Tips and tricks thread - Establishing a pass rush

[baumy300]

After reading a few other posters complain about their lack of pass rush, and after my own trials and errors, I have decided to start a thread that I HOPE will offer suggestions to those of us struggling to bring pressure on the opposing QB.

I know there is hope because some guys in the sliders thread are getting between 3-5 sacks per game. I don't think sliders are what allow you to get sacks, but they may come into play.

Anyways, here is what I am doing, and how I am failing.
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I tried a few games by controlling a defensive lineman. I use the jump snap and I also use the pass moves buttons. I get pressure, but not sacks. I don't like controlling the linemen though because I seem to get baked way more frequently than when I control a LB or safety. It flat out isn't working to well for me.

Next I have tried the LB for a few games. I try to get "coverage sacks" by making sure my LB either covers a RB or TE, but even when the QB has no one to throw to and my linemen are right in his face, he finds someone to toss the ball to - completed or not. I have very rarely, very very rarely got to him this way, but never consistently. I even press the WR's with man coverage and sometimes throw in a blitz, but no dice.

Is there something I am missing or doing wrong? Should I being doing this differently to get sacks?

What about you? What do YOU do to get sacks?

Let's try to and throw our strategies that are working in here to help out those of us who can't seem to find a way to sack the QB yet.

[tyler289]

I use a LB if I'm in zone coverage and cover the middle of the field to try to take away that quick dump off the QB will sometimes do for 6-10 yards. If I'm in man, I control the DE or DT, and use jump the snap and use moves but alas, very little success.

Linemen just consistently stonewall me and I get sucked in and can't get out.

[Tig5309]

I use a LB. Post-patch 2 I am getting a couple of coverage sacks a game on 9 minute quarters.

[Spanky]

Has anybody tried lowering roughing the passer slider to 0 or 5. I did for one game and got five sacks (5 min qtrs). Also, I noticed it's harder to get sacks from blitzes as the cpu gets rid of the ball fast. Most sacks are coverage sacks.

[AuburnAlumni]

I always play as the defensive tackle.

1. Do not bring your DBs up. I firmly believe that if you play tight coverage, the CPU will automatically "quick pass" the ball because it senses a blitz. The only time I'll jam WRs for the most part is if I'm bringing a corner or safety blitz to get them there quicker.

2. Jump the snap. It's cheesy and I wish the stupid feature never existed, but many times its the only way to get good pressure.

3. Press straight down on the controller and don't use a special move at the snap. If you use a special move, many times the CPU will make your DT suddenly do some stupid "shimmy move" to the left or right, wasting valuable time for you and possibly leading to you getting pancaked.

4. If you blitz, try and blitz from the weak side and use your DL to tie up any potential blockers so that your blitzers can come in free or much easier.

That's pretty much it as far as my tips go. I average around 2-3 sacks a game on the Legends Sliders.

[baumy300]

Thanks AA.

I'm debating making a thread like this is in the Madden forum as well, although getting pressure in Madden is slightly easier.

For those of you who do control a DE or DT, do you rush the linemen using turbo or just run forward normally? Does using turbo make your finesse or power moves any more effective?

[Andrews85]

Not sure about the sprint button question but the best way ive found to get a sack is to for example blitz your LOLB and shift your DL's to the left. Control your LE and run him outside the left shoulder of the OT and your DT should be lined up over the G and tie him up. This should create a gap for your LOLB to run through. Hopefully the HB or FB doesnt see your LOLB or he just misses the block.
And as someone said above I did lower roughing the passer to 5 and it seems to have helped alot. I average at least 1 user sack a game and mostly with a DL. I never use the jump the snap either, I personally think its a horrible feature.

[Roy38]

In past NCAA Football games (XBOX 360, XBOX, PS2), I used a DT exclusively. I enjoyed clogging the middle, shutting down the opponent's interior running game, applying some pressure on the quarterback up the middle, and scheming my defense to contain sweeps, stretches, options, and passes. After my first season in my TCU dynasty (using Matt 10's Varsity sliders @ 7 minute quarters), the fun factor wasn't there as I grew more and more frustrated with the insanely good blocking - regardless of an offensive lineman's ability. Just when you managed to pull off a power or finesse move to gain separation from the offensive lineman, you were immediately sucked back into the block.

I wasn't about to give up as I have enjoyed the NCAA franchise (warts and all) over the years, I switched over to DE because it wouldn't be much different from playing DT (my "home" position). I figured the DE position yielded more one-on-one match-ups and allowed more room to maneuver around lineman to avoid the suction blocking at the very least. The game became more enjoyable immediately because I actually could make more of a difference at the DE position. My DE had 12 to 14 sacks while my teammates had 20 to 25. Not bad, but with the pass defense issues, I generally felt like if I couldn't get to the quarterback and issue some pressure (especially against a stud quarterback), I was in for a tough day.

I had recruited a great 4* DE the previous season to plug in once my senior DE starters moved on, but just my luck, he wanted to transfer after the end of the season. Just like that, I lose 3 DE's and I have 2 DE's left on the roster with 1 worth playing. At the end of the season, I looked at position changes to shore up my DE problem and find that my 6'-0" 190 lbs. 3* HB I recruited would move from a mid-70's rated HB to an 84 overall DE. Not convinced to move him just yet, I look over his other stats - 91 speed, 84 agility, 90 acceleration, 72 strength, and little skill involving power or finesse moves. The speed had me, but the strength sold me to make the change.

I could tell immediately he was a difference maker. He started getting enough sacks the CPU started throwing out-of-bounds to avoid the sack (!). They started sending their HB over to help the RT to block him. I even saw the RG and RT double-team him when I had 4 down lineman on the field. He ended his freshman year with 36 sacks. His sophomore effort, 37 sacks. My team sacks improved also as I have at least one DT with at least 8 to 10 sacks (non-controlled), one LB around 8 to 10 sacks (non-controlled), and one safety around 5 to 8 sacks (non-controlled) with other filling in spot sacks.

In short, recruit speed at all positions as speed dominates '09. 85+ speed for DE's, 65+ speed for DT, 90+ for everyone else. Blitz (power move, finesse move, block shedding, and pursuit) skills are important. Mix blitzes from LB's, CB's, and Safeties. If you control a DE, send pressure from the opposite side. I've noticed in particular safety blitzes from the 4-2-5 are fairly effective.