Middle of the Field on D

[TheBaron51]

Hello all, first time poster, started lurking around here during the summer before the release for rosters.

But anyway, I play a bit online. Not at all what a person would call good but I do alright for my skill level (which is a 2, yes yes I know). I'm 11-7 and after my last game there's one issue that I've noticed in those seven games:

The middle of the field kills me, every freaking time. Doesn't matter what coverage I'm in, doesn't matter which player I control to try and shore up where I think I'm getting beat, without fail, somewhere over the middle is open.

I'm good against the run, good against like 75% of the passes, but it seems like plays designed to attack the middle absolutely screw me over.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot.

[novadolla]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

user the FS and guard the middle of the field.

[CrimsontideuA]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Use hook zones to put a player in the middle of the field. Also take FS as the poster suggestion and use him to guard the middle as well. Audible your defense late to something like Velcro in Normal playbook.

Hello all, first time poster, started lurking around here during the summer before the release for rosters.

But anyway, I play a bit online. Not at all what a person would call good but I do alright for my skill level (which is a 2, yes yes I know). I'm 11-7 and after my last game there's one issue that I've noticed in those seven games:

The middle of the field kills me, every freaking time. Doesn't matter what coverage I'm in, doesn't matter which player I control to try and shore up where I think I'm getting beat, without fail, somewhere over the middle is open.

I'm good against the run, good against like 75% of the passes, but it seems like plays designed to attack the middle absolutely screw me over.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot.

[RynoAid]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

try some cover 1 or robber sets.

[Yeti_2009]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

try some cover 1 or robber sets.

This will work, also if you drop the MLB into a spy or Zone cover.

One of my favorite D's to use against the pass is cover 1 out of the 3-3-5. The reason is because the 2 Lb's drop into zone where the MLB plays man....its a hard D to read and if you can get somewhat pressure on the QB...it can fluster a QB.

[Yeti_2009]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

also, there is another thing you can try. If you have any extra hard hitting DB's, you could manually sub them into the LB positions. This will give you a very good 1-2 combo with DBs that will cover better then LBs and also be able to tackle pretty well.

Your D might give up a little bit more on the run but, unless your backup DBs are terrible, the coverage should be better.

[TheBaron51]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Thanks a lot for the suggestions guys.

So far, what I've discovered works best for me is the Nickel Normal (4-2-6) Cover 3 zone and hot routing my strong safety into the coverage that you get when you hit A then Left on the right stick (can't remember what it's called, it's the red intermediate coverage along the sideline). Then I either take control of one of the 2 LBs in hook zones or the Safety, depending on where the guy likes to throw it.

[BlastX21]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Thanks a lot for the suggestions guys.

So far, what I've discovered works best for me is the Nickel Normal (4-2-6) Cover 3 zone and hot routing my strong safety into the coverage that you get when you hit A then Left on the right stick (can't remember what it's called, it's the red intermediate coverage along the sideline). Then I either take control of one of the 2 LBs in hook zones or the Safety, depending on where the guy likes to throw it.

Lol you must tell me how I can get this formation.

[MrBlonde21]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Lol you must tell me how I can get this formation.

Tennessee might know!

[BlastX21]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Tennessee might know!

xD

I looked in their playbook and they dont have a 4-2-6, but they do have a 3-3-7.

[Hempdiddy]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Baron, I have the same issue. Great post. Great replies.

Thanks guys.

If you don't mind, please check out my thread about features missing from the 09 version and see if you can help me out with that question...!

[FSU Spear 'Em]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

You could have a 3-3-7 and still not defend the middle of the field on this game

[Hempdiddy]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

You could have a 3-3-7 and still not defend the middle of the field on this game

OMG. SO TRUE!!!

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

set your zone coverage to conservative.

This extends the depth of your hook zones.

User skill to jump anything short.

I cant tell you how many INTs I get with defense ends, dropping back on zone blitzes, as well as LBs in cover 2, doing this.

The think the slant, post and in, is going to be open, but it isnt.

[maceo_diamond]

Re: Middle of the Field on D

Are passes over the middle unstoppable, no. Bothersome to defend, YES! Down right cheezy at times, ABSOLUTELY!!!

