TD Sets - I think I screwed up?

So, let's just say I dont spend a lot of time making sets, etc. Im running a lions TT and wanted the C Dom Raiola LTD for the extra chem to get to 60/60. I also like the idea of having an absolute beast of a center. Hes 95 OVR on my team. I need the LTD version because I now have 60/60 with one free slot for either a better QB or another player of choice with non lions chem. 

I didnt think it through at all.. I just made the 92 Raiola from the set, bought the extra NFC north tokens and got the LTD. I guess I can re-use the NFC North tokens for another set if I wanted to, but I am now realizing that the 92BND is completely useless. Am I missing something? Why would the set be set up this way? Can I use the 92 BND for anything? I feel like Im missing something obvious.

jholiday77 said:

So, let's just say I dont spend a lot of time making sets, etc. Im running a lions TT and wanted the C Dom Raiola LTD for the extra chem to get to 60/60. I also like the idea of having an absolute beast of a center. Hes 95 OVR on my team. I need the LTD version because I now have 60/60 with one free slot for either a better QB or another player of choice with non lions chem. 

I didnt think it through at all.. I just made the 92 Raiola from the set, bought the extra NFC north tokens and got the LTD. I guess I can re-use the NFC North tokens for another set if I wanted to, but I am now realizing that the 92BND is completely useless. Am I missing something? Why would the set be set up this way? Can I use the 92 BND for anything? I feel like Im missing something obvious.

The way around this was to redeem a player whose BND you could have used, sell the LTD, and buy the LTD you wanted.

phatalerror said:

The way around this was to redeem a player whose BND you could have used, sell the LTD, and buy the LTD you wanted.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I didnt want any of the other TDs because they dont get Lions chem. I should have just bought the LTD with coins. It is what it is. Thanks for your reply.

Im going to sell the Raiola LTD and get Joe Thomas LT instead. He will be my 1 player without Lions chem. Better than having a 92 TD just sitting in my binder.

jholiday77 said:

Im going to sell the Raiola LTD and get Joe Thomas LT instead. He will be my 1 player without Lions chem. Better than having a 92 TD just sitting in my binder.

Then you will use the 92 BND Raiola as your center? I was thinking about doing the same thing. Any idea how much the set cost you?

CNIZZOTE said:

Then you will use the 92 BND Raiola as your center? I was thinking about doing the same thing. Any idea how much the set cost you?

I wanna say about 2 mill? I didnt prepare or pre build anything. 

Gonna put raiola at Center, I got Penei at LT right now. Im going to move Penei to RT as he should be and get Membou outta there. 

Then I'll have a really solid O line:

LT - 93 Joe Thomas 

LG - 92 Humphrey (hope he does well at LG lol)

C - 92 Raiola

RG - 91 Ratlege

RT- 91 Sewell

jholiday77 said:

I wanna say about 2 mill? I didnt prepare or pre build anything. 

Gonna put raiola at Center, I got Penei at LT right now. Im going to move Penei to RT as he should be and get Membou outta there. 

Then I'll have a really solid O line:

LT - 93 Joe Thomas 

LG - 92 Humphrey (hope he does well at LG lol)

C - 92 Raiola

RG - 91 Ratlege

RT- 91 Sewell

I wonder if we'll get another John Madden at LT this year. He was All-32 Chems, wasn't he?

jholiday77 said:

I wanna say about 2 mill? I didnt prepare or pre build anything. 

Gonna put raiola at Center, I got Penei at LT right now. Im going to move Penei to RT as he should be and get Membou outta there. 

Then I'll have a really solid O line:

LT - 93 Joe Thomas 

LG - 92 Humphrey (hope he does well at LG lol)

C - 92 Raiola

RG - 91 Ratlege

RT- 91 Sewell

I have creed at LG, 0 sacks allowed. he should be good, has some solid SPD too

jholiday77 said:

I wanna say about 2 mill? I didnt prepare or pre build anything. 

Gonna put raiola at Center, I got Penei at LT right now. Im going to move Penei to RT as he should be and get Membou outta there. 

