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Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By raymattison21
6/27/2016 8:46 am
Going in to overrides and subbing out the offensive lineman and wing backs for let's say the gunners left after the two outside gunners and the up man are already used is the most beneficial adjustment one can do to help with PR TDs.

If the snapper and punter stay and have the nine gunners fill in like on kickoff you will see the PR numbers drop across all leagues. But to count on newbies to figure this out quick and set overrides with fast players might be a stretch .

Cause I value speed more than anything else for gunners and having those lineman with 13 speed play increases the size of the gap. Along with other factors of course but in general this is the biggest reason for in fated numbers.

Add the ability to kick away from a return man and maybe numbers would be close. Still, I like the idea of slowing the punted ball. Or the time the punter holds the ball. Based on snap and hold skills. To get some blocked punts in there.

You probably could play CBs in there at G and T and not see a blocked kick.

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By Brrexkl
6/27/2016 3:33 pm
1. This is not the NFL, nor is it intended to mimic the NFL Statistically.

2. HOWEVER, have you timed the Hang Time on the Punts? Hang Time is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect to a Punter, more than positioning (accuracy, coffin corner) or depth (power, strength).

Under perfect conditions the Raiders Marquette King put a Punt up for a 5.5 Second hang time.

A Marine who was a HS/College Punter blasted a 60 Yard Punt with a 4.2 Second hang time.

Again, these are Free Field Kicks. So you can nail a 60 at a 4.2, or you can really sky it for 5.5 at the best I've found.

Without confirmation I've found that 4.5 Seconds is the Average Punt Hang Time in the NFL, guess I'll just have to take the guys word for it, but it sounds right. I mean, if a 60 Yard Punt (fairly long with no bounce) took 4.2, and most Punters average about 45 Yards in an NFL Season, then our Punts on Average should have the MFN equal of 4.5 Seconds of Hang Time.

So then we need to find the "MFN Second". This way our Fast Runners sporting those 4.24 Second 40's will match up to the Hang Time of the Punts. (We also have to consider the Snap and the Two Steps before the Punt, as the Gunners are already off to the races on the Snap, which is how they get 45-50 Yards before a 4.5 Second Punt gets 50 Yards down field.)

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By murderleg
6/27/2016 4:14 pm
Brrexkl wrote:

2. Hang Time is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect to a Punter, more than positioning and depth power.


This.

Not enough people look for hang time. Most people are so obsessed with power (probably because that's all that matters in games like Madden) and it's easily forgotten. Don't sleep on hang time. I watch a lot of film, and it seems like the coding is written so when the returner has his blocks 5-10 yards in front of him most TDs happen. The mediocre 10< yard returns Usually happen when he is closed a few meters to his right and left and a few yards in front of him which ideally forces him into a lateral running situation which never seems to pan out in MFM (unlike Madden in which it is basically the objective).

Here are some examples from a game my MFN6 returner had 3 TD's. Watch them to make sense of what i'm talking about.

Return TD examples:
https://mfn6.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/4524#866479
https://mfn6.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/4524#866494
https://mfn6.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/4524#866501

Mediocre return examples:
https://mfn6.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/4524#866360
Last edited at 6/27/2016 8:30 pm

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By Brrexkl
6/27/2016 4:25 pm
Well, Power isn't the only thing in Madden... I assure you.

Drill Kicks work (low angle to get the bounce towards the Side Line), but if the Returner can catch them in the air you're screwed. So very high risk.

I use Loft on Punts and Kick Offs when I have a strong leg, so I achieve the same Distance as Weaker Kickers but with more Hang. To the point that I place Kick Offs on the 1-3 Yard Line to force Returns that fail to get to the 20, due to Hang Time.

I don't have Drill Kick Options in MFN, I don't have (as far as I know) Deny Return Options (Punt out of Bounds, in which Low Accuracy is a huge shank for **** yardage) in MFN. So all we have is put the ball deep options. Then we out kick our Coverage.

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By murderleg
6/27/2016 8:27 pm
Brrexkl wrote:
Well, Power isn't the only thing in Madden... I assure you.



What am I missing? Accuracy is (almost) irrelevant because of human control and timing, and there aren't exactly an abundance of punter specific stats. Are you counting arm accuracy for people who run trick plays or development speed for CFM?

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By Brrexkl
6/28/2016 12:42 pm
Actually Punter Accuracy and Awareness are both key.

Just because you catch the sweet spot doesn't mean that's where it goes, because Accuracy and Awareness can still shank the kick/punt.

The better your Accuracy and Awareness the more likely the ball goes where you intend, assuming you didn't mess up your stick.

There are few things worse than catching the sweet spot just to watch it go off mark.

Also, Accuracy with Punts helps with the bounce as well, as in keeping the Bounce riding the sideline instead of cutting out and costing you yardage.

They both play a much bigger role in Big Wind games, as well. Guys with jacked up Accuracy will see their punts pushed much more, taking it further off mark. While guys with great Accuracy will ride the wind making much more effective Punts.

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By Morbid
6/29/2016 2:17 pm
I would rather see a longer hang time and less 60-70 yard line drive punts. This would eliminate a lot of returns

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By murderleg
6/29/2016 8:38 pm
Brrexkl wrote:
Actually Punter Accuracy and Awareness are both key.

Just because you catch the sweet spot doesn't mean that's where it goes, because Accuracy and Awareness can still shank the kick/punt.

