Bad ending to season -- any suggestions

[rink23]

I just completed a team draft season as the Rams.
I went 13-3 in the regular season, advanced through the first round with a come-from-behind win.
This set up a NFC title game between the Rams and the Buccaneers. We had been the two best teams all season. The key players were the QBs, the Rams featuring Tom Brady and the Bucs, with Peyton Manning.
Well, I lost 49-27.
While not a total surprise. My secondary was lacking in speed and I got burned multiple times.
But the two big things which bothered me, were two calls by the officials.
Late in the first half, Manning threw a touchdown pass where I thought I saw the receiver run across the back of the end zone -- out of bounds -- before making the catch.
I challenged the call, but the review only showed the portion of the play where the receiver was inbounds.
On instant replay, there was no question the receiver had taken multiple steps out of bounds.
Later in the game, on a punt return, my returner fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Buccaneers and returned for a touchdown.
On replay, which I did challenge and was again denied, there is no doubt in my mind that the returners knee was down before the fumble.
I know that from time to time, the CPU is going to mess you over. But in a game of this importance, it really bothers me.
I have not saved the game yet, should I play it over and see if I get a game that isn't quite so CPU biased.

[surlacher54]

That sucks... next time eliminate those opportunities with a better pass rush for your weak secondary?

[rink23]

I agree on having put up a better defense.
But has anyone else had such a key game feature two blown replay calls.
The challenge/replay system was installed to improve football, not make it worse.

[realhawker]

I agree on having put up a better defense.
But has anyone else had such a key game feature two blown replay calls.
The challenge/replay system was installed to improve football, not make it worse.

I've had obvious fumbles and line spots messed up....it happens

[Cannon]

I don't see anything wrong with playing the game over. (because the cpu screwed you) Normally I accept the result of the game but since the refs aren't making proper calls you can just redo it. Had you lost because of dropped passes or other such 'legit' cpu screwing I would say you should accept the loss.

[Precarious42]

Heh, I had a couple very funny calls last game. Obviously some calls are missed by the refs...it just happens. It may look differently on the screen than it does to the game in code, so you just have to get used to the animation.

My favorite call in madden so far:
My LT was blocking their DE on a pass play in the red zone. I go back and throw into the end zone for an incompletion...but, there was apparently holding on the play. I go back and look at it. He blocks him straight out and they're both battling. Then, once the ball missed my WR, both players stopped moving. An entire second later the ref throws his flag and calls my player for holding. They were NOT moving...it was amusing to say the least.

My favorite play in madden ever:
I was playing with some team and my HB was running the ball. A player tackles my guy who falls to the ground and loses the ball sometime. The ball starts in front of my player, then travles through his head, down his body and out his butt. Then bounces up into the other teams hands as they run it in for a touchdown. That was...2005 I think. It was funny. The game just makes mistakes sometimes.

[rink23]

I whimped out and replayed the game.
Same result, but this time it was clean.
35-30 Colts, although what was weird is the halftime score (28-13) was identical to the first time.
I had a chance to win it, driving near the 2 minute warning, but Brady threw an interception and the Bucs ran out the clock.
The Bucs did go on to win the Super Bowl.
So I feel better about the result.

[Warbuck$]

Even if the replay would've shown the receiver stepping out of bounds, it would not have recognized it. The refs are not programmed to make that call. Sorry.

[MLB58]

Last year I was returning a punt and decided not to field it. I ran my return guy out of bounds a few steps, just to get him out of the way. The ball landed, bounced out of bounds, bounced off the return man who was standing out of bounds, and back into the field of play. Ruled a fumble by the game. :eek: Actually a muff, which is another thing the game the game screws up. You can't advance a muff, yet every time my punt returner muffs a punt the other team grabs it and runs.

I've had the other team run out the back of the end zone too, not in such a close game though. I've also had my guy run out the back of the end zone and make a catch, so I guess fair is fair. Such is the imperfect world of Madden football. Refs screw things up in real life, even with replay, but programming errors are very frustrating.

