Good redzone plays?

[pbni508]

If I am on the left hash, I like to use a PA pass that sends a TE/FB into the flat. They usually are fast enough to out run the LB.

Any X-spot play works great especially if they are big and can shield of the defender.

[ggsimmonds]

Depends on whether you are playing online or against the cpu.

Most guys alter their defensive playcalling in the redzone. So what worked at the 40 may not work at the 10.
I don't know how much this happens but in my experience many players prefer man defense but become more likely to call a zone like cover 2 in the redzone. Again though, I don't know if that is a pattern that repeats often or if my experience is just unusual, but I see a lot of cover 2 sink in the redzone.

I will say this: A few posts above a poster mentioned drag routes. Yes. They are great but for different reasons. Send your outside WR on a drag route and have the TE run a in route to the back of the endzone. If the defense is in a cover 2 zone the safeties will be wide. Here is the important part: The drag route route should force the ILB to crash down just enough to open up the back of the endzone. It is not money and that is why I like it. It is what real teams do.
Any combination like that would do. Maybe have your slot WR run a shallow in while the TE goes to the endline.

Against man you have several options. Curl route that breaks right at the endzone can be good if you time it right and lead it. It resembles a back shoulder pass which is very hard to defend. Fade is a safe play, but the timing can be tricky. Checkdowns to your HB are huge; don't forget them. Delayed routes to the flat are killer.

[TheDelta]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

Checkdowns to your HB are huge; don't forget them. Delayed routes to the flat are killer.

This so much. Doesn't even have to be delayed, if you have a fast back on a route into the flat, that's basically a guaranteed six against man coverage if your receivers clear that side of the field.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheDelta

This so much. Doesn't even have to be delayed, if you have a fast back on a route into the flat, that's basically a guaranteed six against man coverage if your receivers clear that side of the field.

Yeah but I try not to emphasize that too much because then some might overly rely on that one route. Then two things may happen. If it is an exploit it will always work and I frown on exploits. But if it is not an exploit and the person comes to overly rely on that what happens when the defense adjusts?

[TheDelta]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

Yeah but I try not to emphasize that too much because then some might overly rely on that one route. Then two things may happen. If it is an exploit it will always work and I frown on exploits. But if it is not an exploit and the person comes to overly rely on that what happens when the defense adjusts?

Well I've already recommended 4 different methods of attacking in the redzone now, having your TE go streak, WRs on a drag, RBs on outside runs into the empty field and RBs on routes into the flat, that gives you a lot of flexibility on offense. And of course with a HB or even FB with high trucking and carrying the dive play remains a valid option to try and punch it in, it doesn't always work of course. That's the real problem with the outside run, once you're inside the 5 and you call a formation with less than 3-4 WRs, the CPU D will always come out in the GL set and a Power/Toss play out of a Twins formation is a sure TD 99% of the time against that, so it's really a bit cheap.

Oh and of course you should never underestimate the power of a mobile QB, too, on passing plays, I try to immediately read where the pressure is coming from and move away, often it can give your receivers time to get open and just as often, you may find a hole where you can just run it in yourself.

[Woody19]

@all: Thanks for the advice!
I tried a few of your ideas yesterday evening and I scored two passing TDs from inside the red zone against the Seahawks
Still have to improve my play calling in the red zone, but this was a good start anyway