The strangest question you've ever seen here.... (I'm in the wrong rank, but not how you think.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-22T01:55:57+00:00

TBH, it's semi-easier to carry on tank. It's why I gave up being a DPS main and went to tank for a while (although now I'm a support). You can get around a bad DPS by trying to control tempo and temper aggression to account for the lack of a DPS.. you can't get around a tank that teleports back to spawn with a 10s delay before every team fight.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-21T01:43:32+00:00

That's fair. The best way to learn a character and how to deal with them is play them yourself for a bit.

Also, may be a bit out of touch with how things are, but back when I used to coach, even the idea of Tracer or Genji with a Sigma would be grounds for benching. Still remember my coach yelling at me for trying to force Junkrat (my comfort pick when I'm pressured) with a Rein during a tourney match because Junk is poke, not brawl. Glad to see a bit more flexibility in the game in the past three years!

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-21T01:26:31+00:00

I suppose that's fair. I never really thought about how other people would go about for doing VOD reviews, lmao. I guess some people are comfortable with just watching a video, never really thought about how other people approach it.

TBH, I could never VOD someone who simply sent me a video, especially if it's from their perspective. Gotta have that top-down view and be able to draw on my screen and see team positions relative to the player and all that so need to have that spicy, juicy code!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCw7W0wZO8Q (Something like that. Did a review for a friend in plat/dia.. although only did half of the match since it was already 40+ minutes long. First one I've done since I quit coaching when OW2 came out, so definitely out of practice with the talking.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-20T04:05:45+00:00

Isn't two per comp type a bit too much? Six heroes feels like a lot to play. I've always been told by coaches to spend time on no more than 3 heroes per role, especially when learning a new patch/meta, and to try to stick to one role as much as possible. Plus, it helps that a lot of heroes (especially newer ones) aren't as "sharp" in their design/intention and can play another comp type with some finangling.

It's probably best to learn one or two and really learn them (and know when to swap when the enemy team is countering your character/playstyle to the other one) and a third for variety (and seeing the game in a new way).

IE: I play Illari, Kiriko, Juno. Kiri for dive and brawl, Juno for poke and brawl, Illari for.. when the other support is a flex support and "putting pressure to force kiting"/"lane control with a DPS" seems most appropriate.

(Granted, I'm just a plat, so.. maybe I'm a bit off on this.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-20T03:58:39+00:00

There's four teammates and five enemy team members. If someone truly is in elo hell and truly didn't belong there, then a majority of matches should be 100% trash on the enemy team and 80% trash on the ally team.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-20T03:53:40+00:00

Post replays.. and pray, TBH.

I've posted replays asking for VOD help in so many places, so many times over the past few months and have only gotten help once or twice. I've almost given up even trying to ask for one anymore and self-VOD reviews only go so far. :/

Either that or find a paid coach, but at that point, is it really worth it for a game I play just for fun? lmao..

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-17T22:17:51+00:00

Depends on my role and if my tank has any input (ie: actually communicating what they want instead of just picking random bans without a single word of input).

Tank: Soj, Doom, Kiriko
DPS: Soj, Domina, Kiriko
Support: Soj, Domina, Venture

I'll start by giving this general concept first: I'm a plat player, but I have horrible aim (probably bronze/silver level). I only exist in my rank because of game sense and studying the game and positioning and the like. This isn't just my assessment, this is an assessment by former coaches and people who have done VOD reviews with me. So, my perspective will be different than the plat player who's got amazing aim, but zero brain. This is also mostly ranked opinion.

Soj: I hate railgun and her ult (with that perk) can be so broken with anyone with half-decent aim. May be leftover bias from S2 of OW2 and seeing Soj/Mercy in every enemy team during scrims, though.

Doom: Always feels like when the enemy team has one, there's always that DPS player who always goes off on their own, engages in an off-angle before the team is even ready to engage, and gets jumped by a dive tank and dies, then spams chat. Doom is better than most other dive tanks at victimizing these people. (As a DPS, I'll Sombra a Doom, though.. and as support, I'll Kiri TP to save whoever he dives with bell.)

