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S  E  G  A   S  P  O  R  T  S
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N  F  L   2  K  5
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+--------------------+        An FAQ/Strategy Guide      +--------------------+
|FAQ Started: 8/19/04|          By: Androgynous          |Includes In-depth   |
|Version 0.3         |       For the Microsoft Xbox      |strategies for both |
|FAQ Finish: 12/21/04|                                   |offense and defense!|
+--------------------+                                   +--------------------+
---------------------
Legal Information
---------------------
This guide is (c) copyright to nm14. The guide may not be sold or reproduced
under any circumstances. Exceptions may occur with written permission from the
author (me) via electronic mail. To make matters a bit more clear, those that
are interested in posting this guide on a web site, magazine, book etc. must
ask permission using e-mail. Posted all around this guide, the e-mail address
that you must use to ask permission for guides is bjsalari[at]hotmail[dot]com.
I am expecting formal requests, and polite manners. Those that do not meet the
criteria listed above will likely not be reviewed, or deleted from my e-mail
inbox. I will be checking web sites periodically to make sure sites are not
stealing copyrighted material. FAQers are tough to cheat, so I would suggest
that you ask permission. Honestly, it does not take that much work, and I will
likely let you use the guide. Thank you for reading this important parts of the
guide.
Web Sites with permission:
- http://www.gamefaqs.com
- http://www.neoseeker.com
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(2.1) In the Huddle                [NFL210]                [100%]
(2.2) Offense                      [NFL220]                [100%]
(2.2.1) Prior to the Snap    [NFL221]                [100%]
(2.2.2) After the Snap       [NFL222]                [100%]
(2.2.3) Rushing Plays        [NFL223]                [100%]
(2.2.4) After the Play       [NFL224]                [100%]
(2.3) Defense                      [NFL230]                [100%]
(2.3.1) Prior to the Snap    [NFL231]                [100%]
(2.3.2) Audible Menu         [NFL232]                [100%]
(2.3.3) After the Snap       [NFL233]                [100%]
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(2.4.2) Receiving Team       [NFL242]                [100%]
(2.5) First Person Football        [NFL250]                [100%]
(3.0) Basics                            [NFL300]                [100%]
(3.1) Game Options                 [NFL310]                [100%]
(3.2) Advanced Moves               [NFL320]                [100%]
(4.0) Strategies                        [NFL400]                [100%]
(4.1) Offensive Strategy           [NFL410]                [100%]
(4.1.1) Passing              [NFL411]                [100%]
(4.1.2) Rushing              [NFL412]                [100%]
(4.2) Defensive Strategy           [NFL420]                [100%]
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(4.2.3) Defensive Backs      [NFL423]                [100%]
(4.3) ESPN 25th Anniversary        [NFL430]                [100%]
(4.4) Kicking 63 Yard Field Goal   [NFL440]                [100%]
(5.0) Version History                   [NFL500]                [100%]
(6.0) Conclusion                        [NFL600]                [100%]
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Welcome to my (nm14) most recent project. This time I am writing for the
well developed ESPN video game, ESPN NFL 2K5. There is currently a battle
between the EA Sports' Madden series and the Sega Sports' 2K series. For the
most part, Madden owned in terms of gameplay, graphics and total options.
But, Sega has made there move, and for what I believe is a very good one.
One of the major surprises for this game is that it was released with a
twenty dollar price tag. That is thirty dollars cheaper than Madden. Just
looking at that, is it Madden really worth thirty dollars more, just so you
can get the Madden atmosphere? Second of all, everyone talks about the great
graphics on the ESPN series. Obviously this is a large plus when it comes to
rating games. All the characters are well designed to make the gameplay as
realistic as possible.
Another advantage with the ESPN series of football is the extra features
available throughout the game. I do not think I have ever played a game with
as many unlockables as this one. Basically, each player can make a VIP, and
host there own cool "crib." This is basically a dream home designed around
your personal favorite team (which you pick as you make your VIP). This will
certainly make the game more fun. With all these neat features, ESPN is
really showing a promising future against Madden. I believe that they have
already passed EA Sports' capabilities.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1.1) E-Mail Policy                       [NFL110]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bjsalari[at]hotmail[dot]com
Hey everyone. This is the e-mail policy portion of this FAQ. I am going to
list what I believe to be "acceptable" or "unacceptable" e-mails. Of course,
it would be very wise of you to correctly e-mail me if you are hoping for a
response. Also, if you have made a mistake when e-mailing me, it is very likely
I will block you so that you cannot send me any more messages. So, now that
you all know what will happen if you incorrectly e-mail me, you have to find
out what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. Please read below.
