SPYDR's SIM Offensive Guide

[DSpydr84]

It's time for a strategy guide on VSN for the players out there who play sim football. And what better source than the guy that brought SG a 63 page thread that lasted over 2 YEARS about sim Madden?

Just to throw my name out there, this is what some people had to say about me in that thread I created:

Hello everyone...

Not that Spydr needs this but I'd like to publicly say THANK YOU.

I was playing competitively the other day with a group of friends and normally the games that we play are very close 3 or 7 pt games but not this time around. I 21 pt ruled all of them.. I didn't get off of the sticks.. why? Because of Spydr.

My overall football knowledge has increased so much that it's ridiculous. I'm actually making reading the defense (pre and post snap) on offense and taking what the defense gives me instead of trying to hoist up long bomb after long bomb. My defensive playcalling has gotten much better calling formation (for run) and play (for pass). My offensive playcalling was darn near unstoppable because I understand why the recivers and running backs are running the routes they are running! This is ALL thanks to Spydr.

Your FREE information has been better than any Madden strategy guides that I've ever read and I've bought each one since Madden 2004 (Thanks.. Brady Games.. :-( )

Keep it up man.. you're doing so much.

PS. For those of you who aren't reading his offensive play calling blog.. you are missing out!!!!!! It WILL change the way you call plays in Madden. Trust me!

Thanks again, Spydr!

D Spydr:

I just gotta say GREAT THREAD, man! I'm a newbie to this board and have just started reading the thread. I gotta say, I learned alot just from reading this thread during the past week. AND, IT HAS HELPED MY GAME. I'm supposed to be working....hope the boss won't mind me reading this thread on the job.

Keep up the good work!!!

By the way, in the heat of the moment, during a hotly contested game of Madden, I often find myself, searching my brain for any nugget of information that I have learned from this thread. KEEP IT UP !!!

Hey, I just wanted to thank you for helping everyone out. All too often someone asks a (seemingly) obvious question, and people just diss them. Just wanted to give you props. Keep up the good work.

I'll be kicking this thing off right now, but just so you guys know, if anyone has any questions, I will be sure to answer them all to the best of my knowledge. Post em up.

 

[DSpydr84]

My introduction to this thing will probably be the best tip I can possibly offer. Although it sounds simple, it will make sense when this thread gets deeper, and more and more information gets displayed. I want EVERYONE who follows this thread to remember this simple rule when reading along:

Just be yourself.

I'm not here to tell you that my way is perfect, and that you should do exactly as I say.

That's not what I'm about, and that's not what football is about.

The point of this thread is to either guide you with an obstacle you might be facing, or to throw a different perspective at you to give you different ideas about expanding your own offense.

The point of this thread is NOT to tell you a routine to follow that will guarantee you results.

I want to make sure that everyone takes what they want out of this thread, and doesn't right it down and follow it word for word. The ultimate goal is to create better minded Madden players, not machines.

Following a routine to me is a cheap way of finding results, and nothing makes me feel better than hearing someone tell me that something I told them has helped them think more open-mindedly about the game of Madden, and football.

With that said, you'll see a much different style of advice from me, unlike any other person you may run across. I'll give you ideas you never thought of, strategies you never heard of, and gameplans you never saw before. THAT'S football.

I'll see you guys next time. In the meantime, please, PLEASE, post questions/problems you may be having in Madden. The thread will run a lot smoother with an open discussion. I'm not here to lecture, I'm here to interact, so throw some ideas at me, and I'll throw some right back, and hopefully everyone gets something out of it.

The only dumb question is the one never asked.

 

[DSpydr84]

I told you my tips aren't always conventional or mainstream, and I think this one may prove it. Call it stupid, call it corny, call it what you will, but even the strongest hater cannot deny; it's convenient. This is my "Two-Point Chart".

The rules are simple; If you're up or down by this many points after your TD, GO FOR TWO!!


-2
-5
-10
-16
-17
-18
____

+1
+4
+5
+11
+12
+19

 

[DSpydr84]

hey i read ur sim offensive guide and then clinked on the link to the sportsgamer page where u were answering everybodys questions on different teams offense. Im convinced u know ur stuff and i was wonderin since im really knew to madden and i want to go from scrub to really good madden player if u could give me some tips. wat playbook should i use for the cowboys on O and D. and wat plays would u reccomend and who to utilize on offense and why? i would much appreciate it!

