play to your strenghts or attack your opponents weaknesses?

[GrrrillaPmp]

I'm just curious what tactics people use.

At first I used to play to what I thought my strenghts were. But then I found myself trying to force a lot things that were not really there.

Once I started taking what my opponent was giving me it really opened my game up.

The draw back is that in the first couple of series I'm just feeling out my opponent instead of attacking.

So what works for everyone else? I'm aware that most of us probably use both strategies but which one do people favor.

[Higgus]

You are right to feel out your opponent first. You should hopefully already know your strengths like the back of your hand and be figuring out where to attack the opponents weakness.

Bruce Lee says the best style is no style. If you have a feel for your opponent, you will not even have to attack... it will attack all by itself.

[LSUTIGERSPHXSUNS]

Yeah, whith my Patriot team, I attack with deep balls to Randy Moss and Cliff Branch if my opponent decides to single cover them. If they do cover deep though, I just dump off to Bienemy, Christensen, and Maynard.

On Defense, I blitz, blitz, and blitz with my 3-4 if I see that my opponent can't read defenses





With my Raiders team, I just pound the rock with McFadden (Speed, Quick Feet, Finesse and Power), and if they can shut him down, I attack with my quick strike passing attack.

[LSUTIGERSPHXSUNS]

But if my opponent does a good job of covering Moss and Branch, I don't try to force the issue, and just attack my opponent's other weaknesses.

The problem about many players is that they will pick a gold runningback, and if I shut him down on the first drive, they will just start passing and just not even utilize the gold HB.

Sometimes you just have to stick with it, but if you really can't get it going, then you have to take what the defense gives you.

[ToyDingo]

I spend my time trying to figure out what my opponent can do. I'll use plays that I know what the outcome will be just to see what he will do. Then by the time the second quarter comes around I'm ready to maul him because I now know his play style...

I prefer to pass but if his defense won't allow it, then I'll play the short game until he opens up...simple...

[GoodSense]

Most professional teams script their plays to get a feel for their opponent.

I don't run plays just to run it. I run it to see how successful I am, why I was successful, etc...

With that my book and gameplan becomes clearer and I expand my options based on that.

[GrrrillaPmp]

I spend my time trying to figure out what my opponent can do. I'll use plays that I know what the outcome will be just to see what he will do. Then by the time the second quarter comes around I'm ready to maul him because I now know his play style...

I prefer to pass but if his defense won't allow it, then I'll play the short game until he opens up...simple...
Why not just use the run to set up the pass? Seems like that would be more beneficial.

[Big M]

I'll play to my strengths in the first quarter, to see what the D wants to give me. Then by the second quarter, I know what the defense is going to give me, and I'll attack them.

[nyknicks33]

First possession of every game, whether on offense or defense, I attempt to dictate my teams style to my opponent and see if he can counter..and then go from there.

If he cant handle press coverage with Willie Brown and Night Train Lane with heat coming, then guess what? He's going to see a healthy dose of it until he forces me out of it. If I notice he is having trouble reading zone defenses..he's going to be getting multiple zone looks and zone blitzes.

Offense is the same way. If I am playing with one of my teams designed for power, ball control running..Im going to attempt to establish that right away.

Doesnt mean that I'm running the same play all of the time either..because all you do is limit yourself..I like to get them geared up to expect something and then throw a change up in there also.

[nyknicks33]

But if my opponent does a good job of covering Moss and Branch, I don't try to force the issue, and just attack my opponent's other weaknesses.

The problem about many players is that they will pick a gold runningback, and if I shut him down on the first drive, they will just start passing and just not even utilize the gold HB.

Sometimes you just have to stick with it, but if you really can't get it going, then you have to take what the defense gives you.

True, that ties into the "mental toughness" thread someone started. I played a guy who was having success running against my base 3-3-5 squad, put when he fell behind just 2 posessions, he abandoned it completelly and started passing into my legend studed secondary and coverage LB's. Played right into my hands..he completelly abandoned running and went 5-23 passing.

[illmatic32]

Yea I was trying to figure that out also..I like to pound with the running game and have a shut down defense...But I always try to force runs where i know they arnt going to work..i'm used to 2k5 controls so this is a big jump b/c covering the run is really hard in this game...I guess in this game you have to pick what you know works for you....

[Bl00d h0und Gang]

I use formation shift and run the ball on the very first play of the game. Then on the first play of my second drive I will use the same exact formation shift and run a play action pass that coincides with the running play I ran on the first play of the first drive. As long as I get 3+ yards on that first drive the PA pass will usually be effective.

[Johnny_Mangera]

I use formation shift and run the ball on the very first play of the game. Then on the first play of my second drive I will use the same exact formation shift and run a play action pass that coincides with the running play I ran on the first play of the first drive. As long as I get 3+ yards on that first drive the PA pass will usually be effective.


Oh yeah clown? I remember whooping you and i mean whooping you about a week ago with your fake created Emmith Smith.


Shut down man, you suck and on top of that you rated me negatively

go rub some sticks together
boyscout

, peace

[ElGreazy78]

On offense, I'll stick to what always works for me regardless because it's so conservative that anything I can get I'll gladly take. I play to run first & short pass second so really, I'm just trying to bleed out yards & the clock and have my defense put me in a position to win. I am pretty deadly with a two-minute/no huddle drill (& giving my opponent a couple seconds to adjust) but I only use that when absolutely necessary which is a shame because that's pretty much the only time my offense is explosive.

On defense, I start with what works best and modify from there. I tend to find myself from time to time playing not to lose and when I realize that, I go into offensive-defense and attack which generally is really successful. In a sense, I could see how that may lull my opponent to sleep to bait him into a mistake, so that subconsciously is probably part of my strategy, too.

[ToyDingo]

Why not just use the run to set up the pass? Seems like that would be more beneficial.

Yes, absolutely. But, I usually run a passing offense. Yet, like I said, I will feel my opponent out and take what they give me. If the pass isn't working, I'll work the short game which includes running and short passes.

I do what I need to do. If something isn't working, I won't force it.