Switching from Zone to Man…

peatrick said:

Thanks, I initially started NTL with both (Inside & Outside Shade, for 3AP... mostly because it didn't cost 10k Training).  Prior to getting NTL yesterday i had Cromartie and his 1AP Inside Shade as my primary Slot corner, i really thought it was about time to switch back to Man.  I've been trying a little of everything, Dollar, Nickel & Dime as well as 4-3 Even 6-1 for a brief period.  There's a handful of what appear to be fairly standard (often playaction) throws to the sidelines that seem to get REALLY open (meaning 2-3 full steps ahead of my 99 Speed DBs) out of various sets/playbooks.  I should start keeping a list and try to track what i'm running up against most.  Going on 4+ months of MUT now and it's still a bit overwhelming trying to make adjustments on the fly, let alone understand and process what I'm up against.  Need to invest more time in practice mode getting the muscle memory down, but even understanding what i need to do (as far as adjustments) on a conceptual level has remained a bit of an uphill climb.  Appreciate any insight or experience you may be able to bless me with.

I'm certain that i remain a large part of the problem, lack of experience as a first-time MUT player, not effectively adjusting to my opponent, etc.  Typically folks start with whatever couple/few standard plays and make Hot Route adjustments on the fly.  I'd been using almost exclusively Deep Route/Zone KO abilities (as well as PA + Acrobat, where ever feasible), however i may need to adjust to Mid Route/Zone KOs, or free up some AP to try fit both.  I guess having so many decent high-end DBs is a good problem to have, although unsure if it matters all that much.

In thinking the standard abilities for a man scheme would be Deep Route KO on both outside corners, Inside Shade and Short Route KO on your slot corner, OSA when possible. I would probably run, thinking about it and not actually trying it, Short, Deep Route KO and PA on both outside corners for 2 AP each. Then Inside Shade, Acro, and PA on my slot for 2. And then run DOZKO on my two deep safeties for 1 each if I’m playing Cover 2 Man.

All this talk about pass D… you guys better be able to stop the run, cause that’s all 90% of the top guys are doing anymore. Sad but true. 

King Henry, Quad, Gus Bus and Flash. Yowza

OkoTheBoko said:

All this talk about pass D… you guys better be able to stop the run, cause that’s all 90% of the top guys are doing anymore. Sad but true. 

King Henry, Quad, Gus Bus and Flash. Yowza

Good thing H2H is full of wannabe too guys and not actual top guys 😬😬😬 most of my games are against passers. but yeah, I do Agree that people should pay more attention to the run game (especially cause I burn people with it all the time)

get the slot Specialist strategy card that helps alot

I run lb blitz out of big nickel and user one of the safeties in the box and put the other one either on the runningback if it mans up the safety up top on him while hes lined up on the opposite side or put him on a deep in zone or curl flat tdepending on what I need. but i still feel like I be getting burned with deion, sauce, and cromartie with inside step and polo-mao and woodson in the box with eric berry and sandcastle up top but I have been kinda wanting to switch to zone but this has been working for me for a while

cheezhead1252 said:

I made this switch a month ago and I’ve won so many more games.

like the other poster said, you want those factors. I have maniac and furious George bringing the pressure. 
 

For corners, I have Deion, Showcase, and NTL. NTL is in the slot. Showcase has activated universal coverage so he’s good to go with that and free PA. I give Deion PA, Acro, and outside shade. NTL has OSA, Outside Shade, and PA. 
 

going to test more with NTL because outside shade and OSA seems overkill. Buuuut he BAGS PA shot seems vs route tech. unfortunately, bench still works him. So I need to see if it’s worth the extra points to consistently bag shot seams.

Have you tested out just OSA?

elmango30 said:

Have you tested out just OSA?

Ya he bagged the deep corner on PA Shot Seams like 60-75% of the time. 90% with both. 
 

but still gets burnt by bench.

ThatNerdyGuy7 said:

you run OSA and shades over KOs and acro? I run man with DRKO and Acro on each of my 4 corners  and I'm worried if i switch to shades then I'd get beat over the top or get agged by people switching on. does it work better for you?

