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This is my first ever FAQ so bear with me while I get all of the kinks worked out. I'm a pretty big Madden fan, but this is the first year ever that I have actually gone out and brought the game as soon as it came out. I usually depended on either my friends or blockbuster to play the current version prior to this year. Also note that this faq has not yet been finished. I plan on finishing the team sections at a later date but for the most part the FAQ is mostly done.
One more thing! I have made this FAQ by playing on the ALL Madden setting. If you want tips for all pro or adjusted slider settings then you may want to look elsewhere! I don't want to sound mean but all of my tips were tested on the ALL MADDEN setting. We all know that the game plays differently on other settings. This means that what may have worked on all Madden may not work on all pro! Just keep that in mind.
ALSO NOTE THAT THE DIAGRAMS NEAR THE BOTTOM ARE JUMBLED RIGHT NOW SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE IT IS PROBABLY A DIAGRAM. I AM STILL EXPERIMENTING WITH HTML SO IT WILL BE FIXED SOON!
My legal crap
Most people are really sensitive about their FAQ's. I'm not all that strict. You can do whatever as long as my name is on the FAQ and as long as it is not edited. This FAQ is written by me Francisco Bernal copyright 2004. If you have any questions or submissions please email me at hithard45@hotmail.com. Also please visit my website at www.angelfire.com/tx4/videogames113it is a videogame review site. If you want to send in reviews just send them to the email above.
Who is this FAQ written for?
Well this FAQ is written for the people who have a little Madden experience under their belts. If you want to know the buttons and what they are for as well as the Rules for the game then I suggest reading the instuction booklet not this FAQ. If you are looking for a guide on different styles of play, what teams are great to use, what type of plays to use in certain situations etc. etc. etc..... then this guide is for you. This is almost entirely written for people who play other people quite often. This really does nothing in terms of helping against the CPU so keep that in mind.
Which version of Madden do I like the best?
I got to say that the XBOX version is the best. The reason? Well all the versions of Madden are virtually similar to each other but what separates the XBOX version from the others is the fact that you can use custom soundtracks and cut some of the crappy songs off the original soundtrack. Not much, but it is a feature that the others don't have.
The actual FAQ
Some general tips on being more successful against human players
1) When playing the computer always always play on All Madden. Why? Well simple. The computer is really really tough on that difficulty, almost to a point of being really cheap. What this does, besides killing your confidence at times, is it prepares you for some of the best players out there. In fact when you start beating the CPU consistently you can bet that you will be able to start beating the crap out of other humans out there. In fact the are many players out there who are content with killing the CPU by 30 points a game on the pro setting. While this may be all fine and dandy while playing by yourself, it does nothing to help your skills. In fact there are many players out there who only play on the All madden setting simply because on the lower difficulty settings anyone is capable of winning. The higher difficulty settings actually seperate the good players from the bad. While the choice is up to you I highly suggest the All Madden setting.
2) PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!! Why is this so important? Because you have to be prepared and know your team you plan on using. Most of the unsuccessful players out there have one or two plays that they run on offense and defense consistently. That is not a good sign. Why? Because most of these same players use them as their "money" plays. The problem is that once a good player starts to recognize the "money" play and shut it down the bad player is usually screwed since that is all they had to rely on. The game usually winds up as a blowout since the player with only 2or 3 plays has to expirement the rest of the contest instead of having had been prepared with some other plays they are used to running. The practice mode works wonders. You can do whatever you want with no consequences. This allows you to hone in on your skills and try other positions as well. You want to practice until you get a good 10 plays that you can use at different situations. I also mean 10 plays on offense and 10 on defense. That should serve you well. The more the better. Never ever go into a game and mutter to yourself "I guess I'll try this play" . That play should have been run in practice over and over until you became comfortable with it.
3}Never ever let your opponent see you lose composure. Once you become frustrated and deviate from your gameplan you may as well kiss your chances to win goodbye. If your plan was to run the ball and control the clock then chances are you picked a team with a good fat O-line and a great running back but only decent recievers. That means if you decide to all of the sudden start slinging the ball all over the place, the team you picked may not do as well and drop some catchable balls. If your opponent gets a big play to begin a game and scoes quickly big deal. Keep with your plan. Run the ball and bog the game down. Why? Well first of all unless your back fumbles all of the time you are much more likely to drive slowly down field. Everyone knows that a defense can be worn down if they are on the field for long peiods of time. You will see more broken tackles longer runs and more success. Also it puts your opponent's fast scoring offense a little out of sync. Now don't be thick skulled about it. If you lose 10 yards on your first run you may want to abandon the run until you pick up a first down
4)Adapt to the game at hand. Remember all that practice? Study the way your opponent plays. Know him and get inside his head. Don't go and try to predict, but try to make your opponent get out of thier gameplan. If they are constantly burning you over the middle of the field run a zone where you have someone planted there ready to pick the ball off. If they are always running up the gut then stack the line and blitz the middle not the outside. Getting killed by the deep ball? Quit blitzing and putting your corners on man coverage. Can't pass the ball? Run the ball. Just learn to adapt to the game and the situation.
5)Try to get the early lead. This is really big if you run a possesion type of offense where you milk the clock for all it's worth. You really want to think as each punt as a turnover to your advantage, because in many ways it is. Does that mean go for it on fourth and long? No, not even close. Punt. Even if it's a field goal take the lead. Never miss an oppurtunity to put points on the scoreboard unless it's 4th and inches. Remember the hardest points to score are the first ones. Think of the floodgates opening once you score.
6) No lead is safe. Even in real life we have seen many spectacular comebacks. Imagine how much more feasible it is in the world of videogames. You even have to be cautious with a 3 possesion lead. Never assume your out of contention of a game until the final gun sounds. There are a few times where I have been down quite a big margin early in a game and decided to expirement with new plays and go for touchdowns instead of field goals. Near the end of the game I often found myself down just a few points actually needing those precious field goals that I forsaked for missed 4th down conversions. Had I stuck with my conservative gameplan I probably would have won the game.
7) It's okay to gamble a little now and then just not too much. 4th down and long is not a good situation to gamble unless your behind late and need a score. Most high risk plays need to be set up quite a long time and be pulled off at just the right situation. For instance, you may blitz every play and may have a third and 10 coming up. A good gamble gould be running a shallow zone and look for a pick. This sort of goes into my next tip
8) Play a diverse game. Unless you want to run a slow moving offense that runs all the time, throw short, long and intermediate passes so the defense doesn't know what is coming. This is very true on defense. Don't blitz blitz and blitz. Mix up the type of defenses you play. Show up in a 46 defense one play and a quarter pass coverage the next. Confuse your opponent. If you can make them think twice or even get them out of their gameplan that is a advantage for you.
9) If it ain't broke don't fix it. This is huge for me. Sometimes I change the formula that had been working previosly so well. An example would be when I am running the ball all the way downfield but sometimes I want to get my QB a TD pass and I wind up throwing a pick. In that situation I obviously should have continued to run it.
Tips Against the CPU!
1)The CPU can be somewhat stupid even on the all Madden settings. Use this to your advantage. If a play has been working to get you downfield chances are that the CPU won't be able to stop it for a while. If a reciever is open deep all of the time it will take the CPU quite a long time to adjust to shut the play down. Use the hurry up no huddle and drive down field with one play!
2) Whenever you get near the goaline the flat routes are always wide open! The CPU is always concerned with jamming the middle that the flats are often ignored.
3)Suck the clock dry! The CPU can and will let you drive all the way downfield on them on a consistent bases. If you are overmatched and think the CPU is going to kill you then just run a play and milk the playclock. Obviously this does not work if you like to sling the ball and throw a lot of incomplete passes. However if you complete a pass milk the clock. I have personally gone through a entire half with just 1 possession allowing the cpu a half minuite to attempt a drive. This really works well against high flying offenses like St. Louis. They can't get into a rythm on the sideline.
4) The cpu kickers can kick 50+ yard field goals on a very consistent basis. Always keep the offense from getting to your 35 yard line otherwise it is a automatic 3 points on the scoreboard.
5) The CPU love to run tosses. They run at least one a series, especially on 1st down and 3rd and short. This is real easy to stop if you are in man coverage. I usually get them for a loss. Also I have noticed when the cpu is in a run formation and they motion the TE to the otherside run the toss quite a bit.
