How To Stop The Deep Bomb?

[INeedDefense]

I dont claim to have a Boob Stoops like defense, but I've been getting better at holding my own. As I found out in my last game, I cannot defend the deep pass against a solid team. Even though my offense gained over 300 yards and 24 points and had the ball almost 3/4ths of the game, my opponent averaged about 50 yards a pass and I was helpless to stop him.

Running out of a 4 wide shotgun set, would set his #1 and #2 WRs on fly patterns. I started taking to controlling either the FS or SS and picking a side to defend, after an INT and a few batted balls, he would just start throwing to whichever side I was not defending.

Afterwards I realized by biggest problem may not have been coverage, but lack of pressure as I was not blitzing and hurrying his throws. But what is the best defense/strategy to use here?

Thanks

[TrojanNole]

Forget the BEND BUT DONT BREAK in 05! Pressure, Pressure, and more pressure the way I see it. The filmroom blitz's are about all I do now. I know its a highrisk/highreward D, but its been working lately.

[Tommie Frazier]

Forget the BEND BUT DONT BREAK in 05! Pressure, Pressure, and more pressure the way I see it. The filmroom blitz's are about all I do now. I know its a highrisk/highreward D, but its been working lately.

I don't necessarily agree with this as the bend but don't break defense can be pretty successful in 2005. I run a cover two...whether I'm in man or in zone...almost 100% of the time and what it does is make your opponent work for his points. Most players online want the quick TD and will throw it long whenever they can...so if you can throw in a little Safety help then it makes a big difference. My philosophy is that there are very few people online that know what they are doing when calling offensive plays. So if you make them call more plays they are more apt to make a mistake...ie Interception...Fumble or TO on Downs.

The thing is...you have to learn how to defend the bomb manually. Use your L1 (PS2) button whenever you are in a crowd. I only go for the interception when I am the only player in the area or beat the receiver to the spot. There have been too many times when I have gone for the interception when even with the receiver and have gotten burned.

So patience is my friend on defense. :D

[Air Raid]

I too play a defensive strategy like Tommie does....I play a lot of zone and mix in the blitz when I have them on the ropes.....I love to play 3-3-5 quarters and blitz with the MLB off the corner (the spy on the play, pinch the LBs and move him to one side or the other)...I also love to use the Nickle Crash 3 and blitz the Nickle Back.....my keys on defense are to use adjustments and plays that look the same at the line of scrimmage but give you different coverages and blitz's once the play is in motion....I also like this strategy this year because of the dropped balls and momentum factors....if you can get your opponent to have to throw more than 2 or 3 times in an offensive series the more likely his recievers will start to drop balls and lose confidence....use double teams (Double Outs and Double Slots) and safety help (Cover 2, 3) to stop the deep stuff and practice your stick skills.......Plus I like to always manual blitz someone on every play either through a gap or off the edges to keep the pressure on the QB, because Trojan is right, you have to bring pressure at least once in while or your opponent will get comfortable and pick you apart if he knows what he is doing......

[Answerman21]

It you are late to the play try using L2 and Square at the same time and that usually knocks to ball away but if my safety gets there in time I go for the pick or try to deflect the pass. Mix up your zones and blitzes and don't always control someone that is supposed to blitz. I like to control the MLB sometimes he blitzes and sometimes if I call it I manually drop back in coverage or pick up the man he is on.

[Fla.Boy]

If you truly want to stop the deep ball go into nickel and use the nickel double x or z if there is a RB in the backfield choose the man guarding him and check and see if the RB is blocking or has a route if he is blocking this will allow you to freelance the middle of the field for short routes while the deep ball is double covered if he has a route use the DE and put pressure on the QB.

[M-Dub?]

In my experience, 3-3-5 FS Spy works extremely well against the deep ball, at least when it's thrown to the outside receivers. Everyone is in man, except your 2 SSs, who drop back into zone on either side of the field. Drop back your secondary and control the FS. Be careful for slants over the middle or a fast QB scrambling on you for the first down. But I'd much rather give that up than a cheesy bomb play for 40-50 yds.

[oukurt]

"I dont claim to have a Bob Stoops like defense"

I think Mike Stoops is what you are looking for. After Mike left the D Coord job at OU for the dry air of Arizona, the Sooner D has never been the same. Norm Chow was not too impressed with that Oklahoma D.
OK...painful memory there.

Good info in this thread.