Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

Howdy, My current All-Time franchise team has the KC Chiefs' LB Corp. That's Lanier, Bell and Derrick Thomas, who was a HOF "sack master".I want to operate a blitzing 3-4 defense and clearly SOM doesn't offer us that exciting choice. Guys like Derrick Thomas and Lawrence Taylor aren't able to get anywhere near the number sacks they should be getting. Can SOM give us more defensive menu choices that allow Linebackers to blitz? Larry. P.S. With SOM's current defensive settings, there's no reason to offer a 3-4.

If that can be answered let me know. I had the Giants Linebackers with LT and they recorded 3 sacks for the season. I had the Steelers front (22 Sacks) and SF CB/SS (5 Sacks). Sad when the DB's have more sacks than the LBer''s.

As in the old TSN game, you should be able to select your blitzers.

If I have the Fearsome Foursome and the KC linebackers, why would I want to blitz with my DBs?

I was hoping to see LT get around 20 sacks but that was not the case as he ended up with 1 sack.

If you look in the Strategy Section, you can select how much blitzing you want. I use the 4-3 Defense in the ATF and I have found that if you use the Gambling 4-3 defense you get more sacks, but you give up the Long Passes. However, if your DBs are good, you won't get burned as much.
I haven't used the 3-4 Defense. I will try it next time.
Remember, if you are playing a team that has a hellacious offensive line that blocks well against the run & pass, that will cut down on the sacks. You will get more incomplete passes or short yardage gains because the QD is hurried.
In the Play-by-Play Section, HAL shows you your Opponents Offensive Set and your Defense - Pass or Run.
Obvious Passing Downs , HAL goes to the NIckel Defense. AS I have said before, in the Strategy Section, you determine how much Sacking you want. Also, if you select a Normal Defense, you will only get average sacks. If you select Favor the Pass against a Team that passes a lot or a West Coast Offense, you will get more sacks with Blitzing. I you Select Favor the Run against a Running Team, you will get more "Stuffs" with Blitzing. SMASH-MOUTH 60/70s Defense Combo will "Stuff" the Run.
Also, I have found, that if you research your Opponent's last few games in the Play-by-Play Section, you get a pretty good idea what Offense & Defense they run and what you want to run. It's like studying Game Film. SOM tries to make the FB Game as realistic as can be in HAL. I have found that if you do your research, there's always the Personnel Factor involved as well. If your Opponent has better Players than you, you may not win no matter what you do, but it can be a close game. However,
there's luck involved. In my last game, my team was down by 2 TDs going into the 4th Qrtr and my guys pulled it out with a FG.
I have gotten better. just missed making the Playoffs last week by 1 game. There is much more Strategy in the SOM Online FB Game than in the SOM Online Baseball Game. So you have to study. That's what real coaches do to get better.
It's still a fun game for $10. I have played the SOM Online Baseball Game since 2005. I've come close to winning a Championship and been in last place. You are playing All Stars in either game. You can have the best team on paper or a great team on paper, but that doesn't guarantee that you will win a Championship. HAL throws curve balls at you or calls Penalties. It's the fun and the love of the game and the chance you have to win.
That's my Soap Box for SOM for the day.

Tim Klucinec (Tim K)