6) I love the goal line formation against the CPU. What I do is I set up all but one of my audibles to the different types of runs in the goal line formation. Usually the toss, off tackle, fb power or whatever it is,the dive play up the gut, and one more random run. The key is to keep your audibles in the same formation. When I get to the line and see the middle clogged I audible to a play that goes to the outside edge. None of my players move at all so the CPU does not react and make adjustments. Basicly look for where the biggest weakness in the line is and run it there. This really works in all formations so long as you don't send people in motion or flip the plays.
7) The CPU kind of sucks against the deep ball. I usually fling deep to moulds and let him catch it. Generally if you see one on one coverage then launch a deep pass to your star reciever, I always hot route to a deep route unless it is third down.
The first order of buisness when playing Madden is actually picking a team to use. While many players have their own favorite team that they stick with, there are many players that like to experiment with different styles and schemes which means using different teams. Well before picking ask yourself these questions:
A} What type of game plan do I want to execute? Do I want a offensive powerhouse of a defensive wall?
B} Who do I usually control when playing the game?
C} What type of offensive plays as well as defensive plays do I plan to run?
Those are three simple questions that you can ask yourself before picking a team. The biggest tip I can give is to know the rosters of the teams that you plan on using. The reason why this is so important is because the gameplan that you may want to run may not be feasible with the type of team you pick.
Anyway here are the top 10 teams, in my opinion, that provide a excellent chance to win.
1) Philadelphia Eagles: The eagles are so balanced that it is hard not to pick them. On offense they have one of the best offensive lines with everyone rating over 80 overall. Throw in Mcnabb, who can scramble and throw accurately, and a tough durable back in Duce Staley, as well as a great catching full back and tight end and you have a team that can and quite frankly should just be able to drive down field at will. Throw in the defense, which has a very solid defensive line, good linebackers and one of the best secondaries in the game, and you are left with a team that can take over a game on any side of the ball.
2) Atlanta Falcons: "Yeah Yeah Mike Vick is the reason why you picked picked them second." While Vick remains a huge part of the team there are other players that make the Falcons a talented and balanced team. First on offense you have a rare power/speed combination of backs at your disposal.
Dunn is a quick speed back who may very well be the best catching running back in the NFL. T.J. Duckett is a power back in the same vein as Jerome Bettis, meaning he will run you over. At tight end you have a durable yet dependable tight end in Crumpler. Peerless Price provides a solid speed reciever with great hands while Finneran provides size and toughness. The defense has a solid line, with Kerney being the stud, as well as pretty good group of backers, Brooking being the best. The secondary is solid with Ray Buchannon the star. Oh yeah did I forget to mention Vick?
3) Miami Dolphins: Yes the Dolphins have a suspect O-line as well as no second deep threat to compliment Chambers, and a QB who should be a backup on pretty much any other team. However, do not let that deter you from picking them. With all the drawbacks that they have, they still have the best defense in the game. The defensive ends can cause havoc on qb's with their explosive speed, yes even Mcnabb and Vick, and the backers are no joke either with Thomas and Seau.
The secondary is capable of pick off any badly placed pass. The offense can be effective as well with the best running back in the game Ricky Williams. His stats are simply the best. He has got great speed, strength and can catch out of the backfield. He can break tackles like crazy often turning seemingly 1 & 2 yard gains into 5 and 6. Running the ball with this team and controlling the clock is the obvious course of action.
4) New England Patriots: The patriots may have the best team on paper. The qb is one of the best in terms of power and accuracy, the running back has plenty of power and can break lots of tackles, and there is plenty of speed at the WR position. The defense is loaded for bear.
The tackles may be a little soft but the ends are spectacular and the linebackers all register over 80, heck even 2 backups register at 80 overall, so depth at the backer spot is no problem. Also the secondary is the best in the entire game. Remember that Milloy was not released until after this game was made so he is still on the team. Throw in the fact that Ty Law is a dominant back and Safety Rodney Harrison, 92 overall, and the opposition should complete zero passes on you, just kidding really.
5) Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks are another balanced team, notice the trend?, with a very good quarterback, a balanced back, and a pretty good group of recievers and a couple of catching tight ends. The defense may be the stronger of the two squads though. The line is great and the linebackers can keep any running back in check, Chad Brown being the star here. The secondary is not the best but more than adequate. Simply put this team can run and pass as well as defend pretty good.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers: The steelers have a decent QB but 2 durable running backs. Jerome Bettis can still run you over with his strength. What may be the best part of the offense has to be the Recievers. Ward and Burress would have been enough to always have a constant deep threat but Randle El is just a bonus so use it to your advantage. As wierd as it sounds the Steelers may be a passing team. The defense is pretty good but the highlight has to be the linebackers. I think the best overall player on the defense has to be Joey Porter. He can stuff the run and pick off passes.
7) Oakland Raiders: The Raiders may be old but don't count them out! The offensive line is very good. Garner is one of the best in the game. Want a big bruising back? Tyrone Wheatley may be your answer. He is very strong and will break tackles. Brown Rice and Porter are some of the most reliable recievers a QB can have. Speaking of qb's Rich Gannon may not have the power of Culpepper, but he still has a adequate amount. He also has some of the best accuaracy in the game. The defense has a pretty good line, but the secondary is what really shines here.
8) Green Bay Packers: Farve is simply the best in the game as far as qb's are concerned. He has amazing power and accuracy. Green may have a fumble problem in real lif but in the game he is pretty dependable. Now don't go running him 10 times in a row, but he has got great speed and power. The recievers all have speed and pretty good hands so look for them to out speed other defenders. The defense has a great line. Big men up front are able to clog the middle very well. KGB is very quick for a end and will get to the qb at least once. The backers are what have to be the weak link of the team, although not by much. The secondary has a pretty good situation going for them as Mckenzie and Sharper are both awesome.
9) Tennesee Titans: The titans have very tough durable players. Eddie George provides a ample power run game while Steve Mcnair provides the air show. Mason and company provide a solid group of recievers while Wycheck remains one of the best in the league. The defense is anchored very well at the line. Kevin Carter and Javon Kearse are monsters at the end position. The linebackers are very suspect however. The stud of the group is Bullock who is a dandy, but like I said the other 2 are just average at best. The secondary is okay with Rolle and tank Williams as the best of the bunch. Expect to be able to run a ball control type of offense with a defense that will work well overall.
10) Denver Broncos: The Broncos have a good QB in Plummer, but what really anchors the offense is the running back Clinton Portis. He is a stud. He can catch has wonderful speed and strength. The line has a heck of a right side. The left is a little questionable. Shannon sharpe may be the second best tight end in this game. He has got great speed and power. He is almost like a big powerful possesion reciever lining up at TE. Also the recievers Ed Mcaffrey, Ashley Lelie, and Rod Smith are a group to be respected. Smith is the best of the bunch overall, but Mcaffrey provides a durable and dependable target.
The defense is in pretty good shape too. The line is lead by trevor pryce who can dominate the run if need be. The backers are solid as well led by Al Wilson. The weak link of the D has to be the corner position. Delta O Neal is a great corner but it goes downhill from there. They drop 20 points overall afterwards resulting in a group of corners that rank in the 60's overall. The safeties are adequate at best ranking overall in the high 70's so pray you play a ground attack person if you choose the Broncos.
Team section
In this section I am going to list each team, their strengths and weaknesses as well as what type of gameplan would work the best regarding their talent level and personnel. I am really not going to get into playbooks to much. I also will grade them out in each category. EX. running backs A+, wide recievers D-
Now before you go and dismiss some of the teams out there that are ranked in the upper 70's, just keep in mind that any single team in the real NFL can upend anybody. Madden is no different. With a sound gameplan even the cardinals can cause the rams and eagles fits. NEW: you may note how lazy I became in this section. I have simply started to run out of time so although the bears and bengals got real in depth sections, the rest of the teams are going to get touched upon at best.
1) Chicago Bears
Overall: 82
Offense:81
Defense:84
QB's: C- The fact that Kordell Stewart is the starting QB may turn a lot of people off but he is not too bad and can buy extra time with his scrambling abilities. Also if he goes down you still have a backup that rates in at 75 overall in Chris Chandler. Even if Chandler goes down you still have a 3rd string quarterback that rates in overall at 73 named Rex Grossman. This is very rare and a luxury at the same time. Just don't forget that Grossman and Chandler cannot scramble at all.
Running Backs: C+ Anthony thomas is pretty darn good. He has got good speed, great strength and can do a somewhat serviceable job of catching out of the backfield. However keep in mind that he is rated lower in the carry department than the infamous Tiki Barber. This means don't get too flashy or you will wind up putting the ball on the floor more often than not. His Backup is Adrian peterson who is a little like thomas. He has got good speed and decent strength, but his carry ability is pretty bad. Also he has horrible catching ability so don't even consider him as a threat out of the backfield. After that all you got is Rabih Abdullah who rates in at 58 overall. Don't even think about it unless it is a emergency.
