Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

[jt2000]

I have always notice that nobody talk about the defense side of the ball when it comes to planning a scheme. Its always offense as in 3 running plays and one passing plays. On defense when I set my up. I run a 3-4, mixed in with 46, nickle, dime, and 4-3. Its like having a "global playbook" of old. I usually pick a blitz, zone blitz, cover 6 or 9, and a hard flat cover 2 and then mix then in with other plays. How do you all set yours up?

[timhere1970]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I try to make playbook that plays to strength of my defense. I usually run a 4-3 because I find I get more preassure. The major problem with madden though is you can't play strong side weak side with the players you want. I cant have a pass rushing olb and a coverage outside linebacker and put them where I want them. Auto flip does not flip the players so you can't make it work. Same with safeties and defensive linemen. That really kills defensive scheming for me.

So what I do is turn off auto flip and make a playbook out of a bunch of different formations where players play mostly to their strength.

[adembroski]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

My core defense is under cover 3, and nearly everything I run is a variation of that.

I prefer to remain in base when possible. 4-3 Under, Cover 3 Match Press is my vastly most common call. I generally don't use nickle unless I'm facing 4 or more receivers or I've utterly buried their run game.

It's totally about personnel fit and as long as you have the right people, they don't have to all be probowlers. You want a FS with SPD and ZCV, a SS with PRC and ZCV, CBs with PRS and ZCV, a SAM with STR and BKB, MATT and WILL with PRC and TAK, a LE and NT with STR and BKB, a UT and RE with either pass rush.

I'll move to an over front in running situations, but otherwise I'm very under focused.

Nice thing is, the 49ers are actually running this defense now so I wont have to change playbooks.

[patsfan1993]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

My core defense is under cover 3, and nearly everything I run is a variation of that.

I prefer to remain in base when possible. 4-3 Under, Cover 3 Match Press is my vastly most common call. I generally don't use nickle unless I'm facing 4 or more receivers or I've utterly buried their run game.

It's totally about personnel fit and as long as you have the right people, they don't have to all be probowlers. You want a FS with SPD and ZCV, a SS with PRC and ZCV, CBs with PRS and ZCV, a SAM with STR and BKB, MATT and WILL with PRC and TAK, a LE and NT with STR and BKB, a UT and RE with either pass rush.

I'll move to an over front in running situations, but otherwise I'm very under focused.

Nice thing is, the 49ers are actually running this defense now so I wont have to change playbooks.

What advantages do you see for running an under defense?

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[roll2tide]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

3-4 and Nickel 2-4-5.

The variations and adjustments I make are numerous. I'll share one setup that I have a lot of red zone success with.

3-4 solid, cover 2 zone. Freeze the defenders. Set the FS/SS on the wide side to a purple buzz zone. Set the blitzing OLB to a spy. Set the other S to a yellow hook zone. User the MLB on the same side as the hook zone S and cover the middle along the back of the end zone.

Result:

* 3 DL rushing/run defense
*1 MLB/1 OLB in hook zones close to LOS
*1 OLB spying in immediate pursuit of a RB, moving to middle under the hook zones as a spy, and playing the QB run.
*1 S coming towards the LOS in a hook zone
*1 S running to the corner with depth
*2 CB playing the flats
* 1 usered MLB playing middle with depth

The one opening is the short side corner but it's tough to find in time and make an accurate throw. This has given me great red zone defense for the last 2 years if the LOS is at the 7-8 yard line or in.

Be Good Or Be Gone
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[Ampking101]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

It really depends on what I'm looking to achieve. If I'm focusing on pass defense I'm a 3-4 guy, if I'm focusing on run defense I go 4-3.

I like to go 3-4 because my ideal strategy for building a defense is from the linebackers out and with that being the case I like going with a linebacking corps that can both rush and drop into coverage and with that being the case I have essentially 4 guys who I can disguise that keeps the guessing game going. I prefer zone blitzes where I'm pulling one of my middle linebackers through the middle on the blitz and pulling one of my outside linebackers into coverage, it can cause some decent confusion long enough to get a sack or an incompletion. I also find that cover 1 is really effective against the pass if you can send one of your zone guys on a fake blitz it can sometimes result in either a quick dump off or if you are lucky a pick over the middle. Cover 2 Man is also nice if you have guys that can get consistant pressure but if not base cover 2 zone along with zone blitzes is a nice way to clog up passing windows to try to force coverage sacks. The personnel I usually look for here is two outside linebackers who are preferably good at rushing and decent at coverage, one middle linebacker who is proficiant at rushing and the other who is proficiant at coverage, two corners who a good at man coverage and my nickle who is good at zone, both safeties good at zone with my strong safety preferably being decent at run support and my free safety having serviceable man coverage, and two big body defensive ends with good block shed that can clog holes and eat up running lanes.

As for 4-3 it is a bit harder to build from the linebacking corps out as there is usually only 1 or 2 on the field unless you are always running base 4-3. So I build from the line out instead. In a 4-3 blitzing is less impactful so I find myself running more coverage packages with 4 rushers. A lot of cover 2 zone, cover 3, cover 6, and occasional cover 2 man if I feel my corners can handle the press. What I look for in personnel is generally a middle linebacker that can do a little of everything, one outside linebacker that can cover and one that can rush, one big body defensive tackle who has high block shed and a smaller one that is good at rushing, two defensive ends that are quick and have good rushing preferably one having high block shed, two corners who can cover in zone and has high press, and 2 faster safeties that can cover.

