Madden NFL 17 News Post

Madden NFL 17 Wants to Make Special Teams Special Again

08:58 AM - September 3, 2016 by RaychelSnr

Special teams play a crucial part in deciding wins and losses in the NFL:

-Clutch field goals
-Field-position-flipping punts.
-Electric, game-changing returns

But for more than a decade, special teams have been anything but special in the Madden NFL series. Field goals were near automatic. CPU punters would routinely blast punts through the back of the end zone. And you want to try to block a kick? Forget it, it wasn�t happening.

Read More - Madden NFL 17 Wants to Make Special Teams Special Again

Game: Madden NFL 17Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 17 - View All

Member Comments

# 1 Trick13 @ 09/03/16 09:39 AM

They need to add the ability to swat a punt to attempt to avoid the touchback...

# 2 Black_Tom_Brady @ 09/03/16 09:48 AM

any one else finding it impossible to get a proper jump on the snap now?

# 3 Davon_A_Brown @ 09/03/16 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black_Tom_Brady


	any one else finding it impossible to get a proper jump on the snap now?

It's not impossible it just isn't automatic. I had a perfect jump last night that resulted in a roughing the kicker penalty because I timed my dive wrong.

I'm loving the risk/reward and I actually feel like all three aspects of the game matter now.

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# 4 Sparkles @ 09/03/16 10:37 AM

Blocked a field goal last night and it was the greatest feeling ever. I hold down the left stick facing down and wait to press RT, and I get moderately close to blocking it

# 5 snc237 @ 09/03/16 11:14 AM

I blocked a extra point online the other day and returned it for 2. It was more exciting then breaking a 90 yard run.

# 6 therizing02 @ 09/03/16 11:56 AM

Can anyone tell which way the wind is blowing during games? I've had kicks that look to be with the wind get knocked down and vice versa. Sometimes the arrow is accurate and sometimes it's opposite. This needs to be looked at by the devs

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# 7 DeuceDouglas @ 09/03/16 12:27 PM

I'm really glad they decided to give special teams some love this year and it's a nice step but I can't help but feel like they're still a very long way from feeling special or still anything more than an afterthought.

The kick meter is a welcome change and I have actually missed XP's and a few FG's but I'd say my accuracy is still somewhere in the high 90's and even the longest FG's don't seem like as much of a challenge as they truly should. The first thought would obviously be to lower the kick accuracy slider. Let's just say it doesn't exactly work as intended (this was at 25):

Bump it up to 40 and everything is automatic again. Hopefully in the future they'll add a speed setting or option to make the meter less forgiving. I also haven't seen a CPU kicker miss anything under 50+ yet.

The blocks are also a welcome addition and are the one new addition that actually makes special teams feel like it's worth playing. Before I'd just sit through the CPU's field goals or XP's but now every time I'm trying to block the kick so that's nice. The inorganic nature of them is what is disappointing though. As soon as the ball is snapped if a player gets a good jump you immediately know because the camera changes and you know either it's getting blocked or it's going to be close. That completely ruins the surprise element they're trying to create and makes things almost feel staged when they happen. At some point I wouldn't mind if they added the ability to choose any player along the line or had the ability to have kicks organically blocked at the line, that would be really cool.

The biggest disappointment for me is the fake plays. It's nice that they're added but I would have much rather seen attention paid to the plays that happen 99% of the time rather than the 1%. CPU returners still just run in a straight line until they're hit the majority of the time. The kick return plays should be more dynamic especially when the vast majority of the time you can't even choose the type of return you want because the game won't let you. Punt coverage almost always allows for at least a 10 yard return on both sides. There are a ton of aspects that because they're special teams could get some attention and then basically be untouched for the next several years.

The punting is by far the best addition. It finally feels like you can punt a ball in the field of play and count on it not hitting the ground and taking a 30 yard bounce through the endzone. The CPU is also much better at doing this and not angling their punts out of bounds at the 25 or 30 like previous years. My only issue is that I don't think I've had to fair catch one punt in M17 yet. Punters routinely blast 55+ yard punts and with no CPU special teams sliders in CFM (which is still mind boggling) and poor coverage it pretty much guarantees my punt returner leading the league by far every year.

# 8 DeuceDouglas @ 09/03/16 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by therizing02


	Can anyone tell which way the wind is blowing during games? I've had kicks that look to be with the wind get knocked down and vice versa. Sometimes the arrow is accurate and sometimes it's opposite. This needs to be looked at by the devs

The wind arrow is all kinds of screwed up again. Sometimes it's backwards, sometimes it's sideways, sometimes it's accurate. Never really know until after the fact.