Cowboys, huh? A fan for life I'm sure

Kidding of course, I'm sure you were there even when they sucked for three games last decade. A true fan never loses hope!

Fan or not, I think you picked a good team to get off the ground with. They have weapons all across the board and can hurt you in so many different ways on offense, and their defense is solid in both run and pass coverage.

As far as which playbook to select, I find that it really doesn't matter. A lot of people think one is better than another, and if that's how you think too, then by all means pick the one that you feel best suits you. Football is a mental game, so if you believe you're getting an edge by picking a certain playbook, I'm not here to tell you you're wrong. What I would suggest, however, is picking one and sticking with it. Bouncing around to all different playbooks might make you uncomfortable in calling certain plays, and your "go-to" plays either aren't in the book or are somewhere else.

As for offensive strategy, I would first see how the defense plans on covering T.O. If they double him, just work the running game and hit Jason Witten and the other WRs until they are forced to loosen up on T.O. and then start throwing his way. Keep that cycle going and you shouldn't have any problems moving the ball down field.

Defense is more about reaction than anything else, but I can tell you that with a secondary such as the Cowboys', you can afford to bring pressure a lot more than you normally could. Don't be afraid to blitz a couple guys on almost every down in that wild 3-4 defense. Make sure to mix up your formations too, not just between 3-4 and Nickel, but between 3-4 Normal and 3-4 Over and Under, etc. The different looks may confuse your opponent into a foolish mistake.

Hope that helps.

 

[DSpydr84]

I was playing somebody who was the cowboys, and he kept running it. So I was like, well then I better blitz. Then he would play action to owens or Witten. I could NOT stop it. He somehow knew whenever I was blitzing, or if I had people dropping back. How the heck do I stop this. This happens alot to me. When I wouldn't blitz, he would run all over me. When I would it was play action. I disguised my blitzes too. Help would be much appreciated!

I think I know something that may help you out.

Blitzing, in my opinion, is not used to stop a run. Blitzing to stop a running play is high risk, low reward. This is contradictory to a passing play, because blitzing on passing downs/plays is high risk, high reward.

When you blitz, you're basically hoping one of the guys you're sending in will get to the ball carrier before the ball carrier either gets by him or throws the ball. The reason I don't like blitzing on running plays is because the offensive line usually man-blocks on running plays, meaning they all "pick a guy" and block him. Thus, using a blitz (unless it somehow causes the linemen to mix up their strategy) is useless on runs because the offensive line is going to block that guy either way. You're not really gaining anything.

I realize that's not what you asked, but it leads into my next topic.

A better way to stop runs is to have more guys in the box. A lot of people don't know this, but if someone is in a 2 WR set on offense, and the defense is using a 4-3 or a 3-4, the offense has a running advantage (7 blockers against 7 defenders, then the ball carrier). Usually, a player on defense will shed a block and make the tackle, but in theory, a run should work EVERYTIME in this situation. The same holds true for a 3 WR set against nickel, and a 4 WR set against dime.

That's why when I feel a run is coming, I will walk up the safety (not a lot, just to about 7 yards off the line of scrimmage). This will give me that extra player in the box for run support, but not kill me in the passing game. If they go deep with Owens aka their number one WR, walk up the free safety. This way the strong safety will still be over the top to cover the long ball on his side.

Another tip would be avoiding "all or nothing" plays. It sounds like you either bring the house or keep everyone in coverage. I would advise you sending one player, two players, dropping back a lineman, etc. YOU have to mix it up just as much as the offense does. The ultimate goal is to have the offense think you're doing one thing, and you end up doing another, NOT the other way around. I like to use a soft man coverage for a couple plays, let them get comfortable with the underneath routes, then catch them napping with a Cover 2 zone and get that pick.

The bottom line is that something you are doing has become predictable. This is a HUGE problem, as you have realized first hand how troublesome it can be. I would suggest being a little more conservative on defense and mixing in a couple blitzes here and there. Take engage eight out of the playcalling. See how that goes for you and get back to me if you have anything else, I'm here to help.

