I'd like to change the rule from can't move any players pre-snap, to a player can be moved ONLY if you are using him after snap.

Reasons I might move a player:

When I look at play art in man coverage and the left of screen OLB is supposed to cover a TE lined up on the right. A simple shift won't get him over far enough, so I move him manually.

If my opponent comes out in a strong side formation, and I shift everybody to line them up, then a simple counter play will gain huge yards, so the guy I user I will manually position myself on the back side.

Setting the edge on screens and outside runs is huge and you can't get there fast enough from a standard position. You can use a side formation, but then your rival can just audible to a middle run.

General bluffing, show blitz is the only bluff we have, but what if I want the FS to come down? There is some stock bluff plays, but very few.

Sometimes, it's an obvious run situation and in any cover 3 defence, the safety is 15 yards away! It's a video game so using press will shift the FS to the left side. I don't want him left, so I leave him 15 yards back or 10 back, but to the weak side!?!? Not realistic for sure.

In Madden 13 people would run a figure 8 pattern to build speed before a snap, this started the can't move players rules. Other versions of the game you could line up players in a specific spot to glitch the AI. EA has done a good job taking these cheats out of the game, and with us streaming games, if a problem or new glitch is found it will be easy to identify it and then make a rule to prevent it. I'd rather see that then keep an antiquated rule in our league just because it's always been there.

Thanks

Thanks for bringing your suggestions to the board. I read it and I think you make some great points.

Allowing free movement, whether it be a single player or multiple, allows for a multitude of options. These options can include anything from sneaking a safety up to the line of scrimmage, or back 40 yards. They can also include using a defensive lineman and moving him out into coverage pre-snap as well as moving him out wide to get a different angle of attack. Some of these movements are justifiable and some are not. If manual movement were acceptable then I would either have to allow entire free movement or come up with a list of movements (complete with diagrams) are allowable and which are not.

Manual movement restrictions exist in this league because I value proper play calling and adjustments to make plays on defense rather than picking "safe" plays defensively and utilize manual movement to compensate where the holes exist.

There are ways to cover the TE with a LB (if that is your preference) from an inside position. And there are also audible techniques that allow defenders to cheat towards a certain side or even shade an area of a receiver. The shade and cheat techniques do not move the players around but it makes them jump to the intended area of the receiver.

If caught in a strong side formation and you decide to match it defensively, it WILL leave your weak side open. That's why they create counter plays in the first place. The offense comes out in a formation that favors one direction, baiting the defense to cheat that side, then they run it the other way. The trick defensively would be to call weak side blitz's out of a strong side formation.

The CB and S blitz's are the toughest ones that I, personally, hate to have to cope with. I would love for my defense not to show so quickly that my secondary is adjusting in preparation for a blitz. But I am simply forced to audible coverage so that my guys stay up and hide my blitz. Of course this leaves my secondary guys far back from where I would ideally like them and tough for me to get to the backfield efficiently. Almost every time I pick a S blitz, he's going to go up automatically to the line, thus showing my blitz, but also allowing him to get to the backfield quicker. The only way I have around this is being created with when I use "Show Blitz" or bump coverage so my opponent isn't sure if I'm really blitzing or not.

As previously, and I'm typing this during Sunday football so it's hard to focus. The idea is to encourage proper play-calling and audibles and not to be a trick defense that compensates mediocre play-calling with manual movement.

If these points can be made, I may be open to changes in pre-snap movement.

I agree with TitanBrian's rule change. But I can see your point in not permitting it. I think they're should be some regulation. If a user is using a defensive back to jump the snap I can agree with it not being allowed. But I feel like players like myself are at a disadvantage, because we like to roam and essentially play centerfield with a safety. I like to set myself up pre-snap to be in a good position to jump a route and/or make a tackle. If I know a guy throws a slant I can set that up or if I know he's going to deep I can manually back up. Same thing if I know he's running left I can manually move over without shading my defense and tipping off to the component I know where the play is going. If games are streamed and you can see the guy jumping the snap then yes that is a problem and that should be considered breaking the rules. Just as long as the play is saved via highlights or witnessed during live streaming than proper consequences should be given to that user.

I think it will put you more at a disadvantage if you move pre-snap.
1. It tips off your defense that you are running.
2. Play-action will eat you alive
3.Could hurt more than help in the Run game. You could put your self in more of a position to stop the run, but the safety is generally the last line of defense and moving the safety up he could get caught up in traffic leading to big runs.

I also believe that if we allow pre-snap movement there will be a lack of diversification in play-calling.

If you know or assume something is coming there are adjustments that can be made with out moving before the snap. You can shift d-line and LBs, you can press CBs back them off
you can shade inside outside over top and underneath. You can make the d-line play the left side, right side, inside or edge rush.

Games are pretty defensive anyway every week there are a few games that score a ton of points. So what are we really looking to improve on by moving a guy around. Also if you are expecting a certain play for you to feel like you need to move why not call a defense the play that you are expecting.

Rebuttal to sliding D-Line and LBs makes people shift play to the other side:

If you think shifting the dline and LBs will make a player shift the play...You would think they would shift it if they saw your user movement to a certain side.

All in all I believe no pre-snap movement will help guys not put them selves out of position. This group seems to be fairly talented, seems to know about Madden and general football concepts and would take advantage of players pre-snap movements.

Killa, your assumptions don't apply to me, I won't speak for others but....

I won't be put at a disadvantage
Play action won't eat me alive
It won't hurt my run game
My play diversity will stay the same

Also, I do call plays on defence for what I'm expecting, run or pass, but after seeing the set/formation I can determine a lot of things after the gave, and moving one player will help me.

Your rebuttal is flawed if you read my first statement again.

The best point I've heard is nano blitzing, and this one rule won't prevent it, and if it's a problem shouldn't the rule say: "no nano blitzing", and not that you can't move a guy pre snap?

I was going to leave this topic alone cuz so far it's two commissioners against two guys , so I assume we are trumped, but week 7 a guy is moving players all over on me, and in chat people have been complained about. If we have a rule that people want to change, other people are breaking it anyway, then let's try enforcing it, or getting rid of it.