Theme team or abilities?

I run a full 50/50 KC Chiefs theme team. There are enough cards between the team affinity cards, the divisional dynasty card, and team diamonds to have a competitive TT with the best-ability players. It doesn't hurt that I am a Chiefs fan, but I am fairly competitive. Here is what my lineup looks like:

LT: Taylor Decker

LG: Isaac S

C: Dexter Lawrence

RG: Will Shields

RT: Rob Havenstein

TE: Kyle Pitts, Tony G

WR: MVS, Dante Hall, Hines Ward

RE: Charles O

LE: Jared Allen

DT: Warren Sapp, Chris Jones

MLB: Ray Lewis, Nick Bolton

LOLB: Leo Chenal

ROLB: Derrick Thomas

CB: Joshua Williams, Charvarius Ward, Ronde Barber

FS: Ronnie Lott

SS: Justin Reid

peatrick said:

My entire defensive backfield is covered with various Zone KOs, it'd be an awful lot to list, but i'll try to condense it as quickly and clearly as possible.  HERE is my current roster, i believe it's essentially accurate and up to date.

• Both Safeties get Deep Zone KO + Pick Artist (3AP)
• outside Corners get Deep Zone KO & Mid Zone KO (6AP)
• Slot Corner Jaire gets Universal Coverage, Out of My Way (to help defend RPOs) & Pick Artist (0AP)
• Kam is my second Slot corner, who gets Pick Artist + Mid Zone KO (1AP)

If i added a new Genki corner, uhhh Davante Adams, i could get a better stack (Pick Artist, Mid Zone & Deep Out Zone KO) for only 2AP, which might allow me to add an Inside Stuff or some run defense ability, but I almost always prioritize DBs, as it's a passing league after all.

I've got something like 27 abilities on defense, but those Genki force cards are too good to pass up...even without SB chems (I still am over 70)...cards like Derwin, Davante, Byard, are OP.

With Derwin at CB or SS, you have Deep zone, mid zone, PA, and every KO (with elevation 3 reinforcement), and with the mid and deep zone KOs the reaction time is increased with reinforcment)...to me this card overrides the speed, etc of any Super Bowl card. 

I don't use Byard because I wouldn't be able to use his X factor.  But for certqain cards, abilities > chem. The Genki cards I have in my lineup are C Dexter Lawrence, Havenstein, SS Derwin, CB Davante, MLB Carr, and Pitts w/o abilities

Martyr1968 said:

I've got something like 27 abilities on defense, but those Genki force cards are too good to pass up...even without SB chems (I still am over 70)...cards like Derwin, Davante, Byard, are OP.

With Derwin at CB or SS, you have Deep zone, mid zone, PA, and every KO (with elevation 3 reinforcement), and with the mid and deep zone KOs the reaction time is increased with reinforcment)...to me this card overrides the speed, etc of any Super Bowl card. 

I don't use Byard because I wouldn't be able to use his X factor.  But for certqain cards, abilities > chem. The Genki cards I have in my lineup are C Dexter Lawrence, Havenstein, SS Derwin, CB Davante, MLB Carr, and Pitts w/o abilities

Agreed, whole-heartedly.  Budgetary concerns and simple lack of access to AH has prevented me from making many rosters moves.  I'm trying to no longer dump cash into the darn game, gonna roll with Superbowl theme team until further notice, although i've been grinding Superbowl Run game mode finally trying to stack a few coins again.  Probably made ~800k+ in the past week.  Rob Havenstein (RT) was no brainer from part 1 Genki, he's feeling very end-game.

I really wish i had Derwin, he's easily the best outside corner in the entire game, as you pointed out.  Quite possibly THE perfect end-game outside cornerback with that ability stack.  I had Byard for a bit, but same as you, for pure Slot corner, i found Jaire to be slightly superior, so now Byard is an upgrade piece.  I've painted myself into a corner with the various hybrid theme teams, eventually I'll be forced to break some of these to add upgrades.  I also wish i had the Dexter Lawrence OOP Center, i would gladly replace Creed's 2AP Secure Protector with Identifier and Threat Protector.  Carr with 1AP Mid Zone does look quite nice, but i'm still using Chuck Howley, mostly as A-gap blitzer, although i often drop 8 back into coverage these days.  And i'm still using 98 SPD freebie Pitts at TE1, next to Heath Miller (for his Vanguard X-factor)... i've been having a ball lately trying to get to the outside edge with CMC, after Miller pancakes at least one or two defenders as i rumble into the end zone.

Hard to argue with anything you said above, those Genki Clash options are quite good on an unlimited budget, if not clearly best in position.  I'd remove/replace at least a couple of those options if i had the means.  Although, my very first move would almost certainly be to sell Kam and buy Beast Mode, oof.

I'm in the rare of having a 50/50 falcons team, 20/20 cover athlete Chem. Michael Vick duo is solid asf

if you are trying to have the most OP team and coins isnt an issue than Id have to say that Super bowl Chem and Play off Chem has to be the best team possible right now. Just try to get as many discounted abilities as possible, so using  some of the Genki players would be optimal.

Then again there isnt any competitive MUT really, and most arent trying to play pro.(There really isnt a good ranking system and the matchmaking is terrible)  If that isnt you, then you should just build a team around your favorite team and or players

ATP in the year, ability discounts are the only thing separating the top players from everyone else.

Skill position players will have 98-99 base speed in a couple weeks, and nearly all players have hit their major position  thresholds since December.

the newest promo TTs will likely have the best ability discounts as well (ZC, SB, etc).

that said, plying a normal TT or choosing your fave players is always fun and can still compete with the promo TTs

TT aren’t the same as they were in years past. The concept around them are lame now. People build the same team, to get the top boost in the game. Its repetitive and don’t understand how half of y’all have fun playing the same teams game in and game out?

Im currently running 70/70 Super Bowl with every LTD and every genki maxed out. Is it possible to get a 25/25 titans while keeping 70/70 Super Bowl so my biard can get the +1 speed? Also got 6/6 AKA crew

SB TT til either a better TT or mass discounted abilities better than the ones we are seeing now pop up on 97-99s… hard to play with 99 speed

Current set up is Ward adderley Lott and Brown with Pick artist and Deep zone KO, Chancellor and Derwin at Sub LB w mid zone, whatever is left over for D Line/x factors