Madden NFL 16 News Post

Madden NFL 16 Video - Some Thoughts on the Short Passing Game

05:03 PM - September 3, 2015 by RaychelSnr

Previously, we looked at how to attack the deep zones in Madden with a few thoughts on passing concepts against the cover two. Today, we're going to take a look at some thoughts on the short passing game. If you can't see the video above, click here to view it.

As with the last video, it's pretty much impossible to comprehensively cover the concepts needed in the short passing game in a quick five-ish minute video, so we'll keep the content simple and the approach pretty broad brushed.

The short passing game's biggest positive is that if you know how to effectively run it, you can keep the chains moving by getting your receivers into open space where your quarterback can effectively deliver the ball to them. Obviously, you will need to know how to read the linebackers and what they are doing as well as have an understanding of the matchups your receivers are facing.

Finding mismatches and soft spots on the field will mean you can complete short but meaningful passes for reasonably good gains. When mixed with an effective run game, you'll find the chains are always moving for your offense. As with last time, if you want a specific topic covered be sure to suggest it in the comments and we'll certainly consider it for a future video!

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Member Comments

# 1 SolidSquid @ 09/03/15 05:30 PM

Good write up. My problem with the short passing game is defending it. No matter what I do, press, shade, play underneath, there are always guys wide open bc defenders don't react properly.

# 2 snc237 @ 09/03/15 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolidSquid


	Good write up. My problem with the short passing game is defending it. No matter what I do, press, shade, play underneath, there are always guys wide open bc defenders don't react properly.

Yes I agree.

# 3 qeezus_price @ 09/03/15 06:39 PM

It's crazy that the short passing game is pretty much unstoppable. I lost an online game today cuz someone ran the same play with the slot receiver doing the drag route. I hope they patch the defensive ai to recognize the same play being ran over and over again.

# 4 ggsimmonds @ 09/03/15 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qeezus_price


	It's crazy that the short passing game is pretty much unstoppable. I lost an online game today cuz someone ran the same play with the slot receiver doing the drag route. I hope they patch the defensive ai to recognize the same play being ran over and over again.

I would love to not only see that, but take it a step further. Individual players should react to seeing the same route ran over and over again.

But it is not something that can be patched I am afraid.

# 5 vannwolfhawk @ 09/03/15 06:53 PM

I've thought this aspect of the game has been overpowered ever since I can remember. Like previous posts stated if you wanted you could drag your way all the way down the field with no CPU ai adjusting or no matter what you select with underneath, inside, etc it doesn't seem to do anything. Not a game killer but frustrating...

# 6 ggsimmonds @ 09/03/15 07:14 PM

Observations on this video:

First to touch on why the short passing game is too effective. It is because of a lack of contact. Defenders don't chuck guys or do anything to disrupt the timing. Short passes are all about timing and the defense needs to disrupt that timing. There is also the problem of a video game. In real life passing lanes and vision are extremely important. We have the luxury of playing from a 3/4 top down camera that allows us to see the whole field immediately. Imagine running a short passing game from a FP perspective. Quite the dilemma.

Second, you were running one of my favorite plays! I don't think I am the only one who runs Stick a lot, but I prefer not running it with 5 WR. I run it with 4 WR/TE and a back. Personally I don't like running double slants into zone because it is more risky than I like. Instead I run a single backside slant. Reason being is that if it is zone the right side will be open. But if it is man I have that backslide slant open and because it is trips I will have plenty of room after the catch. But versus a zone the TE and slot route are all you need, and they are safer than a double slant (imo).

# 7 JOS1181 @ 09/03/15 08:52 PM

Using the same play over and over.. Funny how this can happen still yet even after they have touted how the " CPU adapts " for I dont know how long.

# 8 bcruise @ 09/03/15 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOS1181


	Using the same play over and over.. Funny how this can happen still yet even after they have touted how the " CPU adapts " for I dont know how long.

While I agree that the AI could adapt better....you're joking with it being used in this context, right? It's practice mode, it's not supposed to adapt here. It's supposed to run the play you tell it to on defense every single time.

# 9 riichiieriich @ 09/03/15 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcruise


	While I agree that the AI could adapt better....you're joking with it being used in this context, right? It's practice mode, it's not supposed to adapt here. It's supposed to run the play you tell it to on defense every single time.

Practice mode is supposed to simulate an actual game. So why shouldn't the AI adjust if you're running the same play over and over again? You're just making excuses for the poor AI in Madden.

This video is one of the reasons why I haven't touched a Madden game in 4 or 5 years running now. You can win with the same garbage over and over again. Every team feels the same, and the differences between winning against a live person and not winning is do you know how to exploit the AI and can you control a player well enough to disrupt the other players ability to exploit the AI.

# 10 ggsimmonds @ 09/03/15 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riichiieriich


	Practice mode is supposed to simulate an actual game. So why shouldn't the AI adjust if you're running the same play over and over again? You're just making excuses for the poor AI in Madden. This video is one of the reasons why I haven't touched a Madden game in 4 or 5 years running now. You can win with the same garbage over and over again. Every team feels the same, and the differences between winning against a live person and not winning is do you know how to exploit the AI and can you control a player well enough to disrupt the other players ability to exploit the AI.

Practice mode is supposed to allow you to practice plays, never was it intended to simulate a game.
That is why after each play it resets to the original LOS. Never thought I would need to explain that.

# 11 riichiieriich @ 09/03/15 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggsimmonds


	Practice mode is supposed to allow you to practice plays, never was it intended to simulate a game. That is why after each play it resets to the original LOS. Never thought I would need to explain that.

Apparently you've never played a real sport in your life. The whole point of practice is to simulate the real thing, so that when you do the real thing you're properly prepared. Never thought I'd need to explain that.

# 12 ggsimmonds @ 09/04/15 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riichiieriich


	Apparently you've never played a real sport in your life. The whole point of practice is to simulate the real thing, so that when you do the real thing you're properly prepared. Never thought I'd need to explain that.

Then I'll tell you what, start up Madden and go into practice mode. Since it is meant to simulate a entire game let me know how your first drive goes. Tell us whether you go 3 and out and are forced to punt or manage to pick up the first down.

Can't wait to hear your results.

# 13 jonesha2000 @ 09/04/15 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggsimmonds


	Then I'll tell you what, start up Madden and go into practice mode. Since it is meant to simulate a entire game let me know how your first drive goes. Tell us whether you go 3 and out and are forced to punt or manage to pick up the first down. Can't wait to hear your results.

Lmao...right. Some people forget it's a video game bro.

# 14 wundrbread33 @ 09/04/15 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riichiieriich


	Apparently you've never played a real sport in your life. The whole point of practice is to simulate the real thing, so that when you do the real thing you're properly prepared. Never thought I'd need to explain that.

Dude, he isn't arguing on what a REAL practice is, he is just trying to tell you how the MADDEN practice operates.

Every play is independent from the last. It resets. This allows you to see what plays work against certain defensive looks. If the AI adapted in practice, it would make it difficult to lab plays and determine their use in different situations.

It has been this way in Madden for as long as I can remember.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk

# 15 kingsofthevalley @ 09/04/15 11:15 AM

Not sure if anyone wants to play this way, but the remedy I use for dink and dunk passing issues is to lower the QB acc and WR ctc sliders. Some will probably disagree, and not want to see wide open NFL receivers dropping too many passes but I don't give a rats *** about em dropping passes!!

This keeps QB completion percentage closer to reality AND, it sticks it to the QB AI when they try to go into robo comeback mode!!! Robo mode has been toned down and pretty much eradicated in most cases, but every now and then they try to get slick.

I'm currently at QB acc Hum-13/CPU-13�and WR CTC Hum-13/CPU-11. I'm still testing, so I see the sliders going up maybe three to four points for both HUM/CPU reference WR Catch (they're dropping TOO many lmao). I think QB accuracy is pretty much spot on, maaaaybe one or two more points up. That, gentlemen, is how you stop the short passing game.

# 16 Black Bruce Wayne @ 09/04/15 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggsimmonds


	Observations on this video: First to touch on why the short passing game is too effective. It is because of a lack of contact. Defenders don't chuck guys or do anything to disrupt the timing. Short passes are all about timing and the defense needs to disrupt that timing. There is also the problem of a video game. In real life passing lanes and vision are extremely important. We have the luxury of playing from a 3/4 top down camera that allows us to see the whole field immediately. Imagine running a short passing game from a FP perspective. Quite the dilemma. Second, you were running one of my favorite plays! I don't think I am the only one who runs Stick a lot, but I prefer not running it with 5 WR. I run it with 4 WR/TE and a back. Personally I don't like running double slants into zone because it is more risky than I like. Instead I run a single backside slant. Reason being is that if it is zone the right side will be open. But if it is man I have that backslide slant open and because it is trips I will have plenty of room after the catch. But versus a zone the TE and slot route are all you need, and they are safer than a double slant (imo).

Actually there is zone chucking. In the Madden Twitch stream they showed it and it has happened to my recivers at times

# 17 ggsimmonds @ 09/04/15 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Bruce Wayne


	Actually there is zone chucking. In the Madden Twitch stream they showed it and it has happened to my recivers at times

It is present, but it does not happen as often as it should. I did not watch this year's stream but I remember from last year's gameplay stream they showed an example. I remember that they kind of had some difficulty getting it to trigger. That should not be the case.
In the video above watch the defender over the weakside slot. He cannot jam him at the line, but at least give him a chuck.

The defenders in a zone immediately start dropping back instead of first reacting to the offense. In most zone schemes the first coverage duty of an outside LB or safety in the box is to wall off #2 from inside routes. They don't do that in Madden; it is a very passive zone.

# 18 SolidSquid @ 09/04/15 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggsimmonds


	It is present, but it does not happen as often as it should. I did not watch this year's stream but I remember from last year's gameplay stream they showed an example. I remember that they kind of had some difficulty getting it to trigger. That should not be the case. In the video above watch the defender over the weakside slot. He cannot jam him at the line, but at least give him a chuck. The defenders in a zone immediately start dropping back instead of first reacting to the offense. In most zone schemes the first coverage duty of an outside LB or safety in the box is to wall off #2 from inside routes. They don't do that in Madden; it is a very passive zone.

I'm glad someone else who knows football is having the same thoughts as me. Every times I bring up zone defense being too passive and rigid I get told to just adjust sliders.

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Madden NFL 16 Video - Some Thoughts on the Short Passing Game