Can anyone answer this simple question for me?

[hoots711]

Quote: Originally Posted by jello1717

I play a 3-3-5 defense with my Michigan team. Granted, I'm sure I recruit better players at Michigan than you do with Ok. St., but I've been very successful with the 3-3-5. I play on Heisman and in my last season my team (note I say team which includes special teams and offensive pick 6s) gave up single digits in 10/13 games. If you just look at my defense alone, I think they only gave up double digits in points twice. The most total points I gave up all year was 20 points while my offense averaged 44 PPG (IE. I didn't just run the clock out all the time to keep the CPU off the field). My defense was pretty much impenetrable last year.

what plays do you call in the 3-3-5 (if you know)

Do you have any luck with zone?

I have zero luck with zone against the cpu as i very rarely get any pressure (no matter how bad of a school i play) and their cpu always makes the exact perfect throw in the zone.

I only have luck with man coverage.

I guess i could call 3-3-5 plays and audible to some of my 4-2-5 fav plays... maybe that would work.

But please share some 3-3-5 you like if you dont mind.

[heavy_hitter]

Quote: Originally Posted by hoots711

what plays do you call in the 3-3-5 (if you know) Do you have any luck with zone? I have zero luck with zone against the cpu as i very rarely get any pressure (no matter how bad of a school i play) and their cpu always makes the exact perfect throw in the zone. I only have luck with man coverage. I guess i could call 3-3-5 plays and audible to some of my 4-2-5 fav plays... maybe that would work. But please share some 3-3-5 you like if you dont mind.

Man to Man Coverage against Human Players is a nightmare. When I play online I call Ace Big Twins so I can see right away if the other team is a man team or a zone team. More than likely that first play is what they will run the rest of the game. I laugh when I see man because it will stop the run if you blitz, but IT WILL NOT STOP THE PASS!!!! When I see man that first play then I know "Game Over".

However, against the CPU it is the only defense you need to play. I the 335 just run stack middle blitz and bump every play. The CPU can't handle this Defense because of the short throws it makes and how fast it throws them. If you switch really quick you will get a bunch of picks.

The totally opposite applies for zones. Zone is the only defense to play against human opponents that pass. Zones against the CPU get eaten up.

[RAZRr1275]

Quote: Originally Posted by hoots711

Very simple. Is there a ANY defensive play that isnt in a nickel, dime or quarter that can even slightly slow down/stop the pass??? FInally, after 3 years of recruting i finally have 3 decent linebackers at OK St. All upper 80's speed and good stats. Only problem is i cant have more than one or two on the field. Iowa State just went 23/28 on me. It is a complete laughable joke. I can run a 4-2-5 or nickel and stop the pass pretty effectivily but you know it sure would be nice to be able to run somewhat a, yyou know, real defense sometimes. Otherwise, years end and 2 of my 4 starting LBs would have played about 10 minutes... I know, ill just put them in form subs.... oh wait. Any Help?

Sliders? Difficulty level?

[jello1717]

I use most of my 3-3-5 playbook as I would find it very boring to call the same plays on offense or defense. I mainly call plays from the stack setup. I try to always rush at least 4 (I probably bring 5 or 6 about 50% of the time). The thing I like about the 3-3-5 is that 4th, 5th, and 6th guy can come from anywhere.

I usually play man unless it's 3rd and long, then I'll rush 3 and drop the other 8 back into a zone. For non-3rd and long plays, I'm usually in man with the occasional zone. Most of the zones I call are zone blitzes.

When the CPU has 2 TEs in or they've been running heavily (and successfully) I'll go to the bear formation. If it's 3rd and mid to long and they don't have 4 WRs on the field, I'll go with the across formation. To sprinkle in some different looks to my normal stack formation, I'll go from some split formations. There are some good middle blitzes in there.

If it matters, I always control the MLB. The only bad thing about this is that I play with CPU run blocking at 100 so I get tied up a lot with big beefy O-lineman and usually when they suck me in, it's hard to get away.

[Keyser Soze]

versus CPU I call only man with some LB zone or blitz.

versus HUM mix it up but I like to call the middle blitz and then audible the LBs a ton to zones etc.... you can use these 3 guys to attempt to get pressure and add extra defenders in coverage. really doesn't matter what you do with no house rules as its 100% impossible to stop a human user if he uses the exploits. however, with house rules I find the 3-3-5 to be very effective in attempting to confuse the player.

[heavy_hitter]

Quote: Originally Posted by jello1717

I use most of my 3-3-5 playbook as I would find it very boring to call the same plays on offense or defense. I mainly call plays from the stack setup. I try to always rush at least 4 (I probably bring 5 or 6 about 50% of the time). The thing I like about the 3-3-5 is that 4th, 5th, and 6th guy can come from anywhere.

This is why I play online. You have to switch up the play calling.

The CPU on AA or Heisman is obviously predictable. You don't have to run but one defense against the CPU and it has always been that way. I believe it was the 2005 version on the PS2 you could run cover 2 man every play and beat the CPU by 100 EVEN ON HEISMAN. All you had to do is play as the FS and bait the QB to throw deep. The QB would and it was a User Pick fest. My FS had 32 picks his senior season.

Why switch up the play calling against the CPU? You know what will work. You know what will beat it every play? It isn't your fault this game is poorly programmed and designed. I don't know if it is this way any more because I don't play against the CPU enough. I do know that when I was a heavy dynasty guy I memorized what the CPU defenses were against the plays in all the formations. If you called SG Spread Deep Attack the CPU would be in man EVERY TIME!!

Playing the CPU is just silly to me.

Now Expanding on the 335... Against the CPU to run any play that isn't a blitzing man is just silly. The CPU pick Zone defenses apart. Against a human the only time you should run man with a blitz is when you are guessing run. Other wise you are screwed. Blitz against the pass from man or zone and you are screwed because of poor AI.

[Keyser Soze]

I don't run all man vs the CPU because it works "SO WELL" I do it because zone 10000% does NOT work on account that the CPU knows when and who to throw it to between zones perfectly by definition. Its like playing real football against GOD at QB and trying to zone cover his team. Your only chance is to try to lock up everyone in man to man and win the 1vs1 matches because God (the CPU QB) can find an opening in your zone any time it wants and there is NOTHING you can do about it.

[65South]

VERY good ideas and strats in this thread! Definitely glad I came across it. I haven't used the 3-3-5 mainly because I didn't know what to use against what, but you guys definitely have me thinking about giving it a run.

Two things I would like to ask...1. How does the 3-3-5 stack up against the run? 2. Would you guys recommend using the 3-3-5 versus an option runner (human opponent) or no? I just last night for the first time tried the 4-2-5, without much success I might add, so I wanted to get you guys' take on the 3-3-5 versus the option -- or any formations, plays, strategies in general you'd recommend in defending the option (having more trouble with plays to the outside).