Don't Complain about Earl (use this team!)

[tpaterniti]

I made this team specifically for Earl Campbell users:

G: OLB Derrick Thomas (make him the strongside OLB - i.e. TE side)
G: FS Ronnie Lott
S: OLB Greg Lloyd
S: SS Joey Browner
B: DT Dan Saleauamua
B: ILB John Offerdahl
B: CB Albert Lewis

This leaves you with 1 Silver and 3 Bronzes on offense and this team OWNS Earl Campbell. I used to avoid users who used Earl Campbell, but since I started using this team against them I actually enjoy watching Earl get stuffed for 1 and 2 yard gains again and again until frustration sets in and they just stop running the ball altogether. When that happens, you have a Super fast LB, 2 great safeties, and a CB to cause havoc in their passing game. This team makes me look forward to playing Earl users.

Try it and see for yourselves!

[nflhitman]

I made this team specifically for Earl Campbell users:

G: OLB Derrick Thomas (make him the strongside OLB - i.e. TE side)
G: FS Ronnie Lott
S: OLB Greg Lloyd
S: SS Joey Browner
B: DT Dan Saleauamua
B: ILB John Offerdahl
B: CB Albert Lewis

This leaves you with 1 Silver and 3 Bronzes on offense and this team OWNS Earl Campbell. I used to avoid users who used Earl Campbell, but since I started using this team against them I actually enjoy watching Earl get stuffed for 1 and 2 yard gains again and again until frustration sets in and they just stop running the ball altogether. When that happens, you have a Super fast LB, 2 great safeties, and a CB to cause havoc in their passing game. This team makes me look forward to playing Earl users.

Try it and see for yourselves!

The problem with Earl is not in Lobby games. It is in league games where most people don't have that team set up and they have no option to switch to a team like that.

The other thing that is sad is you have a team 2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Bronze defenders to stop 1 Gold offensive player. You should not need need 7 defenders of that caliber to stop 1 player on offense.

[nyknicks33]

Whenever I have more then 6 people on defense, winning a game is like pulling teeth.

cant explain it at all, because I really do not do anything really different.

Anyway, I have a similar heavy run type squad:

DT: Art Donovan
LB: Lamar Lathon
LB: Robert Braizle
S: Joey Browner
CB: Albert Lewis
CB: Tom Brookshier

Gets dang good results. Donovan is a beast in the 3-4, Lathon and Braizle can pursue, and all of my secondary can tackle well

[Valdarez]

I have a special team just for Earl as well, and it consists of 3 Start LBs, though I tend to get by with bronze at the LB position.

[Numbski]

The other thing that is sad is you have a team 2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Bronze defenders to stop 1 Gold offensive player. You should not need need 7 defenders of that caliber to stop 1 player on offense.

Pfft. I wish I still had my vids from pre-patch where I'd be in a 4-4, and have 10 men in the box, with a single safety deep and he'd still just waltz on through. It's just lunacy - I can see a fluke big play once in a while like that, but consistently plowing through 10 guys? I hesitate to say this, but even if every last one of them were generics, he should *still* meet some resistance.

[nflhitman]

Pfft. I wish I still had my vids from pre-patch where I'd be in a 4-4, and have 10 men in the box, with a single safety deep and he'd still just waltz on through. It's just lunacy - I can see a fluke big play once in a while like that, but consistently plowing through 10 guys? I hesitate to say this, but even if every last one of them were generics, he should *still* meet some resistance.

You are exactly right! I played a guy in a lobby game before the patch and he had 10 on defense and only Earl Campbell on offense. I ended up winning in a shootout :rotfl: I could not stop him no matter what I tried and he only ran the ball.

[tpaterniti]

The other thing that is sad is you have a team 2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Bronze defenders to stop 1 Gold offensive player. You should not need need 7 defenders of that caliber to stop 1 player on offense.

I thought about this and you are right if you think player for player, but in reality as an offense there are only two things you can do on every play: run and pass. If one player could stop 1 running back, you have essentially eliminated half of your opponents offense with just one player on defense.

Also it is just the nature of the game that 1 dominant player at a skill position can take a proportianlly large amount from the defense to stop. In hockey it could take a lot to get past a goalie who is on fire, and in baseball a good pitcher can dominate a game. Some games are just designed in such a way that a dominant player can take a lot to stop. That is the way I think about it at any rate.

[Changeup]

I'm not wasting both golds and 2 silvers on defense to stop one player.
I preferr not playing vs him anyhow because most people who use him just suck or no huddle like a sackless chump all game.

[nyknicks33]

I'm not wasting both golds and 2 silvers on defense to stop one player.
I preferr not playing vs him anyhow because most people who use him just suck or no huddle like a sackless chump all game.

Then there are those who use earl exclusively and brag about how great they are at running the football. :rotfl:

[Numbski]

I'm genuinely curious about one thing - I've used Christian Okoye pretty much exclusively as my back for almost 6 months now. I have no clue how he gets called "Mini-Earl". Granted, I don't really rely on his ability to break tackles because I'm too busy charging up and having him shoulder charge guys, and I don't have any trouble slowing down Okoye, even on a bad day. Was there something in particular about Okoye that I'm missing, or just that he has Branching Tackles and Workhorse?

[Mozark]

i just used 1 ILB **** Butkus, held Campbell to under 60 yards no TDs

[ElGreazy78]

I'm genuinely curious about one thing - I've used Christian Okoye pretty much exclusively as my back for almost 6 months now. I have no clue how he gets called "Mini-Earl". Granted, I don't really rely on his ability to break tackles because I'm too busy charging up and having him shoulder charge guys, and I don't have any trouble slowing down Okoye, even on a bad day. Was there something in particular about Okoye that I'm missing, or just that he has Branching Tackles and Workhorse?
I know what you mean. I've never had any luck with Okoye but I've had up and down success with Means. I think it just depends on the user. Sometimes I'll face Okoye and he will be a non-factor.

I think the best way to use him is to stay with the running game, even if they are short 2-3 yard gains. By the 2nd half, if you've amassed at least 10-12 runs you'll start seeing more results. More often than not I will get back into the game, even if down by a lot, by staying with my running game. Opponents have to respect it and eventually you're back will break at least one big run.

[nyknicks33]

I know what you mean. I've never had any luck with Okoye but I've had up and down success with Means. I think it just depends on the user. Sometimes I'll face Okoye and he will be a non-factor.

I think the best way to use him is to stay with the running game, even if they are short 2-3 yard gains. By the 2nd half, if you've amassed at least 10-12 runs you'll start seeing more results. More often than not I will get back into the game, even if down by a lot, by staying with my running game. Opponents have to respect it and eventually you're back will break at least one big run.


Whenever I use Okoye , he gets the ball 6 consecutive times right off of the bat, regardless of down, distance or score.

Means is more explosive, while i find Okoye needs to be "heated up" some.

[Numbski]

Precisely right - which actually contradicts my gameplan of getting the ball into the hands of 10 different receivers throughout the game. What happens is that if he gets the ball 6 times in a row or more, my generics suddenly refuse to catch the ball. If I mix it up more early on, then they're all about catching it. It's a really strange behavior, especially for supposed "possession receivers" that are supposed to be for a "sure catch" (their wording, not mine!). But yeah - something that happens far too often when I go online is players just bailing on the run too quickly. Okoye *definitely* needs to get his touches early and often, without question. The trick seems to be a willingness to spread the ball around as much as possible early on, and then once everyone is happy and willing to catch the thing, pound that rock.