MFN 1 is currently testing more stringent penalties for play 'overuse'. While this is certainly welcome, one of the primary causes for play overuse is the simple lack of 'successful' plays. So I wanted to start a discussion as to why certain plays work and others don't, and how they can be improved to entice more diversity, rather than strictly penalize a lack of it. I know I personally have cycled through hundreds of plays over my time here trying to maintain as diverse a playbook as possible, but always find myself gravitating towards the same handful of plays that always outperform all others.

Currently, the biggest issues seem to be in the run game and with the prevalence of blitzing. Blitzing however I feel is something that's been discussed a lot, so for now I'm just going to focus on rushing. That said, please feel free to add your own thoughts on any and all other aspects of the game's play selection.

Outside/Inside Running

Flaw: Any play in which the WRs are sent on routes instead of blocking on the side the run is to will fail, close to 100% against even remotely competent defenses.
Solution: Either all plays need to be set to have the WRs block, or CBs need to be less effective at diagnosing and reacting to the run, especially when not keyed to do so and/or running man coverage.

Flaw: Blockers struggle to make it to the second level.
Solution: This may have already have been somewhat improved with recent changes to the blocking code in MFN 1. However, I frequently see times where two, three, even four blockers will all pile onto the same defender at the LOS. Players should be better able to see whether a block is being held or failing and decide to assist or move to the second level.

Flaw: FBs/Swing Blockers will move through defensive players.
Solution: This may be an issue with the graphical representation, but there are many many instances where a FB or swing blocker will simply run through a defender and keep going, leaving the defender to continue on unscathed to the runner. This is especially common against blitzing defenders, and may be contributing to their rampant success.

I am hopeful some of this will improve with new changes to the code, specifically changes so that blocking skills and intelligence matter "in-game". These are being tested in MFN-1 now, although I think intelligence may just be for QBs, not sure.

I agree that we need more plays to pick from. There are many, many plays that never work (or work too seldom to include in your playbook). There are also plays/schemes that work too well (blitz every play).

I also think people give up on plays too soon. They have a play in for 3 games, then remove it because they weren't getting a good average. I'm guilty of this as well.

To me, it takes way too long for your team/players to learn plays. "Should I sacrifice my game/season so I can learn some new plays, or do I go with the ones that already work?" It sucks that this is a decision that has to be made.

I also think u should have the option to flip plays or have more plays to both sides

Look at some of the championship games between some of the top teams, there is almost no running(inside or out) in some of those games because you know any running game you attempt would get blitzed into oblivion so you're stuck with having to fling the ball every down.

This is the worst part of MFN at the moment. I think I've said this before but in my years here on MFN this is the only thing that has made me seriously consider walking away (I'm considering this part of the abusive playcalling issue).

Everything else is secondary to fixing this in my opinion.

I wish there was a way, or one I knew, to make teams who do this pay seriously.

I remember a game I had against someone who did the same blitz every play of the game. I think it was one of the goal line plays (Attack #3 or something). It seemed like about every other pass I through went for a TD. That is the kind of "punishment" I would like to see happen when someone decides to blitz 50 times a game.

In general, the downside should be so severe that playing like this will almost certainly result in a loss.

Can't that be fixed with something like play recognition? Like after 2 or 3 blitzes in a row the QB sees the formation, knows their is a blitz coming and gets a bonus for throwing the ball or even, as you said, throw a TD pass every other play?

I played a guy who used only blitz plays, and if I got the pass to my star WR, he out runned his man coverage and scored a 75 yard TD. This happened only once in like, 50 plays. If you could up this number with like, 3 or something, or/and gradually made the chance to take a big gainer after yet again the same defensive blitz bigger, that would be a solution?

Part of the problem is that a lot of times it feels like defensively you're more likely to get the sack by bringing the house than you are to keep the ball from being completed by playing coverage. It's not uncommon for WRs (even mediocre ones mind you) to have games where they come down with everything regardless of the coverage. So most of the successful owners know they're usually better off blitzing every down, the running game just so happens to usually get caught in the cross fire.

I find people who abuse certain defensive calls to be particularly annoying because right now the benefit for doing so outweighs the penalties. If I run nothing but one defensive play for an entire season, my defense will finally gain play familiarity with the play (since team knowledge of plays is so effing slow to gain that it's laughable as an "attribute"). But since I'm only running one play, and that play is mostly effective, and my team is actually gaining play knowledge, my team will run that play more effectively each game. I don't really see play recognition being tested in 1 stopping this either.

