Why Do O-lineman Suck So Bad?

[lilgame06]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsqig...jHkd1xYS9owdE=

Check out this video I made the other day. I was playing in an online franchise game the other night, and after every online franchise game, I look over replays to go back and see what mistakes I may have made and what I can do to make better reads next time. But I commonly come across things like this that make me shake my head.

Just to clarify, the pump fake was coincidental...the play I called had a double move for the TE, and I typically always pump fake to it in an attempt to get defenders on that side of the field to bite, leaving space for my number 1 receiver to get open deep (the safety bit down in this instance).

It just happened that the pump fake also fooled the free rusher...but there shouldn't have been a free rusher from that side in the first place. For some reason, my Left Tackle (who is a good one in Duane Brown of the Houston Texans), decides to pull all the way to the right side of the line to block someone my RB could have easily chipped. To make it worse, he didn't even properly block that guy, and was beaten badly. Luckily My RB still picked up the guy, and I got the ball out just in time.

I have one other video on my channel showing some weird blocking logic, in which guys magically slide to the opposite side of the line to pick up someone they shouldnt be responsible for. Its a shame to see these unrealistic instances. But I do feel like its our job to point these out and hopefully EA can make fixes and corrections to prevent these in future maddens.

Regardless, I don't think general offensive line play is that bad. I personally feel like ratings to matter. Take my offensive line from my last season of this online franchise from the video. Everyone on my line was rated 80 ovr or more except for my RG. My RG was John Jerry, who was a great run blocker, but poor in pass block footwork. Jerry gave up 5 sacks on the entire 16 game season. Each of the other 4 starters only gave up one sack each. There are situations in the run game where guys will get block-shedded in very questionable ways, or where your guys will ignore a defender that is clearly in the way of where your run play is directed. So if anything, I have more of an issue with run blocking than pass blocking.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilgame06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsqig...jHkd1xYS9owdE=

I would love to hear from TNT why that is your fault as a user.

[raguel]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

I would love to hear from TNT why that is your fault as a user.

Ten bucks sez he used auto drop

[sologamer69]

While I do believe O-lineman act from button sequences I believe that is a flaw that needs to be addressed and instead of acting by button sequences, they need to make it so ratings actually matter a little more.

[Winnipeg59]

Quote: Originally Posted by gjneff

It needs work, but with the right sliders I have actually seen some beautiful blocking. Had a game recently on custom all-madden sliders with 8 pancakes in the stats.

Your own custom sliders or are you using a specific custom set from the sliders threads? Would love to see them.

[Argooos]

Some good advice has already been given in this thread, but I'll my own two cents.

First and foremost, I always check the blocking assignments before snapping the ball on a running play. If the little grey lines aren't lined up to my liking and/or if they keep flickering between different defenders, it means that the run play isn't likely to work. When I see that I change things up in some way or just switch to a pass.

The second thing you can do is change up your depth chart so that your current starter is your 3rd (or even 4th) string running back. Then manually sub him in to all the plays. The defense is programmed to play significantly better against running backs higher on your depth chart. In the game I just played, I use a two-back system with Matthews (starter) and McCluster (backup). I started the game with Matthews as my 2nd string and McCluster as my 3rd string, with one manually subbed in to each formation. For the first part of the game, whenever I ran with Matthews, the d-linemen would instantly break their blocks and hit me as I got the line of scrimmage. When I ran with McCluster my o-linemen held their blocks long enough for me to get at least a few yards almost every time. After I switched them and put Matthews as 3rd string, suddenly I was able to run the ball with him, and now McCluster started to struggle. The difference was very noticeable and it was consistent. This may be considered a form a cheating, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that running the ball is significantly harder with a starter than with a backup.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Argooos

If the little grey lines aren't lined up to my liking and/or if they keep flickering between different defenders, it means that the run play isn't likely to work.

I wonder what that is supposed to mean when they flicker like that. The OL is confused? It's a random chance who he will block? Sometimes, the two defenders it bounces between aren't even close to each other.

Quote: Originally Posted by Argooos

The difference was very noticeable and it was consistent. This may be considered a form a cheating, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that running the ball is significantly harder with a starter than with a backup.

Completely agree. It's ridiculous some of the "short cuts" the game goes through. Some of these things sound harder to come up with than using fundamental football.

Run defense that depends on which depth chart slot the HB is in? Why? What's the point of coming up with this kind of thing?

[Cardot]

Quote: Originally Posted by TNT713

Common misconception... 2-3 seconds is an eternity in a football game. If you're standing there that long, you're probably also staring down a specific receiver and missing open men that break open before that...

I am cool with this. And it certainly works fine for slants and other quick hit routes.

But I need help with some of the slower developing routes...mainly those where recievers make 2 or more cuts. It seems I am almost always sacked well before my reciever gets into his last cut. One example would be the "corner" routes that start as a slant, then a cut straight up, and then cut to a fade. There are a few more exotic routes in the game that I would love to run, but I never have near the time.

Is the expectation that I will need to evade a sack? Or roll out?

And thanks for the tips! Great info.