Fullbacks: C- The FB position is a position that really has no standouts at all. Daimon Shelton is really a slower anthony thomas in terms of running the ball, but he can run block and pass block pretty well for a full back. His catching ability is 57 so don't bother wasting a down by throwing to him.His backup Stanley Pritchett is rated 69 overall and can run and catch marginally better than Daimon Shelton. The problem is his blocking is not as good as Shelton's and he is a little easier to bring down. However if Shelton goes down then you won't really miss a beat with Pritchett.
WR's: B- A pretty serviceable core of recievers. Marty Booker is one of the best in the game. Rated 90 overall he has got plenty of speed and jumping ability. He has got some great awareness and can really come up with some clutch plays Dez white has some great speed and pretty good catching ability as well. He is alright in the jumping category and rates in overall at 78. David Terrell has got good speed and awesome jumping ability. He is the bears tallest threat so if you plan on throwing a lot of deep passes he is a good second option. Just remember he isn't the quickest reciever out there which means he might get caught easier. Ahmed Merrit, Jamin Elliot and Bobby Wade all rate in at around the mid 60's overall so it's not really a good idea to spread the field a great deal.
TE: D+ The bears really do not have any good blocking tight ends. They are all really just decent in the catching category. Many of them are slow and reliable like traditional tight ends. Send them on short routes and let them try to break tackles.
O-line: B- With the Exception of Rex Tucker and Olin Kreutz, who grade out mid 8o's and mid 90's respectively, the Bears are ok at best on the O-line. Your best bet would be to run it to the left interior.
Dline: B+ When you have to ends that rate near 80 overall and three tackles 80 or above then you got a potent Dline. Keith Traylor and Ted Washington WILL clog up any hole up the middle that the opponent tries to run to. This is a more physical yet slower line but it still can get pressure on the QB meaning you won't have to blitz too often.
Linebackers: B+ The weak link of the unit has to be the LOLB position played by Mike Caldwell. He can do a serviceble job but he is overshadowed by Brian Urlacher ,who is the second best in the entire game, and Warrick Holdman who is rated 86 overall at the ROLB postion. However should one of the backers get hurt it is slim pickings in the reserves.
Secondary: B R.W. Mcquarters is really the only standout in the CB position. He is quick and has great awareness but has horrible strength. Neverthless he rates out 86 overall. Jerry Azumah is the only other cornerback worth mentioning on the team. He is rated 79 overall so. The FS position needs no help at all with Mike Brown holding down the fort.
He has got great speed and is much stronger than your average free safety. He ranks well in the toughness area and is easily one of the top 5 free safeties in the game. On the Strong safety position we have Michael Green. He ranks in at 77 overall and is one of the more physical types of safeties. Don't play man coverage with him because he is pretty slow to begin with, as far as safeties are concerned.
Kicker: A Paul edinger is one of the best in the game period. Great power and even better accuracy make missing a field goal almost impossible.
Punter: A The punting position is in even better shape. With accuracy and power in the 90's expect to get some powerful and pinpoint punts whenever you need them.
Strategies: First of all on offense you might not want to throw deep. Yes marty booker amd David Terrell have great leaping abilities but the offensive line is only ok. Throw shorter passes and expect to chew up some clock on your drives. Also remember that Stewart is one of the faster QB's in the game. Roll out and give the defense fits.
Just don't take off too often. Running the ball with the A-Train is not a bad idea unless it is raining. In fact a more run oriented type of gameplan would be better for this team. Don't live and die by the run just make sure you got a couple big formations in your playbook. As far as the defense is concerned, I really do like the roster. The D-line has enough talent to where you can run a 46 with relative ease. The corners are pretty good but the linebackers are outstanding. I think if you feel like you have to blitz then send one of the average defenders. This defense is very underrated and has some stars that can really shift momentum of a game when the team needs it. But like I said earlier,. the line by itself should get enough pressure on the QB. Blitzing should be a last resort.
2) Cincinnati Bengals
Overall: 81
Offense: 83
Defense: 79
Qb's: C+ Having John Kitna as a starter is not a terrible thing to have by any means at all. He has got plenty of throwing power and pretty good accuracy as well. Backing him up is Carson Palmer. He has a little less power but a smudge of extra accuracy when compared to Kitna.
Running Backs: B+ Corey Dillon is one of the best backs in the game. He has great strength and great speed. He can chew up some clock pretty darn easily. The backups are only functional so if Dillon goes down expect to have a much harder time running the ball. Fullbacks: F I gave the fullbacks a F because overall they are pretty bad, but also they are very slow, not good at catching or blocking and as far as their strength goes Corey Dillon is stronger so why even bother utilizing them?
WR's: B- Chad Jhonson and Peter Warrick are a pretty good tandem, but the backups are only okay. They do have speed but not that great of hands. The bench warmers,5th and 6th string, do have some size and okay hands but they are slower. However with all the diversity in the group you can create some mismatches.
TE's: C+ They got 2 big slow tight ends, however they can catch and block okay as well. They can be utilized pretty good to be a quick emergency reciever if the defense decides to come with a blitz.
O-line: C+ Both tackles are pretty good overall, however their interior is a little suspect. You might not run too much right smack into the middle of the line, this really applies if your opponent has a good D-line.
Dline: B+ The right end Smith is rated 89 overall and is quick. The tackles are solid and rate in the lower 80's. The reserve tackle is 72 ovr.
LB's: B Kevin hardy may be a older LB but he is rated 80 overall as a MLB. The LOLB Foley is rated 81 overall and the ROLB Simmons is rated 89 overall to round out a solid group of backers.
Secondary: C- The weak link in this defense has to be the secondary. The whole secondary is pretty weak. There are no standouts at all and every single player is rated under 80 overall. Pray that you don't play St. Louis or Indy. The corners will get toasted by quick recievers.
K: D Neil Rackers is not a great kicker. He really won't be a dependable kicker so try to finish off your drives with touchdowns and you will be fine.
P: D+ Nick Harris is not a very good punter. He has got plenty of power but hsi touch is pretty bad. He can probably get you out of some field position problems but as far as pinning a opponent inside the 10, well that relies a little more on luck than anything else.
Strategies: The fact that the Defense has a suspect secondary means dropping extra people back in coverage which in turn means a weaker run defense. The upside is that the backers are a pretty good group and the D-line is pretty strong and talented. As far as the offense goes you are in pretty good shape. The fact that you have access to Corey Dillon may make you single in on the run, but if the run is getting you nothing you have the weapons and QB to start a pass attack. Either way you have a very balanced offense so use it to your advantage.
3) Buffalo Bills:
OVR: 85
OFF: 86
DEF: 84
Overall the Bills have plenty of playmakers. They have one of the best pocket passing QB's in the game in Drew Bledsoe, one of the best backs in the NFL in Travis Henry, and one of the most talented recievers in Eric Moulds. The offense is like a powder keg ready to explode. The offensive line is only okay. Rueben Borwn is top notch, and Mike Williams is solid. The rest of the line is not that good, however.
The defense certainly has it's strong points as well. Pat Williams and Sam Adams are great as tackles and will clog any hole in the middle. The ends however are only okay. Aron shoebl is a little speed away from being a game breaker, but as it stands they are the weak link.
The linebackers are very solid with London Fletcher and Takeo spikes as the stars of the unit. The Corners are pretty good as well. The starters rate in the 80's overall. The only draback in the secondary has to be the safeties. None of them rate more than 79 overall. The special teams are a little shaky due to the poor attributes of Ryan Lindell. His accuracy meter is very small. The punter is in better shape though. Mooreman has got power and accuracy so you will be able to pin opponents deep.
As far as strategies are concerned, offensively run the ball. Henry is quick and very strong. His only vice has to be the fact that he is more fumble prone. Drew Bledsoe is very accurate and has plenty of power. Get it to Moulds who has plenty of speed and power. They have the ability to either run the ball down your throat or pass all over the field.
Much like the bengals I suggest a balanced attack. The defense is pretty good so long as you get pressure on the QB. The line is good because of the tackles so blitzing is not neccessary all of the time. The defense is a somewhat slower yet stronger unit so passing teams may be able to exploit certain mismatches if pressure is not applied to the QB.
3) Technique tips
This section really deal in tips for your offense, defense and special teams.
