So I'm awful...

[Kazumonk]

So browsing through the threads, I've noticed a distinct lack of a section that is just for generic gameplay. In my utter noobishness, I've come here seeking the advice of you veteran players.

Basically, I'm having trouble in defense in user games. Specifically, my buddy has been just demolishing my feeble efforts thus far, and I'm to the point I'm willing to beg for help! I really can't practice much online to simulate user games, so I'm just going to have to hopefully find someone that can point out what I'm doing wrong.

The initial problem that I seem to be having is with my run defense. I've been calling Cover 2/4 combos with the occasional blitz up the middle throw in to attempt to stop inside zone runs through the middle. My buddy usually runs these from 1-HB sets with the TE to the right. Occasionally the TE will be in a wing set. I believe it's one of the Gun Wing formations to be specific. However, despite crashing inside and pinching my DL, I'm still getting just gaped up the middle. My DL isn't the best, but it just seems to be an unreasonable amount of the time he is getting plus blocking against them.

I seem to have a similar problem with runs around the outside edge. These mostly come out of I-Form Pro, where my friend will run the HB stretch to devastating effect. He simply manages to seal my edge despite my attempts to load the box with the safeties or shift the LB's to the side he is running too. In all, it's just been a pathetic showing.

His QB skills seem to be causing my undue anguish as well. He prefers mobile QB's, so we all know what that means. Constantly, he is rolling out of the pocket with futile players failing to get off the blocks to chase him. His QB is roughly 84 speed, so quite a few yards are gained simply because of this. Even when I have Zones in the area he is running towards, none of them move down to even make an attempt. He's usually 5-7 yards past the line of scrimmage before any of them attempt to break towards him to make the stop. It makes it really frustrating when I actually manage to get him into a 3rd and long or medium, and he just runs for the first down. I've attempts to put my outside players in contains as well, but I often fail to see them even getting off these. His OL is roughly 80ish across the board in PBK, and the AWR is just trash. I'd say he probably averages like 75 or so AWR across all his OL. It's only that high because he has ancient J.Staley pumping the number up significantly.

To answer any questions, I run a 34 defense. My interior is roughly 79ish overall, with the DT being 81. My OLB are around 81 as well, with the ILB being a bit weaker. My secondary is quite good, probably being around 85 averaged, but when your opponent is simply running over you... there's not much opportunity to pick a pass.

[bucknut7]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kazumonk

So browsing through the threads, I've noticed a distinct lack of a section that is just for generic gameplay. In my utter noobishness, I've come here seeking the advice of you veteran players. Basically, I'm having trouble in defense in user games. Specifically, my buddy has been just demolishing my feeble efforts thus far, and I'm to the point I'm willing to beg for help! I really can't practice much online to simulate user games, so I'm just going to have to hopefully find someone that can point out what I'm doing wrong. The initial problem that I seem to be having is with my run defense. I've been calling Cover 2/4 combos with the occasional blitz up the middle throw in to attempt to stop inside zone runs through the middle. My buddy usually runs these from 1-HB sets with the TE to the right. Occasionally the TE will be in a wing set. I believe it's one of the Gun Wing formations to be specific. However, despite crashing inside and pinching my DL, I'm still getting just gaped up the middle. My DL isn't the best, but it just seems to be an unreasonable amount of the time he is getting plus blocking against them. I seem to have a similar problem with runs around the outside edge. These mostly come out of I-Form Pro, where my friend will run the HB stretch to devastating effect. He simply manages to seal my edge despite my attempts to load the box with the safeties or shift the LB's to the side he is running too. In all, it's just been a pathetic showing. His QB skills seem to be causing my undue anguish as well. He prefers mobile QB's, so we all know what that means. Constantly, he is rolling out of the pocket with futile players failing to get off the blocks to chase him. His QB is roughly 84 speed, so quite a few yards are gained simply because of this. Even when I have Zones in the area he is running towards, none of them move down to even make an attempt. He's usually 5-7 yards past the line of scrimmage before any of them attempt to break towards him to make the stop. It makes it really frustrating when I actually manage to get him into a 3rd and long or medium, and he just runs for the first down. I've attempts to put my outside players in contains as well, but I often fail to see them even getting off these. His OL is roughly 80ish across the board in PBK, and the AWR is just trash. I'd say he probably averages like 75 or so AWR across all his OL. It's only that high because he has ancient J.Staley pumping the number up significantly. To answer any questions, I run a 34 defense. My interior is roughly 79ish overall, with the DT being 81. My OLB are around 81 as well, with the ILB being a bit weaker. My secondary is quite good, probably being around 85 averaged, but when your opponent is simply running over you... there's not much opportunity to pick a pass.

