruption, disrupting rythm, and dictating to the offense.

[rhombic21]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

How is it a work around? Shouldn't you expect the cpu to tear you up if you are playing in a soft zone and they are spreading the field? This is the kind of reasoning I don't get- I honestly think you guys never played football in your lives, let alone understand how defensive sets are called.

In high school our team would play an entire game in man to man if the opposing team was the type that loved to throw the ball around. We had speedy corners and linebackers, so we were able to do this. Looking back on it actually, I'm not sure we ever really relied on a zone heavy scheme- I'm not really sure of any team that really loves to play zone exclusively.

Haha, that's hilariously wrong. In real life, nobody plays man to man against teams like Texas Tech all game, because you're just asking to get raped on crossing routes, and their 4th WR is probably better than your 4th CB.

Most people defend the spread in real life by playing zone coverage and forcing the offense to work their way down the field. The problem is that on the game, every QB is ridiculously accurate and WRs never drop passes, plus your front 4 gets almost no pressure, so even mediocre offenses can do just that everytime out.

I can tell you that OU probably plays man to man defense less than 1/3 of the time, particularly in conference play when we face spread offenses.

[muggins]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

The problem with man to man is that the wide receivers will almost always beat their man across the field on short routes. It is really easy to go down the field for 5-10 yard routes underneath vs man to man.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

How is it a work around? Shouldn't you expect the cpu to tear you up if you are playing in a soft zone and they are spreading the field? This is the kind of reasoning I don't get- I honestly think you guys never played football in your lives, let alone understand how defensive sets are called.

In high school our team would play an entire game in man to man if the opposing team was the type that loved to throw the ball around. We had speedy corners and linebackers, so we were able to do this. Looking back on it actually, I'm not sure we ever really relied on a zone heavy scheme- I'm not really sure of any team that really loves to play zone exclusively.

This game forces you to mix up coverages A LOT! You can't play man bump and run all game because they will eventually burn you deep. You can't play simple man all game because they will start running all over you or hit someone deep over the midde. You can't play in a qb spy all day because they will figure out a way to screw the players in the spy. You can't blitz all day because they will patch up the side you are going after (cpu uses slide protect too). Basically you need to mix things up a lot, and confuse the cpu.

The game has issues, but a lot of you are moaning and groaning like you expect everything you have used in past games to work this year. Just because you have been good at playing d in past football video games does not mean what you are doing is correct, or fundamentally sound in actual football. This game has the most realistic defensive recognition ai of any game I've played, and I think it's awesome that the cpu will pick me apart because I overused a zone, or blitzed a cb and got burned.

Again, the game has some issues, but for the most part if you follow this article and understand where it is coming from, you will be ok. I find it req=warding to play defense this year.

Doesn't sound like you know much about football in your previous post.....What you just said is way wrong.

[Bumble14]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

Haha, that's hilariously wrong. In real life, nobody plays man to man against teams like Texas Tech all game, because you're just asking to get raped on crossing routes, and their 4th WR is probably better than your 4th CB.

Most people defend the spread in real life by playing zone coverage and forcing the offense to work their way down the field. The problem is that on the game, every QB is ridiculously accurate and WRs never drop passes, plus your front 4 gets almost no pressure, so even mediocre offenses can do just that everytime out.

I can tell you that OU probably plays man to man defense less than 1/3 of the time, particularly in conference play when we face spread offenses.

Playing zone against a spread offense allows a team to nickle and dime it's way down the field against you. Playing man with fast db's and lb's allows a team to double cover players and keep up with them. The reason most teams play zone against spread offenses is because their defense tires out by running around all day with the WR's.

Maybe if Oklahoma was playing man against Boise they would have won the game? hehe (had to take that shot). Bust seriously, do hook and ladders work if you are playing man?