How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

[PaulChildres]

Without doing the 32 team user control?

My problem is, I'm in year 2 with Redskins (first year i went 3-13 because RGIII, Almo, and Garcon were injured for 80% of the season)... year 2 I'm in week 17 and I
'm 10-5 with 1 win away from getting a bye in the playoffs. I change the sliders week to week and adjust them to be a tad harder each week, but I've won 10 games this year and lost 4 of them within the last 15 seconds of the game. I should be 14-1. This happened with M13 as well and I was able to get a super bowl caliber roster and retain it for 10-20 years.

I have never used XP points to upgrade my players... After yr 1 I used my 2nd round pick on a stud DT. Used FA dollars to get a solid WR core (Garcon, Heyward-Bay, Andre Roberts, Mario Manningham, Kenny Brit), even picked up a stud FS who has been injured the entire year. My team doesn't have any weaknesses.

Should I trade my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th round draft picks each year for players I will just cut later on?

What are some methods you use to keep everyone else competitve or make it difficult for yourself to build such a dominant roster/team?

[Caveman24]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

Hard enough sliders should do the trick. Try playing by the "no switch" rule. Along with no left sticking,zig zagging if your doing it. Never call the same play twice try to at least call a different play on offense/defense.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

First and foremost a slider set that you like and feel plays the game out like you want.

Second like the above poster stated. The "No Switch" rule is really helpful and makes the game far more challenging. It will force you to actually focus on roster building attributes like awareness and play recognition. I do not use the practice feature as the CPU does not practice. However I do not spend my players XP until after the season has concluded. The only Coach packages I bought right away were scouting points and deveolpment upgrades for all the positions.


The way I "no switch" vs the CPU is different from the "no Switch" we use in SOS. Against the CPU I never switch to any other player (other than on special teams). So If I am the SS at the snap......I stay that player until the conclusion of the play.


Believe me......you will get far better games in having to trust your CPU controlled players than always switching to the nearest player to make the tackle. It's fun IMO. You really start figuring out where you want to play depending on down, distance, situation etc. I have learned to play other positions because of this (yet I am sucking wind in my online 32 team CFM in SOS LMFAO!!). I am getting better at pass coverage, learning to stay at home in my assigned zones, shadow the TE in coverage, reading screens.


And most importantly it starts to put a premium on XP traits and attributes critical for CPU controlled players.


Give it a shot....it takes some getting used to.


I also never, ever user catch on offense. I let the ratings determine the result. On defense if I am controlling the defender and a pass is thrown my way.....I will use my ball hawk....it's hard enough to play defense on M25...I am rewarding myself with a pick attempt. And trust me....it will not happen often.

Also like metioned......use your entire playbook. In fact I gameflow most of my play calls. I will cycle through pass, run and gameplan (as well as Aggresive, Conservative and gameplan on defense) if I do not like the intial suggestion, or if it is repeating the call. rarely will I go to the actual playbook. Typically that is goalline situations or 3 and 1, 4 and 1 and special teams. It really makes a difference too. it forces you to execute your OC/DC calls. It forces you to make pre-snap adjustments more often.

Speaking of audibles and adjustments. I only will hot route one WR at the max vs the CPU and I will only audible in obvious blitz situations where I can try to catch the CPU napping and get him over the top. It makes hitting a deep ball rewarding. And the deep ball is not easy to get on M25 if your playing with a sim approach.


Good luck.

[stp2081]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

Hard enough sliders should do the trick. Try playing by the "no switch" rule. Along with no left sticking,zig zagging if your doing it. Never call the same play twice try to at least call a different play on offense/defense.

I completely agree with this. Also, in addition to this:
-no exploiting the CPU in any possible trades,
-try intentionally letting some good FA's walk in free agency if you had a good season the year before,
-consider changing offense play books before a game (to avoid repeating "money" plays/routes, and then during the game using "Ask Madden" and then using your own discretion to choose 1 of the 3 plays presented),
-and try to avoid excessive hot routing/no huddles.

[PaulChildres]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

interesting no switch rule... I may be the first team to go from 11-5 and winning the SB to 0-16 But it'll be fun trying!

Thanks for the advice guys!

[GoinCakeless]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

I typically only Ask Madden in cpu games, makes me play better after using my discretion to call the plays given. Also, don't just go after great players in FA. Think about what you need and build a scheme. I made one big FA move (Dez Bryant) and the rest were trying to compliment my draft picks and build a strong scheme. I let my starting QB walk after a decent season because I was taking the team in a new direction and started a 76 overall rookie that was a better fit. Makes the game harder, but more fun because you're actually being rewarded with your system when you win the big one

[KingV2k3]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

I use variations of this chart for offseason:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...any-forum.html

Helps "keep it real" versus CPU re: transactions...

