Building a successful model Franchise

[Guest]

So, what makes a consistent, winning Franchise in FOF7 and more importantly, the OSFL?

Apart from drafting well year in, year out, in my experience (solely based on SP), I have found that getting key positions locked up with top rated stars usually works. First and foremost, I look at the players overall rating, the higher the better. This has worked for me but I am reading more and more about MP and most of the people have the belief that the individual bars are more important.

I would grab a 60/60 rated WR with a low BPR rating without hesitation, whereas a lot of guys wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. Have I just been ‘getting away with it’ or is this a full proof model to build on?

Game planning? What is game planning? Never used it, just used the recommended settings. It is probably something that I would be interested in, but I am too afraid to make a mistake.

Who says that my game plan is better than what the AI recommends? Why wouldn’t you use the recommended settings? This is clearly something I need to get my head around before the MP league starts. Can I build a consistently successful franchise on recommended game plans? Or would I need to make my own game plans to keep that one step ahead of the rest?

Is it THAT important?

Would I use a certain game plan for a whole season, or tweak it from week to week depending on the opposition?

I am just thinking out loud. These are questions I ask myself more than anything but I would invite everybody to give their views on what THEY think makes a successful franchise on a consistent basis. Sure, everybody has their little ‘secrets’ and I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t let on but just looking for a little heads up before the season starts.

[Guest]

Part of my philosophy of team building used to be kind of the opposite of "get guys with high ratings." I'd look guys with the right bars for what I wanted them to do. SILB that I'm never going to blitz? I don't give a good goddamn if he has zero PRT and PRS. FS? If his run defense isn't that high, I can live with that.

I used to build teams with very high cohesion (I'd try to keep starting units together as much as I could) and with as many affinities as I could muster. I'd pick up lots of players off of the scrap heap and make them useful role players or even starters with low salaries.

Unfortunately, the days of being able to do that are gone. You can't afford to pay a bunch of stars forever now. You can't pick up all those guys off the scrapheap like I used to because they demand more money now. If I do manage to get one on a one year contract, the next year he wants more money and he's gone.

Now everyone has to draft well. Those rookies don't make a lot of money and you NEED that cheap talent on your team for 4 years to compete. With an 18 month old in my house I did a lot of crappy/auto drafting from rounds 2-7 a couple of years and it really set me back. I actually picked all my guys this year and tried a little harder. I even changed my draft philosophy a little bit. I'm hoping it gives my team a boost.

[Sgran]

My experience in online leagues suggests that following basic football principles (building from the inside out; securing an above-average QB; not hanging on to ageing players; etc) AND being present (ie getting your file in on time so that the AI doesn't cut one of your key reserves) is enough to get you into playoff contention by your second or third season.

Getting deep into the playoffs requires both luck (injuries) and skills (advanced game-planning). The new version of the game seems to be better at requiring you to use your cap space wisely, or at least the cap seems to be fair in the OSFL.

Often, the difference between winning one more game during the season is how well you can plug gaps or gameplan around a key injury. For example, if a star linebacker is down you may have to use more nickel. If your pass rusher is out then you might "junk up" your gameplan by blitzing like mad in the hopes that you can force some turnovers. This is fun part of the game and why it's worth it to learn how the gameplanning controls work.

[Guest]

Interesting views guys.

Do any of you use the game planner utility (from the OS forums)?

If yes, would you recommend downloading it? Surely if all 32 GM's in an MP league are using a game planning utility, it kind of defeats the object of it and then it comes down to talent, luck etc?

I dunno, maybe I am just over-thinking it

[Matt]

I used to use it every week. I don't gameplan much week to week anymore because I found a semi-successful gameplan. When I do I use it though.

Same as Foos. Find the ratings that work for you and go from there. I design my own gameplan around those and have been pretty successful over time.

[Guest]

Interesting views guys.

Do any of you use the game planner utility (from the OS forums)?

If yes, would you recommend downloading it? Surely if all 32 GM's in an MP league are using a game planning utility, it kind of defeats the object of it and then it comes down to talent, luck etc?

I dunno, maybe I am just over-thinking it

The gameplanning utility is far from a Press Win! tool. Really, it's best used to figure out who is gaming the system a bit (throwing deep on 2nd and 1, running on 3rd and long, basically Nemesis).

I would argue Draft Analyzer is coming closer to damaging the "integrity" of mp than the Gameplan Analyzer.

That said, I won a Championship by rexxing my gameplans almost entirely.

[Guest]

Building a successful franchise in FOF7 involves a lot of:

Smart money management

You must let players walk sometimes. Is your 60 rated Center really worth $13 mil a year? Probably not, let someone else overpay that guy.

Don't be sentimental, people need to be cut sometimes.

Expect a franchise QB to cost you 10% of your cap. Plan accordingly.