Probably need to beef up that defensive line with ratings, but if he's running a lot of inside zone and then rolling out the QB, here's what I'd do:

First thing I do would be control the nose tackle in your 3-4 defense and try to blow up the point of attack. If you can get good at jumping the snap and shedding blocks there manually, you should be able to stifle the inside zone plays.

Now, what I usually do against people who too often leave the pocket, is I tell my defensive line to slant outside. I play 4-3, so I'm not sure how this would impact the 3-4, and if you might want to have your OLB's slant outside (if that's an option?) or just line up a little wider. I would also start utilizing some blitzes from the permiter, specifically if he's more prone to roll in one direction (I'm guessing it's to the right).

For the stretch plays, same thing, just have your guys slant outside and prevent him from getting to the boundary. Maybe control a MIKE here to maintain gap responsibility and prevent any cutbacks.

The last thing you can do, specifically in passing downs, is get good at manually controlling a middle linebacker or nickel corner in zone, to cover the short passes, and then attack the QB in space if he takes off. If he's not good at sliding, you can probably force some fumbles too.

Ultimately it seems very predictable. You know what he's calling, and theres a counter to everything he does.

[rajhamn]

bucknut has it covered. Try to upgrade the interior a little if you can and if you need to stack the box and call more aggressive plays then don't be afraid. Make sure to keep a QB spy up on passing downs and don't forget you can press down the right stick (R3 on PS4... not sure on Xbox?) to have the spy or closest defender to go after the QB if your D-Line isn't providing enough pressure during the play. Good luck!

[Kazumonk]

Thank you both for the help. I've actually tried to send the occasional nickel blitz off the edge or buck slant, but he actually doesn't roll one way specifically. He's very uncommon like that. I just have a hard time calling blitzes in general because he runs slants/drags all across the field typically, so I have to stay back and user that or he will just rip me apart using those. It's especially deadly when combined with that rollout and the fact that all his WRs are like 94+ speed.

That R3 button is a huge game changer for me. I had no idea about that, and it was getting very frustrating watching a LB be in a purple and just stand there and watch him rollout with no WR in his area.

[CM Hooe]

For run defense, pay attention to your run fits to each side (in pre-play, R2 + Square / Circle // RT + X or B). The more defenders you have with gap responsibilities, the more people you have looking to defend the run, and the more success you'll have against run plays.

Cover 2 is not a great defense to counter run plays because you only have seven players in the run fit (if you're in a 3-4 - the three defensive linemen and the four linebackers). Cover 3 adds one of the two safeties into the run fit, and Cover 4 puts both safeties in the run fit.

In addition, if you anticipate a running play, you can use the Show Blitz defensive pre-play adjustment to bring your players closer to the line of scrimmage. To do this, when pre-play press Triangle / Y then D-Pad Left.

One more thing on run defense, be mindful that nickel (in 3-4 playbooks, 5 DBs and 3 LBs) and dime (in 3-4 playbooks, 6 DBs and 2 LBs) defenses take players out of the run fit as well. Defensive backs' primary responsibility is to defend the pass first, so they often don't get assigned run fit responsibilities.

