does using R1 to cover up ball really help?

[Tyrant8RDFL]

It has worked well for me. I dont know if guys press it in the last second or hold it down long enough, but for me it worked out just fine.

I personally dont wait till the last second to press it. Seems like it works out differently for everyone here.

[DUDERMAN]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tyrant8RDFL

It has worked well for me. I dont know if guys press it in the last second or hold it down long enough, but for me it worked out just fine. I personally dont wait till the last second to press it. Seems like it works out differently for everyone here.

It seems to help but I've seen it fail to stop a fumble more than once. I normally only use it when trying to run out the clock, I will hold it down from handoff to whistle. Still, I've seen my guy fumble in that situation. What made it more infuriating the one time was the fact that I was using a RB in online franchise with a 99 carry rating. Sigh...

[XxDSFxX]

Works for me, BUT you have to hold it down prior to the tackle animation. As in when you see the defender coming, press R1/RB that way when the contact initiates you're in the animation.

You can't try to do it as soon as the tackle animation starts.

[KBLover]

Fumbling in general should be pretty infrequent by non-QBs...unless you suck at carrying the ball, like Preston Parker.

Last year the most fumbling teams fumbled 30 times. They were Denver and Tampa Bay.

14 of Denver's 30 fumbles came from Tebow. McGahee fumbled 4 times in 249 attempts, 1 per 62 or 1.6% of the time.

For the Bucs, Freeman was 9 of the team's 30 fumbles. Preston Parker (WR) fumbled 8 times in 61 total touches (40 rec, 1 rush, 20 returns), for a whopping 13% rate.

Blount fumbled 5 times in 184 attempts (makes sense given his running style) for 2.7% rate.

Rice fumbled 2 times in 367 touches for a 0.5% rate. Williams fumbled twice in 121 touches, 1.6%

Now whether it's because they "cover the ball" or if it's because Madden's fumbling is too frequent to reward users that "cover the ball", or if it's because actually stripping the ball is a gamble in the real game while "natural" fumbles as a result of a hard hit or a well played hit on the ball during a normal tackle is something for debate.

Ideally, R1 probably SHOULDN'T make that big of a difference unless the ball carrier has poor CAR stats, and even then it should only help, not prevent fumbling (nothing should ever be perfectly effective, imo). I think it's a case of there being too many fumbles in Madden, especially after looking at that data, pretty much forcing R1 to work well or to be used well. I know my young HB in my offline franchise hardly fumbles (and I'm on 5 fumbles slider) but I also cover up just about before every hit or when running through traffic.

[Smoke6]

Doesnt work, and for the people that says it does are probably playing people who only tackle with the R1 button every down. I'm so sick and tired of puny guys stripping players who have no history of fumbling or being stripped as much as it happens in this game.

BTW, why is it that you can fully sprint in this game while holding down R1?

Dont you have to be pumping both arms to gather your speed, it seems silly to see someone chasing you with their arm slung back and actually catches you and makes you fumble.

Its broken and abused and it needs to be ratings based when it comes to this.

[bigbob]

Of course it helps, but it's not going to work every single time you do it. Just because you're covering the football doesn't mean you're invincible to a strip, whether you're running back has a 99 carry rating or a 70 carry rating, they're all susceptible to fumbles.

You can't just press R1 at the last second and expect it to work. The second I'm about to hit the line, I'm covering the ball and I don't let go until I see an opening to break out for 10-15 more yards. If you hit the line and right before you get hit you press R1, you might as well not even press it.

[KBLover]

Quote: Originally Posted by Smoke6

Doesnt work, and for the people that says it does are probably playing people who only tackle with the R1 button every down. I'm so sick and tired of puny guys stripping players who have no history of fumbling or being stripped as much as it happens in this game.

Even the AI tries to strip, and frequently it seems. Let alone the hit stick tackles it does.

And considering I've just about 0'd my fumbles slider vs 66 tackling for the CPU, I'd say covering the ball either works or I'm wrong about there being too many fumbles in the game by non-QBs.

Stripping should be tied to some ratings, assuming it isn't, but I won't go completely by puny vs strong but more about does the player "get his hat on the ball" during a tackle, or punch it out while wrapping up as well as consideration for strength and where tackle contact is made, and probably need a rating for it since I'm sure some players are better at it than others.

Outright stripping also needs to be more risky (as in, higher chance to miss/lose the tackle) if that's the only player making the tackle. If the player is stood up or gang tackled, then coming in and trying to strip has less risk (but the stripping player doesn't usually make the tackle).

Never knew about sprinting while doing R1. Guess I assumed it wasn't possible, never even tried it.

[Smoke6]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBLover

Even the AI tries to strip, and frequently it seems. Let alone the hit stick tackles it does. And considering I've just about 0'd my fumbles slider vs 66 tackling for the CPU, I'd say covering the ball either works or I'm wrong about there being too many fumbles in the game by non-QBs. Stripping should be tied to some ratings, assuming it isn't, but I won't go completely by puny vs strong but more about does the player "get his hat on the ball" during a tackle, or punch it out while wrapping up as well as consideration for strength and where tackle contact is made, and probably need a rating for it since I'm sure some players are better at it than others. Outright stripping also needs to be more risky (as in, higher chance to miss/lose the tackle) if that's the only player making the tackle. If the player is stood up or gang tackled, then coming in and trying to strip has less risk (but the stripping player doesn't usually make the tackle). Never knew about sprinting while doing R1. Guess I assumed it wasn't possible, never even tried it.

LOL, I was referring to online play, its very effective, I typed it out too fast in my reply on my phone and made an error, but I still stand by it tho. In my franchises it happens just about as much as it does in real life for me. I dont strip very much and when the CPU does it, it makes more sense as you are watching it play out as opposed to how people are using it online. Its like money online and I hate it, it shouldnt have to be a "hold down" type of thing but one of those timed button presses depending on the type of tackle you are going for!