The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

[lilgame06]

maybe its just because everyone online uses exotic zone coverages...or maybe its just that the computer is extremely smart and always just happens to have the coverage when it knows your doing a play with a curl. but how in the world can i pull this route off? the curl is probably one of the most common routes in the nfl. whether its the curl where they come back and stay in place, or the curl where they comeback and run toward the sideline...it just seems impossible to pull off. I have done it a couple times. and the cpu seems to be amazing at doing it even when i believe ive chosen coverage to counter it...the cpu just throws it high and jumps up for it while my defender does nothing. any opinions on how to make this route more effective or is it just that useless for the most part?

also, would you agree that its been made so that your cpu controlled players are dumbed down when playing against the cpu? Im tired of things happening like my guys not jumping up for the ball in jump ball situations or even when a bullet pass goes soaring over my players heads. but on the other hand, if i throw a bullet across the middle of the field, the cpu will jump up for it and intercept it for 6 points. I played a game earlier today where i rushed 4 and had 7 back in coverage in the redzone. vikings were on the 8 yd line...i was the packers. and favre got all day in the pocket...he kept moving around between his offensive linemen, and they just kept blocking perfectly. and then after about 8 secs in the pocket, he throws a bullet across the middle to bernard berrian and he jumps up for it while my linebacker and safety who are right there do nothing. that doesnt happen. one of them if not both should have contested that if im not mistaken, so why wouldnt they? He was literally behind my safety, and jumped over his back and grabbed the ball while my safety just stood there doing nothing. if i were to do that, my reciever most likely wouldnt have jumped for the ball, and if he did, the cpu would have jumped on my back and done that ugly animation that prevents the completion

[z Revis]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

The curl route used to be one of my favorite plays in Madden. It's now my least called play in Madden. I don't think I've ever completed a curl route. It's either intercepted or batted down.

[Daniels]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I rarely ever complete a curl route.

[northface28]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

Pointless route, db morphs in front of the receiver and its picked/batted down.

[countryboy]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I complete curl routes quite often. Throwing the ball before the break and away from the defender is key.

[johnkorean]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I've completed a lot of curl routes: it's probably my favorite play to call in 3rd and 8ish situations.

The key is timing. If you start throwing when your WR starts coming back, it's already too late. But if you throw it too early, the WR won't curl at all and will just keep going forward and probably won't make the catch since the CB will be all over him. You have to have a good enough sense of timing to know when you can throw the ball so that the WR will still come back to it.

The other important thing is you can't force it. If it's not there, go to a check-down.

[Flamehead]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

The key is timing. If you start throwing when your WR starts coming back, it's already too late. But if you throw it too early, the WR won't curl at all and will just keep going forward and probably won't make the catch since the CB will be all over him. You have to have a good enough sense of timing to know when you can throw the ball so that the WR will still come back to it.

The other important thing is you can't force it. If it's not there, go to a check-down.

+1. Good post.

[Senator Palmer]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I've had moderate success throwing the curl route but not enough to be satisfied or to feel realistic. They're pretty good zone beaters, like against Cover 3. Against bump and run, which the CPU seems to live in on All-Madden this year, I can ONLY throw it to the x receiver on the left for some strange reason.

I always lead the receiver to the inside, as the DB seems to always be on the outside hip of my receiver and I throw it before the break. It'll either be a completion or the at the last second the receiver will break free and the pass will lead him into open area for a huge gain.

Does anyone have any success throwing curls to the right agains man or bump and run coverage?

[JayInSaratoga]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

Timing is the key.

One of my favorite plays for 2nd and medium-long distance is a play where both the X and the Z are running 8 yard curls. I'll take a look at the defense's alignment and make a guess at which side if either is likely to not have a deep safety and hot route the curl on that side to a go route. Once I snap the ball the go route is my 1st option and the curl is my 2nd option. In the time it takes to see that the go route wont be open, it becomes the perfect time to fire to the receiver running the curl as long as the defender is playing deep on hm. If the defender is underneath I look for the check down to the TE or RB.

Plays like this make the curl a very effective weapon.

[eraserx13]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

To add, I think its important to check where the Safeties go. If a Safety rolls toward the side of the curl route immediately after the play starts, the CB knows he has deep help and will more than likely jump the route it seems. Ideally, get one on one coverage where his back is turned to the QB, coupled with timing it correctly, then you can get a completion on the play.

[Palo20]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I think it's more difficult to complete than in past years, but it's still possible. The CPU plays so much bump coverage and when they do that, they usually end up running even with the WR. That makes it difficult to complete.

In the rare cases that the CPU plays off coverage with the CB, the curl is usually there, although as mentioned above, proper timing is key.

[shigogouhou]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

"Checkdowns" don't really work when the entire defense is under 10 yards from the line of scrimmage because everybody's curling. It takes away any advantage your receiver has and basically just becomes "Smash the button at the right time, or watch the INT". I don't like those odds.

[JayInSaratoga]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

"Checkdowns" don't really work when the entire defense is under 10 yards from the line of scrimmage because everybody's curling. It takes away any advantage your receiver has and basically just becomes "Smash the button at the right time, or watch the INT". I don't like those odds.

This is why I like to curl on one side while streaking on the other side. It can usually free up a shallow out for the TE or a flare route for the RB/FB on the streak side as a safe check down.

[sheg4dabears]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

I complete curl routes quite often. Throwing the ball before the break and away from the defender is key.

false! false!! false !!!. you either work for ea or you just like to defend ea blindly. curl route deosn't work on madden 10 and we all know it. let call a spade a spade curl dont work on madden 10.

[NC State-31 UNC-27]

Re: The Curl Route...pointless or possible?

it's possible BUT pointless. Too much of a risk. Yes they can be completed, but it's always covered too well. DBs break too fast. If you need a first down look elsewhere first. Been saying it since day 1 of this freaking game. Everything is just wacky in this game.