Bubble Screens

[silveredge96]

Hey have any of you guy been able to get bubble screens to work this year? I've been trying but it seems like the receiver goes too far back from the line of scrimmage. Any tips?

[Hooe]

Re: Bubble Screens

I run them once or twice a game, though I'll quickly audible out of it if I don't like the look I get from the defense. When I do run the play, I get decent yardage - something like 3 to 6 yards - but I've yet to bust open a play with one yet.

[1NFAMOU5808]

Re: Bubble Screens

I run them once or twice a game, though I'll quickly audible out of it if I don't like the look I get from the defense. When I do run the play, I get decent yardage - something like 3 to 6 yards - but I've yet to bust open a play with one yet.

I managed to break one loose with Denarius Moore, but usually it's a quick loss. Even when the CBs aren't playing on the line of scrimmage, they're able to read the route quickly.

Best bet would be to motion out a [blocking] HB/FB/TE to the side of the screen and don't bother with the one step drop, as soon as you hike, bullet the pass and hope for the best.

[Dr Death]

Re: Bubble Screens

Hey have any of you guy been able to get bubble screens to work this year? I've been trying but it seems like the receiver goes too far back from the line of scrimmage. Any tips?

For a number of years the Bubble Screen was totally broken in NCAA. I even had correspondence with a Game Changer who went to EA and was told by an EA rep that they just couldn't fix the Bubble Screen or make it work correctly. (This was in 2012)

Then - magically - in NCAA '14, the Bubble Screen worked! It wasn't like you broke it every time for 65+ yards, there were times when it went nowhere and times when it only gained a few yards - BUT - and this is the key - IF you know how to read the defense, you could call this and gain anywhere from 10-25 yards...

The key being reading and knowing the defense!

In Madden '15... it's like NCAA '12 all over again. You will most likely gain 2-5 yards and that's IF you have a WR who is able to break tackles and fight for yards.

I really hope that Madden '16 incorporates the NCAA logic on this play, because in NCAA '14 it was like real life. In Madden '15... it's a waste of a down to call it.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Bubble Screens

I have had great success with Wr screens using Mike Wallace. I have been able to rip off some dazzling catch and run TD's i have had some of my best plays calling WR screens. A few keys to running successful WR/TE screens is you want to make sure the defense is in a cover 2/3/4 zone....CB's at least 5 but preferbley 7 yards off the line of scrimmage. Also call them in nin obvious or 2nd or 3rd and long situations when the defense is looming to drop in deeper zones.

Let the QB take his 3 step drop then get that ball out. Do not wait...you have to time it exactly right.

Screens work quite well...when called in the right situations vs the right defensive set.

[OhioCub]

Re: Bubble Screens

I've had a ton of success with WR screens, none at all with bubble screens. Even though they always call them bubble screens on TV many of what you see are WR screens in Madden terms. In Madden the bubble screen goes outside of all the blockers (the slot receiver looping around the back) but most "bubble" screens you see on TV the outside reciever loops around the inside while the slot receiver is blocking out on the CB (which makes alot more sense in terms of blocking momentum). So if you are having issues with the bubble screen, try running WR screens instead and see how they work.

[Dr Death]

Re: Bubble Screens

I have had great success with Wr screens using Mike Wallace. I have been able to rip off some dazzling catch and run TD's i have had some of my best plays calling WR screens. A few keys to running successful WR/TE screens is you want to make sure the defense is in a cover 2/3/4 zone....CB's at least 5 but preferbley 7 yards off the line of scrimmage. Also call them in nin obvious or 2nd or 3rd and long situations when the defense is looming to drop in deeper zones.

Let the QB take his 3 step drop then get that ball out. Do not wait...you have to time it exactly right.

Screens work quite well...when called in the right situations vs the right defensive set.

I think those of use who have responded in this thread know what a Cover 2, 3 or 4 is... but we're talking BUBBLE SCREENS not WR Screens. There's a big difference.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Bubble Screens

Relax Jedi Master. Just helping out some of us laymen Madden folk. I would never think of teaching you.

[BreakingBad2013]

Re: Bubble Screens

How many yards to bubble screens average in the NFL? I'm assuming if they were high yardage plays, they'd be run more often. The fact is, you have to have a defense setup perfectly for you bubble screen to work.

You will break big bubble screens if you have a good blocking WR, in maybe a cover 3 blitz, you'll only have to beat the safety.

Vs man, or even zone (lined up over the target WR), its much tougher, there's no time for the D to spread out or get away from the WR, so it gets stuffed.

Also don't wait for the camera to pan out (if it does) from your play action, throw it as soon as he gets in his bubble, right before the blocking WR engages.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: Bubble Screens

My tip to having success with a bubble screen?

Never ever call it at the playcall screen. Never.

It should be an audible and you would check to it when you have a numbers advantage.

Next ask yourself what constitutes a successful bubble screen? for me it is anything bigger than 3 yards. A bubble screen is typically not a big gain type of play. It is a quick hitter that is used to force the D to come up (er...or down). If you want big play potential, go to the WR screen.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

Re: Bubble Screens

Hey have any of you guy been able to get bubble screens to work this year? I've been trying but it seems like the receiver goes too far back from the line of scrimmage. Any tips?

For me they work best when i see a zone. The second I drop back I look at the DB if he drops back I throw the screen, if he steps up I throw the ball away or I thorw it to another receiver.

When its a zone i get very good yardage at times.

[OhioCub]

Re: Bubble Screens

How many yards to bubble screens average in the NFL? I'm assuming if they were high yardage plays, they'd be run more often. The fact is, you have to have a defense setup perfectly for you bubble screen to work.

You will break big bubble screens if you have a good blocking WR, in maybe a cover 3 blitz, you'll only have to beat the safety.

Vs man, or even zone (lined up over the target WR), its much tougher, there's no time for the D to spread out or get away from the WR, so it gets stuffed.

Also don't wait for the camera to pan out (if it does) from your play action, throw it as soon as he gets in his bubble, right before the blocking WR engages.

Honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen a bubble screen in the NFL, at least the way Madden has it drawn up.

[Dr Death]

Re: Bubble Screens

Relax Jedi Master. Just helping out some of us laymen Madden folk. I would never think of teaching you.

And to be clear, I wasn't attacking you, I was merely thinking of people who may not know the difference between a "WR Screen" and a "Bubble Screen." And since this thread is about the Bubble and you were writing about the WR Screen, I thought it best to clarify...

You never know when someone will come on here and not know all that you or I know... so when threads like this emerge, I think of them and how to make the thread as simple to understand as possible.

Call it the coach in me... but I believe in keeping things simple if you can. No offense was intended and I sincerely hope you didn't take it that way.

[MPMarlowe]

Re: Bubble Screens

Spoiler

you can sort of fix the bubble screen pattern by hot routing it to a flat

[carlito1171]

Re: Bubble Screens

I've never really had luck completing bubble screens in Madden, but in this year's game I can't even complete a basic screen pass from under center. Automatic sack! I can only run screens from shotgun and that's frustrating as well!