Stringing together plays

[saluteme757]

Im looking to get better strategically and need to understand playcalling in football better so if anyone can help that would be great. I'm just an average player. I do have a winning record online just from playing conservative and milking the clock. I got to the top 5% in ranked matches and of course play styles vary and become more extreme. What I want to know is what are you looking for in the formations and the plays to have a good series? I somewhat figured out the run game and if I'm wrong correct me but with the Falcons I will run HB Dive in order to get to HB cutback or I will combine HB search with HB cutback. It's helped so far with my run game but how do you even begin with the passing game? I started off selecting from the strategy suggestions and matching up with what the defense is running but I want to get away from that and choose my own plays.

[ggsimmonds]

If you want to learn the strategy aspect there are some websites that offer invaluable information.
My favorite two are smart football and a series by Mat Bowen.
Matt writes for Bleacher Report now and while I am not a fan of the site, he produces insightful articles.

I will say this right now. If you want to be an elite Madden gamer you will have to have a different approach to the game and it is an approach that I hate. You have to learn to play Madden instead of learning to play football.


Game wise the most important thing is to become fully comfortable with your playbook. You want to be able to do the same thing from different formations and different things from the same formation. What I mean is don't be a guy that only calls Shotgun spread on 3rd down because you run circle.

I cannot explain my full offense in this post but here is a general guideline. It is basically the type of plays I tend to call in each situation.

First down -- run, flanker drive, curl flat, slot drive, shallow cross

2nd and long -- run, screens, smash, all the above plays

6> yards to a first down -- z-spot, stick, spacing, "under" plays, angle routes out of the back field

6< yards to a first down -- Dagger (dig routes), post routes, deep outs, corner routes., Texas concept

One thing I suggest is to develop something of a concept driven offense. I don't mean call plays by using the concept menu. I for example love me some hi lo reads. I think the game refers to it as levels. 75% of my playbook is runs, levels, and PA crosses. By doing this at least initially on most plays (even if they are different) you are making the same kinds of reads.

It is also good to know what kind of adjustments to make. If I see that my opponent is running a lot of man defense I start running more bunch and tight sets and concepts like mesh.

Here is what I like to call based on coverage:

Cover 2 man -- crossing routes, slants, deep outs (somewhat risky), plays with "switches." bunch and tight sets are your friend

cover 1 man -- corner, corner , corner. Deep outs, comebacks, curls. Unbalanced sets help (e.g. I form twins. Hit that TE on a corner!)

Cover 2 zone -- trips formation. smash, 4 verticals, slot post with outside streaks, my hi lo plays and take the under neath

Cover 3 -- curl flats, deep outs, crossers, hi lo

Cover 4 -- dagger, dagger, dagger. "pin" concept (find a shallow cross that has a outside skinny post), PA crossers screens. It may surprise you but cover 4 is when I typically get good yardage.

Other people vary though. I run more of a nickel and dime offense. My typical drive is like 10 plays. Other people run more of a vertical stretch offense.

[saluteme757]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

If you want to learn the strategy aspect there are some websites that offer invaluable information. My favorite two are smart football and a series by Mat Bowen. Matt writes for Bleacher Report now and while I am not a fan of the site, he produces insightful articles. I will say this right now. If you want to be an elite Madden gamer you will have to have a different approach to the game and it is an approach that I hate. You have to learn to play Madden instead of learning to play football. Game wise the most important thing is to become fully comfortable with your playbook. You want to be able to do the same thing from different formations and different things from the same formation. What I mean is don't be a guy that only calls Shotgun spread on 3rd down because you run circle. I cannot explain my full offense in this post but here is a general guideline. It is basically the type of plays I tend to call in each situation. First down -- run, flanker drive, curl flat, slot drive, shallow cross 2nd and long -- run, screens, smash, all the above plays 6> yards to a first down -- z-spot, stick, spacing, "under" plays, angle routes out of the back field 6< yards to a first down -- Dagger (dig routes), post routes, deep outs, corner routes., Texas concept One thing I suggest is to develop something of a concept driven offense. I don't mean call plays by using the concept menu. I for example love me some hi lo reads. I think the game refers to it as levels. 75% of my playbook is runs, levels, and PA crosses. By doing this at least initially on most plays (even if they are different) you are making the same kinds of reads. It is also good to know what kind of adjustments to make. If I see that my opponent is running a lot of man defense I start running more bunch and tight sets and concepts like mesh. Here is what I like to call based on coverage: Cover 2 man -- crossing routes, slants, deep outs (somewhat risky), plays with "switches." bunch and tight sets are your friend cover 1 man -- corner, corner , corner. Deep outs, comebacks, curls. Unbalanced sets help (e.g. I form twins. Hit that TE on a corner!) Cover 2 zone -- trips formation. smash, 4 verticals, slot post with outside streaks, my hi lo plays and take the under neath Cover 3 -- curl flats, deep outs, crossers, hi lo Cover 4 -- dagger, dagger, dagger. "pin" concept (find a shallow cross that has a outside skinny post), PA crossers screens. It may surprise you but cover 4 is when I typically get good yardage. Other people vary though. I run more of a nickel and dime offense. My typical drive is like 10 plays. Other people run more of a vertical stretch offense.

That's good stuff. Thanks. I guess I need to start using the practice field to learn my playbook is my biggest problem.