A) Offense (Passing game)
The passing game is a very fragile type of offense. So many bad things can happen in the course of a play. Sacks, dropped passes, fumbles and interceptions. In fact you may be a little deterred right now. Well how can we prevent all of that? Read on to find out.
1) The biggest and most devastating opponet of the passing game is pressure. Why is it such a big deal? Well for one there is always the threat of getting sacked or getting your QB knocked out for the game. But what may be the biggest mistake that many players do that leads to turnovers is either throw a pass that they really did not want to throw or force it. This almost always leads to pics. So how can you tone down the pressure?
Well the easiest way may be to not run a spread offense or maybe a offense that has a double tight end set to add extra protection.. The tight end can really buy you some extra time, so if you notice a plethora of backers showing a blitz from the side where your tight end is instead of letting him run a pass route, use your hot route reads to keep him in and block. Same with your backs as well. If your fullback can't catch worth a flip, but in the play you selected has a route coming out of the backfield then use your hot route option and keep him in to block.
Also if you notice a blitz coming, but you selected a long developing pass play then use your hot routes to shorten the routes of your recievers. Me ,personally, I like to always have the option of a running back coming out of the back field.
He acts almost as a last resort that I can quickly throw to if worse comes to worse. Just don't abuse it or throw blindly becuase if your opponent is playing a zone in the flats then expect a touchdown the other way. Another tactic may be to run a normal shotgun keeping the tight end in to block.. Not only will the tight end help with the pressure but being in the shotgun provides the QB a little bit of extra time.
2) Don't force the ball or keep it too long. If your rolling out and can't find a reciever then just toss it away.
3) Don't throw deep unless you have a dominating reciever that will jump up for the ball. It makes no sense to throw deep to a slow 4th string reciever with questionable hands.
4) Speed kills. Have your speedy less durable recievers run verticle routes while leaving your bigger stronger reliable recievers catch passes over the middle.
5) Don't throw a pass falling backwards or dropping back. Always throw either by stepping up or totally still. Throwing off your back foot almost always result in something bad. Don't throw it on the run either since this can cause you to overthrow it or throw a very inaccurate pass.
6) Don't ever throw to the opposite side of the field. If you are rolling out to the right don't throw to the left sidelines because it will probably get picked.
7) Many players like to control the defensive end on defense. 9 times out of ten they will try to speed past the offensive tackle to get to the QB. As a QB you need to drop back a few yards and when you notice a rush from the outside, step up and make a throw. Just a simple step upfield can buy you some valueble extra time
8) A QB's job is to recognize the defense that he is playing against. As a player you need to recognize the blitz. This is important. and once you can do this you will find it much easier to complete passes. Look to see if there is anyone coming from the blindside and prepare to get rid of the ball. Most importantly use hot routes to shorten the routes the recievers run.
9) Learn to recognize quickly whether your opponent is playing zone or man. "Well how the heck can I do that and find a open reciever and get the pass off before getting sacked?" One way is to put a wide reciever or running back in motion. Watch the defense. If someone follows your player then you can bet that they are playing man coverage. If they don't expect a zone. One thing to watch out for is if they run a defense where they only have three down lineman. The reasoning behind this is because there are certain plays which use combinations of zone defense as well as man.
10) If you want to run the K-gun now is the time to do it. The K-gun is the hurry up, but basically it's ok to run if your running a passing oriented drive. Let the defense either call a timeout or let you drive downfield quickly.
11) Curl routes to the inside are quick routes and almost always open. The only time you really have to worry is if there is someone playing a zone in front of your reciever, in which case you should not throw it, or if you are hit while throwing the ball which will cause you to throw a floating short pass which will most likely result in a pick.
12) Out routes to the far side are great to run against a man coverage or blitz scheme. Just throw a bullet pass ahead of the reciever. This will take a bit of practice to actually master but once mastered, can make a defense frustrated.
14) When running with the QB always slide or go out of bounds. Doing otherwise sometimes results in either fumbles or injuries.
15) Please please please, if you have a scrambling QB don't abuse it. Not that players won't be able to stop it, but the fact is that many people abuse the the ability to scramble. I realize that with Vick it is tempting but you also have to realize that these QB's are fragile and weak. One good hit can knock your QB well into next week, not to mention the fact that he has the possibility of putting the ball on the ground.
A play I love to do is run the ball and get the defense to star blitzing the middle. When they start to sell out up the middle then I call a PA pass that makes the defense sell out on the run. I then roll out to either side of the field and get a great gain unless a reciever is wide open.
Then I throw to him. Also consider the fact that these QB's are not the best in accuracy in the first place. Throwing on the run makes their passes less accurate and should you get hit while throwing it is going to get picked off. The biggest tip I can give when scrambling is to be decisive. Pass when a reciever is open or take off if he is not. Also never ever dive or take a hit. Slide or get out of bounds unless the game is on the line.
16) Should you want to test your fate in man coverage deep consider leading the reciver with the directional pad. I have personally found that leading the reciever with the directional pad results in a more accurate pass than the joystick. I am curious to see whether or not it is successful for anyone else. Please email me and let me know.
17) Running a great deal to set up the pass is a great strategy, especially if the ground game is effective. However, the play action passes take a great deal of time to develop. This means should you opponent blitz you will have a almost impossible chance of getting the play off ,unless your line does a great job of picking the blitz up. Instead try this technique. First run the ball in a big formation.
When you get to the line call a whole bunch of hot routes. This will get your friends and adversaries thinking you are passing the ball when in reality you are just running the ball. This, if anything, will get your opponent to call a different play or even be more weary of the pass. Repeat this a few times. Eventually after a while your human opposition will catch on to the fact that you call hot routes but still run it.
When they see you come out in the big formation they will start to key in on the run and blitz. This is the tricky part. Pick a pass play and send your 2 recievers on vertical routes with the hot route option. Remember all those times you ran the ball out of the big formation after calling hot routes? Well that was to disguise this. The opponent will think nothing of your hot routes this time and just assume you are running the ball again. This will probably give you man coverage with the recievers. Keeping the tight ends to block will help on the blitz as well.
B) Offense (Running)
1) The worst thing you can do when running the ball is to accelerate way to early. When running the ball don't hit the sprint button until you are fixing to turn your run up field. This will allow you to follow your blockers easier, change directions easier and avoid tackles. A perfect example would be a run to the outside, like a off tackle play. Well if a hole pops up in the middle and you have the acceleration button pressed it will be impossible to turn it upfield and hit the hole. Rather had you waited and cut it upfield then accelerated not only would it be easier to hit the hole but you are most likely to break more tackles.
2) Know what type of back you have at your disposal and play to their strengths. Don't take a power back and try to outrun to the outside. Run up the gut and let him break tackles. If you have a speed back don't run too much up the middle because he will be too weak to break the tackles of linemen and linebackers. Granted every once in a blue moon you can find success doing the opposite in each scenario but the rate that that actually happens is too small to even consider.
3)Follow your blockers! You are not Barry Sanders. The fact is that many players like to go to the opposite side of the field and try to break a big run. Even worse is when they try to go backwards! Don't ever do this. The only way doing that is going to work on a consistent basis is if you are playing a child, and even then the AI will probably be able to stop it itself.
Some blocks take a little time to develop, easpecially in the Jumbo set. Also plays like the couter require time to develop as well. Even if your blockers somehow manage to screw up and allow the entire defense in the backfield don't make the situation worse and try to go back . You will lose a lot more yards than you would have had you just kept going upfield. In fact if you have a big back like Bettis then at times they break tackles and actually get yardage!
4)Do not juke too much going up the middle! Doing so makes you ripe for the strip. Infact just juking or spinning increases your odds for fumbling increase. The same goes for the stiff arm. If you do either make sure there are plenty of teamates nearby or you are near the sidelines.
5)Know your opponents team! This is important because if you keep running at Jason Taylor or Derreck Brooks your run is going to get shut down. Instead try to figure out whether their line or linebackers are stronger of the 2. If they have a weak line but strong backers then pound it up the middle. If they got a strong line but suspect backers then try bouncing the run towards the outside. This should help out a little. Also know your line. If you have a great left side but a weak right side then you are gonna want to run it to the left, unless you got Brooks and Seau there waiting for ya.
6)Unless you notice a immediate mismatch when you get to the line, wait before you snap the ball. Most players, as well as the CPU, like to shift their line and backers. This often creates holes and mismatches. For instance you may be running a off tackle play to the left and you get up to the line where the left side is stacked. If you snapped the ball chances are the run would get stuffed. Had you waited maybe your opponent would have shifted their line leaving a big are to run to.
