INT's - I have found success...

[Mizzou23]

I really think there is something to what the OP said. I played a game last night in my Mizzou dynasty against South Carolina. On the first drive of the game, I brought the house on 3rd down and their WR took it about 80 yds for a TD. The CPU had 300 yds passing by the end of the 3rd quarter and was just working over my secondary. If you give the CPU some momentum early, they can play a competent game.

I actually haven't had very many interceptions at all in my last 5 or 6 games. I'm playing at default AA with the Int slider at 0 for human and cpu, and the knockdown slider at 85 for human and CPU. I'm getting some good results, albeit very frustrating when the CPU is torching me.

It was my first loss of the season, bringing my record to 1-1 in year 2 of my dynasty.

[therizing02]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

The game is just incredibly punishing for making bad decisions. I think EA has really gone away from the casual gamer with this game because I don't believe the casual fan can pop in a game of NCAA on default AA and not throw a bunch of picks imo. You can't just pick a random play, drop back and wing it anymore. The deep ball is clearly dead compared to the PS2 version as well (too dead imo). To be successful passing the ball in this game you have to have a deliberate gameplan for every single play. You can't sleepwalk through anything anymore. If you predetermine where you are going with the ball before the snap you will be in trouble. Ingredients for success: You have to know your play. On every play you need to know your WR routes and have a primary and secondary target picked out for both man, zone and blitz type of defenses. You have to determine what the defense is doing. You have to watch the safeties and LBs at the snap and determine quickly if you are seeing a zone, man-to-man or heavy blitz defense. Your primary and secondary targets will change drastically based on this. You can't panic and force a throw. Let the routes open up. Let the deep in or out patterns develop. Taking a sack is better than throwing too soon when the WR isn't open enough yet or gotten into the hole in the zone. Sometimes nobody will be open or the window to complete a pass is so small you just can't risk the throw. Dump offs to backs in the flat can really help. Punting isn't so bad. I struggle with doing this myself and still throw many ill advised passes that end in picks. I do think you can be successful but its not easy imo and requires work.

Rudy,

I really like your point about EA moving away from the casual gamer. This really evident when playing online. The days of QB's being 100% accurate when throwing on the run are over. Additionally, if you throw when going backwards count on that being intercepted. I love that about the game. EA did a great job with this part of the passing game. It's the DB and LBs that jump 20 feet n the air for interceptions and the silly decisions by the CPU QB that are annoying.

[georgiafan]

I threw 14 interceptions last year, but so far this year I have only threw 1 in 4 games. I had to learn to not force passes something I could get away with in the past.

[ac11367]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

The game is just incredibly punishing for making bad decisions. I think EA has really gone away from the casual gamer To be successful passing the ball in this game you have to have a deliberate gameplan for every single play. You can't sleepwalk through anything anymore. If you predetermine where you are going with the ball before the snap you will be in trouble. Ingredients for success: You have to know your play. On every play you need to know your WR routes and have a primary and secondary target picked out for both man, zone and blitz type of defenses. You have to determine what the defense is doing. You have to watch the safeties and LBs at the snap and determine quickly if you are seeing a zone, man-to-man or heavy blitz defense. Your primary and secondary targets will change drastically based on this. You can't panic and force a throw. Let the routes open up. Let the deep in or out patterns develop. Taking a sack is better than throwing too soon when the WR isn't open enough yet or gotten into the hole in the zone. Sometimes nobody will be open or the window to complete a pass is so small you just can't risk the throw. Dump offs to backs in the flat can really help. Punting isn't so bad. I struggle with doing this myself and still throw many ill advised passes that end in picks. I do think you can be successful but its not easy imo and requires work.

I totally agree, and I love the fact that EA is going away from the casual gamer (potential cheesers), especially for offline and online multiplayer aspect. If someone is a casual gamer wanting a taste of th NFL/NCAA, he can play single player offline on the easiest level and lob away passes on the run.

A couple of more pointers in addition to the ones you've listed:
- Trim down your playbook - work with 3-4 formations, and become familiar with 2-3 passing plays each, to the point when you know instinctively which receive to throw to depending on the kind of defense.
- Mix in playactions and draws more often to throw defense off balance.

[Mizzou23]

Also, be sure to use your hot route if you see a blitz coming. The worst thing you can do is see a blitz coming and just chuck the ball into coverage. The passing game is difficult, but manageable. I had about 20 INT's with Chase Daniel in my first dynasty season, but the majority of those were thrown at the beginning of the year when I was still trying to get familiar with the game.

EA has definitely moved away from the casual gamer, at least with the settings on AA. It's very challenging for me.

[RedmanR]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

The game is just incredibly punishing for making bad decisions. I think EA has really gone away from the casual gamer with this game because I don't believe the casual fan can pop in a game of NCAA on default AA and not throw a bunch of picks imo. You can't just pick a random play, drop back and wing it anymore. The deep ball is clearly dead compared to the PS2 version as well (too dead imo). To be successful passing the ball in this game you have to have a deliberate gameplan for every single play. You can't sleepwalk through anything anymore. If you predetermine where you are going with the ball before the snap you will be in trouble. Ingredients for success: You have to know your play. On every play you need to know your WR routes and have a primary and secondary target picked out for both man, zone and blitz type of defenses. You have to determine what the defense is doing. You have to watch the safeties and LBs at the snap and determine quickly if you are seeing a zone, man-to-man or heavy blitz defense. Your primary and secondary targets will change drastically based on this. You can't panic and force a throw. Let the routes open up. Let the deep in or out patterns develop. Taking a sack is better than throwing too soon when the WR isn't open enough yet or gotten into the hole in the zone. Sometimes nobody will be open or the window to complete a pass is so small you just can't risk the throw. Dump offs to backs in the flat can really help. Punting isn't so bad. I struggle with doing this myself and still throw many ill advised passes that end in picks. I do think you can be successful but its not easy imo and requires work.

Good post Rudy this should've been up a long time ago... I do admit there lies a INT issues with the CPU not me(user)... I'll get over it... I do agree with the guys here that EA is finally moving to the beat of a different drum which is good I might add. As for myself I've always followed those steps above which are very true to on the field smashmouth football whatever level it's played on. I never cheese during gameplay, I play every game as if I'm in the game myself.