Why great players are a waste of time

[macbranson]

I just lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game. The loss brought with it a combination of both good and bad feelings about the Madden 25 game. It was a really close game that I lost 19-13 and I wasn't able to put up 40+ points against the CPU. Ironically, I consider this a good thing. It was one of those games where I actually felt like I was playing a certain team and the game captured the essence of how that team plays. They treated me a lot like they did the Broncos; they stuffed all my run plays, constantly pressured my QB and delivered lots of big hits in the secondary. I couldn't tell you the last time I was so frustrated playing a CPU team.

But what really got me going, and this is why I started this thread, is that I'm really sick and tired of my defense playing like crap . When I played Seattle, Russell Wilson was injured so I thought it would be fairly easy game. Plus I has beaten them earlier in the season with Russell Wilson and his backup, Derek Anderson, sucks. But on the opening drive of the game, they marched downfield with a dazzling array of run and pass plays that made my defense look inept. And that's when I started thinking, "Man, my defense sucks. Any QB can just march down the field on me and put up touchdowns left and right." And it's true. I've given up a touchdown on the openingg drive of every game I've played this season. And that's a problem. No matter what team or what quarterback I'm facing, my defense just doesn't get it done. My offense has to win games.

This is where the problem is. I have 9 starters and two backup players on my defense rated over 90. Two of these players are rated 99 overall. So, theoretically, a tam with nine starters of that caliber on defense should have a really good defense, right? Take a look at the updated rosters on Madden. The Seahawks, the best defense in the NFL, has what six players rated over 90? And the 49ers have the same number give or take a player. My team has NINE. And they're on all levels of my defense. Three on the defensive line, two linebackers and two in the secondary. Then I have two backup defensive ends rated over 90 meaning my team has great depth at that position. And the players who aren't over 90 are rated in the high 80s. So my defense should probably be as good as the Seahawk's or 49ers real life defenses right? No. My defense is ranked 29th in the league. And this isn't just this season. I'm ranked in the bottom third defensively every season.

So I'm saying all of this to eventually lead to my point : what's the point in having great players? What's the use in all the trades and drafting and XP and money spent on free agents if they all play like crap? How many of you guys spend countless hours tryin to trade for a good defensive end or a shut down corner? Then when u get them it's like you may as well just have signed a bum out of free agency and skipped the hassle. It's like I swear I could cut all the players in my defense and sign a bunch of free agents rated in the 70s and still have the exact same defensive performance. When I was playing the Seahawks, Derek Anderson was just dropping back and standing there looking for an open receiver for like 4 to 5 seconds on play. I have the guys up front to apply pressure and I have the guys in the secondary to cover the receivers, how am I getting no sacks or any pressure? And the sliders are a joke. I have yet to encounter a set of sliders that gave me a consistent pass rush. I even have backup defensive ends who are really good in case my starters get tired. That way, I can always have a good pass rush. But it makes no difference! And the guys on their offensive line suck. On Okung the LT, is rated fairly high. Everyone else is in the 70s or low 80s but they're shutting down my defensive line with five guys rated over 90 being thrown at them on every play. I know I'm throwing the players ratings around a lot, but that's because it's important. That's how the CPU is supposed to measure that olayer's ability and if he's rated high, he's supposed to play better. I don't understand defense on this game. It's just useless. Now going into the offseason, I'm not going to try to resign all my good players because it's a waste of money. They're just gonna get lit up by the CPU passing game anyway.

Sorry about the long post, but I had to vent.

[dr. brawler]

sounds like ur terrible at defense lol

[Ryaniss0beast]

lmao. You lost one superbowl. Unless your goal going into franchise was to win every superbowl your disappointment is hugely unwarranted. Some of tht best teams in NFL history fall short at the superbowl or even earlier. Doesn't mean you should question the integrity of the game you're playing haha. You just lost dude, no need to get this upset about it. You got beat. Take note of how you got beat and improve those weaknesses next year. Madden isn't out go get you, you just lost. Haha

[Robrain]

No, he's absolutely right. Brandon Browner magically gets burned 90% of the time I pull my safety to blitz, when I have Press Coverage called. Doesn't matter if it's a tall receiver, short receiver, fast receiver, or a slow 3rd string receiver. The receiver just magically knows to run a Go route, and Brandon Browner loses all bodily control and epic fails attempting the Press technique.