C) DEFENSE(RUN)
1) The key to stopping the run is to make sure you call the right formations. Calling a defense like a quarter here only 3 down linemen are present will not stop the run! Even if you blitz your opponent will be able to run 3-4 yards at least everytime they touch the ball. Use a good formation like the 4-3 or the 46.
2) Be careful on the BLITZ! Some players like to sell out by sending everyone up the middle or to the outside. Some don't mind sending everyone on the defense side of the ball. Here is the problem. If the back breaks ,in some cases, just one tackle there is no one to stop him. 9 times out of 10 the very long runs are broken on a blitz play because there are no safety valves up field to stop the back.
Learn to blitz smartly. Here is how. If you blitz to the outside then shrink your line and maybe even you backers. If you blitz to the middle then then expand the line. Remember the tip earlier about knowing your opponent and adapting to the game? Well if the opponent is always running up the middle then blitx the middle. It is really just common sense at times. Also by shrinking your line or shifting them to the strong side you can stop the run pretty easy and eventually cut down on the # of people you blitz, in some cases totally eliminating it.
3) Man coverage works much better on defending the run. Don't run a deep zone or prevent . Again this is common sense but some people are hell bent on running their "money " play which in some cases is a zone play.
4) The goaline formation kind of sucks in this game. I hardly use it at all. In fact you have a better chance of stopping the run if you smartly blitz on a 4-3 or a 46. Never run a goaline unless you are near your goaline! If you run a goaline anywhere else you risk giving up a huge run. In fact I find the whole formation useless.
5) Most runs can be stopped by simple yet smart shifting on the player's part.
------------------- 1------ 2
-------3 ----- 4 ----- 5----- 6 ----- 7
--------------- a ------------ a
--------- 8 ----a - 9--- 10 --a 11
a a
The diagram above shows a typical 4-3 defense with 2 linebackers blitzing. 1&2 are the safeties. 8,9,10 & 11 are the linemen while #'s 4,5 & 6 are the backers. The lower case a's you see coming from #'s 4 & 6 means that on this play they blitz. This shows where they are supossed to blitz, which are right between the linemen.
As a player you have to know where your people are goin on all plays you pick. This is a perfect example. Never would you shrink the line in this case since it would clog up the line and not let your blitzers through. The best way to defend would be to leave the line the way it is to provide a hole for the blitzers to get through. Also you would not expand your linebackers either as doing so would create the same problem. Just remember if you shift your line you will have to most likely shift your backers.
6) Be careful with the playmaker option. Calling it right as soon as the ball is snapped leaves you open to the play action pass.
Defense(PASS)
1) Like the run defense section calling the right formations are key to being successful against the pass. Don't come out in a 46 blitz or a goaline if there is any chance of a pass because you will get toasted.
2) Blitzing works well if you can get pressure. However if the QB recognizes a blitz he will get rid of the ball quickly. This is a occasion where you would need to jam the reciever to buy extra time for your D to get to the QB.
3) Never jam unless you are blitzing because doing so will give the reciever a huge advantage, usually a couple of steps on your CB. This coupled the fact that there is no pressure on the QB = DISASTER!
4) Man coverage works better if the QB throws quickly. The longer a QB has to throw the better the chances he will complete a pass in man coverage.
5) Be careful with zones! Zones are great for picking off passes but there are holes in the zone! If a reciever runs out the area of coverage then expect a big play.
6)Lots of people like to run the cover 2 defense. This is a pretty good base defense but it is a little weak against the run. Also remember the fact that there is a pretty big whole between the corner playing a zone in the flat and the safety playing a deep zone. However it works great for those 5-10 yard passes.
7) If you have a problem with pesky running backs catching balls all over you in the flat try running a defense where there is a defense in the flat like cover 2 or man flats. Also if you have a quick end drop him to cover the running back. Trust me this works wonders because the pass causes the back to slow down and wait for the ball and it also makes the QB think twice about throwing it to him blindly when he sees a defender actually covering the back.
8) Pick a play to stop what is killing you. If the tight end has been catching balls all day on you then double him. Same goes for their star reciever. While they may still catch a pass every once in a while the vast majority of the time they will be covered. Be careful though because this leaves everyone else in man coverage.
9) There is no perfect defense in this game! Remember that. If you have a play that works very well the vast majority of the time you use it then by all means continue to use it. However if you continue to run the same play over and over again then after a while the opponet is going to catch on and start exploiting it. Mix up you plays. Blitz play man and zone. Make the QB not know what is coming until after the ball is snapped, versus him knowing you run zone all the time. This will give him less time to adapt and may cuase some turnovers.
10) If you can get good pressure with the line then don't blitz. I have seen people use Miami, Carolina, Tennessee and the Giants and still blitz. It makes no sense. Have more people defend against the pass in the secondary while your front four demolishes the QB.
11) A successful pressure play may not necessarily mean a sack. By all means if you can make the QB go to a secondary reciever rather than his first because of pressure then do so. How many times have you thrown picks because you just flung it in the air because of the pressure being applied? Many times I'm sure. The same applies here. Pressure is a defense's best friend, not neccessarily sacks.
12) Learn to adapt. I have given this tip before but just to drive it home make sure you adapt. If the opponent is chunking it deep all of the time then play a deep zone, not man. Likewise if he is always throwing short curl routes the play a shallow zone or some man coverage to squash it. Pay attention to your opponent's tendencies because if you already know what they like to do before they get up to the line and run it then you can plan accordingly.
Blitzing effectively: There are many people that love to blitz. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact it is just a part of football. However many people get burned on the blitz and leave recievers wide open. In order to avoid this you need to learn how to blitz effectively. The thing about blitzes is that it takes out people from coverage to add pressure on the QB. Here is the thing, blitzing takes whoever is at that position and sends them. "Well DUH GENIUS!" But wait there is more. Take the CB blitz for example.
What you do is send your CB on a blitz to add pressure thus taking one of your people out of coverage. Again we already know this. However you may not know that the Blitzing CB is your starting CB, meaning you are taking your best cover guy out of coverage. Of course somebody picks up the CB assignment, but the person that picks it up is a slow linebacker. So the end result is the loss of your best cover guy, a mismatch in coverage, and the risk of the CB getting picked up or pancaked on the blitz. Who do you think will win in a footrace? A LB or a WR?
The next thing you should know is what types of blitzes are effective. I feel Blitzes like the CB blitz or any blitz where only one blitzer is sent is pretty much useless as far as Pressure is concerned. Now some may have read a previous post of mine where I stated that I usually send 1 blitzer. That is because there are a couple like the 4-3 cover 1 and the Dime man snake , that work fairly well. Also I usually run these when I am expecting the run since they are pretty useless against the pass.
So there are 2 types of blitzes to run. A run blitz which sends one blitzer, preferably a LB and the Pass Blitz which sends 2 or more, although I suggest no more than 3 and that you send linebackers on.
I really don't like to send CB's cause they are to weak to get by bloackers. LB's can usually run over a TE or a RB themselves making them more effective.
Now why would I send more blitzers on a pass situation than a run situation? Well once the ball is snapped every blitzer takes off. Really when you blitz aggresivly against the run you rely on luck that your blitzer runs in to the ball carrier. Plus everything becomes clogged at the LOS making it ineffective. In fact all you really do is engage in the blocker, unless you pancake someone leaving less people to tackle. Also when you blitz with a man coverage scheme aggresively you leave the RB uncovered. That means no one is following the RB so if he breaks a few tackles he is gonna get a big gain! Yuck, we don't want that.
Lets say you send one person with a man coverage scheme. Well that person runs into a blocker, maybe the full back, and poof, one less blocker. Now everyone else is freed up to take off after the runner, who probably has no lead blocker now.
Now the reason why I send more on a pass situation is that I usually send LB's. LB's suck at covering, yes even TE's and RB's, so whay let them get burned? May as well add some heat. That is my philosophy. Now every once in a while I do get burned, usually when I send more than 2, but that is because my blitzers get picked up.
Anyway now you should have a general sense as how to blitz a little more effectively. Remember to send your crappy players on the blitz and to send less on the run and more on the pass.
Special Teams tips
Kickoff tips
1) When kicking off move the arrow a little to the left. Not too far though. The reasoning behind this is if you happen to miss the accuracy part of the bar, the yellow part, then the ball will fly to the opposite side of the field instead of going out of bounds. Now this is not 100% true. If you just shank the ball and totally miss the yellow part, it will go out of bounds. Also if you move the arrow a little too far to the left it will fly out of bounds as well.
