Getting Better at Madden

[TomHimself]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm pretty sure "flats" refers to like when the rb goes to the right and the fb goes to the left or some combination of that stuff and you just dump off a short pass to them.

bunch is like when you have more receivers on one side than the other?

[/ QUOTE ]yea you got it

[roxxorzjoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Having audibles you know like the back of your hand helps a lot as well.

Speaking of audibles, against a human I typically have a couple audibles out of my favorite formations at least 1 run and 1 pass for each. This way if they come out with too many linebackers I make sure I'm throwing or if I read blitz I can throw into the vacated area.


[/ QUOTE ]

For my game this is crucial. I run a lot of plays out of Singleback big and other 2 TE 2 WR sets so all but one of my audibles is in those formations. It's like a super cheap version of the "Peyton Offense" where I get to the line and audible if I don't like the look I'm getting or to exploit something.

[FishSticks]

There's some pretty sketchy advice in this thread.

Books can be written on this stuff. First, you need to be able to recognize your opponents defense. Motion someone around before the snap to see if they're in man or zone. Right at the snap keep an eye on both safeties to see if they're dropping into a 2deep or what. You need to combine this with knowing how to beat each type of defense. If they're playing cover 2, attack that deep middle of the field with skinny posts, etc.

The formation/plays you use don't mean jack. What matters is how you marry up your route combos. There's tons and tons to this, but you just need to find routes that work well together. A classic is the fly/corner/curl combo. If you have 2 WR right, and you send your TE deep, your slot guy on a corner, and your outside guy on a curl, it puts the defense in a world of trouble (esp if they're zoned). The deep safety will have to cover the TE fly, the corner will have to cover the WR curl, and your slot guy running the corner has room and an easy 15 yard pickup.

Audibles are key. You at least want to be able to call a pass if they're stacking the box, call a run if they come out in the dime on 1st and 10, etc. Many people always call passing plays and use hot routes a bunch and all their audibles are for running plays. They literally never call a running play, come out passing, and audible to run if it's there.

Above all though you gotta have stick skills. Like, if you throw a deep ball and just let the computer go try to catch it without switching in and showing some stick, you're no good at Madden.

Anyways, I'm rambling, but practice mode is your friend. Pick a play, and run it against Random Defense. Like, hundreds of times until no matter how they're lined up, you're comfortable with it and know how to beat it.

[nation]

FishSticks,

wow man. awesome post.

could you elaborate a bit more on what types of plays to call against different defenses? Like what routes work best against man, what work best against diff zones. I understand a little bit, but I'm still a little confused. When you talk about the slot guy running the corner, what is that? A post to the middle?

Keep rambling man! this is good stuff.

[blackize]

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Like what routes work best against man, what work best against diff zones.

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He already explained beating cover 2. Beating different zones basically just requires you to know where the holes in different zones are and hitting receivers in transition spots as one defender leaves and the other is slow picking up. You can also overload the zones by sending multiple receivers into the same area initially and hitting the one who isn't picked up when they break.

So far as I know there aren't really any routes to beat man coverage. If your receivers are bigger, faster, or jump higher than their defenders you can go deep. Otherwise it's just scanning the field to see who gets a step or two on his man.

A corner route starts as a streak downfield and breaks diagonally to the sideline after about 10 yards. It has long been known as a "cheese" route because the Madden AI has been horrible at defending against corner routes for years.

[nation]

How do I identify where the holes will be? It seems that I would have to call plays that work against their zone...is that basically something that happens as the game goes on and I start to recognize what kind of defenses he likes to run, and adjust what types of play I'm calling?

[closer]

If you go to youtube and type in madden tips there are some decent videos.

[Mike Gallo]

[ QUOTE ]
How do I identify where the holes will be? It seems that I would have to call plays that work against their zone...is that basically something that happens as the game goes on and I start to recognize what kind of defenses he likes to run, and adjust what types of play I'm calling?

[/ QUOTE ]

You will need to put in a lot of practice running plays against the computer to recognize the differnt types of defensive schemes. No way around it. If your playing franchise mode, scout out your next opponent and simulate their defense.

Run offensive plays in practice and set the defense to alternate plays so you will run plays against different types of defensive schemes.

They do make a gamers guide if you really want to read more about the formations and the plays to run.

Practice the Skill Drillz as well. This will help you with the sticks, and its all about using the sticks.

Keep practicing.

[ThaHero]

There are a few other forums and sites. Try The Madden Lab or VG Sports for some good info. They also offer strategy tips and vids for like $25 I think or something like that. It's not expensive but I think it's a waste. Any thinking person can come up with a good scheme without using someone else's stuff. But things can be daunting to someone who hasn't played/studied football too.

I have been playing Madden tournies for years and just playing the game for longer. I don't have time to post a whole lot of strategy right now but I might come back later on tonight or later this week and give you some tips and answer your questions as well. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[cobrakai111]

Quick question on the running game. Is it necessary to have all the moves in your arsenal? (ie: juke, stiff-arm)

I seem to mainly just spin and power burst because whenever I try the other stuff it never works.