D-Line Coaches

[tylermajor23]

thanks. that what i was looking for. i've been trying to work on my playcalling but sometimes when i look at plays, they don't seem effective. i don't always know how to utilize those plays to generate a stop or pressure to be useful.

example: its 2nd and 14, i call a nickel LB blitz (up the middle), and the QB throws it before my LBs can even get to the LOS. stuff like that makes me not even want to call those plays

[ebongreen]

Another thing to watch is, believe it or not, the scouting report on the teams you play. Game-planning isn't just a practice thing and Adam Schefter's talking head.

When I look at the scouting report, I mostly ignore the down-&-distance plays specified. What I find useful are:

• The percentage of run/pass on down-and-distance. Are you playing the pass-happy Cowboys or the run-first Steelers?
• The percentage each play gets called, regardless of down. Plays that you see 3% or better you're gonna see a lot, because they're probably mastered and they're favorites of the opposing playbook.
• Though this won't help with pressure per se, look at their favorite run plays. Do they run Colts/Texans/Broncos-style zone runs, which (honestly) are a pain in the neck to defeat, or are they power-pulling team like the Giants? Do they run a lot of counters? Each of these has defensive counter-plays. Learn which ones work against what sort of play, and plan to call them.
• Look at the pass patterns of the favorite plays. Are they primarily designed to defeat zone (route combinations to defeat Tampa-2, for example) or man (comebacks, double-moves)? Cue your play-calling accordingly.
• Look at the number of backs that block on their pass plays. Do they use backs in pass-pro or are they sent out as receivers? If the backs block, tend to cover or zone-blitz. If they receive, tend to man-blitz.
• Look for play-action passes. How common are they? Which ones do they run? Remember the AI linebackers play run-first, and man-blitzing against PA is a virtual guarantee you're gonna get burned. Have a good sense what plays will work against their favorite play-action calls.

This is the sort of thing that makes this game so much fun for me. It's as deep as you want to make it.

[tylermajor23]

sweet. yeah i never paid much attention to the scouting report before.

i didn't realize this game was that deep.see these are the reasons why i love this game more and more every day. it never gets old

[LordTC]

A good option for Man Blitzes or Man/Zone Blitzes is to ensure you use predominantly pass support guys in Man Coverage to avoid getting burned on PA.

I generally have FS/SS/3CB's in Man Coverage on a 6 man blitz, or FS/4CB's with no SS on the field.

One Man-Zone blitz I like is putting the FS and SS in middle of the field (non-deep zones), with CB's on the main recieving threats. You can show blitz from this and it works reasonably. Play action they can often complete a pass to the center of the field if the FS and SS bite, and they have a target being the 4th or 5th reciever, but a lot of the play action routes don't send the 4th or 5th guys forwards, they often stay in the shallows or run flats, in which case someone can usually get there (even if the AI takes ridiculously awful angles in this game).


User-Created plays can help you with this. Again it depends a lot on if you play or super-sim.