Xbox 360 coverage question

[TD21SA]

Waiting to start my "real" franchises, I have been playing online which is something I don't normally do. I dont like to put my safeties in man I get burned mostly becuase I dont have the skill to control them effectively. With no man lock feature, some of my opponents take advantage of the fact that I sometimes want/have to adjust players around and they do quick snaps before i can adjust. The virtual playbook says to adjust, but against HUM I'm not quick enough. Some guys are calliing 5 wr sets every 4th down. 4-3 is my base D. what are some of your top D audibles you guys have as staples for your Defensive shifitng?

[teddyballgame78]

i use the patriots def playbook i like the 1 5 5 because you have 5 dbs and 5lbs and they all crowd the line as if in blitz even if there not. I alternate between man and zone coverage and blitz to speed there timing up. Just keep in mind that there's more chance for a turnover or mistake by your opponent when they have to put together a long drive. Make them work for scores try to keep man 2 man on really good wide outs and keep your safties in a zone so they can help your dbs

[CGordon]

Quote: Originally Posted by TD21SA

Some guys are calliing 5 wr sets every 4th down. 4-3 is my base D. what are some of your top D audibles you guys have as staples for your Defensive shifitng?

Are you waiting to see what package your opponent picks before choosing your defensive package? If you wait for him to pick first, you'll see that he has 5 WRs in and you can pick a dime or similar package to put corners on the wideouts. It limits you to something like 10 seconds to pick a play, but it's worth it. Even if you audible to a better play in your 4-3 set, you'll still be covering WRs with LBs, which isn't a favorable matchup for you.

[TD21SA]

Quote: Originally Posted by CGordon

Are you waiting to see what package your opponent picks before choosing your defensive package? If you wait for him to pick first, you'll see that he has 5 WRs in and you can pick a dime or similar package to put corners on the wideouts. It limits you to something like 10 seconds to pick a play, but it's worth it. Even if you audible to a better play in your 4-3 set, you'll still be covering WRs with LBs, which isn't a favorable matchup for you.

I wait unless they try to run or pass the whole game. If they mix it up then I definately wait. Should I switch to a different base, I'm just trying to learn a Defense inside out that will be effective for run and pass without drastic shifting needed. I play with the cowboys btw. I know the cowboys run a 3-4 but I cant get pressure on the QB w/out blitzing a CB or LB every down. I appreciate the help.

[CGordon]

Quote: Originally Posted by TD21SA

I wait unless they try to run or pass the whole game. If they mix it up then I definately wait. Should I switch to a different base, I'm just trying to learn a Defense inside out that will be effective for run and pass without drastic shifting needed. I play with the cowboys btw. I know the cowboys run a 3-4 but I cant get pressure on the QB w/out blitzing a CB or LB every down. I appreciate the help.

I don't know much about how Madden 07 has rated the Cowboys defensive players, but if they run a 3-4, you may want to check and see if a 3-4 would get better players on the field more often. (That is, do they have 4 good LBs and one good DT? Probably, and you'll want to run a 3-4. If they have a good second DT a 4-3 won't hurt, but that may not be the case.)

With a 3-4, you should expect to blitz at least one LB every play that you want to get any pressure on the QB. A three man rush will rarely get any pressure, as I'm sure you've seen. Real NFL defenses do this as well. The benefit of the 3-4 is that if you have 4 good LBs, you can blitz one or two of them each down and the offensive line will have to read who the extra rushers are. The LB defensive audibles will let you pick this from the line of scrimmage as well.

While you'll want to stick to your core defensive set most of the time, if they're bringing out a lot of WRs you'll want to learn some good defenses out of the Nickel and Dime sets. As good as your 3-4 playcall may be, his WRs will probably still burn your LBs more often than not. Again, if you wait to see his set every time before you pick a play, you'll have the info you need.

For example, I play as the Seahawks most of the time, and run a 4-3 as my default set. If I play someone who is killing me with the run, I'll run some safety blitzes in the 4-3 to get more men in the box or I'll go with a 46 defense. If I see him coming out with 3WR, I'll sometimes switch to a Nickel, sometimes keep it 4-3, that's a grey area and it's all about the situation. If I see 4 or 5 WR, I bring in an extra DB or two. I may blitz one or two of those DBs, maybe not, but the fact that they're out there in coverage pre-snap doesn't give the opponent the idea that they can burn me as they would if they see my LBs drift out. This way, they have to take a little extra time to read the blitz before knowing the right way to go.

So yeah, take a look at your personnel and learn some "bread and butter" plays in that set, but then learn some Nickel and Dime coverages (at least one or two each of man and zone, and a few blitzes) and use those when those extra WRs come out and you think he's actually passing. Hope this helps!