99 OVR 49ers theme team "cheats" -- where to improve?

Uploaded a quick clip, in case anyone hasn't seen how incredible Edge Threat Elite ability is: https://youtu.be/Fb4NQbe6vIU

PLEASE run Edge Protector (or Secure Protector) on your left and right offensive tackles.  It's well worth the ~few AP.  I rarely communicate with H2H online opponents, but i try to give some friendly advice if they're wholly unable to get a pass off.  Regular Edge Threat also has to be quite good, IMO.  YMMV.

Made a number of fairly major changes on the D-side of the ball, Haloti now holds down the middle of our D-line, quite possibly the best run stopper in the entire game.  Added Mel Blount as CB1, although i'm not certain he's a ~million coin upgrade, as the free (to earn, via last cycle Competitive Pass) Nahshon Wright was playing incredible for me, despite only having 90 Man coverage stat -- i've boosted those with my Startegy item in an effort to get all my DBs at, or as close to 99 Man to Man as  feasible.  Please don't just take my word for it, here's a direct comparison between the two DBs.

Thankfully, despite getting constantly burned over the top, my beloved 49ers theme team isn't hurting at the DB position, that's for sure.  Charvarius, Verrett & Sherm are pretty fantastic after you consider team chems and the associated bonuses.

Sadly, i'm tight on my available "cheat" cards if i'm to maintain that 50/50 team chemistry and the vast bonuses, so had to place Jimmy Ward as backup Strong Safety for the time being.  Will be keeping my fingers crossed that we see a Deion Sanders "Prime Time" AKA or something else in the 49ers wheelhouse, when are we getting the actual GOAT (Jerry Rice) upgrade?  Broke my heart to bench him, even from WR5 slot.

Had to swap out tackles on the O-line, with the addition of Willie Anderson and that sweet, sweet 1AP Threat Detector has come in handy already.

Thanks to my newfound ability to research on this great website and amazing suggestions, pro-tips and pointers from absolutely wonderful community members, i've come a really long way in a very short period of time.  Thanks to any and all who have contributed to my personal growth in this year's Madden release, at the point where i'm starting to feel almost competitive with online play.

Having that Leon Sandcastle card on our 49ers theme team has been dreamy -- it's almost enough to hold me over until we get a proper Neon Deion, "Prime Time" update (i missed the MUT Thanksgiving CB option, only have WR)... as well as Jerry Rice GOAT upgrade.

As always, your comments, criticism (constructive or otherwise) are most welcome and genuinely appreciated.  I know this is a LOT to read through and nobody has time for this nonsense... but have enjoyed documenting my "progress" (or lack thereof), heh.  Have fun, be safe!

What would YOU change or upgrade on this roster?
https://www.mut.gg/23/lineup-builder/51b80a97-be9f-4ea0-b942-b1f27de7928e/

Lots has changed in recent weeks... trying new things on defense, went Zone for a while to chase the meta, but already back to a lot of Man Press.  I'm basically at 98 OVR team (97 Offense, 98 Defense, 98 Special) strength after ToTY drops.

peatrick said:

Lots has changed in recent weeks... trying new things on defense, went Zone for a while to chase the meta, but already back to a lot of Man Press.  I'm basically at 98 OVR team (97 Offense, 98 Defense, 98 Special) strength after ToTY drops.

I like the team!

If you want to commit to zone I'd run sauce in the slot bc he doesn't get any good zone KO's, then Ramsey and Derwin at CB. 

Leon and Surtain as safety. 

I'd recommend flat zone KO, Deep out KO, and pick artist on your outside CBs (derwin & ramsey)

I'd go mid zone KO, Deep out KO, and pick artist on your safeties (Surtain & Leon)

Sauce I'd run just pick artist or pick artist and acrobat as the slot cb, because he doesn't get flat zone. Ideally I run flat and mid along with pick artist on my slot, but Sauce with his height and acro should play well. 

Then you can use your remaining 3-4 ap on whatever d line or LB abilities you want, Fred is a god though bc he gets lurker and enforcer for free.

I just wanna say that I love TT in madden and I think they are really just helping people have more fun!!! WWWW

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. And Champ thank you SO much for clearly explaining how to set up what I'm currently in the process of figuring out. Gonna go test this new defense playbook and zone in Solo Battles. Appreciate the extremely helpful hints, seriously. Thank you so very much.

