Help with picks

Have an eagles tt team . Only a couple guys are scrubs in my backup positions. I've lately been having issues with players like Dawkins and even d slay dropping easy picks. Most of the time user picks... on no contested catches. It's only been the past couple days . I have lurker and pick artist on most of my cb/ safeties... I understand it won't be a 100% pick chance. But the past few days it's happening 4/ 5 times on balls I'm getting hit in the chest with. Sometimes on the move sometimes while I'm strafing still... is there an ability certain opponents are using that's causing this? Or a strat card that could help me more than my hybrid safety cb card?

HugeGlobs said:

Have an eagles tt team . Only a couple guys are scrubs in my backup positions. I've lately been having issues with players like Dawkins and even d slay dropping easy picks. Most of the time user picks... on no contested catches. It's only been the past couple days . I have lurker and pick artist on most of my cb/ safeties... I understand it won't be a 100% pick chance. But the past few days it's happening 4/ 5 times on balls I'm getting hit in the chest with. Sometimes on the move sometimes while I'm strafing still... is there an ability certain opponents are using that's causing this? Or a strat card that could help me more than my hybrid safety cb card?

It's not you, my friend.  EA has struggled to properly code catching on either/both sides of the ball this year.  It's extremely frustrating that our professional athletes can't catch the damn ball.  This is why Gift-Wrapped remains such a crucial ability (and well worth 1AP, imo) on our QBs.  You already appear to be doing everything possible on defense, by adding Pick/LurkArist.

HOWEVER, due to the unreliable nature of Pick Artist, i've been favoring (discounted) Zone KO abilities over Pick Artist.  That won't guarantee picks, but i've had decent success with Darius Slay Jr. being in proper position to make plays on the ball when equipped with DOZKO (2AP) and no Pick Artist, although i do try to run both, if possible.

I'm not sure what else to suggest beyond that.  For deep balls / contested catches, it's almost always better to use SWAT, rather than trying to make a pick by tapping Triangle (on PS5).  Especially when your opponent is throwing into double (or triple) coverage, it's extremely difficult to get a pass break-up and the WR will often come down with it and take off running, despite being blanketed by numerous defenders.  Uggh.

You can take that to the bank, just as sure as Dak will throw picks and lose playoff games -- it's the only thing in life we can count on beyond death & taxes... EA gonna EA, after all.  OOF.

peatrick said:

It's not you, my friend.  EA has struggled to properly code catching on either/both sides of the ball this year.  It's extremely frustrating that our professional athletes can't catch the damn ball.  This is why Gift-Wrapped remains such a crucial ability (and well worth 1AP, imo) on our QBs.  You already appear to be doing everything possible on defense, by adding Pick/LurkArist.

HOWEVER, due to the unreliable nature of Pick Artist, i've been favoring (discounted) Zone KO abilities over Pick Artist.  That won't guarantee picks, but i've had decent success with Darius Slay Jr. being in proper position to make plays on the ball when equipped with DOZKO (2AP) and no Pick Artist, although i do try to run both, if possible.

I'm not sure what else to suggest beyond that.  For deep balls / contested catches, it's almost always better to use SWAT, rather than trying to make a pick by tapping Triangle (on PS5).  Especially when your opponent is throwing into double (or triple) coverage, it's extremely difficult to get a pass break-up and the WR will often come down with it and take off running, despite being blanketed by numerous defenders.  Uggh.

You can take that to the bank, just as sure as Dak will throw picks and lose playoff games -- it's the only thing in life we can count on beyond death & taxes... EA gonna EA, after all.  OOF.

Thanks so much for the in depth reply. I know the knockout perks say improved reactions. Does that apply to positioning for ai controlled defenders in the sense of picks too?

HugeGlobs said:

Thanks so much for the in depth reply. I know the knockout perks say improved reactions. Does that apply to positioning for ai controlled defenders in the sense of picks too?

OHHH yes, that's just as important (if not more so) as the knockout aspect... if our defenders aren't in position to make plays on the ball, nothing we do matters.  It's always a dicey proposition, trying to decide (in a split-second) if we should click on to the defender, hoping to make get a player pick.  Honestly, once equipped with a few Zone KOs, i find the CPU / AI controlled bot defenders typically play coverage better than i do.  YMMV, perhaps i'm just terrible at the game.

90% of the time i USER control a SUBLB to drop back into coverage, hoping to take away my opponent's primary read (and often put SUBLB2 on a blitz angle), however there's some rare formations / instances i've been tinkering with, where i try to USER control a DE, hopefully one with 0AP LurkArtist (i'm currently using Clay Matthews, as i do not yet have Mr. Monday Night) so i can drop back into coverage.  This is when i hope to only rush 3, maybe 4 blitzers at most.  Max coverage.

Hope that helps, i'm by no means an expert, just sharing what has worked well for me.  I've been getting tons of stops on defense recently, it's my offense and putting up points that has become a struggle.  Dollar is your friend.