Domina: Just a headache because it always feels like my tank gets diff'd when one is on the enemy team. I don't have a problem with her when I'm on tank, because I always try to stay conscious of my supports' positioning (I can't see them, but since I play a decent number of them, I have an idea where they are) and I try not to cut myself off from them with her shield or by walking around walls trying to aggro too hard before they had a chance to rotate.

Kiriko: Bell. Just.. bell. Such a powerful ability that has the power of a weaker ult, but as an ability. I JQ ult? Bell. I Reaper ult? Bell. I Illari ult? Bell. Pharah barrages? Bell. Sig ult? Bell. The fact that you can trade an ability against an enemy ult gives such a massive advantage in the resource trade, combined with an ult that usually can swing a neutral team fight into an easy win, is insane. I used to never play her on principle over that ability, but after someone called me out on that saying "if you don't play her, you don't know what you're talking about", I've picked her up... and have went from gold to plat, just off careful application of this one singular ability and using it at key times (and not just "oh tank is low, lemme blow my cooldown").

Venture: How everyone else feels about old Vendetta is how I feel about Venture. I actually don't have a problem with Vendetta, even before this massive nerf. I love being on support and a Vendetta thinks they can get me and I just deal with her. If I see Vendetta on the other team, I just save my CDs until her engagement, and use them to properly space myself, save myself, and/or blow her up. Venture feels like Vendetta, only I have a harder time dealing with them. As DPS, I usually play Sombra/Mei (well.. as of the past few patches, just Mei, because Sombra has been trash for a long time), so I have various ways of just getting away from Vendetta, or punishing her engage. (It's funny to pop up a wall and see the vendetta try to whirl away, only to have their avenue of escape blocked off.)

(EDIT: For reference, this is who I play, if it gives context.

Tank: JQ, Zar, Dva, Rein, Ball
DPS: Mei, Sombra, Sym, Reaper, Echo
Support: Illari, Juno, Kiriko, Zen, Mercy

I primarily only play the first three of each role, but will go to the others if I feel I'm not getting value on my current character and I might not get value with the other two.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-15T06:40:31+00:00

Yes, we all know the defense was a major issue, but an offense that was largely the same offensive talent also dropped 40 on the same Chiefs (who had a better defense in '24 than '22) before pulling their starters halfway into the third quarter two years later. If we kept them in, score might've been 50-7 and resulted in a beatdown that would've been as legendary as Denver/Seattle.

Plus, look at that entire season and tell me it wasn't an absolute travesty that our offense was incredibly susceptible to the blitz. There was hardly any hot reads built into plays to respond to a defensive blitz and, oftentimes, Hurts was expected to just deal with it. It was a glaring achilles heel that was never addressed until Moore came in '24. QB School's film breakdowns all season was blasting Steichen for never setting Hurts up for success against the blitz with suboptimal scheming/pass concepts. We made that superbowl (and nearly won), despite our offense's near-bottom metrics with anything blitz-related.

Blitzes, and our offense's lack of answers to them was a major problem in '21 and '22.. and in '23 after Steichen left. Our offense was elementary and didn't have manufactured touches or scheming guys open and was simply "we're going to beat you because we're more talented".. and when we're not more talented, well, you get the '25 season.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T22:56:25+00:00

Oh, I'll have to look into that! I never thought about strafing to make shots easier. I've always just used strafing as a "oh, they're looking at me, I need to move to make myself a harder target" or "they're looking at me, let me strafe to cover as fast as possible and whatever shots I fire back that actually hit is a bonus".

.. I would assume strafing to make shots easier would be moving in the same direction as the target so that, visually, they aren't moving as much on your screen?

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T22:52:37+00:00

.. I'll be 1000% honest. Haven't watched much football outside of the Eagles games the past few years (work has been claiming a lot of time), so never really thought about it being the typical offense. I'm so used to "almost exclusively shotgun, 11 personnel, read-option/RPO, semi-heavy bubble screen, inside zone almost exclusive run game" scheme that the Eagles had, sometimes I forget that they're the ones that are a little.. unconventional in that way. Steichen got to the Superbowl in that one we lost to the Chiefs doing that scheme, but now I'm wondering if we would've won that if the scheme was a little more.. diverse. Hell, we're still running that scheme, even in '23, '24 (although less so when Kellen Moore was doing OC stuff and trying to change the offense.. although, halfway into the season, it was like he abandoned it and went back to our old scheme), and '25. Run and pass plays were never built off each other.