[MLB58]

. You can't advance a muff, yet every time my punt returner muffs a punt the other team grabs it and runs.



I type this yesterday, and then last night the other team muffs I punt, I grab it and the whistle blows the play dead. Now I'm confused. I'm sure my guy has muffed punts before and the other team advanced it. Maybe the CPU is recognizing what I think is a muff as a fumble somehow. Anyone have any thoughts?

[rink23]

After my second loss to the Bucs, I moved on to a second season.
While it was tough for me to improve my secondary -- those speed corners were just not available as free agents -- I was able to add some d-lineman to improve my pass rush.
Through six games, I am 6-0. (I did add a top-notch wide receiver to what was already the best offense in the league). And have won most of my games by comforable margins.
It'll be interesting to see if I can keep it up, as it seems opposing defenses get tougher/smarter the deeper you get into a season.

[Clumzie]

Most of the time the refs get the call correct though.

[rink23]

I have remained perfect through 9 games after squeaking out a 20-17 win over the Vikings (this Vikings team featured Michael Vick at QB and Rudi Johnson at RB), in what was easily my worst game of the season.
The one adjustment I've made with my secondary is, I'm playing a lot more zone so my guys are not getting burned off the ball. It seems both this season and last, the bulk of the TDs I've allowed have been on long pass plays where the receiver just sprints down the field.

[surlacher54]

i played as the raiders in the 06 season after having 1st pick and got leinart... then i went onto a 9-7 record and got in thru wildcard.

I got into the superbowl in spectacular fashion vs. the jets winning a back and forth game 35-32 I scored a touchdown with 13 seconds to go on the jets 2 yd line on 4th and goal with a last second pass to my rookie HB. It was a story book ending. the superbowl was a bit anti-climactic i destroyed seatlle 28-7, with their only touchdown coming in the final 2 minutes... i dunno what was up with them but thye sucked *** and i controlled the ball like 29 minutes to 15 minutes and kept their offense off the field =]

[rink23]

My Rams season has reached 12-0 after a series of close wins.
I think much of the reason the games were close were because of conseravtive playing calling once I got the lead, but the last one, I almost feel a built guilty about.
I was playing a 7-4 Chiefs team which featured at WR - Terrell Owens and Tory Holt, TE - Tony Gonzalez, HB - Willis McGaHee and QB Drew Brees.
I figured, this was not a team I wanted to get into a shoot out with, so my game plan was to predominantly run the ball to control the clock.
It worked early.
Opening possession, I drove 75 yards in 17 plays for a 7-0 lead.
The Chiefs answered back, with a 53-yard TD pass to T.O. on their fifth play to make it 7-7.
I had two more long drives in the first half which resulted in field goals and at halftime I lead 13-10.
Early in the third quarter, Owens caught another long pass, same play my pass rush could not put any heat on Brees, so Owens just broke long and burned my corner (R. Barber) for a 74-yard TD pass.
After that, the game, turned into a series of punts until wth, 1:34 left in the game, I ran a scheme which put three receivers on the left, and my tight end (Antonio Gates, who the defense has been shadowing all night) on the right. He caught about a 15-yard pass, had a couple of defenders bounce off him and ran 68 yards for what was the game-winning touchdown.
While, as the team leader, this play left my ecstatic. On the other hand, it re minded me so much of all the plays which I have burned on.
So with me in the midst of a perfect season, I am waiting so dramaticaly for the other shoe to fall (everthing shaped up for this to be the game).
I just hope the CPU tosses at the me the game I can't win at me soon, because it would seem, almost unfair, for it to happen in the playofs.