2)If you have a problem with people returning kick offs for big gains the try this. First of all get into a onside kick formation. Now the second step is to point the arrow all the way to the opposite side. Here is the thing though, the arrow only goes so far. In fact the arrow should be pointing towards the middle of the field.Now here is the last part. Move the arrow down just below the bold yard line that is placed every 5 yards. I believe that the yard line is the 45 or the 40. Either way place the point of the arrow just below it and kick it as hard as you can.
This will cause the ball to roll on the ground and either cause the returner to overrun it or bounce very high over the returner. Either way it lets the cover team get downfield. In fact when the returner bobbles it on the ground they usually juggle it around quite a bit. Also when it goes over the head of the reciever it either goes into the endzone or it falls right smack near the goaline. When the returner picks it up he will have stepped into the endzone forcing him to return it.
Obviously the advantages are that you pin your opponent pretty easily deep in their own territory. Also there have been times where the returner struggles so much to pick up the ball that my cover team actually recovers the onside kick.
Now there are drawbacks. If you happen to shank the kick it will go out of bounds most of the time. Also if you miss a couple of tackles the the other side of the field is open for quick returners. This results in a big gain or even worse, a touchdown. Either way I really do think that the +'s outweigh the -'s
Cheez Play!
Well it has come to my attention that there are certain strategies of the game that can be used cheaply. Many people call this Cheez Play or cheating. While there are some things about the game you can exploit to no end, most of my Cheez strategies listed below can be stopped.
There are plenty of people that nitpick on certain issues, which I can't stand! Waaahh! they keep pounding the ball on me they are cheezing. Waaahh they keep coming out in 5 wide reciever sets. Waaahh they keep milking the clock. Quite frankly they expect you to lose because pratically everything in their book constitutes cheez. If you win big they flame you for cheating and if you lose they make fun of you.
My stance is this. Almost everything in the game should be used since almost everything can be countered. Notice ALMOST everything was said. There is a camera glitch on online play that is really gay, I won't go into details. However everything in the offline mode can be stopped, although it may take some practice.
1) First of all there is a problem that many people have with the goaline running. It is a pain to stop. If you face a Ricky williams or a Priest holmes, it can be a nightmare to stop. With that being said DO NOT COUNTER WITH A GOALINE DEFENSE!!!!!!!!! I have no idea if I have stated this before, but the goaline D sucks bad this year. It is horrible. Worst of all some of the stronger backs you will face will break a few tackles and have the entire field in front of them.
Obviously you need to blitz, but in moderation. Typically I send no more than 3, but usually 2. I may blitz my outside backers and shrink my D-line. Some good formations are the 4-3 and the 46. Also remember that man coverage is important. Why? Because when you call a zone the defense drops back. By the time you start upfield towards the back you are engaged in a block. Man coverage usually has someone blanketing the RB.
I really don't want to go into details as to which play works best since I really have no preference. I have found that 4-3 cover 1, the under man in any formation,and pretty much any outside blitz will work okay. Stopping the goaline also relies on a little luck as well. Sometimes the Linebackers can get off thier block easy and can find the RB with hardly any effort and sometimes it just does not happen. Sometimes your blitzers get through the blockers and sometimes they get picked up.
I don't want to say that it all relies on luck because it doesn't. You just need some when you are trying to make your opponent go backwards instead of fowards. Also if you picked a team with a crappy defense then you are in trouble. Quite frankly you need a solid line or linebackers.
2) Substituting Personel on both sides of the ball. For example some people like to put a WR on the TE position. This is borderline cheez IMO simply because even if you want to counter by putting a CB at the LB position, your opponent can pound the ball since you have a weak and skinny LB. However if you don't mind being called a cheater or Cheezer then by all means do it. You will win plenty of games.
3) Motion glitch. I have visited a few message boards and found this to be a major issue amongst gamers. What it is, is simply sending you reciever in motion and snapping the ball right before he gets to the TE or Tackle. He will always wind up open if this is done against a man coverage scheme. So how the heck do you stop it? Simple. Run a zone defense. It really is that simple. Now you can't 100% shut down anything in this game but if you can get good pressure with your Dline then the QB will have a extremely hard time waiting for the reciever to get open and throw it. You will get some pics this way. Anyway should you decide to run this motion loop hole just make sure that the opponent is not in a zone.
4))Field Goal Block Glitch: I do not take credit for this glitch. I forgot where I got it from, it was a forum, but all I know is that whoever invented this is a mad genius.
First of all when your opponent comes out to kick a extra point or FG pick the punt block play in the special teams section. Make sure it is the regular punt block or it will not work. Next you take control of the very most outside rusher. He is on the left, or on his team's right. Make sure that you wait until he gets setteled and move him over to the left, or his right, about 5 yards.
Press the A button once, or the X button on the PS2, to get to the next outside rusher and move him in the same direction as the other guy except go only about 3 yards this time.
Press the A button twice,or the X button on the PS2, and move this guy about 1 yard straight up. Afterwards press the A button 3 times, or once again the X on the PS2, and move this guy one click to the right. Move back one position by pressing the B button, or the O button on the PS2,and get ready to rush! When the ball is snapped hold down on the control pad and the defensive sprint button. If set up correctly your player should shoot through the gap untouched. Just control the guy right into the the kicker.
Here is a crappy chart of the front line of the punt block formation:
AB CDEFGH IJ
A is the first guy you move to the left, or his right. B is the second guy you move to the left, or his right. D is the guy you move about 1 yard off the line of scrimmage. G is the guy you move one click to the right, or his left, and F is the guy you actually rush through the gap with.
This may take a few times in practice mode to perfect, but once you do you will be blocking every one of their attempts to add points on the scoreboard. It sounds like a lot of stuff to do but it can be set up rather quickly once you learn it.
Special Section on the NE Playbook. Breakdown of the good plays and how to run them well:
One thing about this post is that it would take me a year to put all of the possibilities of each playbook. I am going to analyze these plays as right in the middle of the field, nit to the left or the right but the middle.
So make sure you understand that right away since some of these out routes would be useless if they were run on a certain side. Also I have ignored the run in each playbook. Quite frankly everyone is looking to get better on the pass not the run. Also I have gone through and analyzed plays that I think are pretty good, mainly good routes or routes that can be modified to useful ones.Also I plan on doing multiple playbooks so look out for them. Anyway I hope this helps out.
Single back
TE middle:Nice routes and can be modified with hot routes. Send slot reciever to the right. Have even more space if it is man coverage. Also nice RB release so he can slip out upfield almost unoticed and open. Modify one deep route to a curl. Preferably the left wideout.
Hitch and go: Nice RB release like the TE middle, Right wideout route is great if you can get time and if it is man coverage. Pump fake will make a lot of CB's bite on it. Problem is it takes a while to set up. Pump when he comes to his first start and the CB may try to break on the ball, but since you faked him the WR should be wide open.
For extra time I would keep the TE in to block since you time for the hitch and go route. I would also try to send the slot reciever to the left . It will be less traffic anyway. The right wideout can sneak underneath zonecoverage almost unnoticed and can zip upfield after the catch if the pass is well timed and placed.
Double hitch: Nice WR curls. Curls are almost always open unless they are playing a zone. I would actually hot route the slot reciever on a vertical route to draw a safety with him as a decoy, that way if the left wideout catches the ball and makes the CB miss or if the CB blitzes then he has a wide open field to work with and gain yards. Your TE route should be your first read since you should be able to tell right away if they are in a zone or man. Only throw if they are in man, and make sure you zip it. Don't throw to him if they are in a zone because it is way too risky, unless you can recognize the D as a cover 2, then he should be open for a good while.
TE Post: Nice option out of the backfield. DON'T throw if they have a zone in the flats or if you see anyone breaking towards the flats. This almost always results in a TD the other way. See if you can get some time and he should be wide open later upfield. If they come out in a man then the advantage should go to the RB since he should be way quicker.
The left wideout runs a sneaky route underneath all of the coverage. That route is money, like the ones similar to this in the other plays, if they come out in a zone. If they try to bump him in a man scheme then you really get the advantage since all routes similar to these are unbumpable. He should immediately break to the right.
I would also hot route the right WR to a curl or the slant to the middle of the field, on the XBOX it is the white for slant to the left and black for the slant to the right. If you see a whole lot of people showing blitz then keep the TE in to block. If not or if you see them playing a pass defense , one with 3 down linemen, then let the TE act as a decoy for the safeties so the right WR has plenty of room to work with if he breaks a tackle. If the linebackers blitz then a very quick pass to the TE should be wide open.
