How to Improve Defensively?

I feel like I can read defenses well enough to make decent playcalls, especially IN THIS CLIMATE. But I feel like I'm lacking defensively. What are some skill tips that can help me outside of using meta coverages and plays? I have good enough players, and my user game is solid, but I feel like I can be better.

Since you say you can read defenses and succeed in your offense,  reverse that concept to fool your opponent. 

Bait them into thinking you're in one defense while being in another or setting up adjustments where it looks like there is an opening pre snap but it gets immediately covered when they snap the ball. 

When I put my defense out there I always try to think from my opponents perspective,  "if I'm on offense what am I thinking is my first read looking at this defense" and going from there.   If you can take away that primary read often you can force mistakes.

d2xmut said:

I feel like I can read defenses well enough to make decent playcalls, especially IN THIS CLIMATE. But I feel like I'm lacking defensively. What are some skill tips that can help me outside of using meta coverages and plays? I have good enough players, and my user game is solid, but I feel like I can be better.

Honestly, the best thing that happened to my defense all year was to get a bunch of MZKOs on the field.  Nothing else really seems to help.  Even more than the knock-out portion of this ability, it's the "improved reaction time" that everyone seems to sleep on.  No amount of pass catching abilities will help if our DBs aren't in position to even make a play on the ball.

It's now feasible to get at least four of these all around the outside, then still have a bit of wiggle room to run a couple D-line abilities, such as DoN.  Kam Chancellor is fairly cheap, the new Malcom Jenkins from last weekend, then Marlon Humphrey and Carlton Davis (he's pricey, but you might be able to build his set) are all fantastic options, IMO.  Eventually there will be more.  Here's my current list i'm pulling from: https://www.mut.gg/players/?market=5&abilities=10476-x-x-discount&positions=17%2C18%2C19

OR if you prefer to run more linebackers, that's entirely possible, as well.  Why not both?  Good luck, we're all right there with ya.  Defense is exceptionally difficult this year, especially after all the Zero Chill discounted ability buckets melted.

One of the biggest game changers for me is to play defense from a mindset of bend. Don't break....

It gets harder and harder to pull off passes as you take more and more of the field away by allowing only small throws. 

Once they're forced to play underneath, you know exactly where they have to go.

I can't tell you the amount of Red zone and or 2-yard line interceptions I get with this strategy

Always make sure that you're shading if there's anyone  man (and shading works for some directions in zone as well) If you guess right, it's almost always a game-breaking turnover. If you guess wrong, you might lose some yards. You might even lose some points, but if you are as successful in offense as you claim, the strategy pays off over the course of four quarters because eventually you will get that turnover because you will eventually guess the right shading. 

Another trick so that you can be close to press but without getting beat is to show blitz but not actually blitz. It's one of your pre-snap adjustments...

Crowding the line but not actually pressing. Guessing the right shading and turnovers will ensue

DjNysus said:

One of the biggest game changers for me is to play defense from a mindset of bend. Don't break....

It gets harder and harder to pull off passes as you take more and more of the field away by allowing only small throws. 

Once they're forced to play underneath, you know exactly where they have to go.

I can't tell you the amount of Red zone and or 2-yard line interceptions I get with this strategy

This is the best advice .

Massadolphin said:

This is the best advice .

And there's nothing glitchy or unrealistic about it. This is a real mindset of actual NFL defenses

I can't verify because obviously I only have my perspective, but I do feel like the game will favor you with random moments more often if you play more realistically.   

And what I mean by realistically is actually play field position and time of possession properly and not spam and not always go for it on fourth down. 

I can't tell you the amount of fumbles I've forced... Or that have happened to me within one or two plays of a punt

DjNysus said:

And there's nothing glitchy or unrealistic about it. This is a real mindset of actual NFL defenses

Once I realized  that I'm not gonna get 3 and outs  in this climate and just played like this I actually got stops .

Moderator Sevein131 said:

Since you say you can read defenses and succeed in your offense,  reverse that concept to fool your opponent. 

Bait them into thinking you're in one defense while being in another or setting up adjustments where it looks like there is an opening pre snap but it gets immediately covered when they snap the ball. 

When I put my defense out there I always try to think from my opponents perspective,  "if I'm on offense what am I thinking is my first read looking at this defense" and going from there.   If you can take away that primary read often you can force mistakes.

I think about this every time I see a formation that throws off the symmetry of my defensive shell. I'm definitely gonna try switching some alignments next time I get online and hopefully put together some good schemes. Thanks!

DjNysus said:

Always make sure that you're shading if there's anyone  man (and shading works for some directions in zone as well) If you guess right, it's almost always a game-breaking turnover. If you guess wrong, you might lose some yards. You might even lose some points, but if you are as successful in offense as you claim, the strategy pays off over the course of four quarters because eventually you will get that turnover because you will eventually guess the right shading. 

Another trick so that you can be close to press but without getting beat is to show blitz but not actually blitz. It's one of your pre-snap adjustments...

Crowding the line but not actually pressing. Guessing the right shading and turnovers will ensue

I've been thinking about showing blitz more. I get in my head sometimes and worry if they'll be tempted to go over the top with their TEs or deep threat WRs. But with the right shading like you said, I think it's worth a shot. Thanks!

peatrick said:

Honestly, the best thing that happened to my defense all year was to get a bunch of MZKOs on the field.  Nothing else really seems to help.  Even more than the knock-out portion of this ability, it's the "improved reaction time" that everyone seems to sleep on.  No amount of pass catching abilities will help if our DBs aren't in position to even make a play on the ball.

It's now feasible to get at least four of these all around the outside, then still have a bit of wiggle room to run a couple D-line abilities, such as DoN.  Kam Chancellor is fairly cheap, the new Malcom Jenkins from last weekend, then Marlon Humphrey and Carlton Davis (he's pricey, but you might be able to build his set) are all fantastic options, IMO.  Eventually there will be more.  Here's my current list i'm pulling from: https://www.mut.gg/players/?market=5&abilities=10476-x-x-discount&positions=17%2C18%2C19

OR if you prefer to run more linebackers, that's entirely possible, as well.  Why not both?  Good luck, we're all right there with ya.  Defense is exceptionally difficult this year, especially after all the Zero Chill discounted ability buckets melted.

From this list, Charles Woodson is my pick, cuz of my Theme Team. Once I get him leveled up to be either my Nickel or my CB2, I'll boost him with MZKO. Appreciate it!

d2xmut said:

I've been thinking about showing blitz more. I get in my head sometimes and worry if they'll be tempted to go over the top with their TEs or deep threat WRs. But with the right shading like you said, I think it's worth a shot. Thanks!

I show blitz all the time when I'm actually in a deep dropback zone. Basically it's like running press coverage without having to deal with any penalty if their release is better than your press stat

im in a cover 4 quarters, palms, or drop 90% of the game. rule #1. dont give up free deep stuff