Defensive dynamics to build your own plays around

[GAV]

I've been labbing some pressure man D's lately with the Giants.

I start out in 2 man under and always leave at least ONE safety up top. I use one of your overload tips, maybe blitz two LBs on the left side and playmaker the RE and WDT to blitz straight down. Put my SDT on a QB contain and drop the LDE in coverage (usually coverage, or purple) and use the SS near the line and man him up on an uncovered man. Control the FS and roam.

I would do that and mix in a lot of coverages; such as putting the left corner in a yellow/flat and stay over the top and trust my #1 corner, leave him in single coverage. Have to bump and run of course.

Man D + bump + pressure can be just as good, if not better then zone blitzes if you set them up right. I'm pretty sure RG won an MC with some man D with pressure, it can be done and be very effective.

The Giants are unique. Their D-Line is one of the best, if not the best. Start Tuck and Osi at ends, Robbins and Coefield. Then start Madison and Webster (92 man CVG each and 88 & 89 zone cvg) and put Aaron Ross at FS and Butler at SS. Put Kenny Phillips (6'1", 93 speed, 80+ tackling, 90+ jump) as your 4th corner and T. Thomas as your 3rd (6'0", 93 speed, 95 jump). Use the 46 normal speed package and you have some nice versatility and you can match up with any personnel. Thomas, Pierce, Phillips are your LBs. Plenty of speed on the field. And the Giants OLBs are horrible since Kiwanuka moved back to DE, so it's not like your benching any all-stars.

Good idea personnel-wise.

When you're creating blitzes, how close the LB is to the LOS is key. If he reaches the blocker before the DL, he'll create for the DL. If the DL reaches the LOS first, he'll take the block and create space for the LB. One way I've found to create pressure up the gut with 3 man lines is to pinch and loop the DL - and hot blitz a linebacker and put him directly over the center. Then reblitz the RE. The reason it works is because the line loop tells the DT to move to his right (left side of the screen) and he attacks the gap between the C+LG. He moves to his right while the LB engages the center and the RE engages the LG. The DT just needs to be fast enough to get there just as the blocks engage. Darnell Dockett is tremendous in this scheme - and I believe that Justin Tuck would work just as well. Now, you're running 46. It should still work. Just shift the DL to your right, then line loop - before shifting the DL back to the left into position. Then, set everything else up the same as the 3-4. It should create the same dynamics and maximize Tuck on the inside. Then, you still have Kiwanuka - who remains a capable DE. In addition, you have an overload DE on the strongside of the shift. You can let him rush, QB Contain him - or put him in a yellow to slow the short quick pass. With Osi and Kiwanuka, you have the flexibility in letting them maximize your schemes - rather than your scheme maximizing them - because they can do it all.

[ReDsOxFaN911]

Good idea personnel-wise.

When you're creating blitzes, how close the LB is to the LOS is key. If he reaches the blocker before the DL, he'll create for the DL. If the DL reaches the LOS first, he'll take the block and create space for the LB. One way I've found to create pressure up the gut with 3 man lines is to pinch and loop the DL - and hot blitz a linebacker and put him directly over the center. Then reblitz the RE. The reason it works is because the line loop tells the DT to move to his right (left side of the screen) and he attacks the gap between the C+LG. He moves to his right while the LB engages the center and the RE engages the LG. The DT just needs to be fast enough to get there just as the blocks engage. Darnell Dockett is tremendous in this scheme - and I believe that Justin Tuck would work just as well. Now, you're running 46. It should still work. Just shift the DL to your right, then line loop - before shifting the DL back to the left into position. Then, set everything else up the same as the 3-4. It should create the same dynamics and maximize Tuck on the inside. Then, you still have Kiwanuka - who remains a capable DE. In addition, you have an overload DE on the strongside of the shift. You can let him rush, QB Contain him - or put him in a yellow to slow the short quick pass. With Osi and Kiwanuka, you have the flexibility in letting them maximize your schemes - rather than your scheme maximizing them - because they can do it all.

Great tip. I'm going to try this one in Practice now. Thanks.

[sliqnes]

Good idea personnel-wise.