# 9 azdawgpound @ 09/03/16 01:01 PM

I like that they paided attention and added and fixed things

The coverage is a great fix in previous Madden's u was lucky to catch ball before a defender was in your face blasting u useally causing a fumble...now u have time to catch and actually get a good return here and there instead of 10 yard returns every time.

Kicking is another fix I like nomore automatic kicks esp for cmp..in 16 the cmp was taking shots from almost midfield and hitting them right down middle not in 17 it's a risk reward which I like.

The blocked kicks another great addition ...although seems to me the cmp can be a lil OP on them some times played 2 games after patch and had fg, punt, extra point all blocked so far in 17 the cmps blocked 11 total I've gotten one... Came close buncha other times but useally get roughing the kicker.

I love the back spin addition nomore watching ball bounce for 10 or more yards into endzone I have pinned cmp deep multiple times even got a turnover on one because it bounced back and hit defenders shoulder pad and I recovered it.

Sky high as well let's your coverage get into place before a good return can happen.

The blocking as well I like before like i meantioned u was lucky get 10 yards now u can break off huge return or take it to house I've gotten more punt returns and KO returns for tds In 17 then I had combined the last 2 or 3 Madden's combined.

Corey Coleman with all that speed Is deadly in the open field almost always a huge return it not td with him returning which gives offense great field postion if not a instant td.

# 10 ggsimmonds @ 09/03/16 01:20 PM

I blocked my first field goal in a actual regular season franchise game. What is better is that I scooped it up and ran it in for a TD.

# 11 whosgotcha @ 09/03/16 02:42 PM

Well they have accomplished their goal. I've missed quite a few field goals that were pretty much money in Madden 16. I have also gotten nervous and missed extra points lol. I have returned a punt and kickoff in the same game for touchdowns (Offline franchise). So yes it is exciting.

# 12 miknhoj1983 @ 09/03/16 03:33 PM

So does anyone know how to assign players to kickoff special teams? What are the positions that are selected and what alignment on the special teams?

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# 13 SonicBoom2040 @ 09/03/16 03:55 PM

Go to formation subs and then at the bottom says special or special teams ....should see kick team and pick players by number and switch em out

# 14 slick1ru2 @ 09/03/16 04:32 PM

I had like a 20 yard field goal and an extra point blocked in the same game by the Carolina Panthers. Kind of ridiculous actually. CPU off-line CFM. And it seems to me that on All-Pro difficulty that when I try to block the kick, my guy moves in slow motion. I've blocked one in about 15 games.

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# 15 Black_Tom_Brady @ 09/03/16 04:35 PM

im not getting kind of jump now no late,early or perfect indication

# 16 Black_Tom_Brady @ 09/03/16 04:36 PM

guy just comes off the ball like i didnt even try to jump the snap its weird

# 17 rkocjay @ 09/03/16 07:27 PM

if the wind wasnt a problem (again) this would be perfect. i like how i can miss and even get my kicked blocked but the wind if bad again after working fine in 16

# 18 Retropyro @ 09/03/16 10:47 PM

Fix the wind direction and special teams is near perfect. Use to be the moment I would put the controller down and take a drink. Not this year, it's actually fun.

I like that it isn't automatic and over-powered. Even timing it perfectly doesn't guarantee it will lead to a block, feels like it should.

# 19 SlyBelle @ 09/04/16 05:49 AM

Special teams have certainly improved...

Pros
- Love the fact CPU will fake sometimes and not in obvious situations
- Like the fact the CPU can actually punt the ball inside the 10 (also a con)
- Like the fact kicks aren't automatic (but also a con below)

Cons
- The actual kick return game does not seem much different, very little room to run and haven't seen a TD yet (or a very long gain)
- I am ok with the kicking mechanics, but not how implemented. The aiming bar is way too sensitive and too many short FGs and extra points missed. I have moved to simming my kicks but that does not always work because sometimes the CPU makes bad game time decisions and does something I wouldn't want to do (i.e. go for TD when ball on 1 yard line, no time left, and only down by 1 point)
- During a number of games when CPU around 50 yard line and have to punt. They kick the ball straight up in the air for only 10-15 yards. I think they are trying to sky it, but with very bad results.
- Way too many kicks blocked

# 20 BleedGreen710 @ 09/04/16 06:12 AM

special teams has certainly improved but I think its impact on the game has been heavily overrated. besides the occasional block, i see little to no difference from past years games. once you master the kick meter (which isn't new, its the same as the ps2 era games, which I've played a ton) you don't miss kicks. and I never see the CPU miss theirs. I have never run the new truck plays, neither has the CPU. kick/punt returns are basically unchanged but the backspin on punts is nice. the fact that blocks are now possible and happen a realistic amount of the time is huge though, and one of my favorite things about the game. but all the hype surrounding it like the teaser videos saying how "special teams will now have a MAJOR impact on the game!" I look back at in disappointment.

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