Do you have information that we have not covered in this FAQ? Well, read below.
If you happen to know something in the FAQ please e-mail me. I am always
interested in adding information from readers, but there are a few exceptions.
If this FAQ is NOT labeled "Final" as its version, your added information may
not neccessarily be used. I could possibly already know your information, but
have not gotten to that section yet. So, do not guarantee that I will post your
comments just because you were nice enough to e-mail us.
Now, for a little more about an "acceptable" e-mail, let's talk about the
subject of the e-mail. I get a lot of e-mails about other FAQs that I have
written, so I can easily miss your e-mail unless you identify it. So, in the
subject line, please include the words "ESPN NFL 2K5" in your subject
line. This makes it a lot easier to sort things out in my e-mail. If you do
not refer to what game you are commenting/asking for help on, I will most
likely ignore the entire e-mail.
The last aspect that we would like to talk about is reading the FAQ. If you are
in doubt, check around the entire FAQ before coming to us for direct help. It
is likely that information is in other parts of the FAQ, and not neccessarily
the part that you are looking at during that very moment. Any comments that are
already answered in this FAQ will simply be ignored and blocked, as I have
taken a lot of time to write this guide for you, you can do a little something
for me as well.
If any of the above guidelines are not followed correctly your e-mails will be
considered "unacceptable" and I am sure you know what that means. I personally
think that it will be simple to follow the guidelines, and you will not have to
worry very much about the process. Thank you, again, for your cooperation.
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This is the controls section of this guide. Basically, I am going to provide
you gamers with all the controls needed to function during this game. I am
breaking each of the controls into mini sub-sections that will make your
navigation much easier. I am not sure that there is much more to say about
this section. Just refer to the table of contents at the very top of this
document to find the certain controls, and the codes that you need to press
to make things fast and easy for you to find. Hope you enjoy the section.
Most of this information comes from the game manual provided with the game.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2.1) In the Huddle                       [NFL210]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Left Thumbstick - UP/DOWN: Scroll formatoin groups by backfield LEFT/RIGHT:
Change receiver alignment.
A Button - Select Formation
B Button - Sub Receivers (offense) / Swap D Line (defense) Select Screens
(offense only).
X Button - Sub Running Backs (offense) / Swap DB's (defense).
Y Button - Choose Package Screen (offense).
BACK Button - Timeout.
Black Button - Flip Formation.
White Button - Help Menu.
Left Trigger - Coach's Pick.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2.2) Offense                       [NFL220]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================
(2.2.1) Prior to the Snap                [NFL221]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - UP/DOWN: Select formation LEFT/RIGHT:
Put player in motion.
A Button - Hurry to the line / Snap the football.
B Button - Hard Count.
Y Button - Bring Up / Dismiss Audible Menu.
BACK Button - Timeout.
Black Button - Flip Formation.
White Button - View Players' Routes.
Left Trigger - View Players' Fatigue.
Right Trigger - View Players' Routes.
Right Thumbstick - Call a Hot Route for a receiver.
============================================================================
(2.2.2) After the Snap                [NFL222]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Move the QB.
A Button - Throw to receiver A.
B Button - Throw to receiver B.
X Button - Throw to receiver X.
Y Button - Throw to receiver Y.
Black Button - Throw the ball away.
White Button - Pump Fake.
Left Trigger - Throw to Receiver L.
Right Trigger - Scramble with QB (while holding).
Right Thrumbstick - QB Evade.
============================================================================
(2.2.3) Rushing Plays                [NFL223]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Move the Runner.
A Button - Speed Burst (Tap) / Charge up power for a move (Hold)
B Button - Spin Move
X Button - Dive / QB Hook Slide
Y Button - Shoulder Charge
Black Button - Stiff-arm right.
White Button - Stiff-arm left.
Right Trigger + Left Trigger - Lateral the ball back.
Left Trigger - Juke Left.
