What little I know;
Run plays: You need to have the ability to run certain type based off of what you scout your opponent's defense tendencies to most likely be. This is the game of cat and mouse... of zig and zag... of sitting at the computer saying, "If I run these plays because i know they'll work on what I see my opponent do on defense... but then he'll think I'm good enough to run these plays so he'll change the defense... unless I don't change the offense... but he might also think that so I should anyways.... [ect, ad nausem!]" I mean... you can literally lose a mind here.
So, that said, some defenses really are good at stopping the outside runs... so you need good off tackle attacks and up the guts.
Some don't do so well against the outside runs so you really want those (outside run) plays then.
Having just one 'rushing style attack' just makes it way too easy for quality DC's to counter. You gotta make them worry.
Passing: Like run plays, defenses tend to be really good against MOST passes but they always have a hole... a spot you can exploit. Maybe it's backs out of the backfield... or TE routes when the TE gets single coverage against DB's that aren't suited for TE coverage. Or maybe it's short crossing routes... or deep go routes with the right receivers. Some DC's love to Zone a lot so being able to see the soft spots and have routes that abuse those... along with TIMING the progressions so the pass is going to the right spot at the right time. Lord knows if I was better at doing this part of the game I'd be kickin a lot of DC's butts. Every season I seem to get a >>>tiny<<< bit better at it but... sheesh.
What I can say about passing and timing progressions is this: Routes where multiple receivers converge when the pass is targeted to one of those receivers... are the leading reason for INC's and INT's. Anything that allows multiple defenders to get involved is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.
