What are some good counters to these online strategies?

[RyanFitzmagic]

Practically anything you'd do against any other 6-man blitz should work against the "LB SHAKE" tactic. Audible a player(s) to block, use a quick throw to the outside, change formations, etc. Running the ball with zone blocking also works well.

None of this worked for me. Anymore suggestions?

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by RyanFitzmagic

Practically anything you'd do against any other 6-man blitz should work against the "LB SHAKE" tactic. Audible a player(s) to block, use a quick throw to the outside, change formations, etc. Running the ball with zone blocking also works well. None of this worked for me. Anymore suggestions?

This "tactic" really annoys me and this is what I do. If I am running the ball, I try to snap the ball when the shifting is headed in the farthest direction from where the run is designed to go. Also, on runs, I bring my WR in motion to have an extra blocker and snap the ball when the WR is in the best position to maximize blocking assistance. Another thing is I don't snap the ball until single digits on the play clock to frustrate my opponent and shorten the game. Players that use "tactics" like these, seldom seem to have much patience and their goal seems to be to frustrate their opponent into fast playing mental mistakes.

On passing plays, Bunch formation, screen passes and again, snapping the ball when the shift is the farthest from the intended receiver's side of the field.

Lastly, although it may sound crazy, keep your head even when annoyed or flustered by whatever. The annoyance of various arcadey "tactics" can do far more damage than the actual "tactics". Most of these type players have some other glaring football weakness(es) and are trying to exploit (use in a way not intended by program design) a realistic mechanic to compensate.

Even if you become completely inept at stopping an opponents particular "tactic(s)", try to find their weakness in other areas and realistically exploit their weakness(es), instead of those in the Madden program.

[RyanFitzmagic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

On passing plays, Bunch formation, screen passes and again, snapping the ball when the shift is the farthest from the intended receiver's side of the field.

Screen passes rarely work, as the user will usually control a player over the middle and sniff out the screen before it has a chance to go anywhere.

Thanks for the suggestions, though.

[Big FN Deal]

Quote: Originally Posted by RyanFitzmagic

Screen passes rarely work, as the user will usually control a player over the middle and sniff out the screen before it has a chance to go anywhere. Thanks for the suggestions, though.

That's understandable about the screen passes but have you tried the other things before?

[RyanFitzmagic]

I haven't-- I'll be sure to do so the next time I encounter this strategy.

[oneamongthefence]

Hit them with a weak side counter. You wanna catch them while they're shifting away to your running side and hopefully the counter will catch the defense flowing the wrong way. Also having a quick RB helps and a decent blocking FB.

Slant routes I find if I have fast DE I will have them cover the flats. To take away passing lanes and then have the Middle Linebacker or one of the safeties protect the middle. Hopefully the people you're playing have a very limited playbook.

Goal line fades just go to practice mode on defense and have the offense just do them. Nothing is more satisfying than getting an endzone pick.

[TNT713]

Quote: Originally Posted by RyanFitzmagic

Practically anything you'd do against any other 6-man blitz should work against the "LB SHAKE" tactic. Audible a player(s) to block, use a quick throw to the outside, change formations, etc. Running the ball with zone blocking also works well. None of this worked for me. Anymore suggestions?

Quote: Originally Posted by RyanFitzmagic

Mostly covering the middle of the field with a linebacker. I refuse to be beaten because the CPU sucks at covering crossing routes.

Quote: Originally Posted by RyanFitzmagic

I do this, and it still does nothing. I don't know if other people are having success defending this, but I'm not. Cover 4 contains a buzz zone on both sides of the field, but the CPU still can't defend that route it seems, and spotlighting doesn't seem to do much either.

RyanFitzMagic,

I fear your lack of results may be a result of your expectations. These aren't magic pills that you use and all is well. They have to be fine tuned to the way you play the game. It takes some WORK.

You have to become more 'active.' Right now, you seem to want to trust the CPU will play well and expect it to play better. That expectation leaves room for only two things to happen: The CPU will improve its play by itself OR EA will improve CPU play. We both know the CPU isn't going to get smarter on it's own and you'll have to wait for Madden 13 for EA to give us better CPU play. Neither helps you RIGHT NOW.


You have to be the difference. What you do with your fingers makes all the difference.

Case in point: When I'm playing opponents, I'm not just looking at their football acumen. I'm watching their Madden acumen as well. If their user skills are deficient in any way, it doesn't matter if they have all the football knowledge in the world. If they are easily baited out of position, switch too much/too little, what they react to, how often they change looks, etc...
If he doesn't switch with the ball in the air, I have a collection of routes I use to beat those guys. If they attack the run downhill well, but aren't good in pass coverage, there's plays for them too.

You seem to be the type that plays decent in coverage with the guy you control, but you don't switch to defend the pass. For you, I'd use a series of Ins/Outs, Hooks/Streaks, Corners/Posts to stress your coverage at the seams and sidelines... YES, I'd test your coverage skills early and if they were decent, I'd simply stress the edges while you covered the middle until you switched and defended some of the passes successfully yourself. I would put you in as many situations as possible where you would need to switch to defend a play.

So, you have to be the difference...

I could give you all manner of things to try, but unless you embrace and utilize the control the devs allow, you'll always be a step behind. Keep working at these techniques... In particular the ones BigFNDeal mentions about snapping the ball when they shift away from play side.

Later