Right Trigger - Juke Right / Pitch Ball with option plays
Right Thumbstick - Hurdle (Press) / stutter step (UP) / Stop Short (DOWN)
============================================================================
(2.2.4) After the Play                [NFL224]
============================================================================
B Button - Hurry Up Offense (automatically uses the last play)
X Button - Hurry to spike the ball
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2.3) Defense                       [NFL230]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================
(2.3.1) Prior to the Snap                [NFL231]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Move the Player.
A Button - Switch Player.
B Button - Switch back to previous player.
X Button - Blitz selected player.
Y Button - Call/Dismiss Audible Menu.
BACK - Timeout
Black Button - View Players' Fatigue Levels.
White Button - View Players' Assignments.
============================================================================
(2.3.2) Defense Audible Menu                [NFL232]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Cycle Available Audibles.
A Button - Select Audible A.
B Button - Select Audible B.
X Button - Select Audible X.
Y Button - Call/Dismiss Audible Menu.
BACK - Timeout
Black Button - Flip Defensive Assignments.
White Button - Return to Original Play.
Right Trigger - Select Audible R.
Left Trigger - Select Audible L.
============================================================================
(2.3.3) After the Snap                [NFL233]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Move Player.
A Button - Speed Burst (Tap) / Charge for power moves (Hold).
B Button - Switch Player.
X Button - Diving Tackle.
Y Button - Intercept for Block the pass.
BACK - Timeout
Black Button - Linebacker strafe or spin-off.
Right Trigger - Intercept Pass or Swim Move.
Left Trigger - Intercept Pass or Club Move.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2.4) Special Teams                       [NFL240]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================
(2.4.1) Kicking Team                [NFL241]
============================================================================
Left Thumbstick - Aim Kick Arrow.
A Button - Press once to activate the kick meter. Press it again to
determine the power of the kick.
Y Button - Bring Up / Dismiss Audible Menu.
============================================================================
(2.4.2) Receiving Team                [NFL242]
============================================================================
Right Thumbstick - Down the ball in the endzone (press).
Y Button - Call a fair catch (press before you catch the ball).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2.5) First Person Football                  [NFL250]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
First person football is a beat feature that has been added to the ESPN
series. In fact, it was added to the previous game (NFL 2k4). Basically, you
will be seeing just as a normal football player would see. It makes the game
a LOT more realisitic, but I have to admit that it is rather hard to control
while in the mode. If you do choose to play it, I will provide the controls
in the following list.
---------------
Before the Snap
---------------
Right Thumbstick - Look left/right
White - Locate the man you are assigned to cover.
Right of Left Trigger - Hot Routes (Hold).
--------------
After the Snap
--------------
Right Thumbstick - Initiate temporary "slowdown" mode.
----------------
After the Tackle
----------------
Right Thumbstick - View an Action Replay of the Last Play.
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Welcome to the Basics section of this Strategy Guide. I am going to take you
through the different options that you have in the game, and describe each
one of them in detail. This includes main menus options, and game options
that can be changed to enhance your gameplay. That will be the first part of
this guide, which leads me to the second part of the guide.
The second part of this guide deals with moves that will make you an expert
gamer for this particular game. In general, many of these moves are not used
because gamers are lazy, and do not wish to learn how to correctly play this
game. But, these moves are provided for a reason. The reason clearly shows
that they help you become a better player. I hope that you enjoy this
section, as well as the rest of the guide.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3.1) Game Options                    [NFL310]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, the main menu section begins. Let me tell you that the options that you
have to choose from are outstanding. There are many options, each with many
unique features. You are able to play franchises, seasons and play those
fantastic historical moments that you always wish were different. Overall,
you will enjoy all of the modes, and play all of them respectively. I am
proud to present the following game modes, found on the main menu of the
game. Enjoy!
----------------
Quick Game
----------------
This mode is the standard mode that friends, or people who just want to play
a quick game, go to. Obviously the name resembles the action. Another name
for the quick game mode is an exhibition. As you choose this mode, two teams
will face each other, and players will decide which team they want to be on.
You will be able to set your team's jersey colors. An exciting feature about
this game is that stats actually do count in Quick Games in terms of the
Crib Mode. If you have no idea of what I am talking about, refer to the Crib
Mode section for more information. Anyway, to sum things up, this is the
place to play a standard game with another person or with the CPU. It is one
of the most used options.
