This Week in Madden 15 mailbag

Gents, first off thanks for getting to my question on the show. That is the exact thing i was talking about. The QB would throw the ball upfield. I got it to work a few times in practice mode by pulling left of the left thumbstick. Of course tried it in a game and OVERTHROWN lol. Back to the lab. But from the Detroit book, what plays would you run with the screen?

Also I like the toss weak from the Weak Pro formation in the Lions pb. What plays from that set would you mix in to create a scheme from that set?

Looking forward to the redzone book, played a league game tonight and got in the redzone 3 times and got 3 FG's. Lost the game 17-16.

Thanks

WOW!!!!

that show was explosive guys! Z and Gibs..... THANK YOU for devoting the time, energy and effort in breaking down that information on the Ravens for me. OUTSTANDING!!! you guys have given me sooo much information to better improve my game play with the Ravens (my favorite team) online!

Gibs...thanks for that "POWER RUNNING" information on using my 3 backs and even Troy Smith. i never considered using him in the running game. wow! smh! Rice does have decent speed (90) to get to the outside with certain tosses and sweeps but...i believe that power running game would serve me better. plus...those 3-4 plays were sensational! i never ran that Cover 2 like that b4 but i will now. and the "Madden Diamond" defense was pure fire! lol! the Run Balanced playbook plays were on point. Gibs...those 2 blue routes coming out of the back field was one of my major reasons for looking into the Run Balanced pb.

Zfarls...thank you also for the information on being "open" to using the Balanced pb. you are right! my mentally has always been that i NEED to run the ball more than passing cause i am running the Ravens (who lack the superstars at the WR position) and as a result of that, my passing game has really suffered. but..thanks to you guys...i will work on that!

so...thanks again guys for all of your help! i greatly appreciate it!

-Mili

Thanks for using my question guys. I appreciate it and I look forward to seeing how you guys build an offensive scheme. Farls, my advice for fantasy would be to use Ganther, mainly because he is the feature back in Washington and the Giants give up more fantasy points to RB's than the Redskins do. Kevin Boss would be my choice at TE but that's because I don't trust Hasselbeck and outside of week 1 Carlson hasn't done jack. I can also see the Hawks getting up big and not throwing the ball come 3rd or 4th quarter. Gibs, I am not sure which Steve Smith you have, Carolina or the Giants, but let me know and I'll give you my best advice. I am also in the semi's of my fantasy league and I had Reggie Wayne and MJD last night. Wayne came up big for us Farls but unfortunately my opponent had Dallas Clark, but either way it's a solid start.

I ned some tips for getting the TE involved in the game. I have Dustin keller in 2 leagues and Jason Witten in another. I use drags and crossing route combos but still can't seem to get them involved in the passing game.

I don't have RC or Jet pack so I don't do well with them in the slots. Using the Lions pb.

thanks

from the HOF'er

Thanks for answering my question guys.. I cant wait to get my ebook

My question for next week will be wat iz a good defense against the goaline play HB off Tackle?

MP,

When using the TE in the passing game, drags are really good to use. I always use the Cowboys so of course Witten is part of my offense. The drags that cross the field work good against cover 1 and cover 3

Would like to see some good blitzes or coverage plays out of the 4-3. Thanks guys

Zfarls and Sgibs,

Can you go into more detail about the "Madden Diamond"?

direwolves14 wrote:

Zfarls and Sgibs,

Can you go into more detail about the "Madden Diamond"?

Direwolves....

it was a 3-4 defensive set up for the 3-4 Over Cover 2 that Gibs showed in last weeks show. once you make the set ups...the defenders (4 of them) will form a "diamond" in the middle of the field for great coverage. he jokingly said that it was the "Madden Bible Diamond."




P.S. Z and Gibs......3 questions for the next show:

1. i know that madden is a passing game....but....could you please show us a "Power" running scheme that will mercilessly pound the rock , consistently move the chains and control the clock while putting up 6pts out of either the Ravens or the Run Heavy pb?

2. how should i set up the Ravens defensive rosters for man and zone defense?

3. could you explain the value of using various offensive and defensive "Packages?"

-Mili

Thanks Militant - Your 2-4-5 blitzes are good too man

Also, nice piece on Ray Ray helping the Baltimore community this morning on Sunday NFL Countdown

Ok last question for you guys. I've been running SG normal z-spot for a while but too many people key on the back leaking into the flat. I've been using the shallow cross from Gun y-trips wk. Now i remember the wheel route tip from my question about Pat White ( who got traded right after that call lol) is there another play in that formation that I could set up with that flanker motion so it looks like the shallow cross? Thanks

direwolves14 wrote:

Thanks Militant - Your 2-4-5 blitzes are good too man

Also, nice piece on Ray Ray helping the Baltimore community this morning on Sunday NFL Countdown

aww...thanks for the shout out Direwolves! glad you like that 2-4-5 blitz bruh!

i like to look for stuff out of the "over-looked" formations and playbooks this year. such as the 2-4-5, 1-5-5 Prowl defenses and the Ravens, Run Heavy, Run Balanced playbooks etc. we already see soooooo many set ups for the other formations and more popular Obooks and Dbooks in our community. just looking for different "under-the-radar' stuff. lol!

Ray-Ray does alot for the Baltimore community. that piece on him was outstanding! i have been a fan of his "personally" since his days at the "U" and especially of the Ravens when they drafted him! i believe that he has at least 1-2 more years in the league and then after that....he will be done.

-Mili

I have a few myself.

1. 3-4 nanos and others. The latest trend seems to be to slide protect one way right or left and block the FB or some body else the other way. I use the NYJ d-book by the way. How do you guy combat this. Its a headache because of the quick pass.
2. When guarding a wr,hb,te etc what do you guys key in on? do you watch the qb and keep your eye on the receiver or do you just look for a player thats coming open I realize it will change depending on zone or man so can we discuss each?
3. Also like to know what you guys do to improve on your stick skills for pass and run defense?
4. Turbo blitz stutter. I have noticed when I try to turbo blitz through the gaps I get a pause. It does not happen when I come of the edge. I don't know if its a PS3 thing though have you seen this. It happens alot in 3/4 blitzes with the mlb take for instance sting pinch nano.

Lockdown...i am no expert by any means bruh....however...i feel that one of the ways that i have been able to get around that slide protection at times is that you have to have HEAT that comes from ALL AREAS of the field. i have A & B gap and Outside blitzes that i try to incorporate in a game.

for example: i may solely blitz the "A" gap for the 1st qrtr just to get my opponent focused on defending it. once he shows me that he is soooo focused on the "A" gap protection...i start blitzing the "B" gap...lol! then...i try to throw in some blitzes that come from the edges or outside as well. i use the 3-4 Stack because it is a little easier to disguise where the blitz is coming from than the Normal, Predator, Solid, Under or Even formations.

-Mili

Militant X 1 wrote:

Lockdown...i am no expert by any means bruh....however...i feel that one of the ways that i have been able to get around that slide protection at times is that you have to have HEAT that comes from ALL AREAS of the field. i have A & B gap and Outside blitzes that i try to incorporate in a game.

for example: i may solely blitz the "A" gap for the 1st qrtr just to get my opponent focused on defending it. once he shows me that he is soooo focused on the "A" gap protection...i start blitzing the "B" gap...lol! then...i try to throw in some blitzes that come from the edges or outside as well. i use the 3-4 Stack because it is a little easier to disguise where the blitz is coming from than the Normal, Predator, Solid, Under or Even formations.

-Mili

Thanks Militant but that does not work for this one. take for example the sting pinch nano. You have A gap heat as well as out side. So they slide protect right and block a fb left then roll out with the qb to the right. This works for most 3-4 nanos. The way I have been combating this is by forcing the rusher on the lineman I want by turbo rushing with the DE and engaging the guard. so I make the hole for the linebacker to get through. Then click on once he shoots the gap. The problem is I like to sit back in coverage to take the away the short reads. So I was wondering if they had a better way to get the A gap heat. Im with you on the stack though very good formation I have quite a few nanos from that formation.

Good stuff guys, we will work this questions in as always and also take live calls on our next show! it will most likely be the 7th right before we go to orlano. Should be sick, this helps fuel the show, its all you guys!

Can you do a piece on outside runs and tosses, especially to the outside. I can not defend these. I have a good defense and thanks to you guys have stopped some outside runs and I thought I had outside runs shutdown but I just got killed with outside runs to sproles and felix jones recently

lockdown100 wrote:

Thanks Militant but that does not work for this one. take for example the sting pinch nano. You have A gap heat as well as out side. So they slide protect right and block a fb left then roll out with the qb to the right. This works for most 3-4 nanos. The way I have been combating this is by forcing the rusher on the lineman I want by turbo rushing with the DE and engaging the guard. so I make the hole for the linebacker to get through. Then click on once he shoots the gap. The problem is I like to sit back in coverage to take the away the short reads. So I was wondering if they had a better way to get the A gap heat. Im with you on the stack though very good formation I have quite a few nanos from that formation.

i hear you Lockdown. i guess the difference is that i really don't "user" rush that much (i may need to do so more on some plays and set ups). however...i like to set my blitzes...then "stack" a defender in certain spots (that cause the O-Line to engage a DE to let the LB get through....or....a LB to let the DE get through. i normally user the FS to watch deep and clean up outside runs etc. so you make a good point!

P.S. let's post some of our 3-4 Stack plays to compare notes.

-Mili

Militant X 1 wrote:

lockdown100 wrote:

Thanks Militant but that does not work for this one. take for example the sting pinch nano. You have A gap heat as well as out side. So they slide protect right and block a fb left then roll out with the qb to the right. This works for most 3-4 nanos. The way I have been combating this is by forcing the rusher on the lineman I want by turbo rushing with the DE and engaging the guard. so I make the hole for the linebacker to get through. Then click on once he shoots the gap. The problem is I like to sit back in coverage to take the away the short reads. So I was wondering if they had a better way to get the A gap heat. Im with you on the stack though very good formation I have quite a few nanos from that formation.

i hear you Lockdown. i guess the difference is that i really don't "user" rush that much (i may need to do so more on some plays and set ups). however...i like to set my blitzes...then "stack" a defender in certain spots (that cause the O-Line to engage a DE to let the LB get through....or....a LB to let the DE get through. i normally user the FS to watch deep and clean up outside runs etc. so you make a good point!

P.S. let's post some of our 3-4 Stack plays to compare notes.

-Mili

You on PS3 My gamer tag is Lock_down100. Im not that good though.