Ha! Funny, but true (and sad).


Unfortunately I'm not sure I see anything yet in MFN-1 that will really stop play abuse. The advantages gained still seem to outweigh the "punishment" by a large margin.

MFN-7 Cleveland is my 'meh' Offense, spear headed by two Converted TE to RB. However, they have an amazing Defense.
MFN-73 Denver is my 'WOW' Offense, 80% Passing with what will be an Elite OL. This Defense is 'meh', but should be improved THIS Season in which I obviously don't have stats yet (and the Rooks need like 6-8 games to get up to speed and not be liabilities).

I don't know the 'secret plays'. I have a way I craft my Play Books, and I'm refining it. I tend to like to have an Inside Run, Outside Run, Short, Medium and Long Pass in any Set that has RBs, and a Short, Medium and Long Pass in any Set without them. I do this to try to 'disguise' the Intent. I never want to run out in a Weak I, and the other Owner KNOW what I'm running because I only have 1 Weak I Play for him to game plan against.

Below I'll put my 'Best' Offensive and Defensive Plays, for each team (different Play Books and different Team Builds). I'm only going over the Last 16 Games on these numbers, so a Full Season with the Same Players to try to keep things from fluctuating to much.

To qualify an Inside Run needs 5+ Yards, and Outside Run needs 7+ Yards, a Short Pass needs 7+, a Medium needs 10+ and a Long needs 15+.

MFN-7 Cleveland (Meh Offense)
Inside Run
2RB/3WR HB Inside Weak (5.8 YPC)

Outside Run
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - *cry*

Short Pass
2RB/3WR Slot Drag (7.7 YPA)
5 WR Parallel Slants (7.7 YPA)

Medium Pass
1RB/1TE/3WR WR Post (18.1 YPA)

Long Pass
HAHAHAHAHAHA *cry*

Now, again... I'm only showing Plays that are SUPER effective. Nothing wrong with an Inside Run that gets 4, or an Outside that only gets 5. My Deep Game isn't amazing in MFN-7, but I DO have some solid plays that move the chains. We're looking for plays like the 1/1/3 WR Post... eye popping 18.1 YPA. The 1/1/3 Deep Corners at 11.5 is perfectly fine, but that's not the kind of Production we are trying to find here.

Defense

Only thing I look for here is that I allow less than 4. However, that's my STANDARD. So for Elite I'm looking at Plays that produce an Average Result of only 2.5 Yards Gained or Less. If we did 4 Yards or Less then I'd be listing 80% of my Defensive Plays here.

4-3 Normal
Sigh.

4-3 Under
Sigh.

46 Heavy
LB Weak Blitz (1.6)

Dime Flat
Sigh

Dime Normal
Cry

Goal Line
Attack #3 (2.1)
Attack #1 (0.3)

Nickel 3-3-5
Cry

Nickel Blitz
Weak Blitz (1.5)
Stunt Blitz (1.0)

Nickel Normal
CB3 MLB Blitz (1.5)

Quarter Normal
CB3 CB4 Blitz (-2.7)
CB 5 Blitz (1.7)
CB3 CB5 Blitz (-0.3)
CB5 MLB Blitz (-3.9)

Note on Quarters: To be in Quarters I'm probably in my 'Prevent', which means I have the 4th Quarter Lead by a good margin. Which means my Defense has likely been vastly superior to the Offense. I get NO Sacks from my CBs... so despite all the CB Blitzes it's still my DL/LB getting the Sack, and getting it BEFORE the Blitzing DB is exposed.

Just a PSA to let you know Quarters isn't some super awesome hidden secret shut down formation... I'm way ahead against an O I'm better than with some Legit Pass Rushers finishing the game off.

So that was Denver's Power Plays in MFN-7. I'll do another Post for Cleveland MFN-73 as this has gotten long.

So, to the Topic. I run a Variety of Offense, generally 30+ Plays. Defense I stick with about 20, but then I'm really strict about my Defense. Most of my Plays give up 4 or Less, and if they fail to maintain that they get kicked to the curb.

I don't know if any of these are 'Unbeatable' Plays, just putting out Plays that work FOR ME at a much better level than the rest of my Play Book. Again, I note that I have other good Plays, but not to the Elite Level of Yardage Requirement I gave above, most of my PB falls just below that range.