What's the best way to stop out routes?

[JimboJolley20]

I've been playing people lately who like to use out routes, and when I look at the replays at the end of the game, I realize that my defenders simply play to the inside every time, which I guess is good football strategy. But even then, they ALWAYS get beat to the outside. I've tried playing them tight and that doesn't work, and I don't want to play back because that will allow easy completions.

To stop this with zone coverage, you need either the pink sideline zones or a lot of hook (yellow) zones like in Cover 2 Sink, but then I get beat deep across the middle.

Advice?

[hampshire2012]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

I've been playing people lately who like to use out routes, and when I look at the replays at the end of the game, I realize that my defenders simply play to the inside every time, which I guess is good football strategy. But even then, they ALWAYS get beat to the outside. I've tried playing them tight and that doesn't work, and I don't want to play back because that will allow easy completions.

To stop this with zone coverage, you need either the pink sideline zones or a lot of hook (yellow) zones like in Cover 2 Sink, but then I get beat deep across the middle.

Advice?

Have you tried light blue flat zones from your CB's?

[JimboJolley20]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

Have you tried light blue flat zones from your CB's?

Cover 2 has that, right? I don't wanna get beat up the sidelines, though. And they can just find the receiver between the flat zones and the hook zones.

[Fabs0]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

I like press man coverage against out routes, as the corner stays close to the receiver and more often than not takes away the out. If the CB is beat at the line, he is still in a good position to make a play on the ball.

[JimboJolley20]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

I like press man coverage against out routes, as the corner stays close to the receiver and more often than not takes away the out. If the CB is beat at the line, he is still in a good position to make a play on the ball.

What team do you use, and which man-to-man plays do you like?

[TNT713]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

I've been playing people lately who like to use out routes, and when I look at the replays at the end of the game, I realize that my defenders simply play to the inside every time, which I guess is good football strategy. But even then, they ALWAYS get beat to the outside. I've tried playing them tight and that doesn't work, and I don't want to play back because that will allow easy completions.

To stop this with zone coverage, you need either the pink sideline zones or a lot of hook (yellow) zones like in Cover 2 Sink, but then I get beat deep across the middle.

Advice?

It really depends on how deep the route and HOW they ball is thrown... I use outs often and almost against any coverage, but there are two that I won't throw my outs against. If the OLB blitzes, I throw the out to his side. Not so with every LB coverage.

OLB in Purple Zones - There's only one spot to complete the out against these zones, but it disrupts the timing of the play. I throw my out routes on 5-step drops, but I have to wait until the receiver clears the zone defender but only leaves about 2 square yards where the pass can be delivered safely unless I roll the QB to at least behind the OT. Usually when I see the LB drop, I look to my next route in progression.

Double Coverage - Last week, I played someone who used Double X/Z to control my out routes (I threw a few too many). The safety comes over just late enough to bait a throw, only to react to the perfect spot to undercut the route.

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Remembering that out routes take time and space to complete, you should look for ways to disrupt your opponent's timing AND/OR attack how he uses space. Purple zones on the wide side of the field will crowd the out, while also disrupting the timing.

Hope this helps

Later

[JimboJolley20]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

It really depends on how deep the route and HOW they ball is thrown

It's usually not an intermediate out route. Not a deep route, and not those quick out routes to the flats.

Remembering that out routes take time and space to complete, you should look for ways to disrupt your opponent's timing AND/OR attack how he uses space. Purple zones on the wide side of the field will crowd the out, while also disrupting the timing.

Well, a lot of plays, at least in the playbook I use (Eagles), that have purple zones only have one hook zone across the middle, leaving me stranded as the MLB trying to cover anywhere from 1-3 receivers breaking to the INSIDE, or deep down the field in the case of slot receivers/tight ends.

[TNT713]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

It's usually not an intermediate out route. Not a deep route, and not those quick out routes to the flats.

About how deep and where from?