Hey thanks that was a fast response. I might as well ask 1 more question while I'm replying to this. My offense is pretty good (I use Green bay) but sometimes when I can't roll out of the pocket AND my runningback isn't open I kinda get stuck. Any ideas for plays that work well in the pocket so I don't have to roll out with Favre alot? Or maybe how to protect better so I can roll out. I usually just block with my running back to the side I'm rolling to.

All kinds of plays work well in the pocket my friend. Sure, you might not be able to hit certain routes, but I bet you can't hit certain routes rolling out either. Both have their pros and cons.

I'd say hit up practice mode for a bit and get comfortable standing behind the big uglies. They're a lot better at their job than you think, I promise you.

 

[DSpydr84]

thx so much dude. One more quick question tho how may plays should i carry around on offense and defense, and for offense im desperately seeking help on knowing wat formations are better for wat purposes(short passes, good run plays,etc.) and when should i use them. Same thing with Defense. hopefully when 09 drops we can play each other and i could probably learn a lot from u. I would much appreciate it a lot if u can do this for me.thanks a whole bunch!

I like to carry around a bare minimum of 5-8 plays in each formation I use. If I only use 3 formations, then so be it, but don't ever have one play out of I-Form, two plays out of Singleback, etc. That's PREDICTABLE, and that's a bad thing. I'd rather you use 5 plays from one formation then 10 plays from ten different formations.

I usually have a core 25-30 plays that I cycle around during any game, and I'll use other plays based on what the defense is doing. So if you were looking for a number, I'll throw 40 at you.

Defensively, again, is more reaction. If your opponent is bad enough, you could call one play the entire game and pitch a shutout. You could also call every play in the book and get blown out. Timing is everything on defense, you have to know when to use certain plays based on a few variables (down and distance, situation, tendencies of the opponent, etc.). But again, if you're looking for a number, I'd say around 20-25 core plays, maybe stretching out to 30.

As for which formation is better for certain plays, well, again, that all depends. I can't sit here and tell you 4 WR is gonna kill a D in the short passing game, and I can't sit here and tell you I-Form is the way to go for runs. Can they both be effective? Absolutely. It is FAR from a guarantee however. Formations are used to gain an offensive mismatch in some way. Whatever that way is should be what you're attacking. If you go 4-wide, and the defense is in Dime, you have the advantage in the running game (your 5 linemen against their 5 defenders in the box). If the safety walks up, throw the ball (your 5 WRs against their 6 DBs, find your best one-on-one matchup and sling it in there; with Dallas, it's probably T.O. 90% of the time). Just constantly taking advantage of what the defense gives you is ultimately going to make you a better player. Don't force plays EVER. I've gone a full game without throwing a single deep ball, because the defense took it away every time I looked for it. And that's OK. Take the 5 yard dump and live to see another play. There's nothing wrong with a 5 yard play, I'd take that all day.

And defensively, you have to realize that every play, you are giving something up in order to take another thing away. My defensive tendencies early are to test out what the offense is doing. No one is a threat based on their name; the offense has to prove to me that I need to worry about a certain player. Afterwards, I will adjust my coverage accordingly, and force the offense to beat me without their go-to player.

And we can lab whenever you want. My PSN is DSpydr84.

Hope that helps.

 

[DSpydr84]

DSpydr's Play-call sheet

This will continue to grow as I continue to break down more and more plays offensively. In the end, I hope to have a master list of 50-70 plays to choose from for each situation...


1st down
Singleback: Ace -- Z Spot
Singleback: Ace -- Flanker Drive


2nd and less than 3 yards



2nd and 3-6 yards
Singleback: Ace -- Z Spot
Singleback: Ace -- Flanker Drive


2nd and more than 6 yards
I: Tight -- PA Power O
I: Tight -- Power O


3rd and less than 3 yards
Singleback: Ace -- Z Spot
Singleback: Ace -- Flanker Drive
I: Tight -- PA Power O
I: Tight -- Power O


3rd and 3-6 yards



3rd and more than 6 yards

 

[DSpydr84]

Using Singleback: Ace "Z Spot" and "Flanker Drive"

Alright guys, here comes a play breakdown to open up the Maddenolidays this year, which already looks to be a challenging yet awesome experience. One thing that everyone NEEDS is a gameplan, and I'm here to try and fix that problem for most gamers.

