I am lost here

[ryjam282]

Can anyone at all possibly lend a helping hand. I have a relatively good defense in terms of numbers per position yet, I somehow give up oodles of points on a weekly basis. How on earth do you keep the opposing teams under 30 points? I haven't been able to do it in quite some time going back to last year. What am I missing here? I know not too many people will be willing to give out some insider secrets but a little help would be much appreciated. PLEASE!!!


Thanks in advance.

Ryan

[Devin]

If im not mistaken you play a 3-4 yeah?

I am almost convinced its impossible to successfully run that scheme in this game. At any rate as I have learned its about having good players but almost equally how you use them.

Utilize your strengths. If you have a solid interior OL run more draws rather then running to the outside, if you have stellar WR's use more passes.....etc

[Ebenezer]

IF you allow the game to default it will, by the numbers, pick the best thing for your team...how you tinker after that further affects the team...and yes, I also feel that it is very hard to run a 3-4 in the game.

[ryjam282]

I abandoned the 3-4 this year. I hope that it is not running that. I haven't really identified what kind of O and D I am running this year so I figured the computer would give me what is best based on my lineup but, like I said, I can't seem to keep the opposing teams under 30 points.

[Sportsuser101]

I ran the 34 this year and last year. Just have to find the exact players that fit the scheme. IE Seymour at DE, Payne or Ferguson at NT, Porter/Ware at OLB. I like the 34 better then the 43 especially in this league just have to do a bit more thinking then just picking the best ranking # for each position. Sometimes you have to go with the next best player if he fits better.

[L.A. Playa]

its a mix of what Eb and Sportsuser said in my opinion, you need to have an idea of what kind of offense and defense you want to play and structure your team around that philosophy, if you didnt do that then you need to honestly look at your teams strengths and weakness and play towards your strengths and hide your weaknesses

also no NFL player plays every down of every game, depth comes into play if a player ranked a 9 misses 5 - 10 plays a game because of fatigue and your backup is a 3 then you are gonna have some problems when that backup comes in

[DrForbes]

I ran the 34 this year and last year. Just have to find the exact players that fit the scheme. IE Seymour at DE, Payne or Ferguson at NT, Porter/Ware at OLB. I like the 34 better then the 43 especially in this league just have to do a bit more thinking then just picking the best ranking # for each position. Sometimes you have to go with the next best player if he fits better.

I am curious how you evaluate that? or a better question is how does the game evaluate that? The game only has a number rating for runs and passes and overall. It doesn't know if the guy is a one gapper versus a two gapper defensive lineman. So how do you tell who is a good fit, if your not going by the numbers?

[L.A. Playa]

I think if a guy plays OLB in a 3-4 or a DT plays DT in a 3-4 that they are a better fit to play in a 3-4 rather than playing a DT in a 4-3 as a NT in a 3-4 I dont know how the game determines it or if it really does but there appears to be somewhat of a pattern

[Sportsuser101]

I am curious how you evaluate that? or a better question is how does the game evaluate that? The game only has a number rating for runs and passes and overall. It doesn't know if the guy is a one gapper versus a two gapper defensive lineman. So how do you tell who is a good fit, if your not going by the numbers?

Personally I don't follow the ratings as much as I probably should, especially on defense. I go with guys that have played in the 34 defense in real life and if they weren't in the 34 defense I try to project them as being in the 34 defense. As much as Strahan is a pass rusher I still think he is strong enough to do what an end needs to do in the 34 along with pass rushing on passing downs. I think last year Ferguson was perfect for me as my nose tackle. This year I think Payne will do something similar. Now my backup William Joseph is much better suited in the 43 scheme so Alvin McKinley may end up getting the nod if Payne does go down. McKinley is probably best suited as an end in the 34 but I think he could do a solid job at the nose. Porter, Ware, Davis, Farrior, Seymour and Payne all are currently in the 34 defense. The only guy in my front 7 that isn't is Strahan. Last year Strahan and Fields were the 2 guys that weren't in the 34 defense. I think picking a defense goes beyond just the ratings and goes by what a player plays in and what you think he can play in. I may be wrong but I think thats the way they evaluate it. A guy like Dwight Freeney wouldn't be a good fit imo in my scheme because 1 he's not eligible at OLB and 2 he may have a good individual season sack wise but I think in the long run he will hurt the 34 defense because when he doesn't get to the QB he doesn't help anyone else get to the QB and also in the run game the ends are a big part of letting your LBers run free and Freeney probably wouldn't do a good job with that. Thats why I was glad to grab Wimbley in the 1st round this year was because I think good LBers are the most important part of the 34 defense.

[ryjam282]

Well, guys, I appreciate the help, I will take an in depth look at my team and see what I can come up with. I think I have a pretty good mix of young/old players that I know I should be competing a lot more here but since last year I just can't seem to get anything done....To be continued I guess.

At least I have had what appears to be 2 good draft classes : )

[L.A. Playa]

I think your problem is ownership

[ryjam282]

Easy now...I defintely don't think that.....

[SABURZFAN]

i tried to build the defense as best i could.my OL problems didn't help either.at least i don't have to wait until the 4th round next year to help draft a better team. :up: