Reading the Defense

I've read all the threads on this subject that I could but none have really helped a ton. I'm not good yet so I need as much help as I can...

Some questions:

- When I'm lined up, what am I looking for? I don't know what weaknesses I'm looking for yet...
- Is there something I'm looking for that will tell me which route will have the most success?
- Is there an exploit in each formation?

Also I use the Eagles...if that has anything to do with it.

All help appreciated.

if you see man coverage, slants and out/in routes can work well. also, posts to the TE can work well, if you roll out to the way he is breaking (if not, the defender can knock it down). weaknesses to look for are mainly just man or zone. if your opponent is continually in zone defenses, run up the gut or do draw plays (work wonders against zone). really, no one can tell you what will work best for you. you have to play some games and get some plays you are comfortable with running.

I know that motioning a man is the obvious way to tell if it is Man or Zone, but is there anything to look for to see which it is?

Safeties like to spread out to the sidelines if they are in man which would tell u itz a corner blitz coming too. I haven't really looked at it yet this year but last year u could tell who's in zone or man coverage cuz if they were in zone they would be rocking back and forth or walking up and backing up and if they stood still it was man coverage.

MainEvennt wrote:

I know that motioning a man is the obvious way to tell if it is Man or Zone, but is there anything to look for to see which it is?

come out in twin formations.
plays with 2 wrs on one side. TE and 2 backs where ever.
but if the corner from the rite side of the field comes over onto the wr on the inside, that means its man if he stays on the rite side of the field that means its zone.
fast players beat man defence.
putting alot of players in the same spot of the field beats zone.

Come out in different formations such as bunch formation and spread offense. On offense don't make your playcalling so obvious i.e. going 5 wide for passing and iform for running. Mix up your playcalling and have an offensive scheme, don't just call random plays because you feel like it or THINK they can work in the situation. Understand the basic fundamentals of the game so you can be confident going into a game knowing you will come out with the win unless YOU defeat yourself i.e. throwing a stupid pick you shouldn't of even thrown and of course there's always the random fumble and stupid decisions. Once you have gotten to a new level of gaming, the only way you should be losing is if YOU DEFEAT YOURSELF!

Motion a WR to see if it's man or zone coverage, if the DB follows, it's usually man.

Look at the safeties before and after the snap to determine the type of coverage shell.

cover 1 = one safety rotates to the middle of the field.
cover 2 = two safeties stay at even depth.
cover 3 = one safety rotates to the middle of the field and one or both CBs move.
cover 4 = two safeties stay at even depth and one or both CBs move.

yeah i go with what brazil has to say...i usually distinguish if is man or zone right away with the motioning...when the ball is snapped i look at the safetys...if both safetys split apart and go diagonally back than its cover 2....but, it can also be 2 man under but you already figured it was zone before you snapped it...if both safetys straight back than its cover 4...you can also watch both cbs go straihgt back just to make sure...cover 3 you can read before snap if one safety shift in the middle of the field and back and the other floats up and in the middle of the field...after the snap you can tell if its cover 3 if one safety shifts back and to the middle and the other comes closer and in to the middle...or if both safetys shift diagonally back in the same direction it will be a cover 3....but those ALWAYS have buzz zones in them...oh and when some one comes out in a dime or nickel if both safetys split apart back diagonally and one other db falls straight back in the middle of the field you can also tell if its a cover 3....it would be a cover 3 flat...sry if this sounds confusing...but what idid to figure it out was i read some ones post one time went into practice mode and picked a play and watched what the defense did...