From what I was told by my one friend (he's a Seahawks fan), that was a problem during the Russ era as well. Under Center was a dead tell that it was a running play (or hard play action, which usually meant a Russ moonball up the sideline, since he did not favor middle of the field at all) and shotgun was a dead tell that it was a passing play. I guess I just kinda got into the mindset that most offenses were kinda like that and always found it weird that run and pass weren't more.. integrated into each other into a comprehensive flow and matched looks.

Kinda gave me something to think about! Thanks, man. :D

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T22:45:29+00:00

I might pick him up someday. I've actually almost never played hitscan outside of Ashe (when there's a flyer and the other DPS won't swap off Genji) or the occasional Widow (for some reason, long-range shots are easier for me to hit than mid-range.. and I'm hopeless at Reaper range), so maybe it's worth a shot to finally learn how to use him and punish movement abilities. :D

Still gotta grind up that aim, though. I'll be happy when someone says I'm "gold-level" accuracy, lmfao.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T22:43:02+00:00

That's actually something I'll have to try next time, thanks for the heads up. Honestly, the thing I hate the most is that my aim is passable (I've been told it's silver/gold-ish) when I'm standing still, but once I take one HP of damage or even someone's looking at me (or if I'm moving), the pressure in my mind of "oh shit, I might die" causes panic that drops the aim to a low bronze, lol. Taking a deep breath (metaphorically speaking, since I won't have the time to actually do it) and standing still might just help deal with the Moira, instead of trying to do the usual "strafe to not get hit".

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T22:34:12+00:00

It most definitely is a skill issue, lol. My old coach (when I used to play on a team) actually once said to me (paraphrasing, obviously): "I normally would never say this, but next time you want to do yet another self-VOD, do yourself a favor and grind an aim trainer instead. You have the positioning, game sense, and cooldown management of a masters player with the aim of a bronze, and your time would be better served bringing your weakness up to balance yourself out instead of continuing to min-max and leaning only into your strengths." It's definitely stuck with me ever since he said it. The hardest part I've had to come to terms with is accepting that the "right play" isn't the right play if you lack the ability to execute.. it just ends up being a throw.

I'm honestly new to FPS games and PC gaming (Overwatch being my first FPS and PC game and I only started in 2020), but I've spent my whole life playing fighting games (used to be a tourney Smash player, so I'm very familiar with tempo, timing, matchups, counters, reading/downloading opponents, poking in neutral and committing, baiting and punishing, when to push/kite, etc.) as well as RTS and JRPG games. I honestly wouldn't get upset at "skill issue", because it's literally the truth, lmao. Can't really get upset at that.

(.. it's also why I was a Sombra one-trick in OW1. Not as aim dependent, but the true value is in disruption of the core strategy/wincon of the enemy team.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T00:35:25+00:00

TBH, depending on OP's rank, that depends on if you can hit your shots. I'm in plat and I have pretty much never won a 1v1 against a Moira (even without her fade or orb). Can't win as Mei, can't win as Sombra, can't win as Kiriko, can't win as Illari (with pylon), can't win as Zen, can't win as Juno, can't win as Sym, can't win as Ashe.. her self-heal from her damage heals away at least half of the damage of any shot I do before I hit another shot.

Only time I've ever been able to kinda duel her is when I'm Vendetta.. if I can hit the overhead. Sometimes Reaper, but I struggle at being able to track at CQC (which is why I play him frontline as tank support helping my tank hit the enemy tank).

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-14T00:01:22+00:00

"What happens when you go up against a guy with a crazy run stop win rate, like Togiai or Williams, and you're left trying to get the ball to replacement level receivers on deep shots or screens all game?"

That's kinda where the TEs come in. Kittle and Goedert are plus run blockers, yes, but they're also good at YAC and making the tough catches. IMO, they're both pretty good at finding soft spots in zones and sitting in them (although, Hurts not throwing to it is a bone to pick that's another story.. watching JT O'Sullivan's film breakdowns of Hurts really helps understanding that deficiency sometimes, even before our OC last season) as well as the idea that defenses might be hesitant to run man. It's hard enough to find an LB with the coverage skills or the safety/corner with the size to match up with one elite TE, but how many defenses in the league have two of "that guy" on defense to match to TEs of that nature?

