Stopping the passing game???

[gerg1234]

I am having so much trouble stopping the passing game. ESPECIALLY on 3rd and LONG!!!! I just played INDIANA and they always had 3rd and over 10 and ALWAYS completed a pass for 15 yards or up. Its always to the middle of the field. (I thought in a Cover 3 the safety over the middle would be there....instead he drops 35 yards back for no apparent reason).

I've tried blitzing. I've tried man to man. I've tried Cover 2,3, and 4. NOTHING I do stops them on 3rd and long. I actually broke a controller because I had them on 3rd and 32 (after 2 sacks a holding and a false start) only to give up a 45 yard play.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!

[bamaphant83]

youre not getting any help from me. i have the same problem. ive tried doubling their #1 WR, cover 2's and cover 3's. Ive mixed it up with presses and blitzes but like you they always seem to make huge plays (15+ yards) on 3rd downs. there have been times when ive held them and then there would be some phantom PI or Roughing call jst to give them another chance. im great.. unstoppable on the first 2 downs but i hear on 3rd

[Kriech23]

I run Cover 3 and manually play with the FS. On third and longer than 10, I let them complete anything in front of the first down marker and then gang tackle them. On 3rd and shorter than 10, I patrol the middle of the field, and take whoever is going to my side of the sideline and basically man-up with them. Many time I break up the pass, sometimes they complete it, and a few times they complete it for 20-30 yards in my zone area. But, I just do what I have to on 3rd and long. Hope it helps some.

[Oraeon1224]

Several things stop the passing game:

#1 problem: You didn't mention but I suspect you are playing on Heisman. This is a super mode for the CPU don't go above all american (at that level most teams throw for mid to high 60%).

#2 problem using default sliders: Decrease CPU QB accuracy to 25 and WR catching to 40 or 45.

#3 Don't forget to blitz on definite passing downs.

[Art01]

Echoing the last response. This game has many different available playing styles. You must become familiar with the interactions between the various Sliders and the 4 different difficulty levels (JV to Heisman). Your style of play and your expectations will also have a large impact on how you perceive the game play.

For example, I play exclusively in "Coach Mode" - which means that I call plays and let the CPU manage all players (I use Supersim "watch next play" to avoid making kicks and kick returns). In my mode of play, I select Sliders and Difficulty Levels to match my desired play style - which is low scoring, defensive struggles with few penalties and few turnovers. I have been very successful in having realistic and exciting games in every difficulty level, but my Slider settings are very different for Varsity versus Heisman.

Enjoy the challange of making the software emulate what you want it to do - and remember that it is indeed software and not reality, so there will always be "issues". I have found NCAA10 to be the best of the NCAA simulations in either platform for my style of play.

Art

[marxshut]

Quote: Originally Posted by gerg1234

I am having so much trouble stopping the passing game. ESPECIALLY on 3rd and LONG!!!! I just played INDIANA and they always had 3rd and over 10 and ALWAYS completed a pass for 15 yards or up. Its always to the middle of the field. (I thought in a Cover 3 the safety over the middle would be there....instead he drops 35 yards back for no apparent reason). I've tried blitzing. I've tried man to man. I've tried Cover 2,3, and 4. NOTHING I do stops them on 3rd and long. I actually broke a controller because I had them on 3rd and 32 (after 2 sacks a holding and a false start) only to give up a 45 yard play. PLEASE HELP ME!!!

As mentioned before you have to rush at least 4 if not 5 on obvious passing downs. A dime 3-2-6 with no blitz will get eaten alive because of no pressure.

Next, you'll have to manually patrol the middle of the field. Look at the formation if it's 3 WR to one side, cheat over there with an MLB because the guy going over the middle is likely coming from this side. If WR's are balanced, watch the slot WR's as one of them is likely running a post or seam route. Cover that guy manually with your zone defender. It makes the CPU QB go to their second read and buys your blitz some time to get pressure. Cover 3 works if you manually take away the middle. Man with cover-1 (safety and MLB in zone all others in man) is also good to throw in as is dime cover 3 man (cover 3 zone with man coverage on the slot WR) all these can help take the deep middle away which is where the CPU loves to go on third and long. Also if its over 3rd and 13 I'll run Dime 3-2-6 cover 4 to be safe. You get no pass rush here but because the CPU has to go 13 yards, the cover 4 is effective at shutting down the deep middle. One more tip, if you have fast DE's, audible them wide and to the outside rush, they seem to get better pressure this way.

Plus with adaptive AI I think you have to mix your coverages. As mentioned above I alternate between Cover 3, Cover 1 man, and Dime Cover 3 / Man. I also vary the blitzes from Dime and Dime 3-2-6 and if I'm really getting torched, I'll switch to Nickle 3-3-5 blitzes.

The key is getting comfortable covering the receiver going deep up the middle with your player to make the QB go to his next read.

[gerg1234]

Thanks for the responses. I've been playing on All-American with JUnit40's sliders. My base D is a 4-2-5. I've been using the SS or LDE most of the time. I really haven't been having a problem with this until the last 4 games. When I blitz the QB goes into robo mode and fits the ball into these amazingly tight fits while getting the pass off in 0.000234 seconds.

I think I'll try playing as the MLB for a bit.

[gerg1234]

Well I still suck. Just played another created team (I created a custom conference). Their O rating is a B-. Their QB completed 89% (3 points better than his accuracy rating) of his passes for 398 yards. Most passes are quick strikes to WR at almost the snap of the ball. Tried to jam but the DB's all but fall down. Tried to go to a tight zone....doesn't matter.

I guess I'm just not any good at this game. I was halfway decent at '09.....but I SUCK at this one. It is so frustrating.