Help stopping slants across the middle.

[Boxlicker101]

I agree with you.

[TNT713]

Quote: Originally Posted by Big FN Deal

[/b]That said, although I have tried and continue to sometimes experiment with multiple counters against slants and other things, I find the best method to be entrapment, whenever possible. One of the biggest weaknesses of people with very little tactical diversity, is their predictability. So like others have eluded to, completely adjusting your playcalling to account for one tactic, while sometimes very effective against that tactic, can leave you open to other things and probably cause your opponent to attempt to try something else. Now, them trying something else might not sound like a big deal but I find it advantageous, although not very fun, to have a general idea of what my opponent is going to do versus not. So, if defense A counters slants well but leaves me wide open for runs up the middle, screen passes and post corner routes versus defense B that counters screen passes, post corner routes and offers reasonable defense against middle runs but leaves the slants wide open, I opt for defense B. The reason being, I am not only in a better position to defend more, I also have the advantage of knowing what my opponent is likely to do and can manually make a calculated adjustment. Slants remind me of blocking shots in basketball or defending the goal in hockey, no matter what, all shots are aimed at relatively the same place. So the slant will likely be thrown to either the left or the right side of the field, decide the side you want to manually cover and use your defensive playcalling/player coverage adjustments, to account for the other. Besides, it's a good rule of thumb in Madden not to get enamored with one defense to stop one tactic because that is often not consistently the case anyway.

I'm going to highlight the part I agree with because this is similar to my own strategy regarding defense. I like to limit big gains while tracking my opponent's tendencies. I don't mind if they score as long as they have to run a ton of plays. I feel that if I can make them go 12+ plays in their 1st drive, I have enough information to disrupt their reads for the entire game.

Against people that love to throw slants, I give them man coverage so they can have the quick throw just inside the numbers. Then I make sure I rally to make the tackle immediately. They get various man defenses all the way down the field, until they get into FG range.

That's when I bait the quick throw into the meat of a defense designed to meet the ball. Sometimes I'll put the safety in a flat zone, while still playing man to create a tiny window. Other times I'll blitz the OLB on the side I want the slant thrown, but zone with another player (S, DE, CB).

Some players like to wait for their slants to cross. Same technique. I manually defend the first player I anticipate breaking open based on the route combinations. Sometimes defending slants means letting a few slip by and making the tackle.

The overall point is to let them set their internal clock for comfort, give them several reasons to feel confident, wait til they get complacent, then spring the trap.

Later

[rightallthetime]

If I know which Wr is getting the ball I just play zone and spotlight that WR. I find that works well until the other player starts to throw to some one else.

[Jrocc23]

You guys are the best! I stopped Jimmy Graham and the rest of them receivers running them slants. with my Eagles and the score was 95-21 (even though he gave up in the 4th and was calling any defense) 7min quarters no lie lol. I also decided to create a defensive playbook to throw a lot more looks at him.

[Jrocc23]

Quote: Originally Posted by rightallthetime

If I know which Wr is getting the ball I just play zone and spotlight that WR. I find that works well until the other player starts to throw to some one else.

Yeah, if I know who it's going to, I just play him myself and press him. The thing is, he has almost everyone running slants and he drops back far, so he gets enough time for them to separate from a defender. I try to spotlight Jimmy Graham, but I don't think you can do that online.