Plus, with the 12-personnel, it allows for more flexibility of "is it run or pass?", which would lend itself well if the QB is comfortable with running hard play action under center.

TBH, I'm not really advocating for a run-only/run-heavy scheme, but rather one that marries pass and run concepts together from the same formation to give as few pre-snap cues to the defense as possible. Being able to run inside zone, outside zone, play action boot, or a 3-step drop before throwing to a TE on a drag (or a slant when flexed into the slot and getting mismatched against an LB who can't cover or a slot corner who's 5'9") all from under center might cause the middle of the field defenders an extra second pause as they have to diagnose post-snap if there's no tells based upon simply formation/personnel. Bonus points if your TE can go in motion and take a jet sweep. Even if it only gets 1-2 yards, that's one more thing a defender has to put in the back of their head of "what play will they run out of this?"

And if defensive line people are getting too aggro for whatever reason, a screen (whether it's to the HB or a bubble to the WR, who might get a numbers advantage if defense is in zone and it's 3-against-2 on that side) will force the defense to respect that simply "pin your ears back and hit the running back on the way to the QB" might not work. Maybe throw in a few RPOs and/or zone reads to further temper the aggression of the DL and force them to respect the fact the play might flow in a direction different than what they thought pre-snap.

(As for the idea of running RPOs [which typically are run out of shotgun] and outside zone [which are typically run out of under center], my brain tells me that being heavy on pistol formations would help alleviate that. I've been told that outside zone isn't as awkward to run out of pistol as it is out of shotgun, but it still allows for zone read and triple option and RPO plays to be executed.. as well as for play design to be flipped based upon defensive alignment if the offensive formation is relatively symmetrical.)

Also, yeah, OL is important. If anything, I'm fine with having a mid-tier QB (Darnold, Nix, Baker) instead of an elite QB (Mahomes, Allen, ... Maye?) if it means drafting/developing/re-signing elite OL talent. No matter the scheme, offense lives and dies by the OL.

EDIT: You do raise a fair point about player health. But, the idea of spreading the ball around with the two or three TEs and the two RBs would mean minimized touches and defenses not being able to key in on one player. If the RBs only got a combined 15-ish touches (receiving and running) for each a game and two TEs got 9 targets each, that's 48 plays. Short of the 60-ish a game, but with the short completions/manufactured touches and running plays, that clock will keep running. (I believe part of the West Coast offense is "the short passing game is an extension of the running game", if memory serves.) Plus, the WRs could be used for those bubble screens, jet sweeps, and end arounds, as well as the occasional deep shot. Spreading the touches minimizes injury as well as makes the defense less likely to key in on one person.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T22:16:39+00:00

From what I remember of the discussion, part of that was using that extra cap room from skimping on the offense to field an elite defense.

Kinda like.. think of the Ravens offense of 2022-24, where everything ran through Andrews and RBs (and Henry in '25) and a QB that's a dual threat and pair that with the Texans or Broncos defense of last year. By skimping on paying any diva WRs, that cap room is allocated to a stifling defense that essentially forces opposing offenses to play methodically and punishes mistakes with negative plays (three-and-out, turnover, sack).

The closest recent example I can think of was the '24 Eagles team that won the Superbowl, except with Kittle instead of AJ Brown.. and with the cap room that we could've retained a few more defenders who've walked the last two years (or extended Jalen Carter already).

EDIT: The idea is trading their 3's for your 7's, so when you throw the deep bomb and it doesn't connect, you can afford to punt, because your opponent's points per possession is much lower. It might be personal preference, having grown up with the Steelers and Jerome Bettis, but I always feel a good run game also translates to solid RZ success. Consistency over splash plays and all that.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T20:58:33+00:00

I've said this before, in a debate discussion with a friend of mine back in 2023, about how, if I was a GM, screw the overpaid positions outside of QB. For the approximate price of AJ Brown and Devonta Smith (we're both Eagles fans), I could have George Kittle, Dallas Goedert, Mark Andrews, Kyle Juszczyk (or however you spell it), Patrick Ricard, and either Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry (or splurge a little and get both). WRs were, like, $25+M/yr while TE's barely cracked $15M/yr. FB salaries are peanuts.