[surlacher54]

**** the cpu take it all you greedy little bastard =]

[rink23]

I've decided to take the tack, that maybe this season is a repayment for all those ones where I looked very much like a championship contender and ended up a pretender because somewhere along the line, I ran into a game, where nothing went right.
In my week 13 game I defeated the Bears 45-20 at the Edward Jones Dome.
I set the tone on the opening possesion with a 7 play, 78 yard drive capped by a 9-yard run by reserve HB Willie Parker.
After Chicago, fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, I followed with a field goal.
I led 24-10 at halftime, and while the Bears did have a span where they scored 10 straight points, it was never really close again.
QB Tom Brady ended the game 18-26-1 for 240 yds and 2 TDs.
HB Dominick Davis had 25 carries for 104 yards and 2 TDs
Reserve HB Willie Parker had 11 carries for 79 yards and 2 TDs
Antonio Gates had 7 catches for 113 yards.
In Week 15 - I defeated the Packers 31-6 on a cold, snowy day at Lambeau
This game was not much of a challenge. While I failed to score on my first two possessions, I was still able to build a 24-0 lead by halftime.
Brady finished the game 15-24-0 for 194 yds., 3 TDs
Davis had 24 carries for 135 yds and a TD
Rookie tight end Twan McGrath had 2 catches for 16 yards, both TDs. (Gates is the feature piece of my offense and in a 2-TE set, the rookie is often left wide open. For those of you, who put together fantasy teams, I could not encourage you more to use an early pick on a superstar type tight end, they can do so much for you in terms of dump offs and just turning broken plays into game-breaking plays).
The key to the game, however, was my defense
Cory Dillion was kept in check until a late TD run. He finished with 11 carries for 70 yards.
QB Ben Rothliesberger was 11-27-0 for 165 yards, but was sacked 11 times (the most I've ever registered, I was getting sacks even when not trying for them). Defensive end Kenechi Udeze had five of the sacks.

[DePastino]

The challenge/replay system was installed to improve football, not make it worse.

This is true. However, the challenge system in Madden is only included out of obligation to make the game as realistic as possible and is therefore very limited AI-wise. Who here hasn't wanted to challenge a questionable ball spot after a sideline catch on third down, only to see "Challenge the catch?". NO, dammit! I want to challenge the ball spot! No dice.

I know that, for the sake of immersing myself in the game, I shouldn't over-analyze this stuff. I can't help it though. Madden is still just a sim and has clear boundries. This means that, most of the time, challenge situations are introduced simply as a means to spice things up for the player. Another thing that is aggravating yet unavoidable is replays not correctly displaying penalized infractions. This is because sometimes, the CPU calls penalties just for the hell of it. Or even worse, to help itself out.

For instance, my team has just kicked a field goal to take a 10 point lead with just under two minutes left in the game. I was trying to run out the clock, so the CPU team is out of timeouts. I kick off and get reasonably good coverage downfield, 1st and 10 CPU on their own 26 yard line. All I need to do is not give up the big play. While not in full-out prevent, I am playing off their go-to guy to avoid getting beat deep. Keep in mind that, up to this point, I've been able to hold their offense in check for the most part while remaining virtually penalty-free.

BAM! On first down, the CPU gets a 22 yard completion but the receiver is tackled inbounds. The CPU is in hurry-up, so they race to the line and quickly snap the ball. In the confusion, I manage to slip my 340 lb, slobbering nightmare of a DT through the line untouched. I don't get the sack, but the QB rifles an errant pass into the ground about 6 virtual feet away from the nearest receiver. But wait! Hold everything! Penalty. DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE??? The ball was clearly uncatchable. AAARRRGGHHH!!! Okay, no biggie they still need two scores. They're at my 37 yard line with just over a minute left. 1st down - incomplete pass. 2nd down - incomplete pass. 3rd down - incomplete pass. Fourth down and of course they're going for it. Once again, I manage to slip my 340 lb, slobbering nightmare of a DT through the line untouched. Once again, I fail to get the sack. The QB has to dump it off though and I bring the FB down after a meager 3 yard gain. My ball, game over, right? WRONG!!! Penalty. 15 YARD INTENTIONAL FACE MASK??? WTF???!!! I look at the replay - yes, the defenders hand grazes the face mask of the ball carrier, but that would only be a five yarder tops in real life. 15 yards, putting them at my 20 and STOPPING THE CLOCK with 52 seconds left. No time outs? No problem. The CPU can milk those final 2 minutes of the game like a furloughed prisoner on a conjugal visit. Now by this point, the field has gotten considerably shorter so I've tightened things up accordingly. I decide that, if scoring is inevitable, I'm going down in a blaze of glory. He puts in only 3 WR's, so I call Dime Overload Blitz. Despite reaching the QB relatively quickly, he is able to complete a short dump off to his HB, who is immediately driven into the ground for a loss by my Johnny-On-the-Spot FS. But wait! Hold everything! Penalty. ROUGHING THE PASSER??? Are you kidding me? I'm sure you get the idea.

