Ebongreen's advice & observations thread

[JimK]

Yeah, I have an on and off relationship with the game because some of the issues always end up driving me away, but the idea of being the GM and coach of a team always entices me to come back.

[lucidhope]

Do you have specs for DL that you recommend?

What are your philosophies when you play and what defensive playbook do you run? I know that your way of playing doesn't really rely on strict philosophies and more what the individual players can do, but I was curious your defensive playbook and those philosophies. And what traits successful D-line have in this game.

[ebongreen]

Funny you should ask about defensive linemen; I've been pondering this aspect for some time and was considering posting about it anyway.

From what I've seen, defensive tackles are not playmakers in this game, so in my opinion spending lots of money on awe-inspiring DTs like Quincy Sims or Devin Gilbert is not a wise use of cap space. STR 85+, SPD 60-70, ACL/AGL 60-80 is plenty good for physical attributes; an ATH grade over 80 is a good general benchmark.

Ends are much more difficult to evaluate. The ATH grades for ends are all over the map: an 80 grade can be a terrible end or a pretty decent one, depending on the underlying stats. In my schemes, ends need to compete with offensive tackles, so they need similar/better stats: STR 85+, SPD 70+, ACL/AGL 70+ are my general ballparks. A 70 SPD end is low, but manageable; 75 is average; 80 or better is good speed. Likewise 80 is a low-STR end, and 90 or better is really good. A low-speed low-strength end will be worse off than many linebackers in the game and won't be worth playing, so any end you draft should be good at something or at least average at everything.

For example, in my current career my Packers have a RE from Florida State with STR 95, SPD 71, ACL 77, AGL 68 and an ATH grade of 79; a LE from Connecticut on the squad rates an ATH 80 with STR 86, SPD 75, ACL 89, and AGL 86. These guys are both players; the former is more of a run-stopper, but they get the job done. There are worse ends with higher ATH scores, and potentially equal-or-better ends with worse ATH scores (say, Victor Abiamiri). In the English path, the LE UNLV sleepers all rate an ATH 83. So around ATH 80 for DEs is worth close examination; not until ATH 85 can you be pretty confident that a player has the physical skills to flourish in most systems.

For all defensive players - actually, for starters period - learning in the mid- to upper-80s should be high enough, particularly as you grow your defensive playbook and get special learning enhancement skills for your coaches. And naturally, you want all your DLs to be able to shed blocks, rush the passer, stay healthy, etc. for their intangible grade: generally 80 or higher would be desirable.

I'll address my defensive "big picture" in another post.

[Sanchez_Mareno]

I'd like your thoughts on awareness please

[ebongreen]

More is better?

Can you be more specific?

[Last_Light]

Quote: Originally Posted by ebongreen

More is better? Can you be more specific?

Maybe he was wondering the importance of it? Compared to say play recognition or ball carrier vision.

I have a question. How important is the center position? I drafted the Onken twins and wanted them to play alongside one another so I put the higher round pick of the two the RG at center and in only 3 regular season games all I can say is WOW. He opens up massive holes for inside runs. And my preference is to have my back up as a scrambling QB so I can QB sneak and he is literally pushing the defenders 5 yards down the field.

I was just wondering if this is a one off occurrence. Because the center I had before him was no slouch either but he didn't have anywhere near this impact

[lucidhope]

I'd like to know when it's a good idea to shift lines or tips to recognize blitzes and then the best ways to shift hot routes, or if they even work because i never bother to use them. I know the Eagles used to hand me my lunch when I used Hammermill's playbook and I suspected part of it was because there were no quick passes in the book.

[ebongreen]

Quote: Originally Posted by Last_Light

How important is the center position?

The center is pretty important. Against 4-3 defenses, he'll usually be pass-protecting one-on-one against a DT; on inside run plays, he's the man most often responsible for picking off the middle linebacker. Centers rarely pull, so you don't need a lot of agility, but he does need strength, acceleration and the speed to get to the second level when necessary.

Against a standard 3-4, the center's role is a little different; he's the man who blocks up the NT full-time. Usually that's a big brute of a fellow with minimal pass-rush abilities, and so your center needs the STR, ACL and blocking abilities to handle him with minimal help. In pass protection, he'll have to be aware and quick enough to deal with the zone blitzes that 3-4 teams like to run.

Having a capable center is pretty important - not as important as the RT or RG, but on par with a good LT. Most of what I have to say about the center and the O-line generally is here.