---------------
Franchise
---------------
This mode is certainly for advanced players that have a pretty high level
of knowledge of football. Essentially, you, the player, are the owner of a
certain franchise, or team. You are able to sign players to contracts, and
you only have a certain salary cap to use. A franchise is much like a season
except a much bigger picture. You are able to play multiple seasons, and
players increase in rating. Drafts also take place each year. This means
that you will have a lot of responsibility and choices that you will have to
make in order to be a successfull owner. This is a very fun mode, but it
could be hard to understand for the newbie of football. You could call this
the coach's mode. And you are the coach.
--------------
The Crib
--------------
This is obviously one of the coolest modes that you can use in NFL 2K5.
The "crib" is your personal house, where you can buy certain items to make
it look all pretty. Many of the items that you buy resemble your personal
favorite team, but you can buy any team posters or furniture that you wish
to buy. Inside your crib, you have a bar, living area, TV area and trophy
area. There is also a jukebox where many songs can be unlocked and played.
In order to buy items you must obtain credits. You can obtain credits by
playing games on quick game mode or franchise, and just about every other
option in the game. This is where you can see all the records that you
obtained throughout your gameplay. It is really an interesting area.
---------------------------
ESPN 25th Anniversary
---------------------------
This is one neat mode that has been added to this year's ESPN game. This
mode offers you 25 different scenerios that have happened in NFL history.
You will be able to change history by completing these events with the given
time and score. "Good" things will happen if you complete these 25 events,
I assure you. They are also fun, and challenging for any gamer. If you ever
feel like playing just a part of a game, look for one of these that best
fits your mood. I assure you that they can be fun, and will make you feel
like you accomplished something great, as you were able to do something that
other teams in the past could not do.
---------------------------
First Person Football
---------------------------
This is one of those neat modes added to the ESPN series with the previous
game. It is taking virtual football to another level. The mode is just what
is says on the title. You are going to see the action of the game with the
perspective of a certain player. Two things come to mind with that: wow,
this is going to be really cool, and wow, this is going to be hard. With
those two taken into consideration, I think it's logical to say that this
will be an interesting mode. While you are on the field things are a lot
more confusing than on the third person, or standard, mode. But, the motion
is really neat, as you get to feel the way your players move, tackle and
perform moves. This is a really neat mode in this game.
--------------
Tutorial
--------------
The typical tutorial found in just about every single game. There are many
different moves that you can practice. The scenerio for each tutorial is
basically a quarterback and runner (you are the runner). There are cones and
defenders in the area. You have to run through the cones (so you can't be a
wuss, and just run away) and perform moves to get passed the certain line of
defense. Of course, that is only for the offensive section of the tutorial.
For the defensive, it is similar, except you are defense, and the runner can
run in any direction that they want. This makes a bit more challenging, but
it makes it more real for what you will experience in a real game against
another human or CPU. Not to mention, if you have the strength to complete
all of these techniques that are presented in the tutorial, you will be
rewarded with a total of 200 crib credits. That should make your buying and
such a lot more pleasurable.
---------------
Situation
---------------
This feature is common in most football games, but it really stands out with
NFL 2k5. It does because you have virtually every single option available to
pick, making the situation EXACTLY how you want it to be. You can pick the
down, and how much you have to go. The time left on the clock, or even the
score of the game. This is similar to the ESPN 25th anniversary, except you
may pick the scenerio, and you can make it as bizarre as your imagination
allows you to go. Not to mention, you can pick which ever teams you want to
be playing, to make the scenerio a real life historical event. So, if you
could not find the proper historical event in the 25th anniversary, just
make your own (especially if you saw a neat play from last year that you
want to re-create).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3.2) Advanced Moves                    [NFL320]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alright, I am sure you are waiting to get a lot better. So, let's get
started with this new section that deals with advanced moves. I will try to
depict the moves in the easiest way possible by drawing diagrams and other
models that might help you get the moves down. A lot of it will help players
in the commonly hard areas of the game, and I will stay away from the basic
parts that everyone is good at. Obviously, this section is for people who
want to become a bit more advanced in the game. Anyway, let's get started.
---------------------------
Special Teams Returns
---------------------------
This is a common place where people have trouble succeeding. At most, people
get about 5-7 yards on a punt return. I am going to try to change that to
around 10-15 yards. This will help your offense a great deal, as it will
give yourself a much better field position that before. I am going to ignore
the fact that you can block punts if I am talking about a punt formation.