I also "raise the ante" by staying 25-30 million UNDER the cap...

As well as allowing only ONE trade every two seasons and only one in season extension...

Lastly, only 3 offers for resign, and let them test FA afterward...

Use the chart as a guideline, and make it as tough as possible...

[mjhyankees]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

Hard sliders are big....Jarrod has some great ones on his slider forum post. I don't do alot of house rules but one thing is I use ask madden on play calling. I may audible if I see something but I don't run the same 3-4 money plays all game.
1. I try to play realistically, not going on 4th unless it's something a real team may consider.
2. I either control all 32 teams and draft and fill rosters etc FAIRLY...OR I allow the cpu to do all INCLUDING my team.
3. When signing free agents, I never try to manipulate the negotiations....I give what he asked or more...never less. I

Your team hardly seems "stacked"....your WR corps is decent but not full of hall of famers by any stretch....try Jarrod's sliders...

[Dynastyyy]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

What are Jarod's slider's? I'm in year 1 of CFM & expect to win big a little more than half the time and play competitive games on the other side. I don't call the same play twice in a row but cpu is still easy to exploit. I'm on all madden with cpu sliders set to 63 except pass coverage which is 80, FG accuracy @ 55, and Punt accuracy @ 80.

[macbranson]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

Definitely give the CPU the advantage when it comes to sliders. Also, I try changing playbooks every couple of games, that way I don't have the same reliable plays that I'm used to. Most importantly, don't exploit the CPU to get players via trades. It's so easy to trade for an 80 rated young player and build him up to a 90 over the course of a season or two. That's really one of the main ways people develop powerhouse teams. Also, give big contracts to important players. That way you're forced to manage the cap and you'll probably have to part ways with good players. And don't practice. It gives you a ton of XP points that you can use to turn scrubs into potential starters.

Just looking through my roster, I'm looking at how many players I have rated over 90 and most of them were originally on my team. Most of my starters were originally on my team except for my LT who I acquired via trade. My two starting WRs I acquired through the draft and free agency. I went 11-5 last season and made it to the Super Bowl, but lost. I've been tinkering with my sliders to get more of a challenge because I've manhandled my first three opponents of the season and I understand your dilemma. I'm trying to get a challenge without having to switch to All Madden difficulty which I hate. But I haven't practiced yet this season and I know I'm going to have some important players in the last year of their contract. I just resigned Cam to a $147 million 6 year extension and I know that's gonna cause some cap problems next season. But that's the kind of thing that real teams deal with and it's why some teams go from being a great team to a bottom of the barrel team in the course of one season.

[LikeUntoGod]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

Before I start, I give the CPU teams 100's of improved players including some "99's". Drop their awr if you want but I make a number of all 99s (HB, QB, MLB etc) and then I try to play against them. I'm not allowed to sign any of these players. The CPU teams are going to get worse every season and you are going to get better. Best way to slow this down is to stack the deck in the CPU's favor. I've also found that it is better if instead of a one man off line league, i make it a one man On line league. That way, i can join any other team on another account, and fix anything that needs to be done.

[mjhyankees]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

What are Jarod's slider's? I'm in year 1 of CFM & expect to win big a little more than half the time and play competitive games on the other side. I don't call the same play twice in a row but cpu is still easy to exploit. I'm on all madden with cpu sliders set to 63 except pass coverage which is 80, FG accuracy @ 55, and Punt accuracy @ 80.

go into the slider forum and look for Jarrod21 (forgot the number but you'll see it). He has a range of sliders he puts up designed for people who now find all madden too easy. the range from challenging to absolutely ridiculous (which he plays on...but he switches, user catches, precision passes etc.). No house rules are needed because it's so hard. I'm on the red setting and getting ready to move up soon but the cpu still is racking up yards on me...my D needs to get better.

[ajra21]

Re: How can I make the rest of the league competitive?

i've started doing three things to help other teams:

1) if i can't trade down during the draft, i'll pick a player that would really fit well with another team and trade him to them during preseason for a 7th round pick or a player they're bound to cut.

2) if i can trade back, then i try not to take the best deal for me. i might pick the trade that gives me only one draft pick or the one that offers me two late round picks over one high round pick.

3) i only draft WCO players. that means i often pick up extra WCO guys later in the draft, even if i don't need them. these guys aren't great but i'll keep them for three years. then i'll re-sign them for six years at a cheap price as soon as i'm allowed. then i'll use all of the XP acquired over the past few years to bump their ability etc up. then i trade them for a late round pick. i've done this around 15 times over the course of the last 7 or 8 seasons. the eagles OL is one of the best because of this. pits burgh's secondary has two of my ex-CBs who are rated in the high 80s. carolina has a really good LB crew due to this. the pats have two WR & a RB of mine due to this.

all of these require some time and effort. but i think it's been worth while.