"Z Spot" and "Flanker Drive" can both be found in - I'm sure - most playbooks in the game. I found these in San Fran's book. I would consider both of these first down, 2nd and 3-6 yards, or 3rd and less than 3 yards.


What I love about both of these plays is how one move by each player seperates them from one another. I'm a huge fan of making all my plays look the same, for the obvious reason of confusing a defense. After calling "Z Spot" a few times, the defender may jump the "Spot" route by your number one WR, which is when you use "Flanker Drive" to catch him napping. The best part is, the play is so easily recognizable because of the motion.

First, I will break down "Z Spot".

Your progression on this play will be first your TE running the corner route, followed by your RB in the flats, and finally your Z running the spot. It is very rare that all three of these routes are shut down at any given time, unless the defense is sure it's coming.

If you have the one-on-one matchup with the TE, give him a chance to make a play. Usually you won't, since he's the only deep man on his side, but once in a while the SS rolls up in a Cover 1 and you can hit your TE in space. DON'T force this throw, you have plenty of other options here.

So, the TE's not available. Now you must look to your check down in the flats. Normally against man coverage, he will beat the linebacker and get you at least 5, which is exactly what you'd use this play for. A zone could be a little more tricky, although I have squeezed it in there once or twice. WATCH the Cover 2 zone here, if you're not using the new camera you won't see the CB, and he's all over the route if you choose to test him.

If the defense has both of these guys pretty well covered, cut your losses and sling it over the middle to the Spot route. He'll more than likely find the window in the coverage, and should pick up at least 3 yards, hopefully more with YAC.


Now, I will breakdown "Flanker Drive".

Here, your progression is the Z running the drive route, the TE running the dig, and ending with your RB in the flats. If at any time you like the matchup, the X running the comeback can be your "one man read" against single coverage.

You'll want to watch the LBs on this play. Your best bet is man coverage, since your Z will be in motion and then crossing the field, it's almost impossible to cover one-on-one. You can recognize this by how the LBs play off the snap. If they're "chasing", it's man, and if they're dropping, it's zone. It's really easy to notice. If a LB stays in one spot, he is spying you, so move around to create space accordingly. Normally if there's a spy, there's a contain, so don't worry too much about the pass rush.

So, again, look for that drive against man coverage. He'll catch it about 3 yards downfield, and should gain solid YAC.

Against a zone, this play gets pretty tricky.

You'll want to find the window in the LBs pre-snap. You can do this by seeing where they line up, and assuming they will drop straight back (which they usually do). If there is someone directly straight ahead of you (like in a 4-3 Normal or 3-4 Over front), you'll more than likely have to either take the 3 yard drive and be happy with it, or dump it to the back. If there is a hole (3-4 Stack, 4-3 Over, etc.) then you can gun the ball to the TE on the dig pattern. This throw will require a LOT of practice to get the timing down. Remember those stupid precision passing drills where you threw the ball through the rings? That's this play right here; throw the ball in between the linebackers and get the gold.


Two plays down, plenty more to go. Keep checking back for more SIM football, I'm out for now.

P.S. Any questions or concerns are welcome!

 

[DSpydr84]

hey i play with the new york jets. i seem to have trouble scoring with them even with brett favre. do you think you can help me? what playbook would you find best to use for the jets with favre? Thanks man.

Gaining positive yardage and moving the chains is vital this year more than other. Those players last year that relied on the deep ball are probably struggling more than ever right now, and are scrambling to find new methods of success.

I made a game you can play in practice mode that deals with this exact problem. The rules are pretty tricky, but once it makes sense you will probably find this helping your game immensely.

First, you move the ball to your ten yard line. Select a random offensive play, and a random defensive play. The goal is to get 10 yards in 3 plays (like getting a first down). The game ends when the offense scores a touchdown in the redzone. You do NOT move the ball with your players, however. That's where this could get confusing.

Let's say on "1st and 10" you gain 6 yards. You will keep the ball on the 10 yard line, and remember that it is now 2nd and 4. If you then lose a yard, the ball again remains on the 10, and it's now 3rd and 5.