Finally, for containing mobile QBs, get familiar with the Spy Crash game mechanic, as previously mentioned by Rajhamn.

[ggsimmonds]

To stop inside runs, use plays out of 3-4 Bear. An excellent base play to stop the run is cover 1.

In a bear front both guards and the center will have a defender lined up on top of them, and in the 3-4 bear the two OLBs line up in I think a wide 9 stance, giving you 5 guys on the line of scrimmage.

On outside runs, cover 4 is a good counter. Other things you can try are calling plays out of the various wide 9 sets, and if he always runs stretch to the strong side, dial up some corner blitzes from that side of the field. Also try scrape blitzes. Those are designed run blitzes and will usually have scrape in the name.

On the issue of DL ratings, overall doesn't tell us much. Specifically you need strength and block shedding to be high in order to stop the runs.

As for his passing tendencies, on roll outs and drags I know you said he mixes up rolling left and right, but what about strong/weak sides? when he throws the drag does he favor one receiver over the other?

Aside from rollouts and drags how is his passing offense?

If you have the corners that can do it, press man with inside shade can contain drags as long as it is not one of the variants that utilize pre-snap motion. Try cover 1 hole press, user the hook zone. Hopefully one of your guys will win the press at the LOS. That way instead of both drags reaching the middle at the same time, they come in separately. And with usering the LB you can react to his roll outs. The problem with this is that it makes you vulnerable to corner routes, and most mesh plays have the TE running a corner.

Also if he favors one WR/side for the drag, call zone and control the far side underneath hook defender (i.e. if he throws the drag to X receiver, control the defender on the opposite side of the field). Instead of trying to chase him across the field, sit in the grass and wait for him to come to you (the fake blitz hot route is great for this).

Certain fire zone blitzes can also stop the drag game, but you will be wide open to QB scrambles.

[Kazumonk]

At this point, it's iffy if my CBs can hold up with the press man. I'm a bit leery of using it, since his WRs are so fast. If he gets off the press, it's going to hurt. As far as his offense goes, he usually runs 2 different passing plays. One is a 4 verts play out of 5 wide. He'll either hit the left slot for the drag over the middle or take the TE on the angled vert route that goes out kinda like a post over the middle. If nether is open, he scrambles with his QB and gets 15-20 because the defenders back up to play the 4 verts.

For the other passing play. It's basically a typical gun play with the slot on the left. He'll usually have the TE either on a streak or a flat. The #1 always runs a vertical, and the two receivers from the left usually run slants or a slant/post combo. He'll wait for it and usually roll out and hit the slant when it comes open past the LBs.

For rolling out, he really doesn't favor one side or the other. He reads and goes to whatever is opening. For receivers, it's pretty much like I said. The slot and TE are usually his biggest targets, but he's not afraid to throw it deep if he even sees the slightest hint of a step.

For blitzing, I tried corner and edge blitzes, but I don't think a single one -ever- came in. Usually got me killed against the run too.

On the topic of Cover 2. I thought that was an effective way to stop outside runs/stretches? That's what I've been using it for. I was mainly using blitzes and cover 4 to try and stop the inside runs. I'm a bit hesitant to use the 34 bear as a base run defense. I tried that once, and he noticed it and audible into a pass play. Just makes me really nervous since it's so condensed.

I haven't actually been using spies, since I didn't want to sacrifice one of the coverage zones. I was hoping that the contains would be enough to prevent him from running all over me with the QB, but I suppose I'll have to try it. Anyways, thank you everyone for the advice.

[ggsimmonds]

Cover 2 is definitely not good against outside runs.

Cover 4 is good against outside runs, not so much inside (but still better than cover 2).

So not only is he using the same stuff over and over, but he is not bothering trying to mask it by using the same formations? Sounds like once you see the formation he is in you know the playcall. You may need to spend some time in the skills trainer.

Who do you tend to control? If your stick skills are good you could probably shut him down by usering people based on the formation he comes out of.