Special Teams - Yearly Rant

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  • ChicagoChris
    60526
    • Jul 2002
    • 1547

    #1

    Special Teams - Yearly Rant

    Here is my yearly rant on special teams. You know the 1/3 of the game that each year gets consistently ignored.

    For all you guys that go to community events or get an advance preview, take a look at special teams.

    I am all for the other stuff (tackling animations, new pass trajectory etc) but for once I just want to kick or punt and have the chance that perhaps a kick can get blocked or a kick returned.

    Feel free to comment but remember..this is 1/3 of the game that is always ignored.
  • LastExit
    Rookie
    • Apr 2012
    • 328

    #2
    Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

    I'm with you all the way on this, with the exception that I've returned a kickoff for a TD a few times (it's not easy....but it isn't easy in real life).

    But the complete lack of punts and field goals/extra points being blocked is silly. In earlier iterations of the game you had a hope to block a game-winning field goal.....now it is impossible (or there's some secret way of doing it that I'm unaware of). I really miss this because being able to block a kick now and then adds to the realism of the game and it's not asking too much from the development team.

    Comment

    • prototype561
      Rookie
      • Oct 2007
      • 269

      #3
      Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

      Wel,l i can block a fg every few games on 12 so thats not a problem for me. I have had quite a few kick returns also even though its not realistic. Basically I run straight and my blockers knock every player down in front of me. I have only returned 1 punt return on this years game. Never blocked a punt. I think they don't address these issues because it must be hard to balance out. It seems like you can return to many kickoffs/punts or not any. These usually overdo things so i guess this is what we will have until next gen.

      Comment

      • Broncos86
        Orange and Blue!
        • May 2009
        • 5505

        #4
        Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

        One major drill taught during punt and kick returns is how to run with a man and suddenly cut in front to block. That's a key component. In NCAA 12, the blockers would run down, then do this odd loop to get turned around and nobody would block. When I play, I ALWAYS take another man back to help block.

        During the gameplay presentation, I noticed blockers getting this mechanic right: stutter-step, turn, block. When I saw that, I nodded. So I punts and kick offs will see some improved blocking.

        Comment

        • MathisJones
          Rookie
          • Jul 2011
          • 85

          #5
          Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

          I can block FG's easily - trick is to take the guy to the far left, jump the snap & you're golden. Make sure he has good acceleration.

          I have returned plenty of kickoffs, too. Usually needs to be a kick outside the hashes, run straight, get your tight ends/fullbacks to get a block or 2 & you're off.

          I have returned punts, but it takes calling punt block return. Keeps the opponent from gunning. Only problem with this is when you get called for clipping, the opponent will decline it every time you don't score a TD. Even if you get tackled at the one. So when I see the flag, I fall down.

          I have blocked ONE punt in the 100 or so games I've played. All out punt block on the one yard line. My back up true freshman SS sneaked in & got it. Resulted in a safety.

          I think special teams are pretty good, except I've never had a kick blocked on me. I've given up a few TD's on returns. Only issue is trajectory of field goals, but it's whatever as long as the results are realistic.
          Florida State Seminoles

          Comment

          • MillsapsMan
            Rookie
            • Apr 2012
            • 11

            #6
            Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

            Its not even the lack of blocks that upsets me, its the fact that there is no variety in the special teams.

            For instance Not every team in the country uses that same punt formation, many have now switched to the more spread out style.

            I just wish for once they would address details, I know I'm dreaming

            Comment

            • ChicagoChris
              60526
              • Jul 2002
              • 1547

              #7
              Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

              Good info...but one block every 100 games is not realistic. Also, how about punt blocks up the middle? I have blocked a few coming from the far left/right as well.

              It's the variety that the poster above stated. There is just a lack of variety. Here's hoping 2013 improves on that.

