Help being a better passer

[photonslayer]

Does anyone have any tips on making better decisions and help with play call? I throw too many picks. Is there anything I can do to get better at making decisions and what are typically the best passing plays to pick?

[Lionsfan7887]

Re: Help being a better passer

I was in the same boat as you and I found out after watching alotta my replays on INTS that I wasn't staying in the pocket. Any type of pressure and I was scrambling and making errant throws.


Try going into practice mode and find passing plays that work for you. Also run the ball so you can get set up plays. I've found those do work.

[prototype561]

Re: Help being a better passer

just practice a little more with your timing, you can't throw late or early or it will get picked.

db's and lb's have better hands than wr's this year

also, try not gamble on throws even when a man is single covered unless he clearly has his man beat, the cpu is just better at fighting for the ball so that will lead to a lot of picks

[TMJOHNS18]

Re: Help being a better passer

Look at the D presnap and look at your routes and make a decision on where you want to go with the ball. Also keep your routes in mind if your not sure of the coverage and if you see Cover 2/3/4, Man, etc, know where your guys are going will help make a decision quicker.

What I do if I'm not certain of the coverage is look at my wr's and pick who I'm going to look for after the snap based on what the D moves. If I have my slot running a post and the wr out wide running a streak, I know I'll look at those if there's Cover 2, if it's Cover 3 or Man I might look to check another wr who's route would be good against that and keep them in my mind in depending on if I'm facing man on the slot or 3 deep zones and don't feel they'll get open.

Also, never hurts to have a check down. Worst case scenario you can dump it off, if you are running a lot of deep routes you may tend to force it more than you have to.

[BadAssHskr]

Re: Help being a better passer

Im not much of a down the field passing guy, i like the short quick routes, easy completions.

Work on timing with easy routes that you like and progress yourself to deeper routes as you get the feel for it.

[prototype561]

Re: Help being a better passer

you might want to decrease int slider also, thats the only slider adjustment I made, I was averaging around 8-10 picks per game both teams

[Knight9299]

Re: Help being a better passer

just practice a little more with your timing, you can't throw late or early or it will get picked.

db's and lb's have better hands than wr's this year

also, try not gamble on throws even when a man is single covered unless he clearly has his man beat, the cpu is just better at fighting for the ball so that will lead to a lot of picks

What defines beating a DB deep is way different than last year. That's where I'm struggling the most this year

[Groove74]

Re: Help being a better passer

What defines beating a DB deep is way different than last year. That's where I'm struggling the most this year

Same here I send a WR down the sideline or on a deep route and it look as if he has a good jump on the the DB and BAM DB JUMPS ROUTE!!!! takes it back for 6 and me I am left makin' excusses to the Coach!! "Well coach I thought I saw sumthin' coach"!!!!

[shttymcgee]

Re: Help being a better passer

Try to read up on pass concepts and how they are read. There's a lot of free resources on the internet if you just google it. I'll give you one:

...........................F/S....................................S/S...................................
.................................................. ..................................................
...C.............................................. ........................................C......
...................................W...........M.. ......................S........................... ....
...............................E.........N.......T ......E.....................................
....X..........................O....O...C...O....O ...Y............................................
.................................................. ..........................Z................H...... ....
............................................Q..R.. .................................................. .

Anything in the book called "drive"

This will be Z drive, in the game slot drive

Z runs the "drive" or drag route
Y runs a deeper in route
H runs a post
X runs a comeback (hot route it to make it a smart route or turn it into a streak)
R should run a check down to the right. If he is supposed to do anything else, hot route him to stay in to protect, preferably on the rt.

Find the 1st LB counting outside in from the lt, the W in this case. He will be your first read. If he vacates, blitzes, or drops deep, then throw the ball to the drive/drag.

If he stays covers the drag, your eyes should move inside to the Dig/Square In/Hunt/whatever you want to call it. In this case, its the Y. If the LB buzzes the flat, don't forget about your deep comeback.

If both the drag and the in are covered (seldom) or you happen to notice the safeties split, throw the ball deep to the post.

If you are uncomfortable with the post, throw to the back on the checkdown.

As for protection, if it looks like an overload to the side the drive is coming from, slide protect that way. If you get a 4 weak look, slide away from the drive, but remember, if you get blitz to that side, you should be throwing the ball to the drive anyway.

The concept is good (irl and in the game) because it can be ran so many different ways. You can basically run it from any formation, but I prefer it to come from a 3 receiver side. If the side you are running the drive to (away from where the route is coming) has two receivers, make sure the inside one is running a seam. You can use hot routes to run the concept if its not in your book. Just hot route the slot to a drag and the #3 to an in and then smart route it.

Some other variations you might want to try are if its a two back set, release one back to the side the drive is coming from. If you have or can motion the weak side receiver to a tight split, you can hot route him to a deep out and can read him first and then go through the progression the normal way.

Just to give you a head-start on your concept knowledge:

4 verts are too easy in the game, especially when in 3x1 sets

stick routes are good

curl/flat or all curls are good

mesh is good

double slant is good vs 2 high looks, slant flat is good vs 1 high

flood and its variations, both strong and the weak varieties are good as well

[ErasmoHar]

Re: Help being a better passer

Im not much of a down the field passing guy

[polecatt]

Re: Help being a better passer

Try and work on leading your receivers with passes. Often times I throw a receiver open this way. It's very effective this year with the new passing mode.