Building CPU Controlled Teams

[TheRedPhoenix]

Hello,

Does anyone have an effective method to help build up a team that you do not control, especially the ones in your division? I play as the 49ers and the teams in my division play anywhere from average to mediocre. After a few of years I can build my team into a playoff caliber football team, but the teams in my division get anywhere from 1 to 7 wins every year.

It would be nice to have at least one team in the NFC West that can be a playoff contender and give me a run for my money for capturing the division.

If anyone has any tips on building CPU teams that would be great.

Regards Phoenix.

[Mike3207]

One member I used to know would build up coaches, then fire them when they got too good. That way the overall coaching talent in the league would increase. No way to focus that in just one division though.

[cutter73]

It seems to be a real issue. Teams that have a couple bad years tend to fire coaches, and often they get stuck in that cycle of coach firing that just doesn't let teams develop unless Hammermill gets hired by one of the teams. A lot of the time, these coaches get fired too quick because they come in on the hotseat.

I'd suggest pulling the save/reload thing at the end of seasons to try and help. If one of the teams in your division hires a good coach, don't let him get fired the following year. Save the game and keep reloading right before the playoffs start until that coach keeps his job, or until someone like Hammermill gets a job in your division. Or, sometimes, bad coaches win just enough to keep their job and never get fired..... in that case try the same reload thing until they get fired. But it doesn't always happen even then.

The best thing to do if you want a challenge is to start a new career in a stronger division. Playing as the Redskins in the NFC East is probably one of the toughest spots to be in since I've went 10-6 before and still came in last in that division. The NFC West is just a bad division, and it tends to pretty much stay bad.

[jlech1805]

I try and make sure that top tier players are in a place to succeed.

Example: Leinert was starting for the Cards after they drafted Alex Hurst. Hurst has HOF potential, but the Cards would keep him behind Leinert for years unless i intervened. I would switch Leinert to WR, trade for him using the highest offer i can. Switch him back to QB and trade him to a team that would make sense accepting the lowest possible offer.

Another thing you can do is edit all teams playbooks before hand. The playbooks are actually attached to the roster. So if you start a season with the bears, switch playbooks, then quit the bears will now have the playbooks you picked as their base.

[cutter73]

Quote: Originally Posted by jlech1805

Example: Leinert was starting for the Cards after they drafted Alex Hurst. Hurst has HOF potential, but the Cards would keep him behind Leinert for years unless i intervened. I would switch Leinert to WR, trade for him using the highest offer i can. Switch him back to QB and trade him to a team that would make sense accepting the lowest possible offer.

I've seen similar happen. One career, the Raiders drafted Jack English and Cooper Reno in back to back years. So they had Russell, English, and Reno all eating up their salary cap, and neither English nor Reno was starting.


I suppose another thing you can do to try and build up teams in your division would be to trade with those teams during the draft. For example, if you as the 49'ers wanted to trade down, and say the Seahawks were wanting your pick, take their offer and hope they pick someone good up. Or if you have a player in a position like a backup RB who really should be a starter, try trading him to a team in your division. Maybe even draft a player you know is a sleeper at QB, develop him for a year or 2 during preseason or by putting him in games when you can here and there, and trade him to one of those teams.

[TheRedPhoenix]

Thank you for the replies. I was planning on doing a dynasty with the 49'ers, but now I'm leaning towards the Redskins.

I've experimented with giving teams new playbooks but I could never get themto play at a decent enough level. Does anybody know some good offensive and defensive playbooks that the CPU is effective with? For offense I've used the Michigan Spread, Mike Martz playbook, and Tom Moore's Playbook. For defense I’ve used the 3-3-5 Mustang, and Tampa 2.

Regards Phoenix.

[jlech1805]

Spread Option and Miraldi Tech will produce giant numbers for QBs.

Put the Titans in the spread option and watch Young throw for 50 TDs.

I always change the Colts and Pats to Miraldi Tech. I've seen Brady throw for 60+ TDs with that playbook. In my opinion it is more effective than the Michigan Spread.

I'm also on the lookout for D playbooks that will be productive.

Does anyone know if there are D's that produce ridiculous numbers at one position? Basically the equivalent to Denver's WR1 or Hammermill's QBs.

[Mike3207]

Quote: Originally Posted by jlech1805

Does anyone know if there are D's that produce ridiculous numbers at one position? Basically the equivalent to Denver's WR1 or Hammermill's QBs.

You'll see ridiculous numbers for LE using the Jim Johnson Blitz. I had seasons where Campbell would get 40-50 sacks using that playbook.