Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

[ShavarHayes]

I've always wished that EA football titles would put a real effort in the importance of special teams. Mainly, I'd like to see SOME TYPE of FG block improvement. There have been years where users would find glitches...but I'm talking real, sim style blocks. Having a 6'6" DL sticking his paw up, making a game changing play. I think it's long overdue. Especially in NCAA, where punt and field goal blocks happen much more frequently. Any ideas you guys have as to how they could make it work?

[JayD]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

When was the last time you have seen the CPU try and coffin corner the punt? Instead they just boot it in the end zone for a touch back. Not sure why this hasn't been worked on.

[mberry13]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

my team marshall had 20 blocks last year and that was middle of the pack. its has to be changed

[Humperdink]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

When was the last time you have seen the CPU try and coffin corner the punt? Instead they just boot it in the end zone for a touch back. Not sure why this hasn't been worked on.

I see coffin corner attempts but even with the punt accuracy at 99 they rarely get deeper than the 15, and balls NEVER die inside the 10 even if they get dropped in the proper place, they just roll right through the end zone. Punters never get good hangtime, every kick is either returned or a touchback, no fair catches (which accounts for about half of punts in real games), and the return man logic is awful, as GMSS has pointed out repeatedly for years. This has never been right, so I don't expect it to be fixed this gen.

[BrockOchoGOAT]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

I agree with this post 100%!!! Personally, FG Block is not my biggest concern though. There need to be rugby style punts. The need to be WAY more fake punts and fake FGs. Special Teams have just been ignored for a decade and I would love to see some real improvements one the Xbox One.

[SA1NT401]

I've been super simming every punt, FG and Kickoff for about 3-4 yrs now just due to the fact of how awful it's been.

[huntt26]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

Special teams definitely needs a complete overhaul. I'd like to see field goals be a little more challenging, and make it possible (but rare) to block field goals or punts without an exploit.

For example, I like the kicking meter in BackBreaker. Challenging but not impossible. Speed of kick meter should be based on kick accuracy, etc.

[DAWGSfanBC23]

Also of note is how unrealistic the punt animation is. Ever notice how the punter takes one step & booms a 50 yd punt? Realistically, punters take about 3 steps unless they're punting out of their own endzone. This simple fix would make punt blocks possible & add realism to the game IMO.

[StormJH1]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

Very good topic. I think special teams is the sort of thing that you can't market as a way to sell copies, but if it's badly broken, it can very much screw up an otherwise good experience. This may explain the hands-off approach from year to year. (To be fair, I seem to recall some issues with punt returns being stupid easy, which they did fix. My returns are generally between 5-15 yds now, which is good).

I dedicated a whole thread to how bad the FG kicking game is. The CPU is way too accurate, and I think even the old meter system (like free throws in old basketball games) would be better than what we have. Both would suck with lag, though.

The punting A.I. is absurd. It seems like the ONLY time I ever take possession inside my own 10 yard line is if I intercept the ball down there. Any punt from inside the 50 will easily go in the endzone. Even worse, the ball is only capable of bouncing forward, and usually pretty straight, so you really can't kill the ball by kicking it in a high arc.

[prototype12]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

What year was it..07 or 08? Where you could literally block 3 outta 5 FGs in a game..I would play with my friends and literally would each block 3 or 4 a game. So that year they obviously tried to make it easier but it was too easy. Then they just made it impossible again..no in between for them.

[wutangfourever]

Someone else pointed out I believe in the bug thread about punts always bouncing forward. This was never something I paid alot of attention too before reading that comment, I usually play offline against cpu and rarely punt myself. But the punts all bounce forward and fast, there are no dead duck punts or crazy high bounces or back spin on ball. Field position is huge especially in close games and it's damn impossible to pin them under the 10.

Id like to see a tiger woods like interface to control spin after punt.

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[SilverBulletOSU]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

I block extra points in h2h fairly often. Just get one of your edge guys and "jump" the snap (not run them back and get a running start but actually just go for it from the 3-point stance). I get a few offsides but usually pull up when i do that and the other user has always declined the penalty. Sometimes your guy will get a super boost and fly through the air to block it. Twice, the other user picked up the block and was like a mack truck breaking tackles to get a two-point conversion. It is possible and in my opinion the best attempt yet in the franchise. Punting is all sorts of messed up though....as is squib kick and insanely easy user kick returns.

[friscob]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

Great points in this thread so far. I like the idea of manipulating spin on punts so they can bounce other directions since ea ruined punting in this game. Would also like to get rid of or limit pancakes on kickoffs. I've returned so many KOs because both outside blockers pancaked their guys giving me a free path to the end one. Looks so cheezy

[fcboiler87]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

What about scheme? There is as much scheme for special teams as there is for anything. As it stands, there is only one style of each special team. Spread punt, shield punt, different punt return styles, kickoff returns with numbering systems instead of wedges, rugby punt, and on and on.

It is very clear that special teams needs a complete overhaul and has for years.

[canesfins]

Re: Hasn't Special Teams Been Neglected Long Enough?

What year was it..07 or 08? Where you could literally block 3 outta 5 FGs in a game..I would play with my friends and literally would each block 3 or 4 a game. So that year they obviously tried to make it easier but it was too easy. Then they just made it impossible again..no in between for them.

I remember those days...Against another person PAT's weren't even guaranteed and were blocked haha