I had been having the same problem until recently. I didn't know how to defensive hot route a defender to man coverage until last week (yeah, I know its listed in the user manual.) I had been playing pretty good defense on first, second and even some third downs but would give up waaaay too many 3rd or 4th and longs on passes over the middle.

What I now do is first determine which routes and wr option my opponent favors most--for most users it will be a route over the middle and either a slot receiver or a tight end. In your case, you already know the area that is giving you trouble. But, remember, not everyone uses this area in key situations. Once I know where there bread is buttered, I am good to go.

On key downs (3rd and 4th), I, first, make sure to pick a play that gets pressure (zone blitz or man blitz.) Then, before the play starts, I hot route my defenders to guard the slot receiver and/or tight end--in most cases, I have an extra defender to double this receiver. **Note: This is where you have to mix it up. I use zone sometimes and hot route my a defender to cover the slot man/men in question...Sometimes single cover and other times double cover...Use zone and man blitz.** I like to bring pressure early in the game to speed up my opponents' "clock" so that later I can drop 7 or 8 into coverage and he still feels the need to hurry his throws. Lately, that has been very successful--choose a zone that drops 7 or 8 and hot route your defenders to man the wr that you want to focus on. It creates a really interesting look.

Sometimes, I simply reassign the defender to the same man he was already guarding--they seem to cover better when I do this (although it may all be in my head.)

When playing online, most guys only have a couple of plays and one or two routes that they go to in key situations. Once they drop back with the QB and see their initial route is covered, most don't have a second read. And even if they did, the pressure will have resulted in a sack by then.

One of my favorite plays for third and 4th and long is "NB Blitz" in the Nickel Strong package. This play brings the Outside LB (who I usually formation sub for a faster corner or safetey--more on this later) on a blitz and drops the MLB in a Hook zone. I generally hot route the MLB to double the man that I feel my opponent wants to get the ball to. I also shift my Dline to the side of the blitzer and slant them in the opposite direction (hope that makes sense.) This is just one blitz that I use, but I mix up the play calling but use the same principles. Once you start mixing it up, you can start calling more zones that drop 7 guys into coverage--just make sure you hot route a defender to man up on slot receivers and TE if you think they are getting the ball. The front four will end up getting more pressure than you imagined.

Those are my on-field adjustments. I also adjust my defensive strategy in my settings. I turn pass defense on aggressive and do the same for QB contain. Why does QB contain matter? Because there are tons of guys out there that like to roll, roll, roll, and buy time. If an opponent is successful at this, you can expect to have the same problems you always had in your pass defense.

Aggressive QB contain helps to eliminate this problem. The moment the opposing QB starts rolling, the DE on that side will break away from the blocker and begin to apply pressure. Pressure that wouldn't be present if the QB had stayed in the pocket. I used to hate playing scrambling QBs, but now I welcome it. After they roll out a couple of times into the pressure, they tend to try and pass the ball to their favorite routes (not receivers.) This is perfect, because most of those QBs aren't the most accurate passers and they will throw some bad passes and, eventually, some picks.

I also alternate the player that I am usering. Sometimes, its the safety other times a LB or a corner or a D-lineman. Once I have my opponent guessing, I like to choose a zone and user a corner or LB and roam the field once I realize no one is in the area I am responsible for.

Since I started using the defensive hot route, I have won 9 our of my last 10 games. I have beated 'Bama twice (against opponents that were 20 or more games above .500) and held 5 of my last 6 opponents to 14 points or less.

In the two games with 'Bama, both of my opponents put Julio Jones at tight end (cheeze.) This would have normally caused me fits all game, but with the scheme above it wasn't a problem. I doubled him on every long yardage down and my opponents couldn't adjust.

This will leave your outside corners manned up, but most people don't even look at them because the game itself makes throwing to those guys so difficult.

Last, but not least, don't be afraid to formation sub on D. I routinely substitute faster, more coverage-capable CB and safeties for slower LBs. This isn't cheezy by any means as teams pro and college alike do this all the time. Rarely are LBs on the field during long yardage situations. The only LB that stay on the field at these times are the fastest ones--I am talking 88+ speed. Otherwise, your LB will get toasted by deep routes or drag and crossing routes that require him to chase a much faster receiver all over the field.