Defending Slots and TE's over the middle

[psusnoop]

I have played a guy from the lobby a few times over the past week. He isn't a bad player but he throws to the slot and TE pretty much exclusively. I added him to my friends list to play him a few more times because I know I'm better then him, but I can never seem to be able to get my guys in the positions I know they should be in.


My questions are what is a good base defense for attacking this?
and
Is it even possible to attack this type of offense with the problems that we face with the defensive responsibilities?

[steelerfan]

I have beaten JBHuskers 2/3 this year, so I know it can be done.

[psusnoop]

LOL

I have won 2 out of 3 against this guy as well but I'm torn because I know my D is better then what the numbers say. After looking over all 3 games I saw just how one sided his gameplay is. I'd just like to take it away better, but is it cheesy to keep throwing in the middle like that or to the slots 90% of the time?

[cdj]

I'll look up some exact defensive plays later, but in similar spots I like to run anything that has a lot of defenders in hook zones. I'll Show Blitz to bring them closer to the line so that way they are hopefully in the way of the ball on anything remotely towards the middle of the field. It also helps put LBs in a spot where they can tip or intercept medium range passes if the player doesn't go to slants or TEs over the middle.

[JeffHCross]

He isn't a bad player but he throws to the slot and TE pretty much exclusively.

FSUPrime?

[psusnoop]

No not FSUPrime, LOL.

For me I try to mix up my passing game even though I stink at it so I don't isolate the slots and TE's. This isn't saying I don't throw to them, I just don't throw exclusively to them. So I guess I'm just wondering why people feel they need to exploit the zone coverages by throwing like that all the time?

[ryby6969]

No not FSUPrime, LOL.

For me I try to mix up my passing game even though I stink at it so I don't isolate the slots and TE's. This isn't saying I don't throw to them, I just don't throw exclusively to them. So I guess I'm just wondering why people feel they need to exploit the zone coverages by throwing like that all the time?

Who do you user on defense? If you take a LB or a safety, it is honestly the easiest place to attack. You cannot change directions as fast as the computer(especially with locomotion) and if you are like me and see a receiver just a little bit open you will start to fade over that way. It is really tough to cover the middle because you pretty much have to cover the whole thing because of the way zones are in the game. Same thing with man to man. If you are responsible for the TE or slot receiver, it is hard to stay with them no matter how good your player is.

What I try to do to combat this is bait them into thinking they are open. You can get a good amount of user picks like that. Don't want to say too much, I might have to play you in Powerhouse sometime.

[Escobar]

What I try to do to combat this is bait them into thinking they are open. You can get a good amount of user picks like that. Don't want to say too much, I might have to play you in Powerhouse sometime.

You got me with that a couple times, but I got you once with my FS when running Robber Coverage.

[ryby6969]

You got me with that a couple times, but I got you once with my FS when running Robber Coverage.

Yeah, as soon as I threw it I was like ah hell!

[AustinWolv]

What works sometimes are the zone blitzes with DL dropping back in coverage.

[Marlowe]

If you are responsiblefor the TE or slot receiver, it is hard to stay with them no matter how good your player is.

I think there's something in the game this year that might help with this.

[AustinWolv]

I think there's something in the game this year that might help with this.

As in the A button (on 360) for the CPU to take over your player temporarily?

[Marlowe]

As in the A button (on 360) for the CPU to take over your player temporarily?

The defense assist I think the manual calls it.

[psusnoop]

Thanks for the tips guys, I do user my MLB 95% of the time.

I'll keep playing around and practicing to see if I can get a little better in this area.

[Quest4Gold]

I was playing one my league games and I was running a 2-4-5 in 3rd down conditions and I had the DT's in spy mode and both of my dt's had int's in the game. one time I had the nickel back blitz from the right and left DT had the int and then I flipped it and had the nickel back blitz from the left and my right DT made the int. You could mess with that a little as well.

[PDuncanOSU]

I play most of my games against the cpu, so it is probably more dificult against users that exploit this more but this is what works for me: I like to have more run-stopping linemen and faster linebackers with good coverage skills. I don't get a lot of sacks but it does make a noticeable difference in coverage. I also will play a lot of cover-1 man defenses with a linebacker playing zone in the middle of the field. If your corners are good enough to hold up in 1-on-1 on the outside, this defenses has worked pretty well for me.

[whitepony99]

I love throwing to my slot receivers but I have for the last 10 years, I dont think its cheesy throwing to the slots a lot of the time but I do think running 4 verts all the time is extremely cheesy.

[psusnoop]

I love throwing to my slot receivers but I have for the last 10 years, I dont think its cheesy throwing to the slots a lot of the time but I do think running 4 verts all the time is extremely cheesy.

Not a fan of 4 verts, just hate that route big time.

[whitepony99]

Not a fan of 4 verts, just hate that route big time.

I have not ran that play since I found out it was almost unstoppable. I hate 4 verts but it is a base in the Run and Shoot offense it is just a shame that EA cant get anything right in the game.

[JBHuskers]

I have beaten JBHuskers 2/3 this year, so I know it can be done.

I don't visit the strategy area as much as I should