So, I will start off with kickoffs. Basically, the key to doing well on a
kick off is moving to the outside. You will never get anywhere by going in
the middle (unless you get very lucky and find a nice hole in the middle).
So, pick a formation that sends your blockers to a certain side. Now, let
the kicker kick the ball to one of your players, keeping in mind which side
you are to get to. As you get the ball, think for a second. If you are at
the midway point in the endzone or farther, kneel down and take the free
twenty yards. If not, I would run the ball out, as you will most likely get
a better field position.
After you have that straight, and you decide to take the ball out, head
slightly to the side that you are running towards, but not in a straight
line. You do not want to make it obvious that you are running to that side.
So, head somewhat towards the middle to start. Then, once the defenders are
about 10-15 yards away from you, you are going to have to crack to the
outside. The only way you can get ahead of all these defenders is to put
the heat on. That means, speed burst by tapping A like crazy. I am not going
to gurantee that you will get a HUGE gain, but you will probably have more
success than going right down the middle. You also have a greater chance of
scoring a touchdown.
The same applies to punt returns, except you are going to want to crack to
the outside a bit faster. You have a lot less time to get to the outside
because the kicks are much shorter than a normal kickoff. The other thing
that you should take into consideration is calling a fair catch. If your
opponent boots the ball up very high, you will get crushed if you try to
catch it and run. So, press the Y button and call a fair catch to prevent
any kind of a fumble or disasterous injury. If you take all these things
into consideration while playing the special teams, you will become a
more successful player. See the diagram below for more help.
--------------------
Blocking Punts
--------------------
Blocking punts are always a really neat thing to do in any football game,
whether it is in real life or on the TV screen. I think I have developed a
strategy that will help you become a better punt blocker, and one that makes
your opponents fear you greatly. I have noticed that it is a bit harder to
block punts in NFL 2K5, but it is doable. Anyway, let's get to the strategy.
So, your opponent is faced with a fourth down and decided to punt. Their
goal is to put your starting position on the field much farther back. But,
there is a way to get the ball right where they punted it, and that is by
blocking the punt. So, here is the key. Get the fastest player that you have
on the field. This is probably going to be a DB, or defensive back. They are
located on the outside, generally two on each wide receiver. Take your
fastest one, and place them right between the lineback and defensive end on
the side of the main line of players. In order to get through the line, you
are going to have to time it pretty well. If you are playing another person
then wait for the meter to be full and wait one second. Then, run in and
speed burst like crazy. Keep tapping A, until you are about 5 yards from the
punter. Right as you reach that mark, get ready to press the Y button. This
will make your player jump up and block the ball. Basically, the key to
doing this is to penetrate the line untouched. If you can do that, you
should be successful.
Legend
------
* = You, the blocker
o = teammates
x = opponents
p = punter
$ = route that you should take
+-------------------------------------+
|             *      *                |
|      oo    o$oooooo$o    oo         |
|       x     $xxxxxx$     x          |
|             $      $                |
|              $    $                 |
|               $  $                  |
|                pp                   |
+-------------------------------------+
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### ###                                                        ### ###
#                                                              #
Welcome to the core of the guide. This is where you are going to find all
those lovely strategies that will help you beat just about...any opponent.
So, now is your chance to learn and enhance your knowledge to a skilled
football pro. Not to mention, you might learn a lot about the game of
football yourself. I will explain certain terms, strategies for those terms
and just about anything else that you can imagine. I will point out team's
strengths and weaknesses, and how you should approach and scenerio in all
types of games. Also, if you have any questions about a certain scenerio,
please feel free to e-mail me questions. I will always answer, and be glad
to do so. Enjoy this section of the guide.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.1) Offensive Strategies                  [NFL410]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, we begin with the offense. They are the part of your team that is
purposed to score. They are my favorite part of any team as well (and you
can probably understand that because I like the Indianapolis Colts :P) So,
I am going to help you become a better passer and rusher. Those are the two
main aspects of offense. In passing, the quarterback hikes the ball and
drops back a few steps and stops. Then, he throws the ball to anyone of his
receivers, whether they are wide receivers, tight ends or even running
backs. In rushing, the quarterback hikes the ball and runs back to the
running back. Then, he hands the ball off to the running back, and that
person runs through the defensive line to gain as much yardage as possible.
