[dreadheadnympho]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aestis

Sounds like just a more extreme version of the issue anyone struggling to pass on AM is having: making reads. All Madden this year for maybe the first time in a long time forces users to actually make good reads, else get picked. 1) Madden players tend to throw downfield WAY more aggressively than NFL players. By downfield I don't mean lobbed bombs, I mean 12-15+ yards in the air. Did you know the average NFL pass travels only 6 yards past the LOS through the air? And that includes the bombs, which means you have a LOT of checkdowns that hit a receiver 0-3 yds past the LOS. 2) If a guy isn't going to clearly be open deeper, check it down. 3) Another "Madden" habit I see guys who struggle in our league do: snap the ball, drop way back, and 'survey' the field to see who's open. You can't play this way and that's not how NFL QBs play. On All Madden, if you're just waiting around to see who's open, you a) see them running in space, b) your brain sends the signal to your hands to press the button, c) your QB does his long throwing animation, d) the ball travels slowly through the air...by the time all of that happens and the ball finally reaches your receiver, he's no longer open and anyone in a nearby zone is in place for a pick. 4) Instead you have to know who is about to come open, and that comes from reading the defense. Go back & do the pass concepts skills trainer. It may seem basic but it's helpful in getting you in the mindset of trying to better understand who is going to be open rather than wait for someone to just be wide open. 5) Your eyes should be 80% on the defenders and only 20% on your WRs. Occasionally on longer developing deep plays, my eyes only glance at my target for a fraction of a second. Instead I'm watching the 1-2 key defenders to see how they behave, then when I realize I have the coverage I want, I'm looking at the pocket to see if I actually have the time to wait for the route (C route, for instance) to develop or if I need to check down immediately. Then, I glance at the WR for like a tiny fraction of a second as I'm about to make my throw to ensure his break actually went well and he's going to be open. But for 90% of the play post-snap, I have not even looked at him. For a long developing play, that whole process takes about 3 seconds. Most plays it should be closer to 2-2.5 seconds to make three reads (more on that below). 6) Related to #5, you are focusing on 1 or 2 key defenders. Start with 1. Skills trainer will help you get in this habit and even helps you by flagging which is your key defender to read. How he reacts will dictate where you go with the ball. 7) Read progression. Have one for every play. Right when the ball is snapped, you're reading your key defender from #6. Depending on what he does, maybe your first read is open. Your first option should only take about 0.5 seconds to make a read and then you are instantly onto your second read. Ideally, your second read is still based on that same key defender. Example, a basic curl/flat combo vs a cover 3. If the flat defender sinks to cover the curl, you throw the flat. If he chases the flat outside, you can hit the curl. 8) My advice is have two post-snap reads on a play and then have your 3rd 'read' be a check down you know you can hit, e.g. a dump off to the RB or a drag or flat. Also this 3rd route is who you go immediately to if you see it's a blitz and your first read isn't open right away. 9) Generally you want to read deep to short. So as an example, say you have a TE on a streak up the seam, perhaps he's your first read. In about half a second you should be able to ID whether he's going to get open. You don't wait around hoping. You move off him ASAP and onto your next read, let's say an 8 yard in route over the middle. If he's not open, you've got a drag coming from the opposite side of the field you dump it off to. I just described a Dagger concept, it's in your skills trainer. 10) Make sure longer developing routes are not your first read. Don't run Corner Strike and wait for 3 seconds to see if the corner gets open. You sometimes know whether it's *going* to get open, but not always. Have a streak up the middle, for instance, be your first read, then come back to the corner, and if it's not there, the underneath flat. It's a lot but hope that helps.

you hit it on the nose thanks alot , #3, #5 are definitely my problem right now. i don't like to throw deep unless i have to, in pass madden he's called me the dink and dunk / drag queen haha. however, still, the problem im having is that 3rd and long when i have to throw deep. my run game is pretty good but to the point he just admitted to going to youtube to learn to stop the run and it has slowed me down but not stopped, but it was enough to make me have to pass more than i like, where on a win id throw 5-8 passes all game now im throwing 40 ish trying to come back. when i have to pass im not making good reads. i can read a defense but he never runs a stock defense so when i hike the ball looking for something i know will be open to get open its never there im going to no life skills trianer tonite as i neew to get better with progressions. as of right now i dont have the instict to get the ball gone fast enough(againts him) as i have let him in my head calling middle of the field off-limits hes dictated my game sadly. but what you posted here really made since and ive never thought about most of #5 on down .