How do you double block someone?

[GrayFox51]

I asked this in the 'Questions' thread but didn't get a response.

I can't find the option in the myriad of Strategy Pad options. Can someone help me out?

(I hope I can get it off before the QB snaps. It's so damn quick!)

[Broncos86]

I don't believe this is possible, but I could be wrong. Hence why nose tackles aren't double-teamed.

[CBPodge]

You can't. In the run game it will automatically pick where the double teams (if any) are. In the passing game there don't seem to be double team pass blocks.

Its one of the things I've wanted for ages - sort of a blocking hot route/coverage focus thing. Press the O-line shift button, then press one of 7 buttons (say 3 face buttons, 4 trigger buttons) to select one of the defensive front seven that your blockers should focus on.

[spfhelmiii]

Man - I'm embarassed to say I didn't even think about this. Selecting a double-team HAS to be added next year. I had forgotten that this is a constant weakness in Madden, as the above poster said - the 3-4 defense is predicated on having a Nose who demands a double-team.

I'm at work at the moment, but can you shift your line left or right to try and move where the double-team is at?

[Broncos86]

As the Broncos, I'm often in the 3-4, and I often start as the NT. I can position myself anywhere I'd like, but I still draw a single blocker. The guards will simply hang back a bit behind the center and wait for me to beat the block in order to pick me up.

It is what it is, this year. As the NT, my goal is to shed that C as quickly as possible to tie up the guard as a means to draw a pseudo-double team. This way, that guard doesn't get to a LB or help out with the DEs.

I'd imagine that with the whole Protak deal, this would soon be possible. And considering the amount of fuss that was made last year regarding the 3-4, I was mildly surprised when I saw my NT draw only the Center.

[TNT713]

YOU CAN CALL A DOUBLE TEAM!!!

But not with the strategy pad... to call a double team, you have to call a play with double-team blocking. Most of the zone runs use double-team combination blocks where a lineman will double then peel off and move to the 2nd level.

Here are my 2 favorite plays with double-teams are:

I-Form Normal - Inside Zone
I Form Twin WR - Weak Zone

There is some merit to calling a double team from the strategy pad, but right now you have to call the right play with the right blocking... It makes it tough for those that don't have enough time to dive into the blockig schemes thoroughly.

Later

[Broncos86]

That's not calling a double team, that's picking a play with scripted double team blocking. That doesn't help when you're in passing situations, and a pass rusher is blowing your O-Line up.

[adembroski]

Quote: Originally Posted by Broncos86

That's not calling a double team, that's picking a play with scripted double team blocking. That doesn't help when you're in passing situations, and a pass rusher is blowing your O-Line up.

You can't specifically pick someone to be double teamed. What you can do is adjust your blocking scheme to account for the specific rusher.

For example, if DeMarcus Ware is killing you from the Predator front, you can slide your line left and audible a back to block to the right (to pick up the end man on the line to that side, since the RT will be blocking down).

Alternatively, you can stick to plays that account for him.

For the record, NFL teams don't simply say "we're gonna double team this guy on this play"... they select blocking schemes that will account for the guy and then fit plays into those blocking schemes.

What Madden is missing most is half slide protection. Full slide leaves too many holes on the backside of the slide, and the backs generally aren't aggressive enough in protection to make up for it. That's dangerous even when the backs do act appropriately. Backs generally aren't good enough to hold off linemen, and there are no double team run blocking animations... so double teams are generally one guy backing up the last (which works, but it looks odd).