Can we talk about man coverage?

[PGaither84]

I do not play Madden 20, but I didn't want that to prevent me from opening up this classic topic.

For... what? 15+ years, man coverage has been this strange questionable thing in defensive football for me, both in real life and the video game for me.

It feels like calling man coverage is suicide in Madden. Even if your CBs have 99 man coverage and are lock down and jump routes, you will still have a LB or SS who cannot cover that TE, slot WR or back slipping out on an angle route.

The thing is, that is often so true in real life as well. How many times have we heard how Roger Craig or Marshall Faulk or Brian Westbrook or so and so was a nightmare matchup on a linebacker? How often have we heard how a Shannon Sharpe or Antonio Gates was too fast and agile for a LB to cover and too big and strong for a CB to take down? I mean... this is how Dallas Clark and Chris Cooley and others made names for themselves over the years. They could slip into holes between zones and shake defenders in man. So, to see it in Madden is not unrealistic... but I also do not want to be picked apart by opposing QBs.

In real life, from 2011-2014, 49ers defensive cpprdinator Vic Fangio (yes, that Vic Fangio) was known to call either cover 2 man under or cover 1 bracket on the X or Z. This was something like 90% of his calls. Even an episode of Turning Point with Eli Manning watching film talked about that. Eli was saying how that 49ers defense didn't do anything special. Rather, they were just trained well on technique and were consistant; they takled well on an isalnd; they used that cover two man under or cover 1 vracket in order to jump short routes with help over the top.

This defensive scheme also allowed the 49ers to defend the run with 7 or fewer in the box. They could pinch down on the A, B and C gaps while asking their CBs to play belt force in the D gap
While the safeties cleaned up the edges with box force and protected on play action. The Linebackers had banjo coverage against the TEs and backs out of the backfield, which to those who do not know, is a type of man coverage where the man assingment is based on leverage and release. It is not a matter of "this is my guy and that is your guy." Instead, it is a matter of "if he does this, then he is mine, if he does that, then he is yours and if he blocks, we delay blitz."

None of that exists in Madden. Instead, LBs are terrible in man coverage and get hips flipped and there is no dynamic leverage release coverage.

If you try to shade outside and take away a corner, you get killed on the In route which in real life the Mike or Jack would cut off, or vise versa: If a TE sells an inside and goes out (whip), he will get wode open to the sideline, whereas in real lofe the SAM/WILL should have taken him.

What I end up with is abandoning all man coverage calls and just controlling a SCF (Seam curl flat) defender in cover 3; the middle hook in a cover 4; or the flat CB in cover 6 and just zone it up all game long.

I give up a lot of easy short completions and a lot of yards in a "bend but don't break" scheme which just ries to keep plays in front of my guys and wait for mistakes.

This is frustrating, knowing how limited my defensibe play calling has to be. I already avoid 99% of blitzes, because even when you get an overload, a LT or RT will peel across the pocket to pick up a free rusher.

Rushing 3 or fewer generates no pressure or containment against a scrambling QB. Sending 5 or more is a waste as the blitz gets picked up unrealistically even at 0 pass blocking. Sending 4 is the only way I can call defense. Without having any faith in man coverage, I feel I am limited to only a few cover 2/3/4/6 base concepts and omce in a while a 3rd and long against a man 2 under where a 10 yard pass is not enough.

Sorry for the rant, but how do you feel about man coverage? Even with improved animations and interactions with WRs and CBs, calling man still feels like suicide because backs and tight ends still chew me up.

[stinkubus]

Man coverage is just fine so long as you make intelligent use of press and shading. If you try to play M2M without it of course you will get carved up. A real life NFL team would have the same experience.

For someone who admits they don't play M20 you sure do like to make a lot of definitive statements about how the game functions.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by stinkubus

Man coverage is just fine so long as you make intelligent use of press and shading. If you try to play M2M without it of course you will get carved up. A real life NFL team would have the same experience. For someone who admits they don't play M20 you sure do like to make a lot of definitive statements about how the game functions.

I have played this franchise going back to the SNES, an have a long history of how it works, including time spent with the dev team.

I find it funny how people claim each game is nothing but a roster update in one thread and then say how different it is in another thread. Which is it?

Man coverage has "rules" by coaches on how to play it. Madden follows some while not following others. It does not have the layers of depth that you find in the college or professional game, and if you think it does, then you are ignorant of higher level football. The game plays like high school ball, and not even high level ball you find in Texas, Cali, Florida and so forth.

Nothing in your reply addressed my points about the likes of Banjo coverage and how linebackers cover threats within the box. WR/CB coverage is done quite well, as I said, yet was the only point you tried to address with mentions of shading and press.

[ParaAut]

If you don't play Madden 20 how do you know how blitzing, pass rush and man coverage work?


In short:
They are very effective this year.
Bring pressure and press man is absolutely annoying for the offense.

[stinkubus]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

I have played this franchise going back to the SNES, an have a long history of how it works, including tome spents with the dev team. I find it funny how people claim each game is nothing but a roster update in one thread and then say how different it is in another thread. Which is it? Man coverage has "rules" by coaches on how to play it. Madden follows some while not following others. It does not have the layers of depth that you find in the college or professional game, and if you think it does, then you are ignorant of higher level football. The game plays like high school ball, and not even high level ball you find in Texas, Cali, Florida and so forth. Nithing in your reply addressed my points about the likes of Banjo coverage and how linebackers cover threats within the box. WR/CB coverage is done quite well, as I said, yet was the only point you tried to address with mentions of shading and press.

I have never, ever claimed that any edition of the game was "just a roster update" to the previous one.

Banjo checks were added to the game last year. You wouldn't know that because you don't play it.

[timhere1970]

This year man coverage is much better except when sometimes your guys run in the wrong direction or try to circle around to their man that is beside them. The worst defense this year is any cover two zones which tend to leave the whole middle of the field open a lot. Madden has made some strides in man defense from the game you are playing. Still, no need for people to be rude about it. I enjoy your posts about the technical parts of football.

[TheGentlemanGhost]

Man coverage is better than zone this year. So ya kinda have to play M20. Zone is now the big problem because players are following their zone areas too strictly.

for example...
https://youtu.be/iYNH3SbNxYY

One of the best corners in the league ignoring the receiver in the back of the end zone, along with the rest of the DBs actually. This happens a lot along with other strange nonsensical coverage animations and moments and 9/10 times it’s happening in zone now. Sliders have made these issues look better but and mods definitely have stopped this from being so regular. But without the mods and just slider adjustments the coverage plays tighter but still seems to ignore defending the pass a lot of times.

[stinkubus]

Quote: Originally Posted by timhere1970

This year man coverage is much better except when sometimes your guys run in the wrong direction or try to circle around to their man that is beside them. The worst defense this year is any cover two zones which tend to leave the whole middle of the field open a lot. Madden has made some strides in man defense from the game you are playing. Still, no need for people to be rude about it. I enjoy your posts about the technical parts of football.

Cover 2 is okay if they are using concepts that try to work both sidelines. It's also good in spots where you don't care if the offense gets completions and just want to force them to throw into the middle to keep the clock running.

Otherwise you are absolutely right: expect to get worked over the middle. Last year the deep half zones and the mid-read could actually do a decent job tightening the window on deep posts. This year it's a one play TD with a simple button press.