              Comment

              • BenGerman
                No Place Better
                • Sep 2008
                • 2752

                #8
                What some people don't seem to understand is, while you may be able to block kicks and return them on a fairly regular basis, the CPU cannot. For me, that's a deal breaker. Anything the CPU can't do, I try not to do either. What EA needs to do is change the success rate of the blockers. About 1 in every 5 block attempts, someone gets through. Out of those who get through, about one in 3 actually make the block. That gives you about a 1/4 chance of having a blocked kick or punt in a game.
                Writer for Operation Sports

                Gamertag (Xbox One): Bengerman 1031
                PSN Name: BadNewsBen

                Twitter: @BadNewsBenV
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                Comment

                • Pokes404
                  MVP
                  • Jun 2008
                  • 1720

                  #9
                  Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                  Some bad snaps on punts and field goals wouldn't hurt anything either. I don't think there's a better example of how stale, scripted, and robotic the gameplay in these games can be than the fact that every snap is a perfect one on punts and field goals. Really, how long could it take to add a couple bad snap/bobble animations? And if they're really that concerned about people getting mad over a bad snap at the end of a game, give us an option to turn it on/off. Or better yet, come up with a human-controlled mechanic for snaps so it isn't just a random occurrence.

                  EDIT: In memory serves me correctly, there actually is a snap that makes the punter jump sideways. So in all fairness, my claim that every snap is "perfect" isn't quite true. However, I don't think there's any difference in the time it takes for the punter to get the ball off, and even with a straight shot, you're not going to be able to get there. So, it really doesn't make any difference.
                  Last edited by Pokes404; 04-25-2012, 09:40 AM.

                  Comment

                  • ODogg
                    Hall Of Fame
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 37953

                    #10
                    Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                    I just wish the ball wouldn't always bounce the same way on punts!
                    Streaming PC & PS5 games, join me most nights after 6:00pm ET on TwitchTV https://www.twitch.tv/shaunh20
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                    Comment

                    • JerzeyReign
                      MVP
                      • Jul 2009
                      • 4847

                      #11
                      Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                      Originally posted by Pokes404
                      Some bad snaps on punts and field goals wouldn't hurt anything either. I don't think there's a better example of how stale, scripted, and robotic the gameplay in these games can be than the fact that every snap is a perfect one on punts and field goals. Really, how long could it take to add a couple bad snap/bobble animations? And if they're really that concerned about people getting mad over a bad snap at the end of a game, give us an option to turn it on/off. Or better yet, come up with a human-controlled mechanic for snaps so it isn't just a random occurrence.
                      Just put the bad snaps and stuff under the 'Sim Mode' option and put the current 'perfect play' stuff in a default/casual mode option like 2k.

                      I know how to block XPs easily -- punts are foreign to me though. That 1/3 is certainly missing in the game.
                      #WashedGamer

                      Comment

                      • JerzeyReign
                        MVP
                        • Jul 2009
                        • 4847

                        #12
                        Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                        Originally posted by ODogg
                        I just wish the ball wouldn't always bounce the same way on punts!
                        They said they fixed it.
                        #WashedGamer

                        Comment

                        • ODogg
                          Hall Of Fame
                          • Feb 2003
                          • 37953

                          #13
                          Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                          Originally posted by SalutationsNJ
                          They said they fixed it.
                          That would be awesome if they did, it's my pet peeve.
                          Streaming PC & PS5 games, join me most nights after 6:00pm ET on TwitchTV https://www.twitch.tv/shaunh20
                          or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@shaunh741

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                          • Pokes404
                            MVP
                            • Jun 2008
                            • 1720

                            #14
                            Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                            Originally posted by ODogg
                            That would be awesome if they did, it's my pet peeve.
                            I didn't play NCAA 12 much, are you saying there's a limited number of bounces, which gets repetitive? Or does the ball literally bounce the exactly same way on every punt?

                            Comment

                            • Big FN Deal
                              Banned
                              • Aug 2011
                              • 5993

                              #15
                              Re: Special Teams - Yearly Rant

                              Originally posted by SalutationsNJ
                              Just put the bad snaps and stuff under the 'Sim Mode' option and put the current 'perfect play' stuff in a default/casual mode option like 2k.

                              I know how to block XPs easily -- punts are foreign to me though. That 1/3 is certainly missing in the game.
                              Exactly. Also add more variety to punt and kick formations, like someone else mentioned, on both sides of the ball. Meaning don't just have the basic FG/Extra Point plays, add directional protection and block attempt plays.

                              Take a page from Tecmo Bowl and require gamers to decide whether to protect the middle, left or right and the defense to decide which area to attack for a block. I am not saying selecting the wrong protection automatically equals a block but it should increase the chances. This way both the CPU and User have to be mindful of blocks every time.

                              Not to mention, it would be nice to have a "real FG/Punt" percentage option that no matter how good I User kick/punt, it still maxes out according to the players ratings.

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