The better your Accuracy and Awareness the more likely the ball goes where you intend, assuming you didn't mess up your stick.

There are few things worse than catching the sweet spot just to watch it go off mark.

Also, Accuracy with Punts helps with the bounce as well, as in keeping the Bounce riding the sideline instead of cutting out and costing you yardage.

They both play a much bigger role in Big Wind games, as well. Guys with jacked up Accuracy will see their punts pushed much more, taking it further off mark. While guys with great Accuracy will ride the wind making much more effective Punts.




For starters, awareness does nothing for kickers. Awareness is how a linebacker reacts to a PA (even though play rec. is a factor) and how wide recievers find holes in zones. Unless you're referring to him tackling returners, it won't do anything.

Kick accuracy determines how narrow the cone is and how fast I moves, and both plateau out. So unless you're over the age of 80 (SO to my 80+ year old madden opponents) and can't throw the stick straight up accuracy is basically useless as well if you aren't simulating. I agree that it helps in wind, but that's a relatively small percent of kicks.

They are changing the kick meter in Madden 17 for this exact reason. Kick Accuracy didn't really do anything.
Last edited at 6/29/2016 8:43 pm

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By Brrexkl
6/30/2016 11:37 am
There has been, for years now, a 'slip component' built in to Kicking and Punting that is tied into both Accuracy and Awareness.

A Kicker with 100 Awareness and 100 Accuracy will put the ball exactly where it shows on the flight projection as long as you hit the Sweet Spot.

But as those go down, starting around 75 to really notice anything at all, chances increase that it 'slips' off the mark (the mark being where you actually placed it, your Stick) because they are inferior.

What you have to realize is you kick how many times in a Season? Not many. So it doesn't affect you much at all, especially if you have at least 75+ on Accuracy, because it's the Awareness that adjust how OFTEN you might 'slip' and the Accuracy determines how badly the Shank becomes.

You almost never notice this because most Kickers and Punters have solid enough Accuracy and Awareness... but when you play Franchise and you are working Rookies with 30 Awareness and 60 Accuracy, you DO notice it over 16 Regular Season Games.

You'll almost never see this with Marquette in Oakland, for example... because even if it Slips his Accuracy is enough that it barely goes off course. But I see it plenty with Rookies I Draft to build up.

It's the same thing with Accuracy for QBs... sometimes the pass is just way off. You notice this because you pass a LOT more than you'll ever Punt. Same thing has been true of Kickers and Punters, and remains true.

It's not something EA advertises, but it IS in the code and part of the game.

It's also something that the Sliders can completely eliminate, for those that adjust Sliders.

What I wish they would do is increase the impact, though. Like I stated, you have to be really bad in Awareness and Accuracy for this to even begin to do anything. I've absolutely had the 34 for 34 Rookie Kicker who was saved by a few Uprights, they still tie it into the Individual Player and the ability with the Stick, which is like a Base Ball Game letting you hit .700 with a .125 guy that doesn't have Contact, just plain stupid.

The most, at least since I started recording, that I've seen 'slip' in a Season from a Kicker is 7. We were playing a "FG Only Challenge", so we were putting up around 10 FGs a Game on Average. I finished with over 175 FGs (but less than 180). Of those 175 I simply missed the stick 3 times, and one of those still made it. So I missed twice due to my own error. I missed 7 that were 'Sweet Spot' with proper placement that ended with huge hooks driving them off course.

My friend would kick sooner than I would, I was still trying to 'Stat' my way while he'd get to the 25 and kick on 1st Down. He had a whopping 200 (but less than 210) FGs. Watching his, he missed 12 on his own, mostly due to misjudging Wind. But he had 5 that were "Sweet Spot" and good placement that just missed. And every one of them suffered a Hook, except for one hilarious one from 52 that shot off the foot and decided to go off at a 45 degree angle (the kick was dead ahead).

This was Season 2 of our Dynasty (Year 1 was Run Only Offense, we went with a different Challenge each Season) and we both had Rookie Kickers with Sub 70 Accuracy and Sub 50 Awareness.

Look, I've played a TON of Madden, I've played every Madden ever made (and NCAA), and I spend time doing things like "FG Only Challenges" over Seasons. I may have kicked more FGs than anyone breathing air because of these things.

I still miss a few from time to time by simply not focusing, it's like Free Throws, no one is 100% despite how easy they are. But I can tell you since Madden 2006 when they added the Passing Cone, that both Awareness and Accuracy are coded in to affect both Kicks and Punts. They've kept the 'Slip' Code in for Kicking and Punting (but oddly enough never applied it to Kick Offs) even after removing the Passing Cone in 2009.

It's there. It's been there. But it's so rare to have almost no impact.

Re: Punt returns ruin an otherwise great game

By murderleg
6/30/2016 6:33 pm
I'll agree that when a kicker has <75 accuracy, you'll notice the change. But even most rookies have that. I sign Carey Spear a lot (AKA Murderleg, my username, funny story that is) and I notice it with him because he is one of the few in that range.

However, you keep lumping awareness in with accuracy. I'm sorry, but I have no idea where you get that from. This is what EA actually gives us online:

Awareness (AWR) – Reacting to the other players on the field, both teammates and opponents.

There is no way that is a component to kicking.

Also, you say accuracy has little impact after maybe rookie stat levels in CFM, so when I said power is really what matters, why would you say I was wrong? Most people will never have to worry about accuracy which is why people underestimate the other stats in this game.
Last edited at 6/30/2016 6:36 pm