I've been running man all year. Always do in Madden. Shades do not help you against the meta. Every now and then you'll notice a difference, but mostly not. Knockouts have been the key for me. Deep route KO is on both safeties, 2 corners. 3rd corner has mid route ko and plays the slot. I basically user a LB or a safety and takeaway the routes in places where a KO won't activate. Shades just haven't done enough.

ThorsQuads said:

Thinking of switching my scheme from zone to man. The only defense that gives me fits is man blitz. Although I’m not wanting to blitz in a man scheme. Anybody run a man scheme in defense that doesn’t revolve around blitzing everyone? How effective is it for you? I could just try it out myself, but that would require the sale of a couple DBs to fit more of a man scheme so wanted insight before I plunge.

Edit: I just don’t see the advantage of running man coverage UNLESS you blitz everyone (which I’m unwilling to do). Man against Gun Tight puts you in a bad position with all the man beating routes. I was running OLB Blitz out of 3-3 Cub and the pressure does get there fast, BUT not faster than crossing routes break.

KOs, KOs, and KOs! I run a dominant man blitz out of nickel over, 3-3, and dollar, along with cover 2 man in dollar against empty. KOs and shading inside or outside against a specific form work really well, so does having inside or outside shade for cheap on your slot to defend against corner and in breaking routes. Shade inside against trio or Trey forms and outside against tight or bunch. Ultimately what ever way you shade against what your opponent is running can make or break your game, like shading down on the goal line and always shade overtop when you press unless your opponent is in the redzone. Deion is a need for man because of him getting every KO and PA for 2. Use all of this info and test and try and decide on what fits you the best and you will succeed.

I guess that's what i'm doing wrong, thinking these new (discounted) abilities, such as OSA (3AP) or Inside Shade (1AP on Cromartie, 2AP elsewhere NTL) were going to be next-level stuff... heh.  I keep forgetting that EA has been regressing with player cards of late.  Instead of trying to make these golden 99 work in my scheme, i should be looking at the X-factors.

Anything on Jackrabbit that could be viable?  I assume not, otherwise i'd be hearing more about him, i guess.  Oof.  This has been an incredible thread, thanks for all the insightful comments.

ThorsQuads said:

Thinking of switching my scheme from zone to man. The only defense that gives me fits is man blitz. Although I’m not wanting to blitz in a man scheme. Anybody run a man scheme in defense that doesn’t revolve around blitzing everyone? How effective is it for you? I could just try it out myself, but that would require the sale of a couple DBs to fit more of a man scheme so wanted insight before I plunge.

Edit: I just don’t see the advantage of running man coverage UNLESS you blitz everyone (which I’m unwilling to do). Man against Gun Tight puts you in a bad position with all the man beating routes. I was running OLB Blitz out of 3-3 Cub and the pressure does get there fast, BUT not faster than crossing routes break.

switched from zone to man the other day. go to winmadden’s YT and look at his top 5 defenses vid and the over storm brave setup he has is what i use currently. i held mcnairto 4/19 with 4 picks the other game. regular stuff for me.

OkoTheBoko said:

All this talk about pass D… you guys better be able to stop the run, cause that’s all 90% of the top guys are doing anymore. Sad but true. 

King Henry, Quad, Gus Bus and Flash. Yowza

This right here. I will run it down your throat if you let me.

ThorsQuads said:

Thinking of switching my scheme from zone to man. The only defense that gives me fits is man blitz. Although I’m not wanting to blitz in a man scheme. Anybody run a man scheme in defense that doesn’t revolve around blitzing everyone? How effective is it for you? I could just try it out myself, but that would require the sale of a couple DBs to fit more of a man scheme so wanted insight before I plunge.

Edit: I just don’t see the advantage of running man coverage UNLESS you blitz everyone (which I’m unwilling to do). Man against Gun Tight puts you in a bad position with all the man beating routes. I was running OLB Blitz out of 3-3 Cub and the pressure does get there fast, BUT not faster than crossing routes break.

i use nickel 3-3 normal using c  over 2 man. i use outside shade on my  outside corners. when people see man coverage they automatically use tight formations and use corner routes to exploit it and that’s where the outside shade comes in. people average 6 points a game against me

My main play is ss blitz 1 with Micah, rod woodson, Reggie white, vonn miller, and Derwin with John madden coming down the middle and it’s gone well