Warrior General Games

So we just played an underleveled boosting team which we handled fine, score wise. However, we got sacked 8 times and had 16 hurries. The problem was, they ran a goal line defense vs all our 3+ wr sets and the blitzing ROLB came in untouched 100% of the time.

http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=183176&pbp_id=4266373
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=183176&pbp_id=4266412
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=183176&pbp_id=4268031
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=183176&pbp_id=4270302

etc etc.

So what can i change to stop this without making us less effective against teams that run realistic offenes? I'm not crying exploit or anything, but i dont want to gimp our offense just to deal with something that's unrealistic and should be burnable.

That's not a goalline defense, that's all-out mad blitzing.

That isn't Goal Line. It's 3-4 Cover 0 man with a blitz overload. You're not going to "stop" it. They've got 7 rushers and you have 6 blockers.

Your QB needs to throw it faster (vision, perhaps?). Your WRs had some nice cushions in most of those cases, but the QB just didn't throw. WR investments in first step and agility might induce your QB to throw it sooner, too. This would be ideal because if any WR burns his guy and the QB throws it his way it's in the endzone.

OK my mistake then. There's nothing i can change tactics wise to help at all then, its purely a build/skills issue?

Well, you can run more, and thereby decrease the amount of 3 WR sets you throw out there - but there's no way 6 guys can ever block 7. You need to beat that blitz, not block it.

Ok thanks. Was hoping there was something i could do with the behavior of the HB, he either runs some slow curl or double teams one of the guys the C has. Nothing i can do to get him to grab that unblocked LB?

Individual plays call for the HB to stay in to block or go out for the pass. You can't determine which happens, but it doesn't matter - when he stays in, he's not doubling the C's guy, he's picking up the blitz of the LILB. I did see in one of your plays where the RG tried to pick up the ROLB, but I have my doubts as to whether that's ever going to get there in time ... even if it does, that leaves the LOLB unblocked. In this case the LILB and LOLB didn't seem to be terribly agile blitzers and were moving like molasses. The LOLB did manage 6 hurries in the game, though. The ROLB was clearly a speed/accel build and that's why it's him you're focused on.

Just run more short passing plays and allow more dump offs to the HB or FB. With all the LBs blitzing, the RB and FB are wide open to catch passes in the flats as long as they aren't blocking. More short passing plays also gives short slant and comeback routes to your WRs so your QB will be throwing the ball to them faster.

Originally posted by ohmite
Just run more short passing plays and allow more dump offs to the HB or FB. With all the LBs blitzing, the RB and FB are wide open to catch passes in the flats as long as they aren't blocking. More short passing plays also gives short slant and comeback routes to your WRs so your QB will be throwing the ball to them faster.

Exactly. And maybe some outside runs, though you'll get your share of lost yardage there too if your backs aren't quick enough.

You might also want to make sure your o-line has enough vision and agility to handle the onslaught, you're likely to see that sort of defence again since it was so successful against you.

Their LB's are also stacked weak side, making an outside run (usually left) going to be very effective

Every single play is against shotgun, which has no other run besides QB draw (which will fail miserably here).

I'm guessing that's Formation based defensive AI sell-out blitzing against pure passing formations.