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Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

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Old 08-17-2017, 06:38 PM   #25
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ggsimmonds
You could scour youtube for some videos.
Edit: ah that was just presnap. I'll see if I can find a better one for you
@ggsimmonds or anyone else, another question I had was how do you figure out how many DBs are on the defense. I've heard folks say "Oh it was a Nickel (or Dime) formation so I audibled to a run" or "there were 5/6 DBs so I ran the ball". But I can't figure out the actual defensive personnel (no. of DBs or LBs).

So is there a way for you to figure out defensive personnel (or no. of DBs) on the play?
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Old 08-17-2017, 06:39 PM   #26
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

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Originally Posted by Alfie
I find it surprising that most Madden youtubers/channles focus mostly on "Money plays" instead of coming up with a post-snap coverage tutorial coz that will remove any need for money plays.

I mean when you can identify a coverage post-snap you can make any play a "money play". That's why i strongly feel Madden should add post-snap coverage read as part of the defensive coverages tutorial.
Only one I could find that talks about post snap


It is hard for me to explain on a message board how to read coverages post snap because for guys like me that have been doing it for so long it kind of comes naturally.

The easiest example I can give is one that happens frequently in Madden. Presnap the defense gives you a 2 deep press look. Using the coach stick your X receiver has an advantage in speed and release. He is running a go route, but because it is a 2 deep look that is not your primary target. (For now I'll simplify it and say the X receiver lines up on the same side as the TE. That is not necessarily correct but it works for now)

I snap the ball and because my first read is always the middle, i.e. the inside LBs and safeties, I immediately see the SS come down and the FS drop back to deep center. Without making anymore reads I immediately throw the deep ball to the X receiver even though I just said he is not my primary target. (before throwing I will "peek" to make sure he got off the line cleanly).

Because that SS came down and the corner was in press alignment I knew I had my shot, because there is no one on that deep part of the field. I don't care if it is cover 1 press, or cover 3 press. Makes no difference. I don't make that pass if that SS drops deep though.

Like I said, that is the easiest example, but it illustrates the point -- all you do when you read the coverage post snap is see where the defenders are going. Thats it, don't get hung up on trying to identify the whole play.
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Old 08-17-2017, 06:46 PM   #27
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alfie
@ggsimmonds or anyone else, another question I had was how do you figure out how many DBs are on the defense. I've heard folks say "Oh it was a Nickel (or Dime) formation so I audibled to a run" or "there were 5/6 DBs so I ran the ball". But I can't figure out the actual defensive personnel (no. of DBs or LBs).

So is there a way for you to figure out defensive personnel (or no. of DBs) on the play?
Yeah so this is pretty simple.

Possibly quick answer -- DB (defensive back) is just what is used to describe both cornerbacks and safeties, so the short answer is no. of cornerbacks plus no. of safeties = number of DBs.

Traditionally base defenses have been 4-3 or 3-4. Those numbers tell you no. of lineman and number of linebackers. So 4-3 has 4 lineman, 3 linebackers.
Both the 4-3 and 3-4 will have 4 DBs -- two safeties and two corners.

In nickel, typically one linebacker is replaced by a corner back, giving you 5 (hence nickel) DBs. A team that uses a 3-4 as its base defense will use a 3-3-5 nickel (3 linemen, 3 linebackers, 5 DBs).
A 4-3 team will use a 4-2-5 setup - 4 linemen, 2 LBs, 5 DBs.

Same thing for dime, replace a linebacker with a cornerback.

Edit: Here are some pictures:


Nickel defense:

Last edited by ggsimmonds; 08-17-2017 at 06:50 PM.
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Old 08-17-2017, 06:48 PM   #28
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

before the snap - @cheerleaders
after the play is over - @cheerleaders
everything in between is just football

but seriously, after the snap on pass plays, I tend to favor patterns across the middle of the field, then RB's out of the backfield. occasionally I will look to a deep route first, or to a receiver running an out.
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Old 08-17-2017, 07:06 PM   #29
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

Another good tip I use, which came from Bill Walsh (surprisingly effective in video game football).

If you're calling certain concepts, pick one side of the field and follow your progressions there. For example, suppose you have a symmetrical play called, with outs on either side, with rb's leaking to the flat. Don't look at both WRs at the snap. Choose one side and work through your progressions on that side of the field.
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Old 08-17-2017, 07:34 PM   #30
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

Most people stare at the middle of the screen and try to hit a slant, drag, crossing route, post, etc. That's why when u play online, people control the LB and roam the middle of the field because they know that's where the opponent wants to with the ball. Back in the day, you had to defend the deep ball and look for the run so good players would control a safety.