Another classic scenario with the game winding down and the CPU down is the old "Fumble Equals First Down" play. On third and long, the ball carrier fumbles, I recover and then promptly fumble and the CPU recovers. Voila! Instant first down, clock stoppage and a little yardage to boot. All these bizarro scenarios would be acceptable if they occasionally went in your favor - but they never do. Especially with the game on the line.

I play on All-Pro and the AI pulls this crap. I can't imagine what it's like on All-Madden. The CPU is what it is. The replay doesn't always correspond with the actual call on the field and sometimes, in the heat of the battle, the CPU pulls "miracles" out of it's rear to even things up. It's the price we pay to play an otherwise great sim.

[rink23]

I guess it just was not meant to be.
But at least I still have the playoffs, which it is all about.
Week 16
At Arizona
Rams 19, Cardinals 3
Fell behind 3-0, but dominated after that.
Brady was 18-30-0 168 yds., 1 TD
Davis 27 carries for 137 yards
Antonio Gates 5 catches for 47 yards.
Adam Vinatieri kicked four field goals.
Defense was key.
Clinton Portis had 14 carries for 97 yards, but most of that came early.
Donovan McNabb was 9-16-0 for 77 yards with 7 sacks.
Week 17
Seahawks 44-38, OT
at Edward Jones Dome
In many, many, ways this was a CPU steal.
It's complicated how it all came down, so I'll be brief.
I scored first, a 64-yard TD pass from Brady to Muhamad, but three turnovers in a span of three plays (two Davis fumbles -one that cost me a scoring chance and another that put the Seahawks in scoring position - along with a Brady INT returned for a TD) helped put me down 21-14 at halftime.
Later, a 4-yd. TD run by Davis made it 24-21.
On the very next play, Phillip Rivers threw a 78-yd. TD pass to E. (who) Johnson, making it 31-21.
The Rams scored on their next possession - a 5 yard pass from Brady to McGrath - making it 31-28.
On the next play from scrimmage, David Rivers threw an 80-yd. TD pass to Rashaun Woods, to make it 38-28.
Somehow, the Rams managed to tie it. Vinateri kicked a field goal and Joe Horn caught a 4-yd. TD pass from Brady with 4 seconds left in the game.
(I should have gone for 2 and the win, all game long the CPU was trying to screw me and I should have tried to avoid going to OT).
Three plays into OT, Mike Williams outleaped 3 DBs to catch a 44 yard TD pass from Rivers for the game-winning TD.
Good-bye perfect season.
Oh well, again, that's not what counts.
It's what happens in the next few weeks.
Numbers from Game 16
Brady 44-38-2 276 Yds., 4 TDs
Davis 37 carries for 122 yards, 1 TD
Gates 8 catches, 87 yards
Muhammad 3 catches, 84 yards, 2 TDs
Seahawks
Rivers 16-29-0 5 TDs, 441 yds.
R. Woods 4 catches for 140 yds., 1 TD
Dante Hall 4 for 114 and 1 TD
Eric Johnson 3 for 109 and 1 TD
Mike Williams 3 for 71 and 2 TDs
In the second round of the playoffs, I'll face the Vikings (10-7), who defeated the Falcons 21-20 in the opening round.