One of the advantages of running is that the time continues to roll as you
rush the ball. If a pass is dropped, however, the time will stop. It is all
in the strategy that will make you a player that cannot be beaten. So, let's
start off with the passing strategy.
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(4.1.1) Passing                       [NFL411]
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Play Action Pass
----------------------
To develop a good passing game, you are going to want to put up a good
rushing game. Why? Well, there is something called the play action play.
Play action is basically faking the rush, and then doing a pass. You can
do this by acting as if you are going to hand the ball off to your running
back, and then passing the ball down field to a wide receiver. Of course,
this will fake your defense out badly, and they will be caught up in the
middle trying to tackle the running back without the ball. Sometimes, it
even makes you laugh. But, this is what you are going to want to look for
when you are doing the play action pass.
So, what do you do after you have done the fake hand off? I find that the
best method to creating a successful play is to roll left or right. This
basically means that you will want to scramble to the right of left by
pressing the R button. Once you have done that, you will have a lot of
options to pass to. Generally, Tight Ends are open and rolling to one side,
so look especially for them. If not, look for a slanting receiver. Most
likely, someone will be open, and if not, try to do a QB sneak by just
running down field. Congrats! You have just learned your first offensive
tactic.
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Short Yardage Passes
--------------------------
When you have short yardage to go, what do you think the defense is going to
be thinking? To me, I think that they are expecting a rush. That is why I
am going to show you the usefullness in passing for short yardage. There is
basically only two good plays to gain a few yards easily using the passing
methods. They are cutbacks and screens. Remember, if you use your play
action tactics that I have told you about above, these plays will probably
be two times as effective. The opponent will really think that you are
rushing, and you can easily perform the two tactics that I am about to show
you. So, get ready and I will start off with the screen pass.
The screen pass generally deals with the running back, full back and on
rare occasions the tight end. A screen pass is usually a short outside pass
purposed to gain a few yards when needed. Generally, the player that is
going out for the pass will simply head to the left or right after running
a few yards forward. Then, they should expect a pass a few seconds after the
quarterback is in the pocket. So, wait about two to three seconds before you
pass to the screen receiver, because if you do not the pass will likely just
float passed them. Then, look for blockers and use them to gain the short
yardage that you need in order to survive the down. Now, let's move on to
the nice cutback formula.
The cutback is really a free first down unless you are playing a pretty good
player. It also is only effective when there is short yardage to go. The
cutback is common with receivers and tight ends, but is most effective with
a wideout receiver. Basically, the receiver runs forward towards the first
down marker, and quickly cuts back in order to look for a pass from you, the
quarterback. If you are successful in throwing the ball on time, you will
easily get a first down. The hard part about this is the timing. If you are
too late in passing the ball, the defense will likely intercept the ball,
or do a smashing tackle right as you catch the ball to create an incomplete
pass or possible a fumble. Either way, you lose, so it is wise to learn how
to time the passes. That just about clears up the short yardage passes.
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Long Yardage Passes
-------------------------
When you have a lot of yards to get, passing is generally your only option.
However, I can make the long yards a bit shorter by providing you with the
following strategies. Basically, one of them is called a post, and the other
method deals with a feature in the game called maximum passing. Both of them
are tricky, and can cause real damage if you screw up, but are extremely
effective if you are able to manage doing the right thing. I will start off
with the easier of the two, the post play. This is probably the easiest way
of gaining yards because it takes the least amount of skill. However, it is
not used a whole lot.
So, the post is a rare option for most new gamers. A post is a route that
a wide receiver generally runs. A receiver is located on the outside, and
runs directly forward. As they approach about eight yards, they quickly
slant inwards, toward the middle of the field. This gives a chance for the
quarterback to strike a quick pass through the middle of the field. There is
one huge advantage to this pass, and one huge disadvantage. The advantage is
that you are able to throw a fast pass without worry about your receiver not
getting to the ball. Trust me, it will be throw right to the wide receiver
every time. But, the disadvantage is that you, the quarterback, will have to
be extra careful about watching the linebackers in the middle. They just
love picking you off from the middle, as they read you like a book. So, it
is up to you to watch out for that. For the most part, any QB with a decent
arm can strike a nice ball in the middle for a huge gain. Now, we move on
to maximum passing.