Out of the two my preference is 3-4 but I usually give up a lot of yardage on the ground which I don't mind if I can force them to nickle and dime which increases the chance for mistakes. It really depends on my personnel though and what I havr to work with and I try to build a strategy to work to my teams strengths.

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[DSonTL]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I'ma Tampa 2 guy at heart so that's what I'm going after. I like to see if I can stop the run and pass rush with just 4. I'm not a heavy blitz guy. They occasional DB blitz... But that's it. Im very committed to the T2.

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[adembroski]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

What advantages do you see for running an under defense?

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Well defined personnel roles. Every position's job is clear and fairly one dimensional, so you can get away with lesser athletes so long as they fit their role.

Also, it creates a pass rush advantage to the underside with a 9-3 tech combo. It effectively gives you two REs because they're both rushing from hard to double team spots. This was the brilliance of the Tampa 2 and it's carried over to the modern Seahawk 3.

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[ggsimmonds]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I basically run Pete Carrol's defense, though I moved towards it completely independent of him.

For those that don't know, it is a single high safety 4-3 under defense. I cannot overstate how much it sucks that Madden defense does not have proper positions like SAM and WILL. Because of this my defense is half effective as it should be, but I still love the scheme.

For those who are interested, here is how I progressed to this defense:

Spoiler

I've been favoring a 4-3 for the past 10 years or so, but originally never had a clearly defined scheme I followed. Madden just replicated the 4-3 better than 3-4, and that is basically the only reason I originally favored it.

Then I came across an awesome article about the Tampa 2 and their under front, and how it made Warren Sapp a HOFer. I love the under front for reasons adembroski already stated.

But before long I realized that Ed Reed's talents were kind of wasted playing a deep half zone. I started usering him in centerfield and keeping the SS in the box to help vs the run and underneath passes.

My move towards a press defense largely comes down to one guy --
Derrick Mason. Back when he played for the Ravens I was a Madden god compared to my friends. Quite simply none of them could beat me, but it wasn't only because I was so much better than them. They didn't pay attention to matchups. If you are not aware, Mason had a release rating in the 50s I think. I was aware that if they pressed Mason at the line my offense was dead in the water. Because of this, I understood the value of being able to play press man and have never looked back.

It was only after I adopted this defense that I realized it was Pete's defense.
I think it is pretty awesome how that happened.

My personnel choices are completely determined by my scheme, so if you are aware of the 4-3 under front and single high press you already know what I look for at every position. If not, google it. It is well worth the read (you may even come across the same article that originally prompted me to adopt the under front!).

Edit: I should note, that in my franchises I never make the switch until after the first year. So I am currently running the Ravens default playbook, but am planning the switch to my 4-3 under. Really bummed that we lost Jernigan as I always developed him into a stud 3 tech.

[burnum]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I'd love to run a 4-3 Under scheme (as laid out by adembroski and ggsimmonds) but the game's lack of strong/weak side alignment makes it nearly impossible to run it perfectly.

I'm playing with the Dolphins, so I want Suh as my 3-tech and Jordan Phillips as the NT/1-tech. However, as soon as the CPU lines up the TE to the left side of the field, the alignment switches and Suh automatically becomes the NT/1-tech. I think the only way to stop this would be to turn off 'auto-flip'.

The same could be said for the Safeties - the game switches alignments and suddenly your FS plays in the box and your SS is used as the Centerfielder.

Is there a way to get this to work?

[StefJoeHalt]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

Like others have stated I was really enjoying 43 under..the only difference is I used Madden's 34 predator as it will move the LOLB to strong side always and I used ROLB as the LEO end who always moves to weak side (the issue is UT does not move)...I would mix in OVER ED as my "43 over" as it always aligned my LEO weak side..and then LE strong side always...however the past two years been mixing in 43 wide 9 however with minor line adjustment of "pinching the line" which causes the ends to be more of 5/6i tech and DT's in 2i..

when using under front mostly cover 3 with a small mix of cover 2..when in my modified wide 6ish/9 mostly cover 2 mix with cover 4..dont blitz often unless im "Dollar"

[DSonTL]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I just had an idea since you can't have ideal personnel due to formation flips.. I was thinking about literally basing out of the 4-3 Normal and prototype linemen speed and strength and a mlb that's the only true LB in the formation and outside lbs that play like safeties... Alas the Miami defense... [emoji848]

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[reyes the roof]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I usually run a 4-3 under defense, cover 3 on run downs and cover 2 on passing downs. I'm trying a 3-4 this year since that's what the Bears run, I wanted to stay zone oriented but I'm having no luck so I need to stock up on some man corners

[jt2000]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I run a 3-4/4-3 hybird defense that includes all three 46 formations and nickle and dime formations coming from both PB's. Which I took Oakland and New England's and make one playbook out of the two. Here is my setup:

RE - Power moves and speed
DT 1 and 2- Strength
LE -Finesse moves and speed
ROLB - Man coverage
MLB's - Zone coverage
LOLB - Block shedding and speed. (all he will be doing is blitzing)
CB's -Man coverage and speed
FS - Zone coverage and hit power
SS- Zone coverage and hit power.

[BB_Dynasty]

Re: Everybody talks offense schemes. Lets talks defense schemes

I'm a 4-3 guy, but usually my scheme adapts to whatever the Bills are IRL. My preference has always been a 4-3/Tampa 2 type scheme. I mix up my coverage, but my most common is some type of cover 2. I hate when the Bills are a 3-4. I'm not as good using the 3-4.