Quick hits: Nice curls for the wideouts. the slot can act as a decoy or hot routed to a out route to the right . If they are in man coverage then he should be able to burn the opposition unless he is jammed. You could also send the right WR on a vertical route and send the TE on a out route to the right, if he is somewhat quick, and if they play man then he should have a good amount of field to work with since the right WR is takin coverage with him. If they comeout in a zone that covers the midrange part of the field then the right WR should be open deep.
HB swing: The slot route here is a little risky, but a good route. If you throw the ball early then the ball will be thrown towards the middle. Now your reciever will go after it but if there is a LB just standing there then there is a good chance it will get picked. If you wait longer then the WR will break it upfield and towards the sideline. Almost like a triangle, with one side missing. The pass towards the middle of the field is the best option.The right WR runs one of those sneaky umbumpable routes so look for him and then your RB as a last resort out of the backfield, unless you see that zone in the flats!
Single Back Big
Double Outs: Nice quick short routes. I would send the left WR deep, as a threat, and leave everyone else the same. the same. The right TE has the deeper out route and can wind up open since the left WR runs right near him. This will confuse the D since one person has 2 people to account for. The left TE has a short out route that is simple to throw. This is a great play to run on third and 3 or 4.
FL Hook: Curl routes everywhere. However I would keep the right TE in to block. The left I would send on a out route to the left. The key route here is the right WR. If you wait to throw until he is almost ready to turn around and then throw a bullet, the WR will jump towrds the ball giving the CB almost no chance to make a play on it and also give you a few steps on him. Practice that route over and over since that type of route is good for turning a simple pass into a monster gain. Just make sure you throw a bullet. Again I can't stress enough that you need to practice the timing. The play will get creamed against the zone since your only safe option will be the left TE if you sent him on a out route to the left.
Slants: This play can confuse the heck out of a D. Both TE's have great routs. The right TE makes a hard diagonal slant and the left has a sneaky route. This is wonderful against man. The only catch is a zone in the middle of the field. The middle LB can be a prick at times so be careful. The WR routes are only useful if you have plent of protection ,as they are long developing routes. I would hot route them as slants to the middle of the field or vetical routes.
Singleback Twin TE
TE slot out: The left WR has a nice curl route to the outside. The only problem is it takes a while to develop so be careful! The TE has route that can be useful if they blitz the LB's. The slot TE has a unbumpable route that is pretty dangerous in any defense but a blitz. I would use him as a last resort or hot route him to something else. I would also curl the right WR. This play as a default play takes way too long to develop. Make some changes with your hot routes!
WR fly: The left WR should be hot routed to anything besides a out route to the outside. There is not enough room. The slot TE has a good route and should be one of your first reads. That route should kill any cover 2 if the ball is well placed and well timed. The right WR is okay as is or can be hotrouted to a curl .The RB is a great option out of the bacfield if they blitz.
Ace TE Drag: This play is great for people who love to run zone. The routes are too ineffective against the jam. The TE's are your first reads that you should make. The primary TE runs a route that can be bumped, but he still can sneak underneath coverage. The left wideout has a crappy route so hot route to something else. The right WR has a okay route should you get some time to throw. His route kills a cover 2 type of deep zone. . Remember this play sucks against the jam and shallow zones.
Singleback Twin TE WR
Hitch corners: The two outside curl routes here work fantastic and should be your first read. The left wideout seems to be the best option of the 2. The 2 corner routes are useless unless the D blitzes. I have never been a fan of these types of routes. You could possible beat a zone like the cover 2 with a well timed and well placed pass, but it is way too risky in my opinion. Maybe if you are one side of the field they will work better since you will have more room. As it stands though I suggest to hot route to something more useful.
TE Hook: This play works best against the zone and the blitz but if you got a pretty accurate QB then you can squeeze a few balls through. The first read should be your outside TE, or slot TE, who has a flat route to the sideline. If they play a flat zone then just ignore this reciever since he will be shut down.
The next read should be the slot WR who has a similar route to the slot TE. Actually his route may be a good first read as well. Now I think it is best to get the ball to him the moment he gets a step on his defender if they are playing man. If it is at the snap of the ball then do it. The WR can usually outrun his coverage, unless the pass is off. The left WR has a okay route that takes a little time to develop, but works. The regular TE has a dangerous route. I suggest hot routing to either block or an out route.
Weak Flood: Good routes all along the board. The slot reciever curls in giving you a solid go to route if things turn sour. The slot TE runs a corner and in route. It is the one that looks like a 2 sided triangle. Anyway that route is useless for the first part. However once he breaks towards the middle of the field is when he becomes open. In man he will burn the opposition, assuming the defender is a LB, once he breaks midfield.
Also his route is GUARNTEED GOLD AGAINST THE COVER 2!!!!!!!!! If you play someone who runs that all of the time or if you can recognize it quickly then take advantage. The only exception is the quarter cover 2 man. Thenm his route is a bear to complete with the extra corner on him. The vertical route by the left WR is a nice route that will keep the defense honest and will also drive away safety help . If worse comes to worse you have a nice option out of the backfield. By now you should know the rule of passing to the RB. Overall a very solid play.
Singleback Empty 5WR
Please note that on this formation I ran plays against the Eagles in a quarter formation. The two plays I tested the plays against were man cover 2 and cover 2 man. The reason why I chose to test in this formation is because the quarter formation is the formation most people use to try to counter the empty 5 WR sets.
Also the two plays I tested them on offer the best coverage meaning if it works against one of the best secondaries in the league playing the toughest defense to pass against, then it should work great against anything else thrown at you. Also I don't think the CPU jammed me much. However if I state that the route should work against the jam then it should since I have ran routes simialr to these in different plays. Also the thing to remember is that the protection of this formation sucks. Some of the longer developing plays may be useless.
Cross Ups: Okay routes over all. I find that the right WR has the best overall route in the play. He is always wide open and takes hardly anytime to develop since it is a parallel run right in front of you. He usually can turn it upfield for 5-8 consisten yards. The left slot WR to the right side of the field also has a very good route. The right slot reciever on the right side of the field always mixes up the defense allowing the left reciever right next to him get wide open.
I would say practice the timing but the WR's sometimes run into each other. He will still be open, its jsut the timing will be off. The left WR has a diagonal straight shot towards the middle of the field. If they blitz the linebackers then he should be wide open. Otherwise I would not risk the tough throw. The left slot reciever on the left side of the field has a wheel route to the outside. He primarily acts as the deep threat, although I find him useless. Leave him alone as he acts as a decoy.
WR outs: The 2 outside WR's run very deep out routes. Unless you get plenty of time and are on one side of the field they are pretty useless. From the middle of the field thay always caught the ball out of bounds. I would hot route to a slant to the inside or a curl on both. The 2 slots run vertical routes and act as deep threats and decoys. Lob it deep if you see man coverage, usually happens on a blitz. The outside slot reciever to the right runs a post route to the middle of the field and can be open if the LB's blitz or play man. Also the safties should be preoccupied with the 2 deep routes so there is no need to worry about them.
FL curl: The left WR has a good slant route that can beat most defenses, especially blitzes if you get time, the left slot reciever runs a wheel route that I found useful only as a decoy. Don't bother with him. The 1st reciever to the right runs a nice shallow in route. He should be you first read. He pretty much burned most defenses I faced.
The 2nd reciever to the right ran a corner route to the the right. I found his route useless as well since him and the 3rd reciever on the right kept bumping in to each other often resulting in pics. However when I hot routed him to a out route either way he did much better and was open a good amount of the time. The curld route by the 3rd reciever on the right still worked even though he was always running into other players. However I did find that the defenders stuck to him much easier than in other plays.
Smash Fork: MAn this play is very hard to run. First against the zone there were no sure routes at ALL!. Thats a bad sign. So I really have no advice for you there. Against the man coverage thigs were a little more positive. The curl routes run by the left WR and the second WR on the right were easy to complete for the most part. Everyonce in a while the D went and broke on the ball, but if a bullet was thrown then it was almost impossible to get to. The 2 slot routes suck! I could only complete them by rolling out. They need to be changed into either slants to the inside or out routs. The right WR has a deep post route. If you get enough time then you can usually find him with a a few steps on the defense.
Slot outs: This play was horrible against the zone. I could not find anyone open. Once again the man coverage was a little more forgiving. First the left WR has a decoy route going for him. It is important not to change it. the slot on the left has a short out route.