When you're creating blitzes, how close the LB is to the LOS is key. If he reaches the blocker before the DL, he'll create for the DL. If the DL reaches the LOS first, he'll take the block and create space for the LB. One way I've found to create pressure up the gut with 3 man lines is to pinch and loop the DL - and hot blitz a linebacker and put him directly over the center. Then reblitz the RE. The reason it works is because the line loop tells the DT to move to his right (left side of the screen) and he attacks the gap between the C+LG. He moves to his right while the LB engages the center and the RE engages the LG. The DT just needs to be fast enough to get there just as the blocks engage. Darnell Dockett is tremendous in this scheme - and I believe that Justin Tuck would work just as well. Now, you're running 46. It should still work. Just shift the DL to your right, then line loop - before shifting the DL back to the left into position. Then, set everything else up the same as the 3-4. It should create the same dynamics and maximize Tuck on the inside. Then, you still have Kiwanuka - who remains a capable DE. In addition, you have an overload DE on the strongside of the shift. You can let him rush, QB Contain him - or put him in a yellow to slow the short quick pass. With Osi and Kiwanuka, you have the flexibility in letting them maximize your schemes - rather than your scheme maximizing them - because they can do it all.

Good stuff Gav but when you say before shifting the DL back to the left position do you mean shift or pinch the line?

[ReDsOxFaN911]

I'm having trouble here - I'm trying it out of the 3-4, and Tuck, instead of attacking the A-Gap(C+LG), he's looping around my RE (blitzing straight down) and hitting the LT instead.

[GAV]

Good stuff Gav but when you say before shifting the DL back to the left position do you mean shift or pinch the line?

I mean shift.

If you pinch, neither DT will be over the center.

[GAV]

I'm having trouble here - I'm trying it out of the 3-4, and Tuck, instead of attacking the A-Gap(C+LG), he's looping around my RE (blitzing straight down) and hitting the LT instead.

Try the Normal or Under instead of the Over - or call it flipped.

[GAV]

I'm having trouble here - I'm trying it out of the 3-4, and Tuck, instead of attacking the A-Gap(C+LG), he's looping around my RE (blitzing straight down) and hitting the LT instead.

One, use your regular D book. I wouldn't change your playbook for one pass rushing scheme. It will work using the 46.

Shift the DL one way, loop, and shift them the other way. Sorry for any confusion. I should have been more clear.

[GAV]

sup GAV?? how do you feel that the Ravens fair.....in reference to what you have posted here?

I haven't been able to recreate the success I've had with this scheme with any other team except for the Cardinals. I'm going to try to tweak some things so I can get it clicking with all teams. There has to be some dynamic that I'm missing.

[GAV]

In the meanwhile, I'm going to try to explain gap control - so that it can be applied to runs that hit at different times - like the FB Dive and the SG runs.

If you come out in 3-4, pinch and line loop - and pinch the LBs, you should be able to create gap integrity by blitzing the ILB opposite the side that the DTs going to rush towards. (To simplify - if the DT is moving toward the RE, blitz the LILB.) What happens is that the blocks all take a second to set up and you get a clean shot at the HB when he recieves the ball - so long as you take a good angle with your user defender - because he'll be unblocked.

...but, what happens when the timing of the run is irregular? For example, the FB Dive hits so fast that the FB is at the LOS before the blocks engage. In this case, the line loop works against the defense because the line loop clears the defensive linemen just as the FB is at the LOS. So, what serves as a tremendous run defense for HB runs is actually a poor defense against the FB Dive.

Don't fret. The gap control process can be sped up simply by reblitzing the DL so that they engage the OL immediately. Keep in mind that the blocks will set up earlier, so you will lose the advantage that their slow setup gives you. With the loop, the blocks set up slowly - so that by the time the HB gets the ball - he must immediately pick a hole. With a faster setup, he can see it setup as he's getting the ball - and good runners can pick and choose where to attack - making user tackling more difficult. When you reblitz the pinched DL, the OL gets no push for the FB - and he has little space to work with. These concepts are sound and should work in any defensive set.

I use the 3-4, so the following has only been applied to the 3-4 (and also the Dollar), but fundamentally should be applicable with all sets with a little tweaking. If you pinch the DL, blitzing an OLB will now create solid gap integrity - while blitzing an ILB will create pressure. If you leave the LBs unshifted with a pinched DL, any blitzing LB will create gap integrity. If you spread the LBs with a pinched DL, blitzing an ILB will create gap integrity - while blitzing an OLB will get penetration. Now, each set has slightly different dynamics - but the basics should remain mostly in tact.