[rink23]

I advanced through the NFC playoffs with a couple of close wins. I'll face the Chiefs -- the best team I've seen from an offensive weapon standpoint , I beat them 20-17 in Week 13 -- in the Super Bowl.
NFC Divisional Playoffs
At Edward Jones Dome
Rams 41, Vikings 22
This game did not begin good at all.
On my first pass attempt, Kelly Hendron jumped a screen to my halfback for a 35-yard interception return.
I tied it at 7-7, but again fell behind 14-7 after a long pass play.
I grabbed the lead early in the second half and cruised from there
Stats
Brady 17-21-1 204 yds., 1 TD
Davis 31 carries for 141 yds. 1 TD
Parker 22 carries for 90 yds.
Joe Horn 6 catches 102 yards, 1 TD
Antonio Gates 6 catches 64 yds., 2 TDs
Vikings
Michael Vick 10-15-2, 1 TD 184 yds., 6 sacks all in second half (I went aftr him hard once I got up by 10 pts).
Rudi Johnson 7 carries for 21 yds.
A key to the game was Vikings MLB Dan Morgan left the game early in the second quarter, this really opened up things for my running game in the 2nd half.
NFC Championship Game
Rams 30, Lions 21
I dominated this game so badly early on, it almost cost me the win.
I scored on my first two possessions, and after the Lions lost their QB (Duante Culpepper) for the game to an injury, I figured it would be a rout.
Little did I down, driving for another score, Brady got intercepted by Robert Thomas (who in reality is one of the worst LBs in the NFL) who brought it back 99 yards for a TD.
(Up 10-0, I sat my halfback - Dominik Davis - looking to save him for next week, and that's the drive Brady threw an INT for a TD).
A second interception of Brady set up another score, as Tuasospo connected with Roy Williams on a 38 yard TD pass which put the Lions, who were trailling in terms of offensive yards 2-1, up 14-10 at halftime.
The Lions extended their lead to 21-10 early in the fourth quarter when Tuiaosopo hit rookie Eddie Lopez with a 16-yard TD pass.
But I ralllied, with three straight scoring drives.
Parker scored on a 5-yard run, Brady scored from a yard out and Davis put it away with a 2-yard run with just under two minutes remaining.
Key stats
Passing
Brady 14-21-3, 0 TDs, 158 yds
Rushing
Davis 32 carries 151 yards, 1 TD
Parker 12-50, 2 TDs
Receiving
Muhammad 5 catches for 54 yards
Passing
Tuiaosopo 5-9-1, 120 yds, 1 TD, 6 sacks
\

[rink23]

It was not pretty, but I beat the Chiefs 12-7 in the Super Bowl.
I never found the end zone. I got close plenty of times, but sacks, penalties and incomplete passes kept me from crossing the goal line.
Fortunately, Vinatieri kicked FGs of 40, 27, 31 and 26 yards.
I jumped up 3-0, but the Chiefs took a 7-3 lead on a 40-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe to Terrell Owens.
I bounced back to get two field goals in the final 1:51 of the first half.
The first with 1:51 left. I than forced a three-and-out and followed it up with a drive capped by a 31-yard field goal that gave me a 9-7 lead at the half.
I than opened the second half with a long drive, I got to the 3 before moving backward, that Vinatieri ended with his 26-yarder.
After that, it was all about ball control.
The Chiefs did have one drive deep into my territory in the final minutes, but DeShea Townsend intercepted Bledsoe at around the 15 with just over a minute left. I than ran out the clock.
Again, the key to the game was ball control, as I ran 70 plays to just 41 for KC.
I also have to question the KC coach, who ran the ball so much. In the end, Tony Gonzalez, Torry Holt and Terrell Owens combined for just 7 catches for around 80 yards and they only tried to throw the ball down the field a handful of times.
MVP was OLB Brandon Short, who had seven tackles and 2 sacks. I had five sacks for the game. I as threw the house on Bledsoe on every down on that last possession.
Final individual stats
Brady 17-29-0, 175, 0 TD
Davis 29-104
Parker 8-54 -- big key as he gained valuable yardages when Davis was gassed.
Gates 5-65, it was tough to get the ball to him.
Kevin Curtis, 4-42, some key first-down catches
Bledsoe 9-19-1, 100 yards, 1 TD
Willis McGahee 18-72

[surlacher54]

uhm..what difficulty do you play on?

