WHAT A HELL OF A QUESTION!!!

Okay, I might not answer everything as you've asked, but I will point out some main issues with formations.

First rule: Have your best players on the field, especially on the defense side.

Regarding the D, it strongly depends on the quality of your LBs and SFs when it comes to your formation.
3 LBs vs 4 LBs: Two Middle-Linebacker is no advantage for you, because tackles are randoly chosen between the two MLBs. If you have one good and one less skilled MLB on the field, it's a clear disadvantage for you and should therefore only be used if you have two good MLBs or a quite worse defense line (worse then the weaker MLB).

Two Corners should be planted in every formation as it is usually the first tackle possibility in pass defense.

The Defense Line: The Ends are the most important part of the Dline, as they are mainly the ones to blitz the QB. The number of tackles depend on the quality of your roster (see LBs).

Safeties: Also depends on the overall quality of your roster. As I know, there is no common masterplan on how to use the safeties. It might have an effect on which side you plant your SS (tackle calculation --> probability of a successfull tackling)


Regarding the O: On the one hand Tight Ends can be used as quicker pass receivers, but on the other hand can weaken your O-Line in case the blocking skills are low and the TE is chosen as the 'tackling rival' against a strong DE.
WR: Same play as with MLBs; two WRs on one slot only, if they have equal skills.
FBs have an effect on protecting the QB in passing plays and might raise the chance of a successfull running play of the HB).

So, the formation of your offense depends on how good is your roster and what you play, running or pass play.

There are some good threads in the rookie as well as in the GI-forum. So, have fun with studying it and you're welcome to ask if something is still unclear.

Have fun!

Leo Niceguy wrote: I very much enjoyed reading your answer. So, because I am playing runs only (I'm in the lowest league were passing completion is about 20% / I don't have a good QB/receiver/TE myself.), I got some question on running only offense / defending against defense: Defense: So, if I want to defend against runs only, would you suggest if that I leave out the 2 CB and put 2 additional safeties? Offense: would you suggest playing with singleback formation and just putting the best Halfback for the runs? Or would you suggest the 2x tightends, 3x FB, 1 FB formation?

For running game and defending it:

For offense i suggest the classical I-formation with FB and HB. For HB choose your best runningback and for FB one with better skills in blocking, in case you can choose. If you don't have a good FB, take your best runningback as HB and a second runningback as FB.
If you choose to run just on one wing, you might have an advantage in case you put both, FB and HB, on that wing-side. (I'm not sure on how big the effect on this is)
The choose to run on one wing is surely a decision you can make when you know your opponents defense-formation and you discover a weak side on your opponents defense.

For defending running game as well as a pass rush it's like i stated previously: Take your eleven best defenders on the field.
This includes your CBs as well, because CBs are possible tacklers for the RBs, too.
In my own opinion, I doubt that more than two safeties are an advantage. I prefer one SS and one FS.
If you know the position of your opponents TE, put the SS on that side and the FS on the other; e.g. TE is left, put your SS right. If you don't know or you don't wanna risk this, put both to the center.

thx to all! really helpful answers!

Solana_Steve wrote: projectrracing wrote: I find that if I run a 3-4 defence, then my LBs + DEs do not get as many sacks as a 4-3 defence. And the 3-4 defence does not stop the pass any better than a 4-3 defence. Really, I think sacks are less important that combined sacks + pressures. The lost yardage in sacks is small compared to RL, so really the benefit from a sack or pressure is that it stops the play cold, without a chance of a completion. Steve SD Blitz

Sack or pressures. Same thing to me, I just didn't type it in. So less pressures happen with a 3-4 defence also I have found.

it wont pass to him if he is in the RB position but a WR. also the more he plays at RB he loses potential bpos at WR and gains at RB.