You have to treat outs from each position a little differently. For WR short outs, use the Flat zone. For TE short outs, spread LB's in man coverage. For RB outs, a spy delays the throw (but you must also have pressure).

Well, a lot of plays, at least in the playbook I use (Eagles), that have purple zones only have one hook zone across the middle, leaving me stranded as the MLB trying to cover anywhere from 1-3 receivers breaking to the INSIDE, or deep down the field in the case of slot receivers/tight ends.

Look for plays with either a CB or Safety in a buzz zone (purple) to the wide side of the field. If you're playbook creates bad situations due t a lack of midfield coverage, don't be afraid to adjust one or more defenders to cover the middle to give your LB some help.

Also, something I've noticed but personally do not use regularly... The Loose Coverage audible can create drops when the route is intermediate or run longer than 10-12 yards. If your opponent is in a long yardage situation, they may smart route an out to go to the marker... If your DB turns his back, he's toast. Loose coverage causes the DB to wait about 2-5 yards longer to make his turn. Might help him get a good break on deeper throws.

If you're really facing a Z-Out, the initial fake may be pulling your players farther out of position than a normal out route. Try changing your personnel for more agility by defending base formations with personnel you normally use for 3WR packages.

When you're in man coverage, adjust one defender to cover the out, and play the deep middle (or other threats) with the other deep safety.

Tell me more about what you're seeing and we'll put our heads together to devise several techniques that work. That way, you can defend the outs more effectively and with flexibility so it never gets boring.

Later

[JimboJolley20]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

About how deep and where from?

Ugh, I meant to say it usually IS an intermediate out route. My bad. WR runs about 5 yards, bang, cuts to the outside.

When you're in man coverage, adjust one defender to cover the out

Adjust him how? And usually, they have outs on both sides, so I can't play man, cover the outs AND cover the deep middle unless I seriously compromise my pass rush.

[TNT713]

Re: What's the best way to stop out routes?

Ugh, I meant to say it usually IS an intermediate out route. My bad. WR runs about 5 yards, bang, cuts to the outside.

That sounds like the hot route Out. If the outside WR is running the route, you can try a little bait move I like to use...

Adjust him how? And usually, they have outs on both sides, so I can't play man, cover the outs AND cover the deep middle unless I seriously compromise my pass rush.

Adjustment #1)

Say you're in Man Under 2 (standard man defense), take the safety on the wide side and hot route him to a purple zone (PS3 = Select player hit X + Strategy Pad right, 360 =Select player hit A + Strategy Pad right). Manually play with the safety over the top and play the deepest middle breaking route. Let the one-on-one coverage on the short side of the field stand since there won't be much space to complete the pass.

Adjustment #2)

Try the same adjustment as above but from a 2 Man Press defense. The defenders will attempt to play underneath the route so that the throw has to be over the defender's head. On the short out routes, they won't be able to make the throw before the receiver begins his cut... Good for deflections and INT.

Adjustment #3)

Call a Cover 2 defense, then back up the corners either manually or using the shifts. At the snap the WR will run his stem freely, hopefully making your opponent throw the ball into the spot the corner is rolling up. Pick 6 if it works. If the offense tries the middle, control the MLB and drop as deep as the deepest middle receiver OR adjust him to the deep middle (select player X/A and right stick up).

I'd also suggest that you setup your defense to force hesitation when pressure isn't working. If rushing 6 or 7 isn't doing the job, use that material to slow the offense down instead of wasting another defender on a rush.

You can still generate enough pressure with 3 rushers with stunts and shifts as long as something in the coverage forces the QB to hold the ball. Don't be afraid to rush as little as two players if the coverage is also clogging passing lanes.

Inevitably, there will not be enough defenses in your playbook to handle everything you might see. But instead of abandoning what you already do, find ways to tweak it to work better for you situation. Call plays that are closest to what you want to run, then adjust the players you need at the line. Try not to adjust more than 2-3 players on defense though; it takes time and can lead to a 'Phantom Hitstick'

Later