Coverage Audibles overriding Man-Match principles?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I've been seeing a number of complaints about the coverages in the Next-Gen 22 and I'm curious if there is a linkage here. I noticed that I was giving up wide open TDs while in Cover 4 shells so I went into Practice Mode to try it out.


I set up Cover 4 Palms on defense and then ran an empty set four verticals on the other side


Now to my understanding, in Palms the Strong Safety is supposed to read the #2 on his side (Red route) and then go man on him when he goes vertical. The way it seems to be programmed is that the SS actually chases the Tight End crosser and leaves the #2 to the slot corner to go man on him. If you don't touch anything that's how it seems to play out.


However, if I used any coverage audible (Inside, Outside, Underneath, Overtop), it changed the slot defender back into the curl zone thats on the play art - meaning he would *not* go into man and the Red Route would end up absolutely unguarded.


Anyway, I'm wondering if that's the cause of these busted coverages - gamers using the coverage audible settings and breaking the play's logic. Someone with more Xs and Os knowledge than me might want to try labbing it.

[Aestis]

Re: Coverage Audibles overriding Man-Match principles?

High level, I know in M21 any shade would eliminate matching principles and change the play into a vanilla spot-drop zone. I don't know if that's still the case.

[SolidSquid]

Re: Coverage Audibles overriding Man-Match principles?

I believe whenever they added the coverage adjustments they said it would overrride match principles

[Hooe]

Re: Coverage Audibles overriding Man-Match principles?

There are several triggers of which any one of them will disable the pattern matching logic built in Cover 3 Match / Cover 3 Buzz Match / Cover 4 Quarters / Cover 4 Palms:

1 - Using underneath / overtop coverage shading adjustments pre-snap will disable pattern matching. You can see when this happens, actually; underneath will change the purple quarter flat zones to light blue hard flat zones, and overtop will change the quarter flat zones to purple curl flat zones.

2 - If you have any zone depth options set in play-call Coaching Adjustments, pattern match is disabled by default. With zone depth coaching adjustment options configured, however, you may use the reset play audible at the line of scrimmage (on PS5: Square, then L2) to disable those options for one play, and that restores the pattern matching.

3 - When playing Cover 3 Match or Cover 3 Buzz Match: if the offense has three or more receivers on one side of the formation at the snap of the ball (not including running backs in the backfield; there must be at least three eligible receivers outside the offensive tackle), pattern matching is disabled and the play reverts to Cover 3 Sky / Cover 3 Buzz. Trips checks for Cover 3 Match were previously introduced in Madden 17 / 18 but have been missing from the series since Madden 19.

4 - When playing Cover 4 Quarters or Cover 4 Palms: if the offense has four receivers on one side of the formation at the snap of the ball (be it the default alignment, legacy man-in-motion, or jet / orbit motion) and they all run either vertical or strong-side routes, pattern match is disabled. There is no quads check for any pattern match coverage in Madden 22; both Quarters and Palms will revert to Cover 4 Drop in this case.

I hope this is exhaustive? I also do hope pattern matching coverage is expanded upon going forward.