Help me call better defense

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hammerhunker

)So, to piggyback on what to call, who and how do I control a player without totally screwing the pooch each play (surely I am not the only one)?

Usering defensive line is satisfying and helpful IMO. If they are in shotgun with a halfback, I like to take the DE opposite the halfback (to attack zone plays). If other situations, I take the DE to the wide side of the field to contain scrambles.

[somecoach]

If you can find the OLBs to do it, running a 3-4 and playing press quarters is a very good base.

Basics:

DL:
3 down, slanting to the strength (under center) or opposite of the back (gun). It’s usually an aggressive thing to do, but with four other LBs and the safeties playing in the alleys it’s about as safe as you can ever slant. Personnel wise, you’re going to want 300+ DTs to stop the run and 275+ DEs who can get after the quarterback.

OLB: The OLB to the side you’re slanting to is rushing the passer. If you’re going to rush four, an OLB is going to drop. This is what sucks about the 3-4. You have to be comfortable dropping your best pass rusher and he also has to be able to cover.

ILB: Look for coverage guys at 230+.

DB: Press align. Outside align. Play over the top. Make windows small for QBs to throw into and if they complete a pass you need to hit stick to punish them for hitting you over the middle. Players don’t get ejected in Madden. Sell out for zone points instead of man points.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by somecoach

If you can find the OLBs to do it, running a 3-4 and playing press quarters is a very good base. Basics: DL: 3 down, slanting to the strength (under center) or opposite of the back (gun). It’s usually an aggressive thing to do, but with four other LBs and the safeties playing in the alleys it’s about as safe as you can ever slant. Personnel wise, you’re going to want 300+ DTs to stop the run and 275+ DEs who can get after the quarterback. OLB: The OLB to the side you’re slanting to is rushing the passer. If you’re going to rush four, an OLB is going to drop. This is what sucks about the 3-4. You have to be comfortable dropping your best pass rusher and he also has to be able to cover. ILB: Look for coverage guys at 230+. DB: Press align. Outside align. Play over the top. Make windows small for QBs to throw into and if they complete a pass you need to hit stick to punish them for hitting you over the middle. Players don’t get ejected in Madden. Sell out for zone points instead of man points. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Coach, is Press Quarters a spot-drop or a match call in Madden 22?

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by RogueHominid

Coach, is Press Quarters a spot-drop or a match call in Madden 22?

Against 2x2 and other non-trips formations, both the specific play named Press Quarters and Cover 4 Quarters with the press pre-play adjustment called play match coverage with boundary man lock.

The boundary cornerbacks will play man-to-man on the #1 receiver on each side regardless of the route while the quarter flat, 3-Rec, and inside quarter players will play match coverage.

EDIT: a couple additional considerations: from Cover 4 Quarters, calling for only one boundary cornerback to press will put only that cornerback in man lock. It appears there are exceptions based on the route combination and the user defender? Sometimes the boundary CB will release to his help against the slant-flat "Dragon" concept, but if you user the same side Quarter Flat defender, he will stay locked.

[RogueHominid]

Very helpful, thanks!

I have an additional, related question that I've asked before but can't remember the answer to:

If you want to run, say, press quarters, or maybe C3 match press, as base, bread and butter calls, are you looking to develop your CBs and Ss as primarily ZCV, primarily MCV, or mixed-skills types.

The reason I ask is that once you start drafting generated players and developing, they often come in with more defined and distinct skill sets (clearly better at MCV or ZCV) than base-roster players (though top-end guys can be more closely grouped). It seems like from a GM/player-development strategy, it'd be good to know which of those coverage skills is more important for that type of defense, especially since it can be tough to develop guys to be equally proficient in man and zone while also being actually good at both.

Coach, your take is that the ZCV rating is predominant in these calls, correct?

CM, is that your take as well, or is yours different?

[RogueHominid]

I'm running a coverage lab on Twitch w/ Decentatbest from OS in-stream here: https://www.twitch.tv/roguehominin.

If you want to stop by and contribute some football knowledge to the discussion & help me lab concepts and responsibilities, it'd be a delight to have you!

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by RogueHominid

Very helpful, thanks! I have an additional, related question that I've asked before but can't remember the answer to: If you want to run, say, press quarters, or maybe C3 match press, as base, bread and butter calls, are you looking to develop your CBs and Ss as primarily ZCV, primarily MCV, or mixed-skills types. The reason I ask is that once you start drafting generated players and developing, they often come in with more defined and distinct skill sets (clearly better at MCV or ZCV) than base-roster players (though top-end guys can be more closely grouped). It seems like from a GM/player-development strategy, it'd be good to know which of those coverage skills is more important for that type of defense, especially since it can be tough to develop guys to be equally proficient in man and zone while also being actually good at both. Coach, your take is that the ZCV rating is predominant in these calls, correct? CM, is that your take as well, or is yours different?

I prioritize safeties foremost to play Quarters. The safeties have to be able to run like the wind, and they have to be able to play man because they are going to end up in man coverage a lot (when a defender matches a route in a pattern match coverage, the MCV rating is used to determine how well he does so). The safeties also have to be able to play downhill against the run because both safeties have inside run responsibilities. They have to have good Play Recognition so playaction doesn’t freeze them.

It can be very hard to find good safeties who can do all these things well in Madden, especially man coverage. Fortunately when you play Quarters / Palms, against most 3x1 sets you can safely freelance with one of the two safeties to help out the other one. When in doubt between two marginal guys, grab the one who is better to user control (SPD / ACC / COD) and deploy him carefully.

Away from safety, ideally I like to have one stud press-man cornerback, and his primary job is to isolate against the backside receiver when the offense plays Trips sets to press him and make his life hell. Nickel back basically needs to be a third safety; good at everything, maybe a little more emphasis on zone and press since he’s underneath, chucking and tackling more? I don’t worry about CB2 as much, he just needs to have long speed to not let the trips-side #1 receiver get behind him. Finally, you want to make sure you have a cover linebacker with range and cover skills so you don’t get wheel-routed to death by receiving backs on the backside of 3x1 sets. The middle linebacker can be more of a downhill player, and what you need him to do can depend on the opponent; he can sit in his short zone to help in coverage, he can spy against a mobile QB, he can blitz if you aren’t expecting shallow crossers… whatever you need, really.

[RogueHominid]

Super duper helpful--thanks!

I need to write up a Quarters defensive bible so all this info can be consolidated...