Please Fix Play Action Pass Blocking

[Howie75]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaCarver13

If that is the case then all you have to do is hot route your RB/FB to block or run a route and it eliminates the actual "PA fake". I do it a lot. The whole POINT of a play action is to fake out the defense and get them to over commit... and last year the defense always bit regardless of their Play Recognition Ratings. This year that is not the case, I have run play action at the right times and had much success. Play action in this years Madden is where it should be.

I was just about to post this....I did it quite a bit in 10, and am glad to see it's possible in 11.

Adds more straight pass plays to your playbook and also gives you the ability to option out of it if you see something you don't like at the line of scrimmage.

Ryan, hope this helps!!

[Frost33]

Quote: Originally Posted by stealthieOne

yep i agree. I actually tested this online. I'd run run run...and eventually throw a play action and it worked great. but anytime I don't run and just do a playaction its me being getting sacked or under pressure.

But you shouldn't have to run the ball the play before you run a PA. I was using the Steelers and running the ball like silly on the d. During an 11 play drive I ran the ball 8 times, and ended with a TD. The next time I got the ball I ran a PA the 1st play and my Oline looked like matadors dodging a bull. The defense was all over me. This should NOT happen, the D should have bit on the PA after being dominated by the run the previous drive.

This type of situation has happened to me more than once.

[MAnderson]

Quote: Originally Posted by Palo20

Bolded part. I've been looking at the replays of the DLine on play actions and there is almost always 1 or 2 guys make a quick swim move and flying into the backfield. There IS an issue with play action. Just look at the difference in OL/DL intereaction. On play action, it looks like the Pass Blocking slider is set to 0. They are incompetent most of the time. I've been saying for a while now too, there needs to be multiple types of play actions. Even when you look in NFL playbooks, they designate the QB to "sell the fake" or give a "token fake." Also, the idea that the Play Action needs to be "set up" is so overblown by announcers. Peyton threw an 83 Yd TD on Play Action on the first play against Miami last year. When did he set that up? While setting up play action has it's place in football, the truth is that play action plays are blocked differently in Madden, and that's an issue.

Good posting. Something is broken with the PA blocking. It's as simple as that.

[MikaV]

So yeah, people will probably just skip this post, but hell, i'll try anyway.

Do you want a realistic football title or an arcade one? I always felt that the people on this forum really want their game as realistic as possible. So this whole conversation is kind of... strange. Just a couple of pointers regarding PA.

- CB's, in most all systems, don't read run first - the safeties & LB's do. So the notion that PA should mainly affect corners is absolutely absurd. Outside of some 3-4 zone schemes, the corners rarely have any fill role on run plays. Sure, some Charles Woodson type monsters occasionally read run and tackle the carrier, but it's an exception, not the rule.

- The OL SHOULD NOT, i repeat, SHOULD NOT start out pass blocking on a play action. The reason you have to set up PA is mainly the line play. Now i know a lot of people don't give a crap about lineplay, but it's actually kind of a big part of ball. In PA, the line shows run block first, in most contemporary systems. That means the DL in most 4-3 fronts at least start to fill their run gaps. Now, if you havent set up the run, they dont have to commit to the run, and they can just penetrate and try to get to the backfield. Thats why you see 487 defenders in the backfield when you try PA without setting it up.

Or you know, thats the basics of how it SHOULD work. To me it seems that madden does a great job of imitating this dynamic, but i do agree that it should be tuned a bit. But again, it works like it should, even if its under-effective.

[speedkills]

Quote: Originally Posted by Palo20

There IS an issue with play action. Just look at the difference in OL/DL intereaction. On play action, it looks like the Pass Blocking slider is set to 0. They are incompetent most of the time.

Exhibit A: (The Cowboys are only rushing 4)

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

Exhibit B: (It's not just the Raiders)

EA Sports: Madden NFL 11 Video Highlight

Those results are typical and not the exception. In each case the defense is not bringing an extra rusher, it's not a coverage sack, it's not the defense not buying the fake, it's simply my offensive line happily letting a defensive lineman implode the backfield.

This is on default All Pro with no slider adjustments.