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Old 08-28-2017, 09:23 PM   #31
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ggsimmonds
Each pass I generally follow the same process:

1. Walking to the line I check the position of safeties, then outside corners. This alerts me to the over the top coverage and whether the middle is open (MOFO) or closed (MOFC). It also helps to know if corners are pressing.

2. Then I look at the underneath defenders and the front. Sometimes this step along with 1 will tell me if it is zone or man, more often I need more. This is more of a quick glance to look for flags (e.g. showing blitz)

3. I use the coach stick to check my matchups. If a corner is pressing my Z receiver I check the release figure, check route running, etc.

4. Pull back with coach's cam to get a good view of everything. This is the important step, and it takes practice. You are trying to decipher what defense they are in, trying to figure out everyone's assignments. Note: I haven't played 18 but this is when I would ID the Mike.

4b. Often times I can locate that one defender that spills the entire defense. You know what he is doing, you probably know what everyone else is doing. This is huge and takes a lot of time to learn. A good example is the weakside underneath defender. You want to find him and see what he is doing.

5. Do any hot routes or adjustments. In time you will learn how to use hot routes beyond cheese. Lets say you call z-spot and read zone. I'd consider putting the X receiver on a comeback route. You still got your playside zone buster, but if you are wrong you got a man beater on the backside, and due to the timing (comeback is a slow developing route), you don't have to rush. By the time your playside reads are finished, the comeback is there.

6. More of a ritual than anything else, but just before I snap the ball I take one last look at coach cam, and as I do I sit upright. THen when I release coach cam I lean forward again, the same way a QB does in shotgun. Like I said, ritual lol

After the snap,

1. Read the middle of the field, the two safeties and the LBs. This is hard for some people, but I find it is the best thing. Make sure the safeties are doing what you thought they would, e.g. if they came out in 2 deep alignment but after the snap go into a robber you have to catch that! The LBs very often give you a strong tell of what defense they are in. In general if they turn their hips to you it is man, if they stay faced up it is zone.

2. Read your key defender from 4b. This could be someone you think tells you the defense (weakside LB in a single high safety look, if he breaks for the flats its a good indicator you are looking at cover 3). Or it could be the typical hot read, where you check a guy that could be blitzing.

One and two should be enough to tell you everything you need to know.

I try not to read my receivers. Watching and waiting for your guys to get open is not a good approach. Know the play you called and where everybody is going, read where everybody is going. Look for open spots on the field, not open receivers.

Just before throwing I "peek" at my WRs, and sometimes right after the snap I peek to see if they get jammed or off the line. Other than that my eyes aren't typically on my guys.
This is pretty much spot on. But, I wanna add a couple things.

It was this way in Madden 17, and is more so in Madden 18. You have to THINK like a coach. Being able to read the coverage is great. But, you also have to know how to BEAT the coverage once you read it.

I know it doesn't exactly fit the topic, but in a way it does. Before you can focus on reading the defense, you have to KNOW your playbook. You have to know your personnel. For instance, if you have a power back with average speed, you probably won't be able to bust outside runs that often. If your receivers are slow, then running fly routes probably isn't a good thing to do all the time. KNOW your offense, and what you do well. Set up your audibles. Have a play that can beat any coverage. Have a deep pass, a play action pass, a slant, or screen, and a run play.

Probably 80% of the time, I don't call a play, I call a FORMATION. I have an idea of what I want to do. But, the defensive coverage will dictate what I will actually do. First thing I do is look at the number of defensive backs, and how many players are "In the box" 6 or less players in the box, and I automatically audible to a run play. More than 6, then I read the coverage. See where the safeties are, and how close the corners are lined up to your receivers. Reading the position of the safeties can give you a relatively good idea of the type of coverage. If the corners are right up on the line, they are most likely playing press. Press coverage can be susceptible to deep routes. If the corners are playing off the receiver (giving them a cushion) then adjust your route with a hot route.

If you read a certain coverage, have a play in mind that will beat it, and audible to it.

In a nutshell, what I'm saying, is 80% of the time, I don't actually call the play I want to run, until I am at the line of scrimmage.
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Old 08-28-2017, 09:55 PM   #32
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Re: Where are you looking on the field when you are playing QB?

I wish I had some advice to give you, but no matter how good my pre snap read is I turn in to Jay Cutler the second I snap the ball and force it to my first read regardless of what I see
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