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The Passing Game

By Ares
7/17/2017 1:57 am
There are three primary issues I've noticed in the passing game that desperately need to be addressed before any more tinkering to 'get the numbers right.'

1) QB Decision Making

One of the most frustrating things with MFN is watching QBs constantly chuck it into double coverage. This play is a great illustration of my point:

https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1399#261089

The QB starts off directed towards his right. What seems to be the primary focus of his attention is a WR completely uncovered. As in, ZERO coverage. As in, no one anywhere remotely close to him. As in, likely 6 points, or at least a monster gain. His other target to that side is in single coverage deep. He apparently decides he doesn't like EITHER of these great options and swings to the other side of the field. This actually isn't terrible, because he has the TE who's beat his man by several yards wide open.

The result of the play? He ends up throwing it into double coverage for an INT. Literally the WORST possible option to throw to on that play and that's the one he chooses. And it wasn't a matter of him just locking onto a target. This was the throw he chose to make after deciding he didn't like any of his others. For the record, this is a 100 intelligence QB, so awful decision making shouldn't really be a 'feature' as opposed to a bug.

This happens constantly in the game where the QB will overlook open or single coverage players to throw into double coverage.

2) Targeting Blockers

The QB constantly dumps off to HBs and TEs who are actively blocking. Frequently the QB's FIRST option will even be a HB with a blocking assignment. The result, naturally, is the QB staring down a blocker for over half the play before deciding he's in too tight of coverage with the blitzing LB (or worse, he actually throws it to him anyway for a guaranteed INT or negative yardage).

3) Psychic DBs

People (myself included) complain a lot about how often passes get thrown (and way too often completed) into triple, quadruple, occasionally even quintuple coverage. The other part of that equation is WHY is there EVER anything more than double coverage on a given play. Other than a handful of rare instances involving overlapping zone coverages with a man assignment thrown in, this should really never be happening. The reason it does is because the second the QB releases the throw, all the DBs seem to immediately sense it and converge on the pass at lightning speed. Unless a DB is in deep zone with his face to the play they should generally not react to a throw the second it happens.

If we can get fixes/improvements for these three things then we can revisit the passing game, because it should dramatically improve the functionality of QBs and the passing game.

Re: The Passing Game

By WarEagle
7/17/2017 6:15 am
My predictions on the explanation for these examples:

1) QB wasn't familiar enough with the defensive playcall to make an intelligent decision.

2) Bad dice-roll of course.

3) Defense had scouted that play.

Re: The Passing Game

By raymattison21
7/17/2017 7:20 am
WarEagle wrote:
My predictions on the explanation for these examples:

1) QB wasn't familiar enough with the defensive playcall to make an intelligent decision.

2) Bad dice-roll of course.

3) Defense had scouted that play.


There really is no way to easily "go back" and compare "if " these are the reasons for poor QB play. Still, as I "forget " to scout often and do not ever change my book....it does seem there is some correlation between the three factors and consistent QB play.

Re: The Passing Game

By WarEagle
7/17/2017 8:07 am
My post was mostly sarcastic.

I was just regurgitating the standard responses I've seen to issues like these.

Re: The Passing Game

By raymattison21
7/17/2017 1:25 pm
WarEagle wrote:
My post was mostly sarcastic.

I was just regurgitating the standard responses I've seen to issues like these.


As all my comments are meant to be slightly truthful with an under tone of sarcasm . Here your on point, cause the only to see what happened is to post your gameplan in hopes your opponent has the same desire to be open with thiers.

Other than that jdb can see it and he has simmeD numerous games with 90 rated players as a standard. I just wonder what the human interaction has to do with it.....after the ratings, but with varying ratings from 100-0. Cross referencing all plays and keys along with the Suttle generalized in game boosts and penalties depending the in game situations.

Re: The Passing Game

By Ares
8/21/2017 1:19 am
https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307954

QB stares down uncovered receiver... then looks away and takes the sack.

https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307963

QB stares down completely uncovered receiver... then turns around and throws it away.

https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307961

QB has a open target, instead throws to the double covered guy next to him.

Re: The Passing Game

By setherick
8/23/2017 9:41 pm
Ares wrote:
https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307954

QB stares down uncovered receiver... then looks away and takes the sack.

https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307963

QB stares down completely uncovered receiver... then turns around and throws it away.

https://private75.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/1649#307961

QB has a open target, instead throws to the double covered guy next to him.


What's going on is the QB "read" logic in all three of these plays.

1) The receiver hasn't finished running his route by the time the defender enters the pressure circle and the QB panics.

2) Same issue. The RB hits the end of his route at the same point the QB is throwing the ball away.

3) The QB only makes one read at a time. This was supposed to have been fixed in 0.4.1, but it still happens. The QB isn't going to look at another receiver until the first read is done running the route. Since the WR has "has a step" on the DBs, the QB is going to chuck the ball downfield because the main read is "open." (Just ignore the two DBs in trail position.)

Re: The Passing Game

By Ragnulf-le-maudit
8/25/2017 9:27 am
Number 3 could have been a completion (an a TD) with a very good throw. He certainly loves going vertical.