Drafting Punters and Kickers in higher rounds (2-4) may look like a great move because that guy is gonna be a 90 rated punter, but by the time their rookie contract expires you'll be paying $8 mil a year for a Punter or Kicker. Is that a good use of money? You can almost always find a very good Kicker or Punter in FA for significantly less money.

If you are losing out on bids in FA, don't get mad and overspend on lesser players. Like this.

[irabowman]

I don't have a lot of experience in MP however in my first draft I based most of it off grades 1st and combines 2nd, This my second season, I based it off Bars 1st & Combines second. Based on first impressions only, think I did better but have a long ways to find out for sure.

Couple days ago I joined IFL season in progress as 1-1 Cleveland. Was told Cleveland had not had a GM in several seasons, was shocked when I saw last season they made it to the Championship game where they lost. When I looked at the team/players overall they appeared to need a lot of improvements. They have only 9 players with a rating score above 50. RB 62, FL 66, SE 67, LG 82, LDE 69, RDT 58, LCB 67, SS 57, P 72. Yesterday was my first game as GM and we faced Portland. I used the recommend game plan, as I am still learning and taking notes of what works what doesn't. We won the game 29-21 and here are some things, I found interesting in the win. Portland had 10 players with scout ratings above 50 though not fully developed. They also had a lot more in 40's than I did by just glancing. Here is what I thought was the key match up of the game my LT 37/37 RB 59 vs RDE 54/54 RD 67 he had 8 key blocks helping my RB gain 257 yards for the game. For the whole game and OL we had 21 Key Blocks. My O line here in OSFL did not get those kinda numbers last season. Also my LCB had 2 INTs one which he returned 37 yards for a TD. Rest of the scoring was by our K 38/38 Bars KP 66 everything else below 30. He went 5/5 with a FG over 40 yards and 1 that was 50. Looking at his history he has kicked a lot of 40 & 50 plus FG's. This has leads me to believe 1 of 2 things and granted this is only 1 game. #1 I got lucky as the old saying goes anybody can win on any given Sunday. #2 Cleveland's highest Scout Rating scores are skilled players thus the 257 yards rushed & 2 interceptions. Also with the lower ranked players which we all have to have make sure he has good bar for what you want him to do LT run blocking. If I continue winning games in IFL this season and have losing season here in OSFL this season, You will be seeing me do everything I can to improve those skill positions next off season.

[Guest]

The gameplanning utility is far from a Press Win! tool. Really, it's best used to figure out who is gaming the system a bit (throwing deep on 2nd and 1, running on 3rd and long, basically Nemesis).

I would argue Draft Analyzer is coming closer to damaging the "integrity" of mp than the Gameplan Analyzer.

That said, I won a Championship by rexxing my gameplans almost entirely.

Does some new Draft Analyzer have some crazy abilities that make drafting easier? I'll have to get it, I'm using an older one! :)

Rexxing gameplans makes me die inside. haha

[Guest]

I think your gameplan depends on your team. With my limited experience if been using my madden philosophy:

Every unit needs a good player to act as an anchor. The rest can be specialists. Superstar players should anchor one side of the ball.

On offense, I try to replicate the "Triplets" for star players - a QB, an RB, and a reciever.

On defense, I typically shoot for a powerful front 7, which makes the secondary better by nature.

[Guest]

Does some new Draft Analyzer have some crazy abilities that make drafting easier? I'll have to get it, I'm using an older one! :)

Yeah, Greg's stepped his game up and the latest version is basically using Skynet to determine quality players.

[Aston]

A lot of good discussion here.

I think you'll find different people can have very different ideas, and believe in them quite firmly. And there are probably different ways to win.

I would grab a 60/60 rated WR with a low BPR rating without hesitation, whereas a lot of guys wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

Hopefully this is no longer true in FOF7. The short pass (and larger proportions of it) appears to be much more effective, and teams for the most part are unable to hurl the ball downfield at the same efficiency as they used to be.

It can be important to focus on bars, though, or at least understand what kind of bars your players have. Since getting high OVR everywhere is not actually an option.

Game planning? What is game planning? Never used it, just used the recommended settings. It is probably something that I would be interested in, but I am too afraid to make a mistake.

Don't be skurred! Although it is true: you have total leeway to guide your team to disaster.

I think GPing for defense tends to be more important. Two teams can run very different offenses and it seems ideal to not have your defense caught with its pants down in a certain down-and-distance.

My experience in online leagues suggests that following basic football principles (building from the inside out; securing an above-average QB; not hanging on to ageing players; etc) AND being present (ie getting your file in on time so that the AI doesn't cut one of your key reserves) is enough to get you into playoff contention by your second or third season.

I agree with this (depends on competition within your division, though). And once you're in the playoffs, anything can happen. Great post overall.

[Guest]

I look at whatever garion is doing and i do the opposite.

It's been pretty successful so far. :)

[Guest]

I look at whatever garion is doing and i do the opposite.

It's been pretty successful so far. :)

I guess that 0-16 season you had means I went 16-0, eh?

[Guest]

Good discussion. Cheers guys