Man does the pass defense suck!

[PGaither84]

In a nutshell, defense will not make offense pay for mistakes with take aways [picks specifically,] the collision detection in Madden is still bad. Passes still go through player's hands and fingers on what should be tiped passes, the ball physics is bad, so when it should be a tipped pass, it flutters around unlike a real football would and will still end up in receiver's hands, the offense can branch out of tackles, but defenders cannot branch into tackle to bring someone down or stop a "fall forward" animation once it has started, and so on...

Here is the twist, these are things that as a user that allow me to defeat the computer's defense and gain a ton of yards, convert on 3rd downs and score points. If these areas were "fixed," it would be a lot more difficult ot gain yards and put up points on the computer and would make the game more fun for people like me. How many TDs have ai thrown where it looks like it should have been a tip, but it goes through the defender's hands and into my receivers? Too many to remember. The few times I go online, how many times are there that have "gottcha" moments? Moments where on the same drive i will have dropped interception after dropped interception on 1st, 2ed, and maybe even 3rd down only to see them break two tackles and convert on 3rd or 4th down and/or score? It's maddening. It really is.

it has always been bad, but Madden 10 and 11 have been really bad in these areas. to be fair, I got sick of hearing over and over again in 08 with "the radio guy" saying "You have to catch that!" referring to an interception.

It isn't difficult to play defense in Madden, you just don't get rewarded for playing it well. user don't get punished for playing offense poorly and being predictable. Oh yeah, and tackle/sack interactions when your players stop long enough and initiate an animation that allows the QB to get the pass off and then get hit. [!!!]

[TheFranchise305]

Really ridiculous, my cousin and I played a game about 2 days after launch and had a score of 56-35 by halftime

[steelcurtain311]

Honestly, not just Madden, but every sports game sucks online, in my opinion. No matter what you do, you're going to be playing people who find those little cheap exploits and just use them over and over again. Online play in sports games is boring as hell due to this, there's no real fix that the devs can make for it. I haven't played a sports game online in years, never plan to again.

And for the record, Madden's always been the worst at this, online. Since online play was implemented, it's been the same crap over and over again from online players. They just find the cheap plays and use them over and over and over again. I don't know how they don't get bored of it. I sure as hell did.

[CreatineKasey]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

In a nutshell, defense will not make offense pay for mistakes with take aways [picks specifically,] the collision detection in Madden is still bad. Passes still go through player's hands and fingers on what should be tiped passes, the ball physics is bad, so when it should be a tipped pass, it flutters around unlike a real football would and will still end up in receiver's hands, the offense can branch out of tackles, but defenders cannot branch into tackle to bring someone down or stop a "fall forward" animation once it has started, and so on... Here is the twist, these are things that as a user that allow me to defeat the computer's defense and gain a ton of yards, convert on 3rd downs and score points. If these areas were "fixed," it would be a lot more difficult ot gain yards and put up points on the computer and would make the game more fun for people like me. How many TDs have ai thrown where it looks like it should have been a tip, but it goes through the defender's hands and into my receivers? Too many to remember. The few times I go online, how many times are there that have "gottcha" moments? Moments where on the same drive i will have dropped interception after dropped interception on 1st, 2ed, and maybe even 3rd down only to see them break two tackles and convert on 3rd or 4th down and/or score? It's maddening. It really is. it has always been bad, but Madden 10 and 11 have been really bad in these areas. to be fair, I got sick of hearing over and over again in 08 with "the radio guy" saying "You have to catch that!" referring to an interception. It isn't difficult to play defense in Madden, you just don't get rewarded for playing it well. user don't get punished for playing offense poorly and being predictable. Oh yeah, and tackle/sack interactions when your players stop long enough and initiate an animation that allows the QB to get the pass off and then get hit. [!!!]

I think having players on D play a bit looser like they do in NCAA would benefit this game. The short throws over the middle are insane. You have a star linebacker who sits on his heels while a rocket is thrown from 4 yard away, and after the catch the WR hammers forward for 3 more yards. Most of the time, it should be different than that. The WR should struggle to catch that ball in traffic, and the defender should have an opporunity to pop that receiver hard.

Base D is almost impossible to play. Due to the unresponsiveness those short inside throws are a "beat anything" defense unless you guess short, and then next play if you get beat over top it's GG. It's really really hard to react in less than a second to hit the swat button, much less be in place for it to work or trigger it in time. You almost have to hit it while the throwing animation begins. Big hits? Nope. You're on your heels and can't get out of the mud.

Time and time again I've played some of the best defensive minds I personally know, and we hang 50+ combined points on each other. Last year, we had games with a combined 30 or less every time I believe. I pitched 4 shutouts in one OF season last year (10 min. quarters). This year, I'm lucky to hold them under 30... with the best defense in the game.

Increased responsiveness to the ball being passed may be the answer. Once that ball goes out to the flats against a base D, defenders should be flying to that area and maybe give up a 10 yard gain at most during common situations where a guy shakes the first defender. Even if you run drags and get separation, the pursuit should be able to limit that gain. I can't tell you how many times I've opened a game with "mesh" against a man defense only to take it 80 yards. I'd say at least a dozen this year. It's silly. I get it, it's a good call against the D, but guys should pursue a lot better than they do IMO.

Kind of a rant...

TLR = Defense is unresponsive and non-explosive, even the best players/squads. It's not fun to play D right now.

[sportyguyfl31]

In Madden you have to play pass defense backwards.

In real life: NFL teams try to take away the down field throw, and force the check down.

In Madden: You need to take away the short throw, and force people to hold and throw down the field.



Most of the issues with pass defense could be solved if the AI controlled DE's did something.

Creatine said it best..there is a lack of oomph, from your defenders, but nowhere is it seen more then on the DL.

The pocket is way too comfortable

In week 13 of a 26 user online franchise, Dwight Freeney has 3 sacks.

That is criminal.

This game forces you to blitz WAY more then any team in their right mind would, in real life.

In Madden, you are forced to blitz, minimum, 30-35% of the time.

Otherwise, To play pass defense in this game, you have to hold the middle at all costs, and pray for a coverage sack.

[zeroice]

you have to know your defensive personel and yea it sucks a bit but the best dbs do acheive their jobs.. helps to get some pressure up themiddle to force the qb intoan errant throw but if you are facing the elite qbs lol forgt it how many times do they throw ints and mistakes in actual real life scenarios anyway

[at23steelers]

Quote: Originally Posted by sportyguyfl31

In Madden you have to play pass defense backwards. In real life: NFL teams try to take away the down field throw, and force the check down. In Madden: You need to take away the short throw, and force people to hold and throw down the field. Most of the issues with pass defense could be solved if the AI controlled DE's did something. Creatine said it best..there is a lack of oomph, from your defenders, but nowhere is it seen more then on the DL. The pocket is way too comfortable In week 13 of a 26 user online franchise, Dwight Freeney has 3 sacks. That is criminal. This game forces you to blitz WAY more then any team in their right mind would, in real life. In Madden, you are forced to blitz, minimum, 30-35% of the time. Otherwise, To play pass defense in this game, you have to hold the middle at all costs, and pray for a coverage sack.

It's almost as if locomotion is only applied to the offensive players. The defense needs to have the same abilities. Also, they need to take away the skating that WR's do to catch balls that are too far away from them.

[ac-greasy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Shizz420

The response time and controls suck and you pretty much have to play back off coverage and hope they make the tackle.

This...pop in last gen and you notice the lack of responsiveness on next gen right away. I bought and play Madden 11 on PS2 for this very reason and until EA fixes it and tightens up the control to last gen levels, I'll pass on their games.