Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

**PhillyFan22** · 08-25-2018, 10:29 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Simplify your playbook and always have something like a flat route or a drag route underneath as your check down. This will let you make one read and if not there dump it off. It's okay to not gain anything or only a couple, happens more than not in the NFL.

You can stick to simple pass concepts like slants, drive, stick, curls and just get your timing down in practice. These plays will allow you to just read a portion of the field, for example with slant flats, pick your side you feel comfortable with and read your slant/flat interaction and make your throw quick. Trying to read all 4 or 5 routes will not work. I always start every game with a running play from under center and then the next play go with a play action with an easy read like a dump off to flat to FB or TE. This just helps me settle into a nice rhythm timing wise.

Something everyone should do learn how to adjust your protection. This is a must for play action passes with rollouts in my opinion. If you see the defense overloads or is blitzing a certain side slide your protection right or left to pick it up. Also keep your running back into block if needed. Work on this in practice to get your timing down as well. Call plays and identify pressure pre-snap, after the snap don't throw and just work on staying in pocket like the old PS2 Madden pocket presence drill. Eventually you will be able to not even look at rush and just have a "feel" for it from experience.

Also, when I first started playing Madden I got so used to using a mobile QB with McNabb and Vick. If you are already going into practice mode pick a team that has a statue of a QB so you aren't subconsciously going to run. Then as your passing abilities increase adding Wilson's running dimension will be like a cheat code when the play breaks down lol.

Edit: Are you on PS4/Xbox or PC?

**EmmaKaye** · 08-25-2018, 11:24 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

I agree with what PhillyFan said but wanted to add that you need to ensure you use all your different throw types. If you're throwing deep use L2/LT, if you're throwing between linebackers and DBs then double tap the receiver's button for a touch pass. These can make a really big difference in the outcome of a game.

**Godgers12** · 08-26-2018, 07:55 AM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by EmmaKaye

I agree with what PhillyFan said but wanted to add that you need to ensure you use all your different throw types. If you're throwing deep use L2/LT, if you're throwing between linebackers and DBs then double tap the receiver's button for a touch pass. These can make a really big difference in the outcome of a game.

Why would you low point a pass on a deep ball?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Operation Sports mobile app

**stinkubus** · 08-26-2018, 08:49 AM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by Godgers12

Why would you low point a pass on a deep ball?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Operation Sports mobile app

It isn't a good tactic in M19 from what I've seen so far, but in M18 it would ensure that AI defenders would not react to the pass.

**servo75** · 08-26-2018, 06:41 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by Godgers12

Why would you low point a pass on a deep ball?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Operation Sports mobile app

Either I'm pressing the wrong buttons, or "low" or "high" doesn't appear on the screen during the pass. I've always thought that there was a choice: low, high, bullet, lob, or touch. You couldn't, for example, say "high and lob".

**servo75** · 08-26-2018, 06:42 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by PhillyFan22

Simplify your playbook and always have something like a flat route or a drag route underneath as your check down. This will let you make one read and if not there dump it off. It's okay to not gain anything or only a couple, happens more than not in the NFL.

You can stick to simple pass concepts like slants, drive, stick, curls and just get your timing down in practice. These plays will allow you to just read a portion of the field, for example with slant flats, pick your side you feel comfortable with and read your slant/flat interaction and make your throw quick. Trying to read all 4 or 5 routes will not work. I always start every game with a running play from under center and then the next play go with a play action with an easy read like a dump off to flat to FB or TE. This just helps me settle into a nice rhythm timing wise.

Something everyone should do learn how to adjust your protection. This is a must for play action passes with rollouts in my opinion. If you see the defense overloads or is blitzing a certain side slide your protection right or left to pick it up. Also keep your running back into block if needed. Work on this in practice to get your timing down as well. Call plays and identify pressure pre-snap, after the snap don't throw and just work on staying in pocket like the old PS2 Madden pocket presence drill. Eventually you will be able to not even look at rush and just have a "feel" for it from experience.

Also, when I first started playing Madden I got so used to using a mobile QB with McNabb and Vick. If you are already going into practice mode pick a team that has a statue of a QB so you aren't subconsciously going to run. Then as your passing abilities increase adding Wilson's running dimension will be like a cheat code when the play breaks down lol.

Edit: Are you on PS4/Xbox or PC?

Thanks a lot!!

. P.S. I'm on PS4 (for now).

**stinkubus** · 08-26-2018, 07:03 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by servo75

Either I'm pressing the wrong buttons, or "low" or "high" doesn't appear on the screen during the pass. I've always thought that there was a choice: low, high, bullet, lob, or touch. You couldn't, for example, say "high and lob".

You do a high lob by simultaneously holding LB or L1 and tapping the corresponding receiver button. If you want to do a high bullet then hold LB or L1 and press the corresponding receiver button, etc.

The game gives you a variety of options as far as ball placement goes. QB ratings, both accuracy and power, have a huge effect on how they all work so it's going to be somewhat difficult to give general advice especially if you use boutique settings like adjusted sliders or edited rosters.