[rink23]

I play on All-Pro, using some sliders I picked up some where.
I've used them I think for four seasons and have gotten better each year.
I should have tweaked them -- especially, once I changed my offensive philosophy, lots of short passes, rarely throwing down the field, thus Brady's high completion percentage -- but I just wanted to win it all once before I did that.

[CutThatMeat]

Usually I try to compensate for the CPU's cheating, but I try to do it fairly. I let some of the little ones go, but if a unrealistcally blown call occurs or something stupid happens, I compensate. For example my DB's decide to pop a squat and watch the sideline rather than do anything that remotely resembles defense, or a WR clearly only has 1 foot in bounds, I may slam the CPU's sliders down to zeros until I get the ball or until they are on the down they should on, etc.

I also note when the CPU cheats in my favor (rarely, but it happens) and then the CPU team gets a freebie when they decide to cheat.

The only thing I cannot stand is what I like to call the "cheat engine". When the 4th quarter offense becomes and insane juggarnaut the likes of which the nfl has never seen. Every now and then it is ok for an offense to get 150 4th quarter yards, even though they've gotten only 150 the whole game, but it happens waaaaaaaay too much. I'm still trying to figure out how to move the sliders (or something) to make it fair without giving me or them an insane advantage

[rink23]

I've continued on with this madden franchise
I stayed on All-Pro and gone to default sliders.
The result is an 8-1 start and a defense that is giving up barely over 100 yards of total offense per game.
Offensively, I am not quite as good as I have been the previous two years, but I still average in the high 20s becuause my defense is so good.
I lost the opener -- got pretty much run over -- and I figured that things were square, considering how much I had improved offensively.
But ever since than, I have dominated -- even a game I played like crap (Brady thrwew three INTs, I still won 31-20 because of the defense -- and I just need to move to the next level.
Does anyone have any slider suggestions for someone who is going to All-Madden for the first time, so he does not get overwhelmed with the difference in gameplay.

[rink23]

I stayed on All-Pro mode, but enhanced the CPU.
I got off to a 11-1 start but than dropped two in a row going into a Wk 16 home game with the 49ers.
It didn't go well.
I fell behind early. I think I got called for eight penalties in the first half, most either negating decent gains or preventing plays that looked wide open from being run.
Brady got injured, just for the game.
I trailled 10-3 at halftime, before tying it midway through the final quarter.
I stopped the CPU on what it should have been its final possession. It than punted me deep at my own 1-yard line with about 1:10 remaming.
Over the course of the next five plays. I was called for four penalties.
Each time, the penalty turned a gain that put me at the 3 or 4 yard line back at the 1 or half yard line.
Finally just one play from putting myself in position where I could run the lock out. I was called for another illegal motion penalty. This forced me once again to run a play from my 1/2 yard line.
This time I was stopped in the end zone for what should have been a game-losing safety.
I responded by turning off my X-Box.

[bucfanstamp]

today...

broncs (me) vs. patriots

last second throw by brady to branch in the back of the endzone..branch gets one foot in and the other out by 2 feet at least...i challenge and get denied for the last second cheap call loss. i turn the game off, throw my controller, soil myself and then play them again. 42-17 rout. just play that team again if you get a BS call. this game isn't perfect..sometimes it will miss close calls and i'm ok with that, but in the even that its such an easy replay call sometimes you have to force the game to make right calls for you...even if it does waste time.

[spoutcast]

Does anyone have any slider suggestions for someone who is going to All-Madden for the first time, so he does not get overwhelmed with the difference in gameplay.

i would say that every season just put the cpu 1 click up on every slider and play maybe like 4 or 5 games that season or something and see how you do. then try all madden with the sliders fairly low and see how that is. no other suggestions besides making smart decisions as qb and rb