Help: Play calling section

[guillcar]

I tried the 2009 demo after not playing since the 2007 version. I am very disappointed to see that the play calling section in the help files still gives a error message after 2 years. I'd really like a section giving some piece of advice on this subject.

[guillcar]

Can anyone give me some playcalling tips please ?

[pirate66]

I've had the best results by building a playbook which caters to my offensive philosophies.

I've done the same for defense but I'm still working on it.

[PanzerHue]

I've had the best results by building a playbook which caters to my offensive philosophies.

Hi Pirate66 and Others,

Could you tell me - a non-expert in football - more about how you build up your playbook, please.
Im trying to find out which plays to use to counter my oponents choises. Since Im not an expert its very hard to find out wich advantages and disadvantages the different plays have. I try to look in the Playbook Editor to compare the ratings of the different plays, but I still think its hard to find a succesfull tactic - both OF and Def.

I play the 2009Demo and I dont find the manual very helpfull in my doubts about this. Is the manual in the full version 2009 more elaborated?

Maybe some of you know a site or have some hints about how to choose a good tactic.

Kind regards...

[Arctic Blast]

Unfortunately, web sites talking about play calling tend to get a little technical and over the top.

To keep it simple...you want to call plays that play to your team's strengths and your opponent's weaknesses. On offense, if you have a strong, mobile offensive line and really good running back, you're probably going to want to run the ball a lot. If your line is slower and you have more of a big, power runner with little speed, inside running plays will work best. Or, if you have a bunch of good receivers, and your opponent's defensive backs can't cover very well, playing a lot of multiple wide receiver sets (3 or 4 wideouts on the field) will force those bad d-backs to try and cover your receivers one on one.

On defense, the key is more about mixing things up. Do not fall in to predictable patterns (the same rule also applies on offense), or you increase the chances of getting burned on a play. So don't keep calling the same blitz or the same coverage down after down after down, or eventually it will get torn to shreds.

[PanzerHue]

Thanx a lot for your reply Arctic Blast. I tried studying my oponent a bit closer before my games last night and decided to call some passes and even put another reciever on the field (even though he is not the best). It made my offensive a lot better.
On the defensive side I tried to mix up my calls and since my oponent was good at running (and bad at passing) I changed my defensive line from a 4-3 to a 3-4. This made my rush-defense better - acording to the statistics I moved from a C+ to B by this change.
But in game my defense was not very effective. I used the rankings (A, B etc.) to try counter my oponents rush (inside, outside) and I caught his running-calls many times, but even though I predicted his rush, he kept pushing me back 5-6 yds./down. His "running game" is ranked B+ and my "run defe." is at C, so I shouldnt have been overruned.
It still seems a bit hard to find the right defensive play to call.

Kind regards...

[Lex Logan]

Panzer,

When it comes to defense, the play-by-play mode simply does not work, as far as I can tell. The computer could tell you what play they are running and you can't stop them. This is very frustrating, since Football Mogul appears to be exactly what I've always wanted in a football play-calling game, but for now I stick to simulation mode.

Offensively, what play you call does matter to the extent that if you need 10 yards for a first down, you're more likely to get it with a medium pass than an inside run. But until the defensive side is improved, play-by-play is no fun.

[Arctic Blast]

Thanx a lot for your reply Arctic Blast. I tried studying my oponent a bit closer before my games last night and decided to call some passes and even put another reciever on the field (even though he is not the best). It made my offensive a lot better.
On the defensive side I tried to mix up my calls and since my oponent was good at running (and bad at passing) I changed my defensive line from a 4-3 to a 3-4. This made my rush-defense better - acording to the statistics I moved from a C+ to B by this change.
But in game my defense was not very effective. I used the rankings (A, B etc.) to try counter my oponents rush (inside, outside) and I caught his running-calls many times, but even though I predicted his rush, he kept pushing me back 5-6 yds./down. His "running game" is ranked B+ and my "run defe." is at C, so I shouldnt have been overruned.
It still seems a bit hard to find the right defensive play to call.

Kind regards...

Defensive play calling is always trickier than offensive, because you aren't dictating what's happening on the field, you're stuck reacting to what the other team is doing. Really, experience and starting to figure things out is the only way to improve things there.

[Lex Logan]

Arctic Blast, does it appear to you that what you select on defense has any effect? This has not been my impression in either FM 2007 or 2009.

[LongGone]

I can say after playing with 2009 that it doesn't seem to matter too much on what defensive play that I call. Of course being the Falcons, they're rated only 1 star on both passing and running defense so that does have some effect on the success rate. But still it seems a little off, especially the running game. I typically averay under 3 yards per carry while my opponents average 5+ yards per carry.

[Arctic Blast]

Arctic Blast, does it appear to you that what you select on defense has any effect? This has not been my impression in either FM 2007 or 2009.

I actually don't have this year's version, but I did feel that the defensive playcalling was a bit...'loose'...in the 2007 version.

[kayelbe]

I believe the play by play is ok, and it does matter what defense you call.

The key to defense is to know what the other guy is gonna run on offense.

In real life (hopefully this is factored into Mogul), the classic running downs are: 1st and 10, 2nd and 1-5, and 3rd and 1. Choosing a run defense in any of these situations should boost chances of success. Conversely, choosing pass defenses in most other instances should also prove successful.

[Lex Logan]

I believe the play by play is ok, and it does matter what defense you call.

The key to defense is to know what the other guy is gonna run on offense.

In real life (hopefully this is factored into Mogul), the classic running downs are: 1st and 10, 2nd and 1-5, and 3rd and 1. Choosing a run defense in any of these situations should boost chances of success. Conversely, choosing pass defenses in most other instances should also prove successful.

Kayelbe, I usually have A to A+ rated defensive teams. When I select a defensive play that rates well against the play called by the AI, it doesn't seem any more likely to stop them than a play rated poorly. That's the impression Panzerhue has, and others have the same impression. It's hard to document, however, because the playbook is so complex.

[LordTC]

I think with Atlanta's OL you should expect your running game to be awful. I find the OL makes a bigger difference than the RB in running.

I did a Fantasy draft where I took MJD first, I'm starting to think Joe Thomas was the better pick.

[LordTC]

I also think with the playbook the ratings don't mean as much as the micro-details. A play that has good ratings against short because it covers the flats will get blown out by a slant route. I notice when a play with good ratings against inside run has a guy doing gap coverage on the hole I'm running into, I get blown out. When the play has good ratings against the inside but the gap coverage isn't on the hole I'm hitting I tend to do well. I think the ratings are crude approximations and there is more to it than that.