Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

[BIGROC]

I got my balls handed to my DBs in week 3 of Sam's Sophomore awakening. Playing the Patriots, in foxboro, I won, 34-24, but that hardly paints the game. At least 6 lead changes, a penalty negating a pick in the end zone (where in the following play gave up 6... The game was much closer than the score tells (mainly cause I took a cheapo fg... Calling TO with 2 seconds left so my boys, donning AFL Titans unis, against the Pats and their AFL Patriots jerseys.

Demarius Thomas and Ben Watson were instrumental in carving up my coverages. Bradys X Factor went bonkers non stop (almost) the entire game. It was driving me nuts.

So is there any way to be able to double up on one threat so the d can zone in on the other high profile target for the game?

[stinkubus]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Yes, but you need to have some idea about the route(s) that really worry you given the offense's formation.

You can get somewhat decent brackets if you have a good idea what's coming by shrewd play
calling, but QBs with abilities (especially deadeyes) might thread the needle, anyway.

Do you happen to know which plays or routes were giving you the most trouble?

[Kentaurus]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Yes

The simple answer is yes, you can simply assign another player to cover that specific WR with presnap audibles.

Optionally you can highlight/spotlight that WR again using presnap audibles which will cause zone defenders to favor that WR if he is in/around their zone.

[ICE_790120q]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Optionally you can highlight/spotlight that WR again using presnap audibles which will cause zone defenders to favor that WR if he is in/around their zone.

I was about to login to post a question around double teaming a WR. I've been reading the instructions and tutorials online to double team a WR. However I've found I have no time to do all the changes before the ball is snapped. Any suggestions or an easier way to achieve this?

Usually I'm able to do the first step which is click X highlight receiver for man coverage, but then there's a second set of steps to follow to assign the double coverage which I've never seem to be able to complete on time. Worst part is I'm then left with my CB as User controlled while doing the adjustments so I usually miss covering the WR.

Perhaps I'm just too old now to remember/execute the changes in a fraction of a second?

Any suggestions? I was playing against the Falcons yesterday an Julio Jones torched me for 200+ yards as I could not double team him. He was being covered by Josh Norman.

[feeq14]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

So IRL teams don't actually double team recievers, they just call coverages that bracket certain recievers and their routs.

You best bet is to call a normal man coverage with a deep/mid zone and then spotlight the reciever you want to focus on. Then align the cb the opposite of where the extra coverage is. Lastly once you pick up on certain paterns and route concepts in certain formations start usering the extra defender for some lurk INTs.

So you can align the db to the outside then use the inside zone player to play under, or vice versa. It definitely helps cut down from getting torched by one guy.

[purplerat]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

I was about to login to post a question around double teaming a WR. I've been reading the instructions and tutorials online to double team a WR. However I've found I have no time to do all the changes before the ball is snapped. Any suggestions or an easier way to achieve this?

Usually I'm able to do the first step which is click X highlight receiver for man coverage, but then there's a second set of steps to follow to assign the double coverage which I've never seem to be able to complete on time. Worst part is I'm then left with my CB as User controlled while doing the adjustments so I usually miss covering the WR.

Perhaps I'm just too old now to remember/execute the changes in a fraction of a second?

Any suggestions? I was playing against the Falcons yesterday an Julio Jones torched me for 200+ yards as I could not double team him. He was being covered by Josh Norman.

Manually assigning coverage isn't too difficult, it just takes a little practice to get the muscle memory down.

double-pressing the coverage adjustments button (y/triangle) will allow you to select a db to individually adjust. You select which one you want using the assigned button then press up on the right stick for man coverage which will show a button for each receiver. Press the button of the receiver you want covered and that's it.

I know it seems like a lot, and I'm an old guy too with slow fingers, but it's pretty easy and quick once you get the hang of it. And since you aren't actually switching to that db when making the adjustment there's no risk of getting caught controlling them if the ball is snapped before you are done.

That said having 2 defenders in man coverage on 1 receiver isn't particularly effective. There is no advanced AI logic to make them use effective double teams and instead they each cover as if each were individually defending the receiver. The result being that if the receiver runs a route designed to beat man coverage he'll simply beat both defenders.

The better option is to use mixes of zone/man and spotlight receivers. Using manually assigned coverage can still be effective if you come out in zone coverage but assign a db to man cover the WR you want doubled.

[kennylc321]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

They do have this Spotlight receiver thing which is extremely cumbersome to get to before the ball is snapped.

Does it work? I question that. Did it ever work? I question that.

[Hooe]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

They do have this Spotlight receiver thing which is extremely cumbersome to get to before the ball is snapped.

Does it work? I question that. Did it ever work? I question that.

As someone who has used Receiver Spotlight quite a bit over the past several Madden games - it does work, it has always worked, and it is extremely easy to verify in practice mode that it does what it says on the tin.

[TX.Leaguer]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Anyone have any coverage adjustments to stop HB angle routes while in cover 2 man? Barkley kills me on them. Know it’s a man beater, but Leighton and Smith are always 8 yards behind and completely out of the play. Maybe I’m asking too much of them against a great HB?


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[Hooe]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Anyone have any coverage adjustments to stop HB angle routes while in cover 2 man? Barkley kills me on them. Know it’s a man beater, but Leighton and Smith are always 8 yards behind and completely out of the play. Maybe I’m asking too much of them against a great HB?

Try calling Cover 1 Hole instead so you get a natural double team.

You'll have one of the LBs play man against Barkley and the other linebacker will play a 3-Receiver Hook zone so he should stay in the shallow middle and follow the #3 Receiver (by formation outside-in receiver count, not OVR).

Barkley has very good route-running ratings for a RB, so if you stick with 2 Man Under then Smith is probably the only linebacker on the Cowboys roster who has a chance against him (he's the 4th-best MCV LB on the game). Vander Esch and Lee are fine in coverage but not quite good enough and both will probably routinely get dusted by Barkley one-on-one.

[ICE_790120q]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

Manually assigning coverage isn't too difficult, it just takes a little practice to get the muscle memory down.

double-pressing the coverage adjustments button (y/triangle) will allow you to select a db to individually adjust. You select which one you want using the assigned button then press up on the right stick for man coverage which will show a button for each receiver. Press the button of the receiver you want covered and that's it.

I know it seems like a lot, and I'm an old guy too with slow fingers, but it's pretty easy and quick once you get the hang of it. And since you aren't actually switching to that db when making the adjustment there's no risk of getting caught controlling them if the ball is snapped before you are done.

That said having 2 defenders in man coverage on 1 receiver isn't particularly effective. There is no advanced AI logic to make them use effective double teams and instead they each cover as if each were individually defending the receiver. The result being that if the receiver runs a route designed to beat man coverage he'll simply beat both defenders.

The better option is to use mixes of zone/man and spotlight receivers. Using manually assigned coverage can still be effective if you come out in zone coverage but assign a db to man cover the WR you want doubled.

Thanks man, really liked the encouragement but also the insight. This is what these communities should be all about. Cheers!

[GameBreaker35]

Re: Double teaming WR/TE? Is it possible?

As someone who has used Receiver Spotlight quite a bit over the past several Madden games - it does work, it has always worked, and it is extremely easy to verify in practice mode that it does what it says on the tin.

Do you mind explaining what your seeing when you execute the spotlight feature?

I don’t seem to get much additional help when in zone coverage. I figured that using it would cause the defender to cover the highlighted receiver if the defender is threatened with a conflict of assignment — such as a smash concept for example. I’m not seeing this though.