I think I found a little glitch against the CPU AI but almost everytime I ran the play the out route was WIDE OPEN because the left WR almost always ran into the defender chasing the slot WR running the out route. That right away should be your first read. If he gets bumped then throw. If he does not then hang on to the ball! The slot reciever to the right has a deep route that should only be a option against a blown coverage. the 2nd WR on the right has a out route to the right. It is a shallow route and almost always open with well placed throws. The outside WR on the right runs a deep in route to the middle of the field. This one was working well ,so long as you had enough time for the WR to run his route. Remember crappy against the zone, good against man!
Curl flats: I have already analyzed this play on a thread in the gameplay strategies section. Check it out to get information. One thing though. Even against the zone the play was still always open on the right side. TO the left was a little different. If the defender jammed then it was okay to throw quickly, however if he did not then it is a pick going the other was. Since it is hard to tell since he is not on the screen I suggest the right side where the 3 WR's are for a much safer throw.
Zig outs: Against the man coverage I found only a couple of routes. The slot reciever on the right has a route that is open for a quick pass on both types of coverages. I also found the slot on the left to be open on both types when he broke towards the inside of the field and just before he broke back out to the left. The left WR was only open against the zone since deep routes kill the cover 2.
Slot angle post: Against man the left WR route is useless unless he clearly beats him, but even then the safety may come up and make a play. Against the zone, however, he killed the cover 2. The slot on the left was open to quick passes on both types of defenses. Waiting too long is not a good idea. If you spot a window throw it to him. The slot on the right took way too long to develop and was almost useless.
However there were a few times against man where he beat the coverage and was able to get good solid yardage. The second WR on the right runs a sneak underneath route. The coverage against man is very tight but he still manages to get a step on the defender. However it may only go for 2-5 yards, depending on how quickly he is tackled. Against the zone he did much better and was able to tack on extra yardage since the coverage was a little more relaxed. The last route is a curl route to the outside. He was aalways open in man, as long as you got the timing down, but was shut down in zone.
Sorry but I am getting a little lazy so I am going to get a little less in depth!
SE curl in: Really the only good options in man were the slant in the middle, although that pesky spying LB picked off a few passes!, and the in route to the left. However that route was only good for a few yards. The curl route was good as usual as well. Against the zone though almost everything was covered. Depending on how deep the MLB played his zone I had only 2 choices. The in route to the left and the slant to the middle of the field. The slant is a little more risky and not really worth the effort.
Slot Fly: Against man the only consistent routes were the curl by the left WR and the short out by the left slot. On zone the only consistent burner was the right WR. The 2nd reciever on the right was open at times so long as the MLB did not drop back 10 yards.
Single Back trips WR:
WR hook out: The only consistent route against man was the out route to the outside ran by the right WR. The inside curl route was way too risky and often got picked. The 2 post routes took too long to develop and were useless. Howver I did find that taking the slot on the right and motioning him to the left then hot ruoting him to a out route worked very well and was consistent and a safe throw to make. Against the zone the 2 post route wroked well as long as you got time. The outside curl was useless and the inside curl was hard to tell. Sometimes he was well blanketed and had a defender in front of him and sometimes he was more open and in front of the defender.
Double Slant: This play was only useful against man. Both curl routes were consistent. Timing for these are a little different since they are much deeper than the regular variety. Also the RB out of the backfield was always open and had plenty of room to juke himself upfield for 5-10 yard chunks.
I form Normal:
FL hitch: This play needed some modification against the zone. First the TE was sent on a out route and was always open enough to make a safe throw. The left WR was sent on a vertical route to beat the cover 2. The hook route ran by the right WR was open if he was not bumped. The throw was also a little more risky. Against man the TE was always open as well as the hook by the right WR. The left WR was modified to a curl to add another safe route to throw to.
FL hook: The outside curl on the left was money against man, but sucked against the zone. The RB was always wide open too! The other two routes were covered well and too risky to throw to. The zone smashed this play up. Make sure the D is in a man coverage before you run it.
TE quick hit: Almost impossible to stop in a man scheme. The RB is always open. Also the curls work fantastic as long as you got the timing down. The TE route is sometimes open right out the gate, but generally it is better till he gets to the middle of the field because that is where he is even more open and the throw is easier to make. Against the zone the only consistent route I found was the TE route. It also had to be a quick pass otherwise he would be covered upfield.
TE out: The TE was pretty much open everytime on this play. The route by the RB is not as good since he turns upfield quicker. I would audible the right WR to a curl route for a extra safe route. The same goes for the left. Or you could try a slant to the middle of the field. If abyone blitzes you should have a easy throw. The cover 2 shuts this down, except the TE, so be careful. Practice against some zones to see how it works.
I form twin WR:
TE out: This is really the only good play in this formation. First check to see if there is anyone lined over your slot, or if anyone near the slot WR is showing blitz. Make a quick read, normally if they blitz the slot WR is WIDE OPEN for a quick bullet pass. If he is covered then take a look at your TE and RB. One of the should be open. Also I send the left WR on motion sometimes and hot route him to a out route. Against man it is usually open.
Weak I normal:
WR DRAG: Against man coverage switch the TE route to a out route. Also switch the left WR route to a curl. This gives you better options. The RB is usually covered well, but keep a eye on him becuase he could slip out unnoticed. Against the zone do the same except for the reciever. Leave him alone or send him on a vertical. The RB will be open behind the CB zone if you have enough time to wait for him. The streaking WR on the right is always open against both defenses. However the coverage is a little more tight than in previous plays.
Weak I 3 WR
Hook ins: Great against man coverage as is. No adjustments necessary. This play will get squashed against the zone though so be careful! One tip is to send one WR deep and if worse comes to worse just heave it, only on third down though: unless you always go for it on fourth.
Short flood: Change the left WR route to a curl. The slot should be your first read with your RB as a safety valve. The right WR has a very long developing route but is usually open or has a step so try to get protection.
Cross under: Pratically the short flood play above. The left WR runs a short slant to the middle that can be open as long as there is no MLB playing a zone. The slot WR is usually open. Like the short flood the RB is usually covered, but if you see a blitz cances are he will be open. The WR to the right has a route that works okay against the zone, but I would change it to a curl if it is man coverage.
Note about the strong formation: I really don't like any of the plays in the Strong formation. However it is a pretty good run formation. If you have a athletic FB that can catch and run then it is okay to run some pass plays, but as it stands the only ones I can think of are Alstott and Mike Anderson.
Split Backs normal:
Curls: This play works great against man coverage. The routes take a little time to develop so you may want to practice your timing. If faced with a zone then change plays or routes. As we know by now the curls work well against man but get squashed against zone.
WR quick out: This play is a little tricky. First of all the FB runs one of those 2 sided triangle routes. When he cuts towards the inside he is usually open. If you don't think he can catch then flip the play and your RB will be running the route. I would change the route of the left WR to a curl or a slant to the middle. I would also send the right WR deep as a decoy and a deep threat to keep the defense a little honest.
Split Backs 3WR
HB Circle: The RB has the best route on this play. He takes a little while to get open but once he starts moving to the middle of the field he usually has the angle. The slot reciever has a diagonal hard slant route. Very good route that will slice up the defense if there is no one in the middle. The right WR has a deep curl that is money in may coverage. You may want to switch the left WR to maybe a vertical route to draw one of the safeties away from the middel of the field giving the slot reciever a better play on the ball.
Slot Drag: This play has one very good route. The slot reciever has a sneaky underneath route. The quicker he is the better. The defense for some reason plays the RB hard so don't even consider him as a option. However in man change the left WR route to a slant towards the middle of the field. The curl rout as usual is open against man. If they come out in a zone then ignore the RB once again since he will be well covered.
The slot will be open again. The left WR should be left unchanged. That route burns defenses deep. The right WR should be changed to a vertical route to draw a safety from the middle of the field, since that is where the left WR is going to wind up. If you keep getting sacked then leave the RB in to block since he is well covered as it is.
Well thats all. The running on this playbook is a little thin but you should be just fine. This is more of a pass playbook. Also I did run the plays with the NE patriots so if you use them then you should get similar results. Also they have 2 good TE's so the big and twin TE formations are probably a good choice for that team.
END
Well that's about it for right now. I really don't know if I will even finish the team section because quite frankly 2005 might be out by then. But then again I won't mind doing it either if I get some requests. Anyway any additional tips or something I missed can be sent at hithard45@hotmail.com . Also try to visit my site at www.angelfire.com/tx4/videogames113 tell me what you think of the FAQ and the site. It would be greatly appreciated.