The result is some random no name scrub 3rd string backup QB putting up 3 TDs in the first quarter and me going "what the hell is the matter with you Brandon Browner?"

It's always the receiver on the right side of the field (the direction a right handed QB faces). It basically never occurs on the left side of the field. And since Brandon Browner is my #1 CB, and he plays on the right side of the field, it always happens to him.

The alternative is when I don't blitz the safety, and everyone actually does cover their receiver, and like the original poster noted, there is absolutely no pressure up front. The QB stands in the pocket and relaxes for a few hours, has a cookout, reads a book. Eventually the receivers start running in random directions and one of my DBs falls asleep, and the 3rd string QB hits the receiver with a 40-yard laser for a new set of downs.

And don't try to tell me Dontari Poe and Margus Hunt can't generate pressure.

[macbranson]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ryaniss0beast

lmao. You lost one superbowl. Unless your goal going into franchise was to win every superbowl your disappointment is hugely unwarranted. Some of tht best teams in NFL history fall short at the superbowl or even earlier. Doesn't mean you should question the integrity of the game you're playing haha. You just lost dude, no need to get this upset about it. You got beat. Take note of how you got beat and improve those weaknesses next year. Madden isn't out go get you, you just lost. Haha

You're missing my point. Look at the title of the thread. I actually listed the loss as a good thing because I felt like the Seahawks defense played exactly like they should play. That particular game was actually a good game because I wasn't able to dominant the other team's defense. But, my emphasis and the majority if what I wrote was about how the players on my defense play like a bunch if average players when they should be playing a lot better and more in line with their ratings.

[macbranson]

Quote: Originally Posted by Robrain

No, he's absolutely right. Brandon Browner magically gets burned 90% of the time I pull my safety to blitz, when I have Press Coverage called. Doesn't matter if it's a tall receiver, short receiver, fast receiver, or a slow 3rd string receiver. The receiver just magically knows to run a Go route, and Brandon Browner loses all bodily control and epic fails attempting the Press technique. The result is some random no name scrub 3rd string backup QB putting up 3 TDs in the first quarter and me going "what the hell is the matter with you Brandon Browner?" It's always the receiver on the right side of the field (the direction a right handed QB faces). It basically never occurs on the left side of the field. And since Brandon Browner is my #1 CB, and he plays on the right side of the field, it always happens to him. The alternative is when I don't blitz the safety, and everyone actually does cover their receiver, and like the original poster noted, there is absolutely no pressure up front. The QB stands in the pocket and relaxes for a few hours, has a cookout, reads a book. Eventually the receivers start running in random directions and one of my DBs falls asleep, and the 3rd string QB hits the receiver with a 40-yard laser for a new set of downs. And don't try to tell me Dontari Poe and Margus Hunt can't generate pressure.

This is precisely what I mean. U have all these good players and it's like what's the point? You might as well keep the original players on your team. Why bother getting great defensive linemen if they can't generate pressure? Why get great cornerbacks if they can't cover? My defensive ends are rated 99. Both of them. And my backup defensive ends are rated 90. I have a 95 rated DT and an 88 rated DT. You're telling me these guys can't get to the QB in under 10 seconds? Cuz that how long it seems like the QB stands in the pocket. And when I blitz, it doesn't matter if I send five guys, six guys or even seven, the CPU always has the exact number of players blocking to pick it up.

[paarman]

I totally agree with a lot of what you are saying, it's happened to me on several occasions and its maddening at times.

Some useful info that might help others help you: what difficulty do you play on and which slider set do you use (and which ones have you used?). That would at least target some others in the same boat to give you their experiences and what helps.

Personally I play on All-Pro with Charter04's slider set from here. I've tweaked a couple settings around, and most of the time, the gameplay is fair-meaning teams that are worse than I do not generally give me a run for my money, but "any given Sunday" is still present at times and teams that are on-par with my caliber give me good matchups.

[Robrain]

I'm using All-Madden default sliders.