In order to advance the ball up the field, there is a "scoring" system.

A failure to get a "1st down" in 3 plays results in you moving the ball back 5 yards.

An interception is a loss of 20 yards (DON'T THROW A PICK...you will soon realize how huge 20 yards really is).

A fumble is a loss of 10.

If you successfully gain a first down in 3 or less plays, you move the ball up 5 yards.

If you score a TD from outside the redzone, you move the ball up 10 yards.

And again, a TD in the redzone ends the game.


Remember that since you are tallying up the yards for the down and distance, you should never give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Make it challenging on yourself. If it looks like he got the full ten, call it nine and get it on the next play. It's all about making yourself better, not finding shortcuts.

See how this game works for you. I find it takes quite a while to finish, but it really helps with not only converting in the clutch, but it will help with your redzone offense too, and finishing drives with 6 instead of 3. Try it out.

 

[DSpydr84]

that was pretty good game you made up...i just cant run the ball at all. i usually average about 1.5 ypc. i run with thomas jones and spell him washington...any tips with running with the jets? counters? dives? shifting oline? if i can get a running game going i will be tough on offense.

This year, the running game is extremely realistic. You really have to be in the right place at the right time.

One tip that might help you out is to lay off the sprint button until you decide where you want to go. If you're sprinting, and you second guess your hole choice and want to cut outside, they usually end up making a slow, drawn out move that allows the defense time to get in the backfield. This move is much faster when the runner is not sprinting, for obvious reasons. So check out where you're looking to run (you should know probably half a second after you get the handoff) and then blast on the jets.

As for manually breaking tackles, you'll want to cut right before impact if you're looking to juke/highlight stick out of a move. If you're trying a stiff arm, you'll want the runners arm to be in the air in order to make it work properly. You can also break tackles while you're being tackled by either spinning or using stiff arm, but that could also lead to fumbling, so pick and choose when you want to use it.

Good luck and bump that rushing average to at least 3 man! You're killing your QB.

 

[DSpydr84]

Using I: Tight "Power O" and "PA Power O"

With the rapid popularity of the 46 defense in the past few years, these are two awesome plays you can use to counter-act what was once seemingly an unbeatable defense. What I love about these two plays is they force the defense to be wrong, everytime.

One thing you may have noticed, or maybe it's just me, is that the 46 has no plays in it that cover both the flats and the corner. That is, unless the defense chooses to sacrifice a pass rush and hot route a defensive linemen, which I don't mind.

"PA Power O"

This is one of the few times I use a play-action play to set up the running play it corresponds with. Coming out in a big set usually signifies run, so the defense will likely come out in their 46 front looking to stuff your running back in the backfield. Going back to my last point; the defense cannot cover the tight end and the fullback, they don't have a play capable of doing so (maybe a man coverage, but realistically, one of these guys should break open in that case too). Your job is to read the SS - who is in the box - and see if he takes the TE or the FB. Whoever he takes, and it's almost always the FB, throw it to the other guy. If the user thinks he can do it all, and decides to control the FS and cover one of the two guys, that's where that backside post comes in handy. This, again, is the luxury of facing a defense with one deep safety and four linemen.

If you run this play a few times throughout the game, you may actually scare your opponent out of the 46. That's a tough move for him to make, because your formation is so power based (1 WR, 2 TE, 2 RB) but he really may have no choice. He'll need a play to defend that pass.

"Power O"

...and that's when you run it down his throat. If he stays in the 46, just keep throwing it from that formation (TE Flat is another great play, because again, they can't cover both the curl and the flat route). But if he jumps to a different look, say a 4-3 or 3-4, you can definitely gain some yardage running Power O. An important tip with this play is to stay on your track, so to speak. The path your running back gets the ball on should be the path you take up until you hit the line of scrimmage. Sometimes it looks ugly, but it works much better if you stay on track and trust your blockers. The goal is to let the outside guy free, then the pulling guard or leading fullback will "kick him out", making a hole. The only time you should bounce this run outside is if the outside guy isn't free (he gets blocked). Otherwise, keep it tight, and maybe even cut it back across the grain. It's there, I promise.


