Madden NFL 21 Zone Coverage Patch Coming This Week

[stinkubus]

Quote: Originally Posted by RogueNautilus

Thanks so much, Stinkubus. Very helpful, per usual. The lone route I have a question about is the backside slant, which always seems to be open. Technically, I think the play I'm referring to is the X Slant concept, which has a stick route by the TE but also that backside slant. Is Palms still the call for those plays that combine the TE stick w/ the slant route? Again, much appreciated!

Backside slants can definitely be a problem. They aren't going to get open early but if they get a chance to cross the field then they and the stick route can and will put the user in a bind.

Best course of action in this instance is to sink under the slant and concede the stick route. If you get a good break on the throw you've got a fighting chance of breaking it up anyway. Also a strong 4 man rush can still get through fast enough to prevent the slant from actually getting across the field.

Once you figure out how to play it you're going to be cursing the AI for calling it so much because the play ends up being a wasted down for them so often. I generate tons of failed completions, coverage sacks, user picks, etc.

[CM Hooe]

Does this update bring back the Solo trips check in Cover 4 Quarters? I assume right now that that's not coming back until M22 at this point, but figured I'd check.

[Detroit Tigers]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richie71

I think that's because most of us play cover 3, or some kind of deep zone, so much. I'm sure if you play cover 2 zone, cover 1 and and cover 0, we would see many more passes to WRs.

I’ve been testing this very idea with good results so far. None of us want to get beat over the top, and none of us want to get pushed around by the ground game. This is just natural for any football fan, coach and player. You don’t give an inch and you don’t get beat over the top. Never, ever.

Right?

And look what most of us see as a result: AI that can’t or won’t run (we won’t let them, see above) and AI that can’t or won’t throw deep (we won’t let them, see above).

I think the AI running game being garbage is the same way. Before the AI will run effectively, or at all, you have to give it some breathing room. Stuffing the AI nine times in a row on their first nine rushing attempts is not how you get the AI to “run the ball better.” The AI runs the ball better when you successfully commit to stopping the pass.

Etc.

Like I said, just something I’ve been looking at and results are nice so far.

[stinkubus]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Does this update bring back the Solo trips check in Cover 4 Quarters? I assume right now that that's not coming back until M22 at this point, but figured I'd check.

It wasn't in the notes but sometimes stuff gets done and it's not there so you might want to test it.

I'm really digging split field this year against trips. If opponent has strong personnel or is a savvy play caller they can really make you pay for leaving your CBs on islands too much. It's a nice nerf, really. Quarters/Palms were both far too powerful as individual play calls in each of the last two games. There were some really good nerfs to inside zones too, but these did magnify some existing flaws in instances where players struggled to transition.

There were notes related to tuning some of these transitions. so some of these problems may be fixed. I'll be anxious to see what happens the next time the AI runs China against me when I've called Palms. The corner routes on some of these plays will dust literally any safety using any receiver because they get stuck.

These transitioning issues have been in the game since the introduction of match coverages. 90 ZCV could overcome it well enough in M19 although an opponent who knew about it could force you out of Palms against them because spamming it would've been more than viable.

M20 the zone ability or universal coverage did the trick. You could still get beat but sometimes the stars align and your guy made a play.

The nerfs to player movement exacerbated the issue the point it couldn't be overcome anymore, I reckon.

[Smoke6]

Like I never could understand how a pass defense such as cover 3-4 drop can stop the run so effectively! I play online and a majority of players rely on that defense along with pinch buck but not so much on nex gen but still, I have 7 linemen that get smacked by 3 and a LB when I should shred that play up no matter the team.

Like I said it happens every now and then online to the point it just overwhelmingly works to the point you’re ready to break your controller!

And guns trips inside zone is so OP and abused it’s not even funny against speed backs and power backs when you’re set up for the run game!