In this year's game I've found the most success throwing high passes when my receiver is already behind the defender. This would be something like a fade where my receiver has the DB beat, and there's no safety help in sight, so I'm going to throw up a high ball and let my guy run under it.

Conversely I've had the most success throwing low on routes like hitches and curls where my receiver is typically in front of the defender. This allows you to get the "box out" effect and it prevents the DB from making a play by coming through your receiver.

**don28** · 08-26-2018, 09:07 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

I had the same problems, and went back to basics. I went into the skills trainer, selected attacking coverages, and completed all the drills. But that is only part of the story.

I wrote down, literally on paper, each coverage. What they looked like as far as player alignment, what plays work best to counter them. Every single one. Then I hit practice mode. First took a play and ran it against a random defense in the coverage I was trying to learn. From there, I progressed to choosing random defense to test myself. Trying to determine the coverage pre snap, and where would my best chance for success lie.

Some plays were fantastic, some were facepalm inducing interceptions. But I kept grinding. I literally spent over 5 hours doing this. I was tired of throwing interceptions. I have reached the point where I feel confident that I can minimize the turnovers now. It feels so rewarding now when I connect for a big play because of the proper pre-snap read.

**stinkubus** · 08-26-2018, 09:24 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

The above is *very* solid advice. After you get that down you want to start training yourself to read MOFO vs MOFC post snap (watch the safeties to see if one goes to the deep middle) and man vs. zone (do the outside DBs turn and run with the man the are lined up over or do they strafe backwards).

Once that's second nature you can start to train yourself to decode disguises. 3 Cloud, for example, is going to look just like two man under presnap and for a split second post snap. That and the few show 2 and show 4 plays are really the only disguises available to the AI.

**sandp** · 08-26-2018, 09:49 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

I would do the skills trainer course on attacking coverages again. The point of this is cause the basic set up here is to tell you to read the safeties.

After which, i'd do the passing concepts skills trainer as well, as they break down route combinations to show you how to exactly attack the defense and who to read on those concepts.

____________________________________

Pre snap -

1. I start by reading the safeties and the depth they are playing with.

Cover 1 - One single safety is lined up in the middle and the other safety is either at the linebacker depth or the Line of scrimmage. If he's at the line of scrimmage, I assume he's blitzing (unless he's right over a wr then he could be covering him).

Cover 2 - Two safeties lined up in the same depth across each other. Here I assume cover 2, it could be a cover 2 zone or a cover 2 man. But reading the safeties pre snap gives me a fair assumption that the coverage may be a cover 2, i can worry about man or zone after.

Cover 3 - One single safety as well, and the other safety isn't lined up across from the other safety but isn't too far forward or behind.

Cover 4 - similar to a cover 2 look and the cornerbacks are similarly positioned depth wise.

2. Then i try to see the cornerbacks and how they are lined up against my receivers. If they are shading inside or outiside, that way i would know if some of my routes would more likely be open or closed against them. for instance if the cornerback is shading inside and i have a slant running it might be closed. If a cornerback is way off me and i have a curl, i can assume it's open.

3. I look at the linebackers to see if they have a bunch at the line of scrimmage, or how far off from the line of scrimmage to see if someone could be blitzing.

Based on these i decide to i.d. the mike and see who my primary receiver is, and which player i decide as the hot read (if a blitz comes - where do i go with the ball, if it's not picked up).

A tip:

If a cb is postioned over your wide receiver but a safety is right above the cb, chances are that cb is blitzing and the safety is covering the receiver.

After all that, i snap the ball!

After the snap:

To be honest, I play on all madden, so they disguise a lot of their coverages and a lot of my pre snap assumptions can go out the window quickly, and the time given is so less to process information but that's what makes it fun!

1. I look at the safeties to see their movement, normally i look at just the free safety. So if both safeties were lined up in the same depth, and i assumed cover 2 but one safety goes to the middle of the field while the other goes down, i can assume it's a cover 1 or cover 3 and i fairly assume the middle of the field is closed (means posts and slants are dangerous).

If however the safeties move towards the sidelines they are in a cover 2.

If the safeties move backwards in parallel fashion we can assume cover 4.

2. Next I scan the linebackers and see if anyones blitzing and if we can pick it up.

3. Then i see the corners, if they back off from the line of scrimmage (with the safety moving to the middle), its a cover 3. If the corner is following my receiver, it's a cover 1.

On a cover 2, (with the safeties moving backwards) the corner will squat on a certain depth.

On a 2 man coverage, the corners will follow the receivers.

Then i make my decision and throw the ball.

Take note: these happen in a matter of seconds, so you gotta glance and figure it out and it takes time, you eventually get the hang of it. It took me a while of maddens to figure it out.

_____________________________

What i try to do is pick plays that schematically can break coverages, sometimes multiple ones. So one side would run a flood, while the other a slant or something like that.

I then try to piece the information pre and post snap, basically pre is to use an educated guess while post snap is to confirm or debunk that. Then i pick my progression from there. If i called a curl flat for example and it's man coverage id hit my curl, if it's something else ill throw to the flat route.