These plays should hopefully negate that fear you grew of a 46 defense. It's not so bad, right? There really are only 11 players on defense, and with these plays, you may think they're missing a few. I'll see you guys next time.

 

[DSpydr84]

Nice job Spydr. I am loving this thread. I never took notice back in the PS2 days on SG, well I'm not even sure if you worked on the game in the PS2 days, but I feel like I missed out, lol. Anyways... you think you can maybe help me out in the running game?? I like the Power O run, and never noticed how successful it was until I saw this thread. Plus you can Quick Audible it into the Power O Play action you were talking about as well. I need some serious help in the running game. In my last couple league games with Willis McGahee I have been 18 rushes for 22 yards, 16 rushes for 31 yards, and 28 rushes for 26 yards. I don't know what my problem is? Maybe I'm making it too obvious that I am running, but I definitely don't get why I can't run the ball on All-Madden. On All-Pro, I run well against the computer in Practice Mode, but can't seem to translate it over to All-Madden, against people.

Running the ball this year, to put it simply, is very realistic for a video game. 100 yard games aren't a dime a dozen like in years past, so you really have to think and run like a running back would in order to have any success.

First thing is first; PATIENCE. Too often, and I catch myself doing it as well, we get stuffed in the backfield and think, "I gotta get out of here as fast as I can". So as soon as we get the ball on the next run, we're sprinting for any possible opening and taking the 2 yard gain. This is not an effective way to run the football, and McGahee's 1-2 yards per carry is evident of that.

Sometimes, a run IS designed for you to turn on the jets right away, like Dives without a lead (Singleback and Shotgun), or Power O. But usually, you'll need to give your guys a little extra time to get their blocks developed. This is where the total control animation comes in handy. On most running plays when I get the ball, I'll make a stutter move or two before I find the hole. It is important that you are not sprinting at this point. This not only creates misdirection for the defense, but gives my guys a chance to make their blocks.

Secondly, and probably most importantly, you have to think of what you would do if you were the running back. Really. Would you get the ball and run as fast as you could or would you look for a hole? There's no right answer to that, because it all depends. You have to think of it like you're the guy. Don't sprint when you wouldn't, don't spin when you wouldn't, and always high step when you would. It sounds really stupid to think about, but it will help so much. Think of the games you played in the backyard, and apply it. Get the ball, find the hole, then hit the speed burst. I can't remember a time when I was in full sprint for an entire play, and quite honestly, there are very few situations where a player sprints at all (obviously: the open field, or getting around the corner).

To sum things up: Stutter step using the left analog stick (pressing left-right-left will do a stutter move, same with the other direction, or just right-left, or if you're Adrian Peterson against the Lions last year, you can try right-left-right-left-right-left), find the hole, get to the second level, THEN show off that speed. You'll break a lot more big runs, and more importantly, you'll have a lot less bad ones.

 

[DSpydr84]

New Patch, No Problem
Making Pre-snap Reads

One of the things I love about SIM football is the constant adjusting to the new game is not necessary. Finding new glitches, gimmicks, and bugs is never a part of the plan. Effectively, those who were taking advantage of AI problems in 09 prior to the new patch are now finding alternative ways to cheat the system. This is your time to attack.

Making the pre-snap read is a crucial step in being an effective quarterback. Knowing what the defense is doing before they do it gives you an obvious advantage over the other team, and constantly hitting the right target and charging down field is deflating for any defense.

One of the best and possibly the most unknown ways to make a pre-snap read is to let the quarterback go through his entire cadence (the cadence is what the QB calls when he goes under center, usually a color followed by a number, then repeated [ie: "Blue 48, Blue 48."). You may be surprised to find that the defense makes quite a few moves before you snap the ball in most cases. This makes your job astronomically easier, because the goal of every 2-safety defensive formation is to look like a Cover 2. When a safety comes in the box, or they roll over the wide receivers, it makes it easier to distinguish what the defense is doing, and better yet, what they're not doing.

Another good method is the hard count. It doesn't work all the time - like it shouldn't - but sometimes a linebacker will jump a bit on a hard count, giving away the blitz. It is a noticably different animation from the one we're used to seeing, where the linebacker simply steps forward and resets, or shows blitz from the beginning of the play. You have to keep an eye out for it, but it does happen.

What I have recently adopted is a consistent cadence system. I will snap the ball on either "set", first color (ex. "blue"), on one (right after the cadence), on two (after the cadence, use a fake snap, then snap it), and so on up to four. This not only will add realism to the game, but it gives you a chance to notice the adjustments the defense is making, and adjust accordingly. And call me crazy, but it seems like my team blocks a lot better once the defense is finally set.

Add this to your game, or if you're skeptical, try it out for ONE drive of your next game. You may be surprised.

 

[DSpydr84]

DSpydr u have been very helpful to me and other people. i just wanted to say thx and im tryin to look for my second best team because im a cowboys fan and i play as them. Since the cowboys make the game no fun i was wonderin like say i start using a team like the vikings wat would be some good suggestions about them. I need a different O and D playbook for them. Any Suggestions?

That all depends on what you believe in. Should you have the Vikings play your system, or should you design a new system around the Vikings? That choice is up to you. I like to keep the same playbook whenever I change teams, because I'm usually very familiar with it. It's not right or wrong, it's just what I prefer. You gotta go with your gut.

 

[DSpydr84]

Forcing the Defense to be Wrong
With Singleback: Ace Pair

A lot of offensive philosophies rely on taking what the defense gives you. This is an intelligent and effective idea to base your system around, but what if you don't like what they give you? At some point in time, YOU have to start dictating the game instead of the other way around. That's why my main philosophy, and you'll hear me saying it a lot, is forcing the defense to be wrong.

A great way of doing this is by power/spread packages, unbalanced formations, and use of the entire playbook. Power/spread works because if you have 4 WRs on the field, a dime coverage is susceptible to the running game, but bringing a safety up or using a nickel will leave one-on-one on the outside. Same works with power; if they don't have enough guys in the box, you can run all over them. If they have too many, get airborn.

Unbalanced formations, like Singleback: Ace Pair (among many others), usually results in the defense shifting in a way they wouldn't normally want to or have to. Of course, if they don't, they're at a huge numbers disadvantage for outside running plays. And this is where we will begin.

One habit that you will have to start getting used to is flipping the play. This will be especially important later, when we really get into messing with the guy. Make sure when you flip the play it's at random times, not always to the strength of the field.

Singleback: Ace Pair is in almost every playbook, usually consisting of 4-5 pages (16-20 plays). I can tell you that by using this formation and only this formation for an entire game, I've put up 42 points twice in three tries, and gained close to 500 yards rushing in those three games. With that said, you can run an entire offense around this one formation, as long as you're constantly setting the defense up for failure.

One thing I absolutely love about this formation is that when you flip it at the line of scrimmage, the tight ends are the only ones effected. This is a huge part of my offensive strategy; sometimes I'll run up to the line and snap it quickly, other times I'll run up and flip the play, then run the play. The purpose is to have the defense shifting with your shifting.

IF THEY DON'T SHIFT: That toss play looks pretty nice. It works pretty nice too. There's also another running play (HB Slash) that I've used countless times for great success. Again, it is hugely important that sometimes you come out of the huddle with the TEs to the left, to the right, flipping and not flipping at random but planned out times. You CANNOT become predictable. A good way to use predictability against the opponent is having the TEs on the short side (if you're on the left hash, have them to the left. The defense will think you're going to flip the play) and quickly snapping the ball and running left. You'll usually catch him off guard.

You should be aware that the 4-3 Normal, and 46 Normal, when NOT flipped, are set up to have the defense in the "strong" gaps, but if you flip the play, they don't flip with you unless the user makes them. If you've ever flipped an offensive play before and looked at the defense, they look to be at a huge disadvantage to the left side, because they are. Run plays (ESPECIALLY THE TOSS.. caps for emphasis; big runs!!) to that side are like clockwork if the defense isn't shifting.

IF THEY DO SHIFT: The counter is promising. Also, you can run the HB Dive by looking "middle to weak" for a lane to run. Don't take the HB Dive outside to the strong side, because HB Slash will do that for you.

