DSP Madden Online Franchise 360 Sign Up / Discussion

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:10 pm

XXXIV wrote:
RobVarak wrote:Man, we as a league are putting a hurting on the CPU. I'm nervous just having dropped one game to the damn computer.
I think of it as holding serve. Im not that optimistic about winning very many games with the Rams against someone thats actually thinking.

You also have to remember that almost all the CPU teams are the worst teams by far. The Panthers and the Packers are the only good teams not run by a human. And I get to play the Panthers next week. Hooray! I have four CPU games in a row on my schedule, two more left now against the tough Panthers on the road and the hapless Chiefs at home, before facing nine out of ten human players to finish the season.

And so the trend of CPU beatdowns continued as the Redskins defeated the visiting Buccaneers 35-6 on a perfectly clear 67º afternoon in Landover MD.

Tampa Bay actually moved the ball well on the Redskins throughout the first half, ending the game with 305 yards of total offense and 15 first downs, but turnovers did them in. In fact, the Redskins offense didn't get on the field at all for the entire first quarter, which ended with the score 7-0 Skins. Leftwich took the opening possession all the way down the field only to throw an interception five yards deep in the endzone to Deangelo Hall who took it all the way back:

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>

The Bucs then proceeded to hold onto the ball for the rest of the quarter, and Matt Brown hit a 37yd field goal as the second quarter began. After trading punts, Leftwich did the Redskins another favor with a second interception, this one to Fakhir Brown, which he took down to the one. Clinton Portis ran it in to make the score 14-3. Leftwich was able to muster a nice two-minute drive to end the half with another Matt Brown FG, but again they couldn't find the endzone.

In the second half the game became the Clinton Portis show, as the speedy back displayed his trucking and/or getting out of the tackle skills for two long TD runs in the 3rd quarter including this, the second one from 40 yards that made the score 28-6:

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>

Portis just ran over the Buccaneers defense throughout the second half, finishing with 168 yards on 14 carries. Early in the fourth quarter, Campbell threw a short TD pass to Randle El to complete the scoring at 35-6, and that was all she wrote.

Leftwich ended up with three interceptions, and he was battered and bruised all game as exemplified by this sack from rookie Orakpo:

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>

It doesn't look nearly as good in the replay as it felt in the game, but he was hit a ton.

The Redskins improve to 3-1 and the Buccaneers fall to 1-3. Washington next goes to Charlotte to face the CPU controlled Carolina Panthers while the Buccaneers prepare to host the Eagles as they complete their three-game NFC East stretch.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:20 am

Texans Plunder Raider Turnovers for First Win

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans finally cleared their zero in the wins column by handing the Oakland Raiders a big zero in a 21-0 victory.

The Houston defense clamped down on Oakland's offense all day, forcing three interceptions and a fumble. In the third quarter, Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson snagged a Jeff Garcia pass and returned it 46 yards for the game's first score and a 7-0 Texans lead.

Neither offense was very effective in the first half, but the Texans finally came alive in the fourth thanks to Andre Johnson. The wide receiver hauled in touchdown passes of 59 and 60 yards, including pulling in a tipped pass for a TD:

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>
Andre Johnson hauls in a tipped pass and does his best Karate Kid impression.

While the offense struggled most of the game, the Texans finally took care of the football, posting their first turnover-free game of the year.

Houston travels to Arizona to take on the undefeated Cardinals while the Raiders visit the New York Giants.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:23 am

Cool highlights this week. Zeppo, that 40-yard run by Portis was pretty amazing.

Danimal, is it possible for you to alter the CPU depth charts? The Raiders had Janikowski punting and the Raiders punter doing the placekicking.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:24 am

That is an AWESOME break tackle move! He's been practicing his Street Fighter moves I guess! Hilarious. Or was that Chuck Norris under that helmet?

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:48 am

Zeppo wrote: That is an AWESOME break tackle move! He's been practicing his Street Fighter moves I guess! Hilarious. Or was that Chuck Norris under that helmet?

I was glad it was against the CPU, because I paused the game and watched it five times. I was actually hitting Y to catch the tip and he wound up doing a crane kick to break the tackle. I'm not deleting that one.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 5:45 pm

Brando, when do you have the time available to play?