TheChamp22 said:

I like the team!

If you want to commit to zone I'd run sauce in the slot bc he doesn't get any good zone KO's, then Ramsey and Derwin at CB. 

Leon and Surtain as safety. 

I'd recommend flat zone KO, Deep out KO, and pick artist on your outside CBs (derwin & ramsey)

I'd go mid zone KO, Deep out KO, and pick artist on your safeties (Surtain & Leon)

Sauce I'd run just pick artist or pick artist and acrobat as the slot cb, because he doesn't get flat zone. Ideally I run flat and mid along with pick artist on my slot, but Sauce with his height and acro should play well. 

Then you can use your remaining 3-4 ap on whatever d line or LB abilities you want, Fred is a god though bc he gets lurker and enforcer for free.

Which X-factors do you prefer for Zone, full on Hawk or stay with Universal Coverage? Or something else entirely? I would have never through to slide PS2 up to SS, but I did hear folks were loving Derwin at Corner.

peatrick said:

Which X-factors do you prefer for Zone, full on Hawk or stay with Universal Coverage? Or something else entirely? I would have never through to slide PS2 up to SS, but I did hear folks were loving Derwin at Corner.

I use the Tank always lit X factor on my D line, and then no other d line abilities besides the free ones my players gets. 
 

I usually run universal coverage on my CBs as a normal X factor, however Rhodes gets always lit zone hawk for free so I use that on him. Ramsey is just the normal universal coverage. 
 

yeah Derwin is great at cb with his abilities, I run him in the slot for the tacking. Ramsey also has crazy high tackling stats for a cb.

I noticed that 95 TKL and Ramsey's ability to get Secure Tackler for 1AP, as well. Pretty rad, he had a couple picks last evening, initially man then from the outside as CB1. Appreciate your guidance here, still adjusting.

Champ, holy cow. Thank you. I was initially frustrated with zone and went back to man after just one day, finally have used it enough that I'm starting to get the basics down. That zone blitz out of Dollar formation is NASTY. Sauce coming in hot off the edge, he's already got a Safety and forced rage quit. So he definitely has a place in this scheme, whew.

PS2 up top is nice, Jalen & Derwin fantastic on the outside. I was a bit of a slow learner, but your explanation was super clear end I just kept referring back to it. What are your three favorite Dollar plays on defense? Appreciate the help, seriously. Thanks a million, you've totally made my weekend. Now if I can only learn to throw the ball. 🏈

Sauce or Aqib? Talib gets both Zone KO (deep & short)... wish I could run him at CB4, but I need those team chems from Eric Allen, oof.

Oh dear, made a kind of crazy move, spent literally all the coin i had.  Oof.  Doubt it'll be worth it, but too early to tell thus far.

Please disregard the above question, i sold the other CB as part of this move.  Day 2 of exclusively running the full on Zone scheme, explained above.  Mostly a success, but still have a lot to learn, adjustments and how to counter when folks find the obvious holes or weak spots in zone coverage, but hopefully I'll get there.  Thanks again, Champ!  You've changed my game experience, for the better.  Tremendously.

Further revised the defense late last evening, now that we've adjusted our scheme (from man to zone, using the advice and input above), i've further refined the pass rush, built out the Maniac set as starting LOLB, but more importantly, he becomes our Rush Left End  and went back to using Milk Man as Rush Right End -- Edge Threat Elite + Double or Nothing was just not generating the pass rush that it used to, now that everyone has some form of Secure / Edge Protector, basically everywhere.  So far, so good.

Was super pumped to see that Hufanga Weekly Wildcard upgrade, but upon further review, the ability buckets are absolute trash and i'm not sure this card is even usable in online play, oof.  No 0 AP Pick Artist, no Mid-Zone KO ability bucket, so i wouldn't even feel comfortable running him at SUBLB2, in place of Junior Seau.  Oh so sad, i've been waiting weeks and weeks for him to drop, was hoping he'd land as TOTY, oh well.  This all pales in comparison to how EA messed up TVP packs over the weekend so badly that it's basically caused rampant inflation.

Here's the core defense adjustments in picture form.  Thanks for dropping by, would love to hear your feedback or suggestions, or criticism... constructive or otherwise.  =)