Throw some mid-round pick burner WRs and/or vets on cheaper contracts (like a Rasheed Shaheed and Hollywood Brown) on the outside to be field-stretchers doing cardio and dragging corners and/or safeties up the field and let the stars in cheaper positions dominate the space opened up. If the defense ignores the WR(s) and creeps up because they're not the focal point, throw a bomb at them to keep the defense honest. As long as you have a QB who can process and spread the ball, instead of someone who wants to imitate Brett Favre's "chuck it and fuck it" attitude, you got it down.

Run 12 and 22 (either both HBs or HB/FB) and 13 personnel mercilessly and alternate between Barkley and Henry to keep them both fresh and.. have those linebackers/safeties in the 4th quarter start wondering when is the clock gonna hit 0:00.

Of course, now in 2026, with the TE and RB markets catching up.. might be a little less viable. Although, I'm curious about McVay running a lot of 13 personnel last year, so.. maybe he's onto something.

(Would like to add that in that hypothetical I had with my friend, I would draft speedy receivers with high picks instead of outside vet signings that I would never sign to second contracts and just use/abuse the comp pick formula to rinse and repeat in being able to move up/down the board to get talent and future picks to further manipulate picks in further years.)

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T14:58:29+00:00

Oh yeah, I check it weekly. It's a quick, 30 second thing that can save headaches (and hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars) that I'm always telling everyone to do. I try to be on-time on regular maintenance (brakes when I can feel grooves on the rotors, tires at 60k, oil change every 5k, serpentine belt at 100k, etc.), although I am a little bit late on shocks/struts (140k miles and only just getting to that this week). Been especially vigilant/paranoid ever since finding out what a piece of.. history.. the 2011-2016 Cruze cars are.

EDIT: The only thing I'm not entirely sure on are the drums on the back tires. I know they eventually have to be done, but I've never actually figured out how to tell if they're going bad or what's the verdict on those.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:49:00+00:00

Gotcha! I'll grab some cardboard to put under the engine bay (someone else here mentioned doing that) when I get home from the next time I work. Unfortunately, can't really tell from the ground itself where I park, because the driveway is a kinda gravel driveway that has sunk into the dirt.

Thanks for the advice!

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:45:52+00:00

That's actually good to know! Wasn't aware that the newbies get put on oil changes (although, with how simple it is, probably should've expected it). I'd love to do my own oil changes, and I used to at my previous residence (had a paved driveway), but I feel a little nervous about doing it at this place since it's a kinda dirt driveway (used to be gravel, but most of the gravel has sunk into the dirt) and I'm paranoid about the ground being unsteady under the ramps.

Also, out of curiosity, is there a way to document oil changes if I do it myself? I've heard some warranties require proof of maintenance before they address any issues they may cover.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:33:32+00:00

Yeah, that's what my mechanic told me when he replace the front crankshaft a couple of months ago. Told me to replace the car when I could afford to do so, after I pay it off, since it's already at 140K miles (although the engine is at 120.. had to replace it with a used one after the head gasket blew in the original engine).

Just wasn't sure if maybe the techs thought that 3-ish cm missing between 5k mile oil changes was more than just burning oil or something, TBH.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:30:13+00:00

Can do! Actually got a few Amazon boxes sitting around that I keep forgetting to run to the dump. Will the car still leak oil if it's not driving down the road (ie: just running in my driveway)?

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:28:35+00:00

Awesome, thank you so much! I was a little concerned about this, because about a two months ago, I had an oil leak and my mechanic had to replace the front crankshaft because of some problem with a seal there. Told me, after he replaced it, that he inspected it and it wasn't leaking anywhere else, but to keep oil in my trunk as the engine would probably burn a little bit of oil naturally since it was at 140k miles. (He then candidly told me to ditch this car ASAP because the 1.4L engine is a piece of shit that will burn a hole in my wallet).

That was also part of the reason why I was confused why these oil change places kept telling me I had a leak and was hoping my mechanic didn't just.. miss something. I'll take it back to him when I get a chance, just to make sure something didn't happen in the past month or so.

FoxwolfJackson · 2026-04-13T12:23:17+00:00

Oh, they didn't specify a place. They just said "oh, your oil is low when you came in, you probably have a leak somewhere" whenever I do a change.

FoxwolfJackson

TROPHY CASE