How do you make playing defense fun?

[goillini03]

Hello all,

The title is pretty self-explanatory but I will add some stuff below. How do you find enjoyment playing defense? I am not new to video game football, and I have good knowledge of how defenses are setup to work. I just constantly struggle to find any enjoyment playing that side of the ball.

It feels like the CPU finds people open at will and the only time I actually can gets stops is by pure luck. It leads to me hating even playing defense. I have tried different difficultly settings, sliders but I never seem to end up with anything that feels enjoyable. It is either I shut the CPU down too much, or they just torch me.

To add to this, this mostly comes from playing pass defense. Any thoughts? I try to mix up zone and man, and attempt to mix blitzes in on each possession.

[PhillyPhanatic14]

Defense is my favorite thing to do in Madden. I play Nickel and rotate between Cover 3 & Cover 6, while tossing in some man blitzes when I sense there's a run coming or on 3rd downs from time to time.


I always user one of the two LB's and it's a ton of fun patrolling the middle of the field, baiting the CPU into INT's, and trying to chase down plays in the running and passing game.

[Shosum13]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhillyPhanatic14

Defense is my favorite thing to do in Madden. I play Nickel and rotate between Cover 3 & Cover 6, while tossing in some man blitzes when I sense there's a run coming or on 3rd downs from time to time. I always user one of the two LB's and it's a ton of fun patrolling the middle of the field, baiting the CPU into INT's, and trying to chase down plays in the running and passing game.

I’m the same way, I like to take either a LB or a safety and patrol the middle of the field. Sometimes I will switch it up and take user the nickel back especially if I think something like a swing screen is coming. I used to just user someone on the d-line every play and it was definitely a far less enjoyable experience playing defense. Once I started playing more h2h match’s both online play now and online leagues I started getting better at usering a player in coverage out of necessity because you are putting yourself at a disadvantage just using a pass rusher. This has now led to me always usering a LB or safety even against the CPU in my side franchises and I have a lot more fun playing defense. Especially since I play on all madden so it can be a real challenge to stop the CPU QB a lot of times which makes it that much more satisfying when you read it correct and user lurk the CPU.

[goillini03]

I guess my frustration is with the other 10 men on the field. Too often my guys do not do their job, or make absolutely dumb routes towards the ball/ play. It leaves me more frustrated than anything.

[ednaaard]

Now they've improved the defensive camera when locking on to a single defensive player, I've started using the SS or FS and pressing L3 to lock to him. It flips the camera so it's behind the defence, and it's a lot more fun.

Unfortunately Madden CPU seems to like just playing underneath stuff even when it's X and long, but if you user a linebacker it can be more entertaining.

[timmg]

Play no switch, pick a player, control that player throughout the entire play. I know u said defense, but on Offense once I pick my play & we break the huddle I NEVER bring up the playart again, so I have to memorize the routes

[PhillyPhanatic14]

Quote: Originally Posted by goillini03

I guess my frustration is with the other 10 men on the field. Too often my guys do not do their job, or make absolutely dumb routes towards the ball/ play. It leaves me more frustrated than anything.

I totally get that. I have noticed that the QB's who aren't as good tend to drop it off short a lot so i'll play Cover 3 and then do a defensive adjustment to play shallow (or whatever it's called) so one safety and the one CB that would normally play a zone about 8-15 yds deep will come up to the line and play the underneath shallow stuff. I also press my corners so their guys don't get a free release. If the other team has a really good WR then I always do the play overtop (or whatever it's called lol) coverage adjustment when pressing. It simulates a press-bail technique which keeps them in front of my corners.

Usually the mix of those things will keep their offensive in front of me and they have to either beat me in the middle or dink and dunk their way down field. Robo QB gets annoying, but I try to blitz more if i notice that getting out of hand.

One blitz I use for that is playing the normal Cover 3 or Cover 6 out of Nickel. In those coverages the two MLBs protect the middle of the field. So I will send one MLB on a blitz and let the AI control them and then I'll user the other and try to protect the whole middle with one guy. It doesn't always work, but it generates pressure most times while still keeping the whole field covered if i do my job.

[goillini03]

Thanks all! Some things I need to try out.