I'm good most nights after 4PM PT.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 6:22 pm

Steelers fall to 1 and 3 with a 31-0 loss to the Chargers. Pittsburgh quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch combine for 8 interceptions. Philip Rivers ends up player of the game going 16-25 for 224 yds and 4 touchdowns.

eman · Post by **eman** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:53 pm

I didn't realize Andre Johnson practiced martial arts.

The play should have drawn a 15yd unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:59 pm

eman wrote:I didn't realize Andre Johnson practiced martial arts.

The play should have drawn a 15yd unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

You just gave me a flashback.

http://www.casttv.com/video/vbivto1/198 ... lers-video

Enjoy my favorite college football player all time as he demonstrates the martial art of running the football in the NFL.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:14 pm

Zeppo wrote:The Redskins improve to 4-1 and the Buccaneers fall to 1-4. Washington next goes to Charlotte to face the CPU controlled Carolina Panthers while the Buccaneers prepare to host the Eagles as they complete their three-game NFC East stretch.

How has Zep managed to play 1 more game than everybody else?

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:14 pm

TCrouch wrote:Brando, when do you have the time available to play?

I'm good most nights after 4PM PT.

Can you play Tuesday night between 5:30 and 8:00 Pacific?

TheGamer2 · Post by **TheGamer2** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:36 pm

Danimal, when are you able to play?

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:50 pm

Yep, Tue at 5:30PT it is.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:17 am

TheGamer2 wrote:Danimal, when are you able to play?

Sorry i just couldn't fit the game in my schedule this weekend with my golf tourney. I just looked and you're not online right now. I really thought I would have the time, if I knew i wasn't going to I would of given ownership of the league to someone else.

I also got a few emails about people not showing for games that were scheduled, I understand that is frustrating and usually these things work themselves out in the end.

Keep in mind this in a franchise not a single season, I fully expect some games will be simulated. Having said that it is not cool to schedule a game and then no show.

I agree it is gong to suck the first time that a game gets simmed and your team loses even though you were ready to play it, sorry there is really nothing that can be done about it.

When I sim the game tonight if I win, or if the Titans lose because the opponent decided to no show I am going to feel really frustrated. It's astonishing that EA didn't give the commish control to award a win.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:55 am

Matt Forte put the Bears on his back again and led them to a convincing 38-13 victory over the Detroit Lions. Forte put to rest any worries about a sophomore slump with TD runs of 56, 56, 80 and 4 yards, racking up 215 yds on just 17 carries. Jay Cutler was efficient, managing to rack up a 102 passer rating on 14/20 passing for 122yds and a TD to Jason McKie.

Detroit was able to move the ball well at times, but 2 turnovers and timely Bears defense held them to just one TD.

Forte's first TD run:

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and his 80-yd monster

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>

The Bear go into their bye week 3-1 and hoping that a dropped game against the Packers don't come back to bite them.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:09 am

ScoopBrady wrote:
Zeppo wrote:The Redskins improve to 4-1 and the Buccaneers fall to 1-4. Washington next goes to Charlotte to face the CPU controlled Carolina Panthers while the Buccaneers prepare to host the Eagles as they complete their three-game NFC East stretch.
How has Zep managed to play 1 more game than everybody else?

Whoops! I ought to fix that I suppose.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:06 am

Badger when can the vikings come out an play? I should be good after 8 central tuesday and wednesday. Let me know what is good for you.

EDIT: Tonight after 8 works too.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:24 am

Week advanced and as i feared I won the sim game which makes me mad, I am sorry BHoward I wish I could give you the win.

I can't drop from the league and let my opponent play the AI, I guess i could in the future transfer commish to someone then leave and we pray that EA hasn't mucked something up and the league doesn't get ruined.

The lack of ability for the commish to reset a game, sim an individual game or award a win is crap.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:31 am

We have to work with the toolbox EA provides. It's a multi-year franchise, and I'd rather keep moving forward. Real-life has to take precedence over this, and if simming is all we have for the commish, so be it.

Danimal, the one thing I could think of would be to go in and start your third string players on your depth chart before you sim. That would increase the chances of a sim win by a team you'd want to award one to. The rest of us should be able to exit the franchise and let the CPU run it if we can't play.

tmdba37 · Post by **tmdba37** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:46 pm

I would propose that since we're in a franchise, that perhaps we have some sort of equalizing penalty for teams that benefit/lose out from unplanned sim games that affect franchises in general. . .

