Defense? Help!

[loadleft]

Where can I find a guide or forum or something that will give me the basics of play calling, especially defense! I have the VG Sports stuff and it's not really what I'm looking for. It's good about telling you the in and outs of individual plays, but I'm looking for something that says: the best play for runs up the middle is... or the best formation for short yardage situations in the red zone is... In other words, in my opinion the VG Sports stuff requires to have too much "pre-knowledge" before it is very useful and there sites and tools aren't set up so you that you can go back to the beginning and learn the basics and progress from there. From what little I know about football there aren't a whole lot of defensive plays as much as there are coverage-schemes and formations. To open up a formation and see a bunch of plays that seem designed to be weak in some area is a bit daunting for someone like me with minimal knowledge. Can anyone help? I've been out football gaming for about 4-5 years and it is a lot different now obviously

[kbell97]

I will tell you what I like for a red zone play on 3rd and goal from about the 5 yard line and beyond, I like to use the 3-4 cover max plays, especially cover 2 max, I have yet to try and use the nickel and dime cover max plays in this situation. Now if you are facing the athletic QB a change in philosiphy might be different it that particular situation.

[loadleft]

my problem is more establishing a philosphy. which is better zone or man to man? use which in what situation? how do you put enough pressure on the qb and still cover adequately? I've tried manually blitzing but most of the time find two men quite easily block 3 of mine. I trying to figure out is it a lack of controller skills or is it lack of understanding of how to penetrate. basically I'm trying to learn to play the game well and am looking for guidance (excuse spelling)

[djwill13]

here's a lil of what i've learned

if you know for a fact that it's going to be a run, 3rd and short or whatever, call a 5-2, bring in your dline, bring your corners down, spread you LB's.

for passes, i'm liking the 3-3-5 zone blitz and middle blitz. both provide heat while still allowing you to drop back into a zone

effective formations for stoppoing the run 3-4, 4-3,3-3-5, 5-2, 4-4 (really useful against the option)

effective formations for stopping the pass 4-3 and 3-4 for short yardage, nickel, dime, 3-3-5

[loadleft]

How many different plays do you use on "D"? just one for every situation or do you have several for each?

[kbell97]

it depends on the offenseive formation and your philosiphy, do you like to blitz a lot or play zone, man to man.

[djwill13]

multiple ones

i like 5-2 mad blitz, 4-3 hulk, 3-3-5 zone and middle blitz, 3-3-5 quarters, nickle middle blitz, nickel man cover 2. 3-3-5 cover 3 switch, those are the ones i can remember for passing situations

5-2 mad blitz, 4-4 over man i can't think of any others that i use to stop the run, but i'll let you know later

[loadleft]

what player do you control on defense? do you play zone with him or do you play man if he's a coverage player, if he's on the line or a LB do you pass rush or just allow the CPU to do so?

[djwill13]

depends on what i see and what d i call. this one is a lil harder to explain. in order to control someone, you must understand what his responsibility is. if you are just beginning, i suggest you learn to play with your d line men this way you won't mess up any of your defensive assignments.

me personally, i play with the FS or the MLB. the majority of the time i don't send my MLB on a blitz. i like controlling the middle and i normally make solid decisions, but this takes a vast knowledge of the defense you've called and every players assignments. if you want to take the time to learn what happens, go into practice mode and see how the defense reacts to a play by viewing it in instant replay. even drawing diagrams of the play will give you a basic understanding.

hope this helps

[loadleft]

thanks, I'm going to try and pratice these things and I'm sure I'll be back with questions hope you guys are around

[djwill13]

go into practice mode and get the view that pulls the camera all the way back so that you can see the assignments on both offense and d

[McMadden]

Also the Bend but Don't break philosophy works as well. Pick formations that will place a DB on each Wide Receiver, IE don’t pick a 4-3 formation for a 4WR set but use the Dime and vice versa, Dime for short yardage against an I- formation, ( a run will eat you alive). Start from there then work on your man to man, and zones, and zone blitzes. With man to man look for Cover 2 and up if you suspect a passing play.

That’s where I would go and start as a reference point when practicing and developing your defensive philosophy.

[djwill13]

playin man to man, is a sure fire way to get your secondary rattled. i seldom do it after learning the hard way. my cousin was playin as miami and just marched down the field on me. lol

i say play zone and use zone blitzes unless your playin with LSU or FSU or miami. they have the secondary to handle man to man

[kbell97]

Playin man to man on pass defense is just asking to get beat deap, the games I have played so far I mainly play zone the whole game, I still mix 1 or 2 man to man plays. Playing zone makes your opponet really have to read the defense, and fire the ball in the open window against your zone, because the open window closes pretty quick.

[McMadden]

With man to man look for Cover 2 and up if you suspect a passing play.

That’s where I would go and start as a reference point when practicing and developing your defensive philosophy.

Did you guys read that part? I to learned the hard way.