Then I'll have a really solid O line:

LT - 93 Joe Thomas 

LG - 92 Humphrey (hope he does well at LG lol)

C - 92 Raiola

RG - 91 Ratlege

RT- 91 Sewell

OVR ratings Do. Not. Matter.

That being said, it's as simple as -- does your O-line have Pass Protector; Yes/No

1. IF yes, you may be able to block some of the time, but probably not, as yer OL will stand there and turn slowly as pass rushers blow by, often untouched. 😬
2. IF no, then yer definitely screwed.  Hopefully Secure Protector arrives shortly after Zero Chill melts away, if not sooner.

Empty blocking (in Coaching Adjustments) does a decent job of picking up most stunts, whereas Base blocking is pretty decent for everything else.  For me, personally, i just plan on getting the ball out quick.  In a game absolutely filled to the brim with various bugs and glitches, many of them game-breaking in nature, the blocking, protections and overall targeting from blockers is downright atrocious.

Congrats on yer new Team Diamond.  You could/should probably stop at 55/60, as there's minimal value to the final boost: +1 DRR, +1 JMP, +1 TAK (although i have heard folks suggest that Jumping is actually useful this year -- almost certainly not as impactful on gameplay as having five "cheat" (non theme-team) cards on the field.

phatalerror said:

I wonder if we'll get another John Madden at LT this year. He was All-32 Chems, wasn't he?

Not sure. I only played the first few months last year

RavensFlockLetsFly said:

I have creed at LG, 0 sacks allowed. he should be good, has some solid SPD too

Sweet, can't wait to try it out

peatrick said:

OVR ratings Do. Not. Matter.

That being said, it's as simple as -- does your O-line have Pass Protector; Yes/No

1. IF yes, you may be able to block some of the time, but probably not, as yer OL will stand there and turn slowly as pass rushers blow by, often untouched. 😬
2. IF no, then yer definitely screwed.  Hopefully Secure Protector arrives shortly after Zero Chill melts away, if not sooner.

Empty blocking (in Coaching Adjustments) does a decent job of picking up most stunts, whereas Base blocking is pretty decent for everything else.  For me, personally, i just plan on getting the ball out quick.  In a game absolutely filled to the brim with various bugs and glitches, many of them game-breaking in nature, the blocking, protections and overall targeting from blockers is downright atrocious.

Congrats on yer new Team Diamond.  You could/should probably stop at 55/60, as there's minimal value to the final boost: +1 DRR, +1 JMP, +1 TAK (although i have heard folks suggest that Jumping is actually useful this year -- almost certainly not as impactful on gameplay as having five "cheat" (non theme-team) cards on the field.

Thanks for the advice. Its tedious, but base blocking, along with untargetting the right defenders, double teams if necessary, and sliding protections is something I do every play now.

I recently played two of the top 3 players in ranked within 5 games of each other which has taught me a lot about pass protection. I've been getting matched with some madden demons. I generally use the quick passing game like you mentioned which has helped me up until then..  The first match was against the then current #1 player in ranked and I got destroyed due to no protection / insta-sheds. That's when I learned about how important it is to use base blocking and using edge protector on my tackles. I also threw linchpin and post up on two of my interior lineman which seemed to help a lot. I dont think i have used pass protector yet. 2 games later I was matched with another top 3 player in ranked (what are the chances?!), and I fared much better with pass protection. I got the ball out quick and even had a 2 score lead.. but I ended up losing by 2 points. Once he got me in long distance situation I was cooked. The protection just didnt hold up. 

Im more into MUT this year than I have been in years. Most of the time I spend on the game is playing ranked and I really ought to spend more time looking and trying different abilities. I will 100% be throwing on pass protector. Do you recommend pairing it with edge protector?

I have 4AP tied up in route technician for Calvin Johnson but I think I'm going to spend the rest on my o-line. What abilities other than pass protection would you recommend?

