Who do you play with on D

[Happyvally74]

I used to use MLB, but in this year's game it is pretty tough to shed blocks and fill the holes. Ive been using DT and DE. What do you guys play with?>

[CrossTown]

Re: Who do you play with on D

Either one of the safeties, depending on the coverage I call.

[Senator Palmer]

Re: Who do you play with on D

Middle Linebacker. I actually played it so it's the position I know the best. I love controlling the middle of the field. I'm going through a bit of a learning curve right now because of the locomotion and the new blocking, but I'm starting to put it together.

[Wrecktum]

Re: Who do you play with on D

I always go with the MLB. After so many years I don't think I could play any other way.

[aliefallstar]

Re: Who do you play with on D

i play with the free safety

[wildcats30]

Re: Who do you play with on D

DE, DT, MLB, OLB, FS, SS...as you can see it depends on what I'm feeling on a certain play. I play with 9 players on the field throughout some games, just not the CB positions.

[mcpheje]

Re: Who do you play with on D

i play with the free safety

Same here. For some reason nothing else feels right to me.

[SA1NT401]

Re: Who do you play with on D

everyone cept for CB...Like to mix it up.

[Senator Palmer]

Re: Who do you play with on D

I used to use MLB, but in this year's game it is pretty tough to shed blocks and fill the holes. Ive been using DT and DE. What do you guys play with?>

Oh yeah, and if you're having trouble playing the MLB in the 4-3, the key is to control your gap. You can't do too much this year because if the player weight. If you're in a two man under for instance show your playart. Pay attention to where your defensive tackle it slanting and shoot the opposite gap. The key is not to try to follow every move of the back and get out of position. Focus on shooting your open gap and trust your cpu teammates.

mbmonk posted this in the Beat Alabama thread that explains stopping the run using gap control very well.

The general answer to stopping the running game is 1) defensive gap integrity + knowing your assignments 2) bringing another safety down into the box or 3) run blitzing

If you are unfamiliar with defensive gap assignments then google and read up on it.

1) I like running the 4-3 because the defensive lineman are only responsible for 1 gap. So it's pretty easy to see what gaps the lineman are responsible and then the linebackers are responsible for the other gaps. So for example the right defensive end lines up just outside the offensive tackle his job is to attempt to stop any run outside the offensive tackle, he is not responsible for a run to the inside of the offensive tackle. So knowing and executing the assignment for the D Line will go a long way to stopping the run.

You might have to move the player manually to get him in the correct gap before the snap. One example of this is your nose tackle. The computer, in a 4-3 under, will sometimes line up the NT over the center, but the NT is really responsible for the gap to the right of the center. So I will manually move his fat *** over there because normally the center will block him before the NT can get to his assigned gap. If fat boy doesn't get to his assigned gap you have a hole for the RB to go through. So gap integrety (covering your gaps) is huge when stopping the run. Also on goalline defense I will manaully move people to their gaps because FB gut runs are very fast to develope and you defenders need to be in their gaps from the get go.

2) So what if you are doing everything you can to maintain defensive gap integrety and they are still just whipping you butt running the ball. Well at that point you have to bring another safety down into the box. So you are going to start calling Cover 3 and cheating your safety down or call Cover 1 and creep your safety down into the box. There are numerous versions of cover 1 so I won't go over them here.

3) Run blitzes. This all comes down to personal preference but I will call run blitzes. In general I will call a zone blitz that sends both corners to stop or force any outside run back to the inside. Since the outside runs are going to be the corners responsibility the D line will pinch ( cover the inside gaps ) to help stop any runs to the inside. I will also use the corner blitzes for other things but you get the general idea.

Hope that helps

Note 1: I personally use the 4-3 Under formation because I know it the best. I know who is supposed to cover a particular gap and I know how to adjust the defense to handle many of the offensive formations.

Note 2: If you run a 3-4 it can be harder to tell what gaps the lineman are responsible for. Some 3-4 schemes have the lineman accountable for 2 gaps. So for example the NT is responsible for the gap to the left AND right of the center. It is a little harder for me to read that. So I like the 4-3 because it's simple. THIS guy is responsible for THIS gap, bottom line end of story. So for me it's just simpler to understand and thus simple to execute.

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[LSUF4N]

Re: Who do you play with on D

I always play with a DB. SS, FS or CB.

[Solidice]

Re: Who do you play with on D

mostly a DT or DE.