The maximum passing feature is really nice, and has been present in just
about all of them sega sports series. But, the one thing that many people
have to realize is that it is not something to toy around with. Advanced
players are probably the only ones that should be messing with the maximum
passing feature. Other than that, it will probably just make you mad. So,
maximum passing basically allows the QB, you, to direct where you want the
pass to be. For example, if you want to throw the ball to the left, and
diagnal of your receiver, simply press that direction as you throw the ball
and you will automatically throw the ball in that direction. This makes it
a lot easier to catch balls when you are playing against a tough defense
that always knocks your passes down on normal routes. The problem that many
people face is that they are running in a particular direction, and want to
quickly get rid of the ball. But, with maximum passing, if you are running
to the right, you are going to pass to the right, so it could really screw
up your passing.
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(4.1.2) Rushing                       [NFL412]
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Time Ticker
-----------------
One of the big advantages of rushing is the fact that it takes time off the
clock. Of course, this is generally only useful when you are the leading
team. By rushing, your opponent will be losing a lot of time that they could
possibly have on a future offensive drive, if you rush the ball. Also, if
they are in die need of time, they will have to call timeouts to stop the
clock, thus wasting their very useful timeouts. Basically, thirty seconds
are chewed up every time you rush, unless your opponent charges a timeout on
the field. Either way, you are really hurting your opponent, and increasing
your chances of winning greatly. Remember, this is really only useful if you
are winning in terms of the score. Also, wasting time in the beginning of
the game is really useless. You might as well keep the time just in case you
are losing later on in the game.
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Short Yardage Rushes
--------------------------
This is the crunch time in football. The whole one yard that you need, and
a defensive line, each over 300 pounds, waiting there to stop you. Rushing
is relly fun when it comes to this scenerio. If you need to pick up about
3-4 yards, ACE is a good package that you should consider. This one contains
two tight ends, each on the end of the line. The one advantage to using this
package is that you will have two wide receivers to spread the defense a
bit. That will give a lot more running room for your running back so that
you can pick up the first down. Of course, it is up to you to follow your
blockers, and your blockers to actually block, and not let defenders get
right by the line.
If there are 2 yards or less, the crunch time comes into play. This is where
you are going to want to play the joker package. With a total of three
tight ends, a full back and no wide receivers, you are going to have a load
of blocking. But, there is going to be the entire defense plotted out in the
middle of the field. This means it is the battle of the blocking and the
penetrating. The one who wins will likely make the play succeed or die. As
the tutorial mentions, there are two easy ways of getting forward to get
passed the line that marks the first down (or touchdown). Either dive into
the endzone by pressing the x button, or lower your shoulder by pressing
the Y button. Both ways are rather easy for achieving your goal.
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The Draw
--------------
The running draw is basically like the play action pass except the opposite.
In play action, you fake the rush and then do a pass. So, in draw you fake
the pass and then do a rush. There are generally two ways that QBs like to
fake the pass. Either they physically use a pump fake in order to make the
defense think that they are passing, or they simply drop back like they are
about to pass. In both instances, the defense (at least you hope) will
spread to the outside to guard the passes. This will hopefully open up a
center route for your running back to gain some yards. So, once you drop
back, 1-2 seconds are counted and then the quarterback will release the ball
to the running back. Immediately the running back runs towards the middle
and will try to gain as many yards as possible. These plays work well, and
your opponent rarely catches you. The only disadvantage to this play is that
the long lasting time will allow your opponent to get past the line of
scrimmage and tackle you before you are able to make the play. But, if you
offensive line does their job, you should have no problems getting some good
yardage.
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(4.2) Defensive Strategies                  [NFL420]
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We move along to the defensive portion of your team. Defense is purposed to
stop the opposing offense from scoring points. In order for a team to play
well, the defense must do their part. Without good defense, the offense will
never have the chance to score. It is important to learn how to stop your
opponent as fast as possible so that your offense is in the easiest position
possible. There are three types of defenders: linebackers, the main tackling
team; defensive lineman, the sacking team; and defensive backs, the covering
team. All are very important, and it is crucial that a player has developed
skills with all three. I will break this section into those three positions
so that learning is a bit easier. Let's move on, starting with the defensive
line.
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(4.2.1) Defensive Line                      [NFL421]
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