Not my idea but I think a good one.
Originally posted by jdbolick
The problem is that either OL don't need to take vision checks against LB blitzes (unlike safety/corner blitzes), or else those vision checks are bugged like the QB reaction one that just got fixed because you never see a red eye against a LB blitz. Regardless of the culprit, the result is that LB blitzes are always reacted to correctly and immediately. To fix that you need a two-stage check for LB blitzes:
The pre-snap OL vision check against LB blitzes should be significantly harder than the later one in order to create a decent percentage (maybe 15-20%) where the OL reacts but not immediately. I would recommend that the vision check also vary in difficulty based on the positioning of the blitzing LB. So the check on a LB blitzing from deep should be four times as difficult as a LB blitzing from shallow and twice as hard as a LB blitzing from normal/medium. That adds some realism since a lineman would be most likely to recognize a LB on the line, and it adds a nice game mechanic by forcing DCs to make choices on positioning.
Then there should be another OL vision check against a LB blitz after maybe 4 or so ticks. You'll have to test to see when it should happen to balance OL reaction delay with making the second check still mean something. This vision check should be substantially easier to pass, so maybe twice as easy as the pre-snap check. The goal is to have occasions where a LB blitzer isn't recognized and comes completely free, but for those to be fairly rare (maybe 5-10%), and for the more common occurrence to be a delayed reaction to the LB blitz which can put the QB under pressure and perhaps force a roll-out. This will make LB blitzing more viable, not only against the pass but also the run, since run blitzing is currently dead after being a nice weapon 10-15 seasons ago.
The vision check is the right way to address blitzing because in real football the most common reason blitzes are effective is a missed or mistaken blocking assignment, but right now LB blitzes don't get that chance the way that DB blitzes do. Plus it gives OL an incentive to invest in vision, since bhall can tell you how useless that is for OL currently, and rewards those LB builders who bought Disguise Blitz under the mistaken impression that it would do something for LBs.
Originally posted by jdbolick
The problem is that either OL don't need to take vision checks against LB blitzes (unlike safety/corner blitzes), or else those vision checks are bugged like the QB reaction one that just got fixed because you never see a red eye against a LB blitz. Regardless of the culprit, the result is that LB blitzes are always reacted to correctly and immediately. To fix that you need a two-stage check for LB blitzes:
The pre-snap OL vision check against LB blitzes should be significantly harder than the later one in order to create a decent percentage (maybe 15-20%) where the OL reacts but not immediately. I would recommend that the vision check also vary in difficulty based on the positioning of the blitzing LB. So the check on a LB blitzing from deep should be four times as difficult as a LB blitzing from shallow and twice as hard as a LB blitzing from normal/medium. That adds some realism since a lineman would be most likely to recognize a LB on the line, and it adds a nice game mechanic by forcing DCs to make choices on positioning.
Then there should be another OL vision check against a LB blitz after maybe 4 or so ticks. You'll have to test to see when it should happen to balance OL reaction delay with making the second check still mean something. This vision check should be substantially easier to pass, so maybe twice as easy as the pre-snap check. The goal is to have occasions where a LB blitzer isn't recognized and comes completely free, but for those to be fairly rare (maybe 5-10%), and for the more common occurrence to be a delayed reaction to the LB blitz which can put the QB under pressure and perhaps force a roll-out. This will make LB blitzing more viable, not only against the pass but also the run, since run blitzing is currently dead after being a nice weapon 10-15 seasons ago.
The vision check is the right way to address blitzing because in real football the most common reason blitzes are effective is a missed or mistaken blocking assignment, but right now LB blitzes don't get that chance the way that DB blitzes do. Plus it gives OL an incentive to invest in vision, since bhall can tell you how useless that is for OL currently, and rewards those LB builders who bought Disguise Blitz under the mistaken impression that it would do something for LBs.
Edited by tpaterniti on Aug 21, 2012 09:15:05
