Warrior General Games

This player is best in zone coverage. Each level of Zone Specialist gives a 1% bonus to speed, agility, and vision when playing zone coverage.

First, let me state that the description sounds good but, I believe, it is fools gold. It forces a defense to play zone, which has its advantages and disadvantages, but the bigger question is, "how long is it activated?" Now, the pathing of players, I have learned through the past weeks, goes by the amount of "ticks" during a play and, essentially, moves like running lights at Christmas. A kind of . . . . . . . . with a roll of all the individuals and plays in between. So one roll, then the dots reposition, then roll, dots reposition, roll, etc.

So, how long does the 1% really give an advantage?
- Does zone coverage stop when the ball is thrown? If so, the 1% bonus activates for a couple of clicks, which will help defend plays in the middle, nothing more.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is caught? If so, the 1% activates for a couple more clicks which might help the slant and TE coverage, but nothing else.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is handed off? If so, the 1% activates for, maybe, one click. Hardly a benefit at all.
- Does zone coverage stop when the play is over? If so, the 1% activates for the whole play, which would be huge.

There may be a couple of other scenarios then the four I outlined above, but the point remains the same. For how long does the Zone Specialist activate for? If only for the first couple of clicks, having zone specialist does not help the FS nearly at all as his attributes fall back once "zone coverage" is deemed over.

I am not going to make a case for other VA's here, unless asked about them, but as far as Zone Specialist goes, it is pure and simple fools gold. If it was so powerful and so useful and a must have... why wasn't it nerfed? Seems like the powerful VA's were nerfed or had more of a "percentage of happening" given to them. Yet, zone specialist had nothing done to it. Why?

Other aspects to it from a play perspective:

It forces the defense to play zone to simply activate it. So, if a defense switches from zone to man during a game, essentially, 15 VA points would be wasted.

If ever playing man, wouldn't you want your VA points getting used nearly 100% of the time to help the player and team to the best of the VA ability?

The only VA that gives a 100% activation is the attributes VA, however those were nerfed greatly, but still highly beneficial in my mind. So, the magic number is 100%. What is the percentage of Zone Specialist activating in a game in relation to that 100%? Digging deeper, within that percentage, how many clicks or how much activation does it benefit the player? Very small in my mind which is not a beneficial use of a player's VA's.

Originally posted by Challenge Everything
So, how long does the 1% really give an advantage?
- Does zone coverage stop when the ball is thrown? No.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is caught? Yes.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is handed off? Yes. ZS helps read run, though.
- Does zone coverage stop when the play is over? Everything stops when the play is over.

ZS is really only beneficial for the FS position, because they're in zone 90+% of the time, generally.

Originally posted by Asheme
Originally posted by Challenge Everything
So, how long does the 1% really give an advantage?
- Does zone coverage stop when the ball is thrown? No.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is caught? Yes.
- Does zone coverage stop when a ball is handed off? Yes. ZS helps read run, though.
- Does zone coverage stop when the play is over? Everything stops when the play is over.ZS is really only beneficial for the FS position, because they're in zone 90+% of the time, generally.
Okay, I can accept this, but for how long (ie how many ticks) does it activate for? It does not appear to be beneficial if it takes 4 or 5 or 6 ticks before it is turned off. When compared to something like the attribute bump, which is activated 100% of the time throughout the whole play, compared to the few ticks Zone Specialist might be.

The other huge issue is that Zone Specialist is not even activated if/when Man coverage is played. So, that is, essentially, a waste of 15 points when those could be used elsewhere.

it's activated from the time the play starts while he's in zone to the time a non-QB player has the ball unless the QB rushes, if I understand correctly.

FS generally doesn't play Man, so that's not an issue, though for some teams it would be. FS is hardly needed in the running game from what I've noticed, so the fact that he doesn't have the bonus on running plays shouldn't be a big deal if your team rush defense is good, anyway.

Originally posted by DanNava
FS generally doesn't play Man, so that's not an issue, though for some teams it would be. FS is hardly needed in the running game from what I've noticed, so the fact that he doesn't have the bonus on running plays shouldn't be a big deal if your team rush defense is good, anyway.
Very well, but with that said, the VA is then activated for ~30 plays a game. If a safety averages 60 plays a game, assuming a 50/50 split, then the VA is worth 50% of the total plays. Moving on, of those 50% of the plays, the VA turns off when, under your assumption (which are fine), when someone other than the QB "has" the ball. So, if a screen pass, VA turns off rather quick, if a medium pass, VA turns off in a possible rundown, if a deep pass, VA is probably good (if it stays on when the ball is in the air).

Under these assumptions, the VA helps the safety react to the ball (if on in air) but otherwise turns off. Not sure I can see this as an effective use of a players VAs.

Word is that on run plays it helps the Saftey recognize that it's a run play (vision bonus) but then, clearly deactivates. I've heard that, not sure if it's true

Originally posted by cmart102
Word is that on run plays it helps the Saftey recognize that it's a run play (vision bonus) but then, clearly deactivates. I've heard that, not sure if it's true

should be true. TBH it would be stupid if it never activates cause it's a run play.

It does help with the read, the vision boost is in effect and if a decision is made to move toward the run prior to the hand off then the AGI boost will help him for a few ticks to get up to speed. Likewise on a dump off or cross field throw the AGI boost is very effective in helping get the FS to the play. ZS and BH, every FS that is not in an unconventional scheme should have it.

Originally posted by Challenge Everything

Very well, but with that said, the VA is then activated for ~30 plays a game. If a safety averages 60 plays a game, assuming a 50/50 split, then the VA is worth 50% of the total plays.

Your FS is only in zone 50% of his plays?

My team said we only run zone 30% of the time... Might they be confused because maybe the CBs are man to man.. but me being a FS.. I am in zone?

Basically.. I'm doing Ball Hawk for sure for my FS... if I do Football Genius that is an extra 5.53 vision points for my safety.. which is about 21-22 SPs... or i do Zone Spec.


What would you do?

Originally posted by jaytda4th
My team said we only run zone 30% of the time... Might they be confused because maybe the CBs are man to man.. but me being a FS.. I am in zone?

Basically.. I'm doing Ball Hawk for sure for my FS... if I do Football Genius that is an extra 5.53 vision points for my safety.. which is about 21-22 SPs... or i do Zone Spec.


What would you do?

I would get a DC who understands football.

In your last scrimmage, you ran Cov-2 35 times and Cov-1 22 times. The FS lined up in zone every single play during the game. In fact, your SS was lined up in zone far more often than not.

Originally posted by drakeborn
Originally posted by jaytda4th

My team said we only run zone 30% of the time... Might they be confused because maybe the CBs are man to man.. but me being a FS.. I am in zone?

Basically.. I'm doing Ball Hawk for sure for my FS... if I do Football Genius that is an extra 5.53 vision points for my safety.. which is about 21-22 SPs... or i do Zone Spec.


What would you do?

I would get a DC who understands football.

In your last scrimmage, you ran Cov-2 35 times and Cov-1 22 times. The FS lined up in zone every single play during the game. In fact, your SS was lined up in zone far more often than not.

Heh. I remember when this was fairly novel. Back in the day it was generically called called a "hybrid zone."

haha.. that is what i thought.. So for my FS to not get the bonus.. i would actually have to be lined up in man? That probably never happens for a FS really lol

Originally posted by jaytda4th
haha.. that is what i thought.. So for my FS to not get the bonus.. i would actually have to be lined up in man? That probably never happens for a FS really lol

That's exactly it. Any cover 1or cover 2 shell (man underneath with safety zone help) will give you the bonus. It's definatley a great VA for a FS