I've also found that shifting the DL left and right goes a long way in creating different dynamics for creating both gap integrity and penetration. I've found it to be very easy to couple gap integrity with penetration by shifting the DL, reblitzing the DL, and blitzing two linebackers. Generally, one ILB and OLB (ususually opposite) create penetration - while the others help create gap integrity. Test these for yourself. You'll see how things work very quickly - and understand the dynamics much more clearly - because it's very cut and dry.

Last, but certainly not least - is defending the SG run. Understand that although the SG runs aren't as fast as the FB Dive - they are faster than HB runs from under center. If you pinch and line loop, you're simply clearing out for the runner - because it works similarly to the FB Dive. Instead, utilize fast gap control (by reblitzing the DL) with or without penetration to put a squash on SG running.

One advantage the defense can utilize is that with most SG runs - is the same advantage the D has agaist Weak and Strong I FB Dives. The HB (or FB) is usually set to one side. In these cases, shifting the reblitzed DL toward the run threat can really clog run lanes.

Like a wise man once said, schemes must be formed with purpose because no defense is effective in defending all concepts. Let the mind games begin.

Special thanks to VG's Deuceizloose for bringing this up.

[zodiak]

Gav....you mentioned "Stokes' stick skill" could you elborate a bit more stick skill?

In some earlier theads I had begun to learn of some pass rush skills using the stick,I consider your threads some of the most informative so I'd be curious to hear another stick talent

[GAV]

Gav....you mentioned "Stokes' stick skill" could you elborate a bit more stick skill?

In some earlier theads I had begun to learn of some pass rush skills using the stick,I consider your threads some of the most informative so I'd be curious to hear another stick talent

Well, I don't have the excellent stick skills of QB Stokes - but I do understand a few things that could help you improve upon your own.

One, you don't have to time the catch or swat button in NG Madden. Simply hold in the button and move to the ball. The reciever or defender will go up and get the ball at it's highest point.

Two, don't be overanxious. Worry less about speed than precision. The game moves in a rhythm that allows you to play on reaction, but be smart about it. Take the correct angle. Use the ball's air time to judge the trajectory of the ball before moving on it. Players that aren't patient generally never develop good stick skills.

Three, use tip number one to shorten routes and "rocket catch." In Madden 09, the offensive strafe has been removed - so you must turn around with a quick stick motion. Click on, hold up - hold the catch button, and circle the left stick back to 4 or 7 O'clock. Once you're in position, the reciever will go up for you.

I look at every play as an opportunity. Click on - and make the best play that you can. Use the hitstick. If you engage the player, shake the right stick to get them down quickly - or mash A to try to rip the ball out. Get the most out of your game by making the most of each and every play. Always remember to not dwell on plays that are over. What's done is done - good or bad. Move on.

[zodiak]

Gav great tips thanks again

question, do you have any DL stick moves/tips?

[GAV]

Gav great tips thanks again

question, do you have any DL stick moves/tips?

Nah. That rests outside my skill set.

The guy to ask about that is VG's TNT.

[Fun n' Gun]

Nah. That rests outside my skill set.

The guy to ask about that is VG's TNT.

TNT, that's clever, considering the context of what he's asking. (TNT = Tackle/Nose/Tackle, possibly inadvertent, but it fits)

You mentioned exoctic coverages before, and i was wondering just what that means, how far do you go? Do you often leave big gaps to focus on an area? Or is it slight variations on the basic coverages?

[GAV]

TNT, that's clever, considering the context of what he's asking. (TNT = Tackle/Nose/Tackle, possibly inadvertent, but it fits)

You mentioned exoctic coverages before, and i was wondering just what that means, how far do you go? Do you often leave big gaps to focus on an area? Or is it slight variations on the basic coverages?

I generally start off games with vanilla coverages to try to get inside my opponent's head - and evolve my coverages as the game moves along.

Vanilla coverages don't do anything especially well, but they don't have huge gaps in them either. My vanilla coverage are generally base blitzes. I'm not as much concerned with what reads they will make with alot of time because they're never going to have alot of time against me. My focus is mostly going to be on what they look for early.