I was running 50/60 and 55/60. But I feel like I need all the boosts I can get. I have the first two sets of crystals as well. I had the third but got rid of it immediately because it just seemed unnecessary.

edit: I did not know about empty blocking! I will try that out tonight. Thanks again!

peatrick said:

OVR ratings Do. Not. Matter.

That being said, it's as simple as -- does your O-line have Pass Protector; Yes/No

1. IF yes, you may be able to block some of the time, but probably not, as yer OL will stand there and turn slowly as pass rushers blow by, often untouched. 😬
2. IF no, then yer definitely screwed.  Hopefully Secure Protector arrives shortly after Zero Chill melts away, if not sooner.

Empty blocking (in Coaching Adjustments) does a decent job of picking up most stunts, whereas Base blocking is pretty decent for everything else.  For me, personally, i just plan on getting the ball out quick.  In a game absolutely filled to the brim with various bugs and glitches, many of them game-breaking in nature, the blocking, protections and overall targeting from blockers is downright atrocious.

Congrats on yer new Team Diamond.  You could/should probably stop at 55/60, as there's minimal value to the final boost: +1 DRR, +1 JMP, +1 TAK (although i have heard folks suggest that Jumping is actually useful this year -- almost certainly not as impactful on gameplay as having five "cheat" (non theme-team) cards on the field.

Sorry, one last question- who / what do you consider some of the must have non-theme cards out there? Maybe I just haven't found the ones worth adding.

jholiday77 said:

Thanks for the advice. Its tedious, but base blocking, along with untargetting the right defenders, double teams if necessary, and sliding protections is something I do every play now.

I recently played two of the top 3 players in ranked within 5 games of each other which has taught me a lot about pass protection. I've been getting matched with some madden demons. I generally use the quick passing game like you mentioned which has helped me up until then..  The first match was against the then current #1 player in ranked and I got destroyed due to no protection / insta-sheds. That's when I learned about how important it is to use base blocking and using edge protector on my tackles. I also threw linchpin and post up on two of my interior lineman which seemed to help a lot. I dont think i have used pass protector yet. 2 games later I was matched with another top 3 player in ranked (what are the chances?!), and I fared much better with pass protection. I got the ball out quick and even had a 2 score lead.. but I ended up losing by 2 points. Once he got me in long distance situation I was cooked. The protection just didnt hold up. 

Im more into MUT this year than I have been in years. Most of the time I spend on the game is playing ranked and I really ought to spend more time looking and trying different abilities. I will 100% be throwing on pass protector. Do you recommend pairing it with edge protector?

I have 4AP tied up in route technician for Calvin Johnson but I think I'm going to spend the rest on my o-line. What abilities other than pass protection would you recommend?

I was running 50/60 and 55/60. But I feel like I need all the boosts I can get. I have the first two sets of crystals as well. I had the third but got rid of it immediately because it just seemed unnecessary.

edit: I did not know about empty blocking! I will try that out tonight. Thanks again!

I would replace Edge Protector with Pass Pro, as they are potentially redundant. 

Roughly speaking, Secure Protector = Run Pro + Pass Pro. Do not use Edge Protector, as the description is somewhat misleading. We're trying to primarily counter Double or Nothing. Edge Protector only works against Edge Threat, which I'm not seeing much of outside Abdul Carter.

Having Identifier is nice, but definitely not a must-have, as it's typically not all that difficult to figure which player your opponent is controlling. Beyond that, Gunslinger would be nice, if it existed. In prior years, I would have insisted that almost nothing is more important than getting the ball out quick, but defense is absolutely brutal this year. 

Learn to control the clock, it's absolutely key in truly competitive Madden. Fondly termed "Gooch Ball" -- by the community, I cannot take credit for that. 

Not particularly relevant to anything, but one of my best friends from high school is a die-hard Lions fanboi, leftover from the Barry Sanders era. Mad respect to both him and Jerry for NOT participating in this madness. Love hearing about your team and Ranked play. I'm mostly into Squads, whenever schedules align. Beyond that, tons of House Rules lately, despite the frustrations... what a terrible game mode / Event.