Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

[Palo20]

There has been a lot of talk about defense, and it definitely needs to be upgraded for Madden 12. I'll let the smart football people talk about gap control and run fits and the important mechanics of defensive football.

I want the option to determine my pre-snap look. This would bring a ton of variety to the defensive side of ball in both user games and games against the CPU (instead of seeing the safeties standing right next to the CBs showing the Double CB Blitz).

So, I'd like to see one extra option after picking plays: choose the "look." If I choose 4-3 Cover 2, I then get to decide if I'm going to disguise it, or show a generic look. My options can include:

--2 High Safeties
--1 High Safety (20 yds. deep)
--8 in the box
--Show "A" Gap Blitz
--Show "B" Gap Blitz
--Show "C" Gap Blitz
--Show Safety Blitz
--Show Man
--Show Overload Blitz (Jets, Ravens)
There are a number of options that could be included.

This would make for great variety when playing CPU teams as long as team tendencies are done properly.

--Teams like the Eagles, Rams, Giants, Bears, Bengals and more like to show "A" Gap blitz a lot. Sometimes the LBs blitz, sometimes one drops back, sometimes it's Cover 2.

--Teams like the Colts don't do a whole lot of disguising.

--The Saints use one really deep FS for the most part with their SS lurking in and around the box

--Then you have the Jets or Steelers who like to crowd the line and show pressure almost every play, even if they don't send extra people.

All about creativity and make defense less stale, whether you are playing defense or on offense trying to figure out what the defense is doing.

[CreatineKasey]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

What's important about this is that it'd take away some of the automatic pre-snap looks in-game. Right now, unless you show blitz, your opponent can figure out if you're in a cover 2, base 3, or 4 almost every time. Not forcing your opponent to read the play post-snap is a travesty IMO. Show blitz should give a multitude of looks, based on user settings and playcall.

Basically, your strategy shouldn't be foiled because your opponent knows the playcall on D even though you try to hide it. It's really hard to be deceptive at the moment.

[roadman]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

I'd like enough time to call these pre-snap reads as well.

[Palo20]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

I'd like enough time to call these pre-snap reads as well.

Well hopefully with my idea this would be done at the playcall screen (in the huddle) rather than at the line.

[dirtguru]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

All of the threads regarding defense recently have been excellent. I would assume that dev's at EA are taking note.
I have found that there is time for multiple pre snap adjustments in M10 and M11 against CPU Peyton Manning and to a lesser extent Tom Brady and Drew Brees as they seem to be programmed to make more pre snap adjustments as well.
Against all others A.I. usually just lines up in whatever formation and snaps the ball, If I get 3 or 4 seconds I can sometimes move a few guys but sometimes I get stuck controlling the wrong player instead of the MLB which I prefer most of the time.
Time to make pre snap adjustments and a "Choose A Look" option would huge improvements along with more realistic o and d line interaction/pocket forming and gap/blocking assignments.

[Palo20]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

Here are some of the Saints' Single High Safety Looks. Notice how deep they play Sharper, and how it opens up for a variety of pressure looks from Gregg Williams' defense.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/whAizypoGZI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/whAizypoGZI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Also a ton of views at this link:

http://brophyfootball.blogspot.com/search/label/Gregg%20Williams

[jvaccaro]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

custom plays and custom playbooks are also badly needed IMO

[TreFacTor]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

Honestly, nothing was wrong with the old system...another situation in which something was changed for the sake of making a change. Adjustments should be made at the line, looking at the Colts VS Chargers, the MLB called out the audibles based on the call Manning was doing, and the safety was calling out the coverages. Other than the ability to shade, properly use Man Align and a few minor additions like defensive line stunts, I would simply return to the old presnap menu with improvements.

[BezO]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

I've asked for this a few times, so I definitely dig the idea. I just hope EA puts this in line BEHIND tiering the defensive play calling and gap/contain assignments.

But this is good stuff. Aside from balancing the gameplay, there needs to be more strategy involved. As it stands, we just pick "plays", dance with blockers & run into ball carriers.

[rudygay]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

I think you ask to much for Tiburon team.In august our hopes will die once again...sadddd!!!

[Palo20]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

custom plays and custom playbooks are also badly needed IMO

Yes, absolutely. This would be ideal.

I'd really like to see an online create a play/playbook feature set up like Teambuilder.

[XXL78]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

I think getting the man lock back and man align back would go s long way as far as disguising your defenses

[BigUnit]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

This would be a great way to get team defenses to play differently. After watching the Steelers last night, they have Polamalu near the line all the time. You would never see this from the Colts or other "Cover 2" teams.

This would be a great addition.

[tlc12576]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

These type of things would be awesome in Madden but I think the devs look at this stuff and think "not casual friendly". I don't understand why they can't build a complicated, NFL sim and then add preset difficulty settings for different skill levels. If a beginner doesn't know how or doesn't want a complex "chess match", give them a simple setting to choose something simpler..

I hope they dont just focus on the franchise mode in Madden 12 and still do NOTHING to mke Madden more strategic and cerebral. Imagine going online, playing someone on a All-NFL setting and actual getting your butt kicked because you got out schemed, not glitched/chessed all game. I look foward to the day I can get beat online 50-3, ala Bill Belicheat's 2007-08 Pats because my opponent knew football better than me.

We all should have an OPTION to set Madden on a difficulty setting to make it as in-depth and close to the NFL we feel comfortable with. Get rid of the All-Madden setting and give us a All-NFL setting. I hope the devs consider this when creating Madden 12 and then MAYBE when can actually get a game that satisfies different skill levels, not just casuals.

[1_two_3_forte]

Re: Overhauling Defense: Pre-Snap Looks

Ea has got a lot of things missing on the game of Madden that is in real life.

Pre-snap looks is one of them. For one, if they did take heed to your suggestion, they would have to do it right. We should be able to disguise our coverages into whatever presnap look we want, but we should also be penalized dearly for giving a presnap look that doesn't fit the defense. For example, in your Saint's video, the Saints were showing single high safety. Essentially, you wouldn't be 100 percent sure on what coverage they are running until post snap. Single high safety pre snap looks are either cover 1 man or cover 3 zone. If Madden allows us to give different pre snap looks (And I hope they do) players in Madden would show this single high safety look even if they were actually playing cover 4 zone and cover 2 zone. Ea should make sure that if you get caught showing a presnap look that doesn't fit the defense, that you should pay post snap.

For instance, if you are in a single high snap look and your actually playing cover 2 zone, the safety that is in the box should get beat deep downfield easily because he is out of position pre snap. The safety would have to turn his hips early with his back to the quarterback, and race upfield if a receiver is running downfield on his side. All because he was in the box at the snap of the ball trying to disguise the cover 2. The single high safety could get beat down field easily on his side for being out of position if they were actually in a cover 2 zone because he is too far from the sideline being that he is deep down the MIDDLE of the field instead of on the hashmarks like he should be in cover 2 zone.

All I'm saying is, is if they are going to allow us to show different pre-snap looks, make sure that if we get caught out of position because of the pre-snap look, that we can give up big plays. This will give us bigtime risk and rewards.