Only winning consistently when I sim D

[GOIRISH65]

Long time player. Back to bill Walsh genesis days. Was fine at defense in 14 the last ten years. Of course once in awhile the cpu caught fire. But shootouts happen. Anyways I play this game a ton and if I play defense I finish around 500. If I sim I’m like 13-1 and national champs or close. No I’m between. Wish we could have a more realistic chance to play D. Any thoughts? I’ve been running a 3-4. Focusing on power rushers at DE and OLB and zone corners and safeties. LB mostly field general or run stopped. I play quarters or man blitz first down mixing in cover 3 sky. I like 3 sky a lot and quarters is my run stopper. I do run some nickle and double mug too. I try to bring zone blitz on 3rd and long. But I play a lot of 3 and 2 zone when not in quarters. I take weakside mlb most times. Any ideas???

[jbdog3]

Quote: Originally Posted by GOIRISH65

Long time player. Back to bill Walsh genesis days. Was fine at defense in 14 the last ten years. Of course once in awhile the cpu caught fire. But shootouts happen. Anyways I play this game a ton and if I play defense I finish around 500. If I sim I’m like 13-1 and national champs or close. No I’m between. Wish we could have a more realistic chance to play D. Any thoughts? I’ve been running a 3-4. Focusing on power rushers at DE and OLB and zone corners and safeties. LB mostly field general or run stopped. I play quarters or man blitz first down mixing in cover 3 sky. I like 3 sky a lot and quarters is my run stopper. I do run some nickle and double mug too. I try to bring zone blitz on 3rd and long. But I play a lot of 3 and 2 zone when not in quarters. I take weakside mlb most times. Any ideas???

I play on Heisman using a modified version of Canes sliders. Unlike most players, I actually find defense too easy, except against the top-tier teams.

I almost exclusively run a Nickel 3-3-5 Stack with Cover 2 Man, controlling the blitzing linebacker. If the offense is in shotgun and I expect a run, I slide and slant my defensive line opposite the running back. For expected passing plays, I spread the line and set a QB contain. I adjust my coverage inside or outside depending on the offensive formation. Though I control the blitzing LB, I rarely send the blitz, preferring to roam the middle of the field and provide extra help on crossing or in routes.

In the red zone, I typically call Double Mug zone blitzes for passing situations and use mid blitzes for runs, user-controlling the safety responsible for the RB.

For mobile quarterbacks, I use the blitzing linebacker as a spy and take control of the other linebacker, usually assigned to cover the running back.

Overall, it’s a bend-but-don’t-break defense, and I rarely get burned unless I’m up against an elite quarterback. In that case, it’s tough to avoid getting torched no matter what plays you call.



Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[jello1717]

Quote: Originally Posted by GOIRISH65

Long time player. Back to bill Walsh genesis days. Was fine at defense in 14 the last ten years. Of course once in awhile the cpu caught fire. But shootouts happen. Anyways I play this game a ton and if I play defense I finish around 500. If I sim I’m like 13-1 and national champs or close. No I’m between. Wish we could have a more realistic chance to play D. Any thoughts? I’ve been running a 3-4. Focusing on power rushers at DE and OLB and zone corners and safeties. LB mostly field general or run stopped. I play quarters or man blitz first down mixing in cover 3 sky. I like 3 sky a lot and quarters is my run stopper. I do run some nickle and double mug too. I try to bring zone blitz on 3rd and long. But I play a lot of 3 and 2 zone when not in quarters. I take weakside mlb most times. Any ideas???

I played 3-4 exclusively in ‘14 and tried to do so in ‘25, but I couldn’t make it work. I can’t explain why not, but my D always sucked.

I switched to 4-2-5 and since to 4-3 and I’m consistently a top 10-15 defense in the country with 10 minute quarters. My rush D is stellar and my pass D is very good. I’d hate to blame the scheme, but I know that for me, I’m tremendous on D in a 4-2-5 or 4-3 and suck donkey balls in a 3-4 (which sucks as I love the 3-4 and would play it in a heartbeat if I could make it work).

My stick skills are severely lacking and I always control the MLB and don’t switch on defense and just let the AI control my other 10 guys.

Unless the opponent has burners @ receiver I play what I call personnel minus one. I.e. I play 4-3 against anything up to 3 wide, nickel vs 4 wide and dime against empty.

I call lots of zone blitzes on early downs (4-3 has nice variety) and match coverage (3 and quarters or palms) on passing downs. On passing downs I usually use coverage shells to disguise coverage. I’ve found myself calling a lot more man coverage in recent years. I used to call maybe 10% man, and now I’m probably more around 30% man.

I run this personnel:
4-3:
LE run stopper
DT1 run stopper
DT2 run stopper or power rusher
RE power rusher
LOLB run stopper
MLB anything but run stopper
ROLB coverage or power rusher
CB slot or man (going on the assumption that man is more important for match coverage than zone)
FS hybrid or zone
SS hybrid or zone

NICKEL AND DIME>
RLE speed or power rusher
RDT1, 2 speed or power rusher
RRE speed rusher
SUBLB coverage or field general or power rusher

[Ghost Of The Year]

I can win consistently without defensive simming, but I have found out that when I'm offensive coordinator and sim defense, my defense plays a LOT better than when I'm not simming.

[GOIRISH65]

I ran match coverage early on. But I constantly blow the coverage w my mlb bc the application of the rules vs different formations. Running more cover 3 sky only match I’ve been running is quarters. But I run it to get safeties into run game. I coached hs ball. Probably hurts me bc I think like real life and it’s a game. Played and coached 4-3 and 4-2-5 but on paper I think 3-4 covers things better. I’ve tried even front in game but the 4-2-5 seems to glitch assignments more often even w auto flip on. I’ll have to try again. In 3-4 my run D is great. I just can’t stop the pass especially deep ****

[jello1717]

Quote: Originally Posted by GOIRISH65

In 3-4 my run D is great. I just can’t stop the pass especially deep ****

Offensively, I have by FAR the most difficulty running agains the 3-4 (I’m a run-first spread option guy). 3-3-5 is by far the easiest for me to run against and everything else is the same.

But every time I face a 3-4 I know I’ll need to switch up my game plan cuz running into the teeth of it will be a slog at best.

[GOIRISH65]

I played a play now game w 4-3 and 4-2-5 big nickel and did well. Held them to 14 pts and had 4 picks one for a TD. But I need to keep messing with it bc I’m season the computer seems to randomly shred you once in awhile whereas play now are stand alones. I also wonder if my underneath coverage is a problem. I mostly run 3-4 under but I almost exclusively recruit. Power rushers. So I’m probably weak in coverage with one LB and my mlbs are never pass coverage first guys. So maybe some of its is who I’m recruiting.

[GOIRISH65]

I played a play now game w 4-3 and 4-2-5 big nickel and did well. Held them to 14 pts and had 4 picks one for a TD. But I need to keep messing with it bc I’m season the computer seems to randomly shred you once in awhile whereas play now are stand alones. I also wonder if my underneath coverage is a problem. I mostly run 3-4 under but I almost exclusively recruit. Power rushers. So I’m probably weak in coverage with one LB and my mlbs are never pass coverage first guys. So maybe some of its is who I’m recruiting.