I'm having a problem with this game

[mrjordan]

I know I have complained about the lack of a guide but even so after many hours of playing and learning, I am now getting frustrated with the gameplay. I really want to love this game but its frustrating.

With the Giants I have an 89 approval rating but the defense sucks. My whole defense is rated 80-87 (though Tuck at 87 is underrated) so we should be very good but teams throw all over the field on us.

I have trained the coaches,
I tried having the DC call plays
and I have tried myself but nothing seems to work.
Blitzing alot leads to 5 sacks in 5 games. NFL network keeps saying the Giants are better prepared for every game but the Seahawks just beat me 24-21. The SEAHAWKS who in real life lost by a mile.

I used all mastered and learned plays and set up the "boost coverage plays " and "boost blitz plays", ignoring the run and playing pass exclusively but the play calls still failed most of the time...allowing big plays.

It seems like Madden to me now with Robo QB.

How can the Giants put zero pressure on QBs?

Can anyone help me get the passion back for this game?
thanks

[Matrix-Monkey]

There are two ways to get pressure that I've found (this is supersimming but when I've played IG it seemed to work too).

1. Use heavy man blitzes, even goal line formations even if you're not in the proper area of the field.

2. Coverage sacks. Use Cover Two and try to get the QB to hold onto the ball.

[DreadedSteeler]

I have had no success defensively with teams that run a 4-3. Just cannot ever get any pressure on the QB and I get picked apart by average QBs.

However using the 3-4 with teams like the Steelers and Cardinals I get at least 6, 7, 8 sacks per game and a lot more QB hurries. Had a few games where Harrison or Woodley ended with 4 sacks.

Having said that, third and long is still my most dreaded down. I'd rather face 3rd and inches than 3rd and 18.

[Exonerated]

Its your playbook.

Spagnolo pressure sucks. You get owned so easily calling the plays from that playbook.

[mrjordan]

got a better playbook then?

[SloeyEZ]

What works well for me (and of course I obtain players based on this) is a 4-3 defense with man coverage and blitzing.

For my game I take any defensive playbook and I delete every single play (except for prevent which you can't and that drives me nuts lol, I will shoot any DC in the foot that ever calls it) from the playbook.

Then I add only 4-3 plays that are man coverage and at least one blitzer. Then I will add all the goal line plays that are man coverage and nickle and dime that are man coverage and blitz.

My DL is always the biggest toughest son-of-a-guns I can find and my olb's and ss are Ronnie Lott types. My CBs are man coverage specialists with speed and my FS is a centerfielder.

This has always been my defensive strategy in real life, so I try to emulate it here as much as possible. I would call it a success. I am usually ranked #1 in rush defense but near the bottom in the league in pass defense. That is by design however. My philosophy is that you have to beat me with the pass. I want to force my opponent to pass 50 times a game. They will get a lot of yards, but I will get a lot of INTs and once they get to the goal line when the field is short, their passing game goes out the window and they can't rush or pass.

So, you can get pressure in this game and you can be successful, but where this game excels is that you have to have a strategy (good or bad) and then every decision you make in the game has to benefit that strategy.

You can not play this game successfully if you are not always working on a specific formula.

[Matrix-Monkey]

I think pretty much everyone finishes near the top in Run D and near the bottom in Pass D. In this game for the AI, passing is too successful and running is too ineffective. Same for human players but there are ways around them for the user.

[Coredor]

Quote: Originally Posted by Exonerated

Its your playbook. Spagnolo pressure sucks. You get owned so easily calling the plays from that playbook.

Spags pressure does not suck. You have to have the right personnel though. Admittedly I had perfect personnel for it but I led the league in defense 4 straight years with it when I was playing around with it. I manually called all of my own plays. If you have corners who can play press coverage and a ball hawking safety absolutely look out. Man blitz and press.

My first year playing it I held the Patriots to 7 points in the Super Bowl and 130 total yards. Brady threw 3 picks. I just wish I could put together an offensive team like that. I do ok but to me defense is just so easy in this game but I can't put together a monster offensive team it seems.