For example, I think it could be as simple as allocating 1 or 2 FA Points to the Losing Team (on a case by case basis--2010 points would be used if the team has used all of their FA points)

Or it could be applied to the FA draft where a team on the losing side could choose to switch spots with the unplanned sim winner if applicable

Or it could be applied to the draft where the Commish and the council could decide that teams would lose a [mid-round] draft choice (I assume player instead of pick due to system limitations)

Just some thoughts if this becomes a larger problem. . .

tmdba37 · Post by **tmdba37** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:54 pm

One other thought that came to me last night inbetween Cutler INT's. . .

Should we treat FA Points like "Cap Space" and have that affect the 2010 FA period. . .in other words. . .those who don't spend a lot of FA Points may have more "room" to spend on Free Agents in 2010. . .in the sense that perhaps half everyone's 2009 leftover total carries over to 2010 or something like that. . .

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:37 pm

Well, so much for the CPU beatdowns.

The Redskins headed to Carolina to take on the Panthers, gave up four fumbles, and lost the game 33-16.

The first possession of the game was a three and out by Carolina. The first of the four Redskins turnovers came immediately after. Deangelo Hall fumbled the punt and the ensuing button mash game was, as expected, won by the CPU. Three plays and zero yards later, Carolina kicked the field goal to go ahead 3-0.

Then, on the kickoff, Randle El fumbled, another button mash ensued, and after another three plays and no yards, the Panthers went ahead 6-0. So to recap; nine plays by the Carolina offense, about 7 or 8 yards total, 6-0 score.

As the first quarter ended, the Redskins offense finally took the field. A nice 8 or 9 play drive got them within the Panthers' 10, but on 3rd and goal, Campbell was hit just as he was about to throw, and guess what? Yep. Fumble. This one was returned by some humongous defensive tackle all the way (85 yards or so) for the TD. 13-0 Panthers.

The Redskins were able to get a field goal as the half expired, thanks to another three and out stand by the Skins defense, and a punt return from Hall that got well within range for the kick with 0:05 left on the clock.

The last fumble by the Skins came in the second half, and this one was classic. The call was a pitch to Portis, and Julius Peppers intercepted the pitch. Yeah, that's right, he intercepted the pitch:

<embed src="http://cdn.www.easports.com/static/110. ... player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=360&width=640&file=http://cdn.content.easports.com/media2/ ... ="></embed>

Looking at the replay in slow motion, it was revealed to be one of those deals where the ball changes direction in mid-air and snaps into the defender's hands as his catch animation tries to catch, up.

If it hadn't been clear to me yet, it was clear by then that this was One Of Those Games.

And finally, the Panthers Offense were able to move the ball. After the Redskins Punter Hunter Smith dropped a real beauty inside the ten, HB D Williams for Carolina took the 2nd down handoff and broke through six defenders, beat a seventh, and scampered 95 yards for the score.

Yeah, this was One Of Those Games.

The Skins got two TDs inside the two minute warning at the end of the game, but it was far too little, far too late. Four fumbles, but hey, no INTs!

After this mass of frustration, the 3-2 Skins head home to take on the hapless Kansas City Chiefs while the Panthers travel to Tampa to play the Bucs.

Sometimes I really hate playing against the CPU. Oh wait, I mean to say, most of the time. Ugh.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:30 pm

Zeppo wrote: Sometimes I really hate playing against the CPU. Oh wait, I mean to say, most of the time. Ugh.

I am hating playing the cpu all of the time now.

Steelers fall to Detroit 20-13. With the score tied at 13 Pittsburgh holds Detroit to a punt with a minute to go in the game but Santonio Holmes fumbles the punt return and Eric King of the Lions runs it back 37 yards for the game winning score.

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:40 pm

I wanted to ask this after my last game against CPU and forgot, what is the speed of the game set to? It seems the game plays much faster than what it does in my offline franchise. Not complaining, just curious. I kind of like it and wondered if I needed to change my offline settings!

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:27 pm

I think it is set to slow, I'll check though.

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