Another important thing to remember is it's quite alright, and actually encouraged, to run the same play twice. This is another aspect of being unpredictable. Usually if the defense sees you come out, flip the play, and run to the strength, they won't expect you to do it again. And that's where they're wrong. There's nothing better than hearing the rare Collinsworth line, "They're running the same play over and over, and it's working over and over." I've gone so far as to use one play four times in a row. Four. Followed by a counter/PA Pass for a huge gainer.

Obviously, it's a bit of a challenge to out-guess the opponent all game, but you are almost always in a position to gain some yardage even if you did guess wrong. A gain of 3-4 on the ground on first down is perfect for me. My "I know for sure they're gonna (or not gonna) do this" plays are the toss, the counter, and Flanker Dig (the Banana route in the play is excellent against one-on-one coverage). Otherwise, I'm just having fun making the guy think - and sweat - a little.

And oh yeah, you can pass from this formation too! Just when the defense thought it was safe to bring 9 in the box, you can open it up with some great zone/man reads, as well as crossing patterns, floods, screens (in some playbooks), and the like to attack just about every coverage they try to use. It once again is important that even when you're passing, you're still flipping the play in the huddle and/or at the line. We want EVERY play to look like the last one, which makes it harder for the defense to know what's coming next, which then makes it impossible to call good defensive plays. And guess what that just did... forced the defense to be wrong. Just what we set out to do.


Give this formation a go, get used to flipping in and out of the huddle, mix up your playcalling with run and pass, and you should walk down the field for six. Good luck.

 

[DSpydr84]

Hey Spyder could you tell me some good plays to use in the redzone on offense. It seems like 70% of my interceptions come when I'm in the redzone.

How close are we talking here?

It's stupid, but from the 20 to the 5 I call that the "Green Zone" (Red Zone is for defense; Red means stop, Green means go). Then from the 5 and in is the "Goalline" (for obvious reasons).

My Green Zone plays are a little bit different than my regular offense, because the defense is congested and doesn't have to worry about a deep pass. A lot of times, especially this year because man-coverage isn't all that great, you will face a Cover 2 zone in these situations. Try to work the sidelines. Deep outs are great options when you're getting close, just make sure you have the flat defender occupied or he'll sneak up and pick it off.

If you're up against what's preferably known as "fag D" (9+ guys in coverage), just run a draw play. They work much better this year as opposed to years past, and you should get a nice 5+ yard gain.

As for the Goalline, use a lot of crossing patterns, rollouts, or just pound the rock. Don't walk away with anything less than a touchdown in this situation, and in most cases that means going for it on 4th down. You made it that far, you better finish the job.

Now I'm sure you noticed that in my 4 paragraph response, I cleverly avoided your question. If you're really at a loss, I'll throw a couple plays up here at your request, but I'd rather you find some of your own that you feel comfortable running. My style is different than yours, so you'll obviously pick better plays for you than I will. Throw it away when necessary, don't abandon the run, and walk away every game with a three digit number in the "Green Zone Scoring Percentage" column. You'll win more games because of it.

Hope that helps.

 

[RosettaStoned]

How do you stop WR screens?

 

[DSpydr84]

How do you stop WR screens?

Well, first let's examine why someone might use this play, since that will make it easier for us to determine how to stop it.

One reason a player would use a WR Screen is if he has recognized the opponent likes to blitz. Against single coverage, it is almost impossible for the defense to win this battle. The rush will never reach the quarterback, and the corner will almost always get blocked.

Another reason someone might use a screen is if they notice a numbers advantage to the outside. If they have 3 WRs to the left, and you have 2 defenders on those receivers, then the offense can easily block both players and the WR can run wild. If it is 3-on-3, or 3-on-4 (safety help over the top), it is much more difficult for the WR to create any space.

As with anything, there is the give and take, but to shut down a screen pass, your best bet is to use a play like Double Z or Double Wide, something to that effect. You will have the numbers advantage, and it would be virtually impossible for them to make any substantial yardage. Just make sure you're getting the numbers advantage, and not running a Cover 3 with the safety to the screen side in a deep zone, etc. Try it out.

 

[RosettaStoned]

Thank man, appreciate it. Also, check your reps, I have another question for you there.

 

[Rush]

Good shit DSpydr, keep em' coming. You should do a write-up on zone blitzes and how to use them while still having good coverage.