A lot of the route concepts designed to beat coverages won't always work, because there are ratings and how teams play. Against jacksonville, it's hard to complete against their insane cb's so you'd have to adjust your style to bringing your main receivers to the slot, calling dunks and gaining yardage, and if you wanna take a deep shot, try to keep in blockers.

Check downs or hot reads are vital here, you need to almost always have a quality check down option where things aren't open and a lot of times people just aren't. So you could just use those to gain even a yard and live to fight another day.

On man coverage routes, a lot of times even if i have a decent receiver if the cb is great i wont beat them, no matter what i call and that is fine.

On progression, i suggest starting outside in, or high low. So if i call again a curl flat. Ill see the curl and read if someones coming in the vicinity to stop that, if so - i go to the flat or the other side and do the same.

For four verticals, against a cover 3 i tend to look at the slot receiver then tight end. Against a cover 2 with four verticals, I tend to look at the tight end (for the middle of the field) or if that's covered then i dump off to the rb.

________________________

Hope this helps! Sorry if some areas aren't so clear, half asleep right now

**servo75** · 08-26-2018, 10:53 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by stinkubus

You do a high lob by simultaneously holding LB or L1 and tapping the corresponding receiver button. If you want to do a high bullet then hold LB or L1 and press the corresponding receiver button, etc.

Interesting... I've always been under the impression that it was high, low, lob, bullet, or touch and you had to pick exactly one of those 5. Wasn't there something that was taken out of this year's game, like target passing?

**bigd51** · 08-26-2018, 11:44 PM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Couple of things that have helped me:

- First and foremost; use the Standard cam for offense. It's the most neutral in regards to passing and running (far enough out to read coverage, zoomed in enough to help find the tiny holes in the run game).

Preplay

- Identify the Mike (MLB). If a certain formation confuses you, you can "ask" the O-line to ID the Mike by hitting L1 to bring up O-line adjustments and choosing the ID Mike option. I'll explain why it's important below.

- If you have enough time on the play-clock, take a breather before hiking the ball and really analyze your routes. Start with your primary red route and look at the routes around it. See how they mesh w/ each other.

Which side of the field is the primary designed to go to, and which other routes are designed to go in the same general direction? Which routes go in the opposite direction? Check for "high/low" routes that mirror one another, like the Drive Concept. Etc. These are important when deciding which position group you should watch on defense and their initial movements shortly after the snap.

Once you get a general idea of how routes compliment each other, it gets easier and easier to plan out your reads and even identify mismatches in the defense.

After The Snap

- You must learn to step-up in the pocket, if you haven't already... and you must learn how to throw a bullet/touch/lob pass given the situation, otherwise you'll just wind up w/ a bunch of swatted passes and drops.

- Once you've ID'ed the Mike and planned out your reads before hand, you're going to wanna focus mainly on how the LB's react after the snap based on your primary target and the routes that compliment it.

Best way to do this (using Standard camera for offense) is to roughly concentrate on the center of your TV/monitor as you're dropping back. It's close to paying attention to the MLB, but you don't want to "follow" the MLB. You just wanna gauge the initial reaction. This gives you enough of a peripheral to read the entire field based on your primary WR read.

In the Drive example above, your target is based on whether the LB's crash on the shallow drag or if they drop back and negate the deep dig. If they drop back, you go underneath to the drag. If they crash down, you look to the dig in the back of the endzone.

- When you're running a play where the primary WR is on the outside, you're going to wanna ID your reads on the opposite side of the field because those are going to be your 3rd options and/or check downs, most likely.

Take this Dig route out of a Mills concept against a Cover 1, for example. You have the two main high/low routes (Post/Dig) on the left, while you have the drag route going to the opposite side of the field underneath.

Your main read is the outside Post, your second read is the Dig, and your third read the Drag. Then, you basically just train yourself to react based on how the LB's/Safeties react after the snap. Any cheating by the D towards either side of the field leaves the opposite side vulnerable while cheating high/low leaves either low/high middle vulnerable, respectively.

Basically... just get to know your reads by visualizing what you'll do based on the Defense's reaction to the first two reads and branch out from there.

**servo75** · 08-27-2018, 12:32 AM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

What we're missing from practice mode are 2 things that would help a lot...
1. A super-slow-speed mode
2. Just like in-game, if you select random play for CPU, show the name of that play afterward.

**stinkubus** · 08-27-2018, 06:36 AM

Re: Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Originally posted by servo75

What we're missing from practice mode are 2 things that would help a lot...
1. A super-slow-speed mode
2. Just like in-game, if you select random play for CPU, show the name of that play afterward.

Not going to quote both posts, but yes, target passing was in last year's game. It was insanely hard to use as intended and it allowed for a game breaking glitch using the hail mary plays. It did not come back this year.

The pass rush in practice mode is ferocious no matter what difficulty you select. If you have a second controller you can nerf it by putting all rushers in QB spies. This is only good when working on down the field passing concepts, as spies will bat down/pick off anything over the shallow middle, but it will give time for deeper concepts to work.

Agree 100% that a "previous play" feature would be great for practice mode.

Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Recommended Videos

Passing Tips and Reading Defenses

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment