Spydr's Sim Madden Guide: Madden 10 Edition

[MvP]

These are common sense things that I forget about a lot, good write-up man.

[Yawkey Way]

What MVP said. Thanks a ton D

[Point Blank]

Good read once again.

[I LastWish I]

When can we expect the next one man??

[stevsta]

When can we expect the next one man??

for the love of god do running please I'm getting slaughtered

[JBregz]

Nice job man.

[DSpydr84]

"K.I.S.S." On Offense To Gain Productivity

Running a successful offense can be pretty stressful at times. There's a lot to think about: you have to read coverages, protect your passer, mix in the running game with the passing game, control the ball, pick up first downs and most importantly, score touchdowns. With all this on your mind, how could anybody focus on calling correct plays or performing well on the field? There's a popular phrase used in the coaching world - which you guys have noticed in my recent tips - and I'd like to share it with you now. Simply put, you have to "K.I.S.S." on offense.

What does that mean?

"Keep It Simple, Stupid".

Think about it like this: if you can get at least 3.4 yards on every play, and you don't turn the ball over, you will have the most productive offense in the history of the NFL and there's a good chance you will never lose a game.

Let that sink in for a second.

It almost sounds impossible NOT to have a successful offense. We're not trying to explore the universe or perform brain surgery here, 3 and a half yards a play seperates you from the elite. The gap between you and the greatest players in the country probably isn't as much as you think.


What's the most important part of running a successful offense?

You can come up with all the crazy schemes you want, the most elaborate play-calling sheet in the world, and a game plan that would make even Dick LaBeau cringe.. but at the end of the day, the single most important part of a successful offense is execution.

You need to be able to execute the plays you run, or everything else is worthless.

LaVell Edwards, a former head coach at BYU, is on record of saying that his offense consisted of about 10 passing plays and 5 running plays, which were run from different formations. Edwards and his team won 20 Conference Championships and one National Championship during his stay. FIFTEEN PLAYS!

That is because BYU could execute those fifteen plays better than anyone. They weren't trying to outsmart anybody or do something so complex that even they couldn't understand it, they simply came out every Saturday and said "this is our offense, this is how we're going to run it, good luck trying to stop it." And most of the time, they walked away winners.

So in order to have any real, long-standing success with your offense, you too will need to properly execute the plays you call. It is very possible to call the correct play and have a poor result because you failed to execute.


Why can't I run the ball effectively? Is the run blocking in Madden 10 broken?

Contrary to what you might think, running the football against an NFL defense is not easy. And this also might sound a little crazy, but sometimes, they make plays too.

For a running play to work "perfectly", you need at least 5 guys (and usually 6 or 7, sometimes even 8 or 9) human beings to step in unison, correctly read and understand their blocking assignment and who their designated target is, gain outstanding leverage, and keep that leverage for at least 4 seconds. The running back then needs to read those blocks, make his decision within a fraction of a second, and cut up the field into the open and hopefully outrun the third level on his way to the endzone.

What's the point?

It's not easy.

Guys will miss blocks from time to time. The beauty of football is that one player won't put your team over the top, but one player CAN mess everything up... and you can really tell on a busted running play. You just have to accept that as a missed assignment and move on, because there's nothing you can do about it. Sometimes it's just not your fault.

However, if this is consistently a problem for you, you either aren't varying your running plays well (inside runs, outside runs, misdirection, counters, dives, etc.) or you aren't running the ball correctly. Let's take a look at the ghetto pictures I have provided to show you what I mean.

This is the Lions against the Giants on all-madden difficulty. One of the worst offensive lines against one of the best defensive lines. We'll see how it goes...

The first play from scrimmage is Power O from the I-Formation. Power O is a run designed to go to the 4 hole, which is the gap between the right tackle and the tight end. The defense is giving me a 4-3 Base with a stacked Mike backer over the defensive tackle. If he's in the strong A-gap (which is literally two steps to his left; the spot in between my center and right guard), I'm checking out of this play. But because he's a couple steps over and giving me some time to find the hole, I'll snap the ball.




The ball is snapped, and the blocking looks pretty good. My right tackle and tight end double team the defensive end, there's no backside leaks, and I have a two-man convoy leading me to the hole. My job as a runner now is to be patient and let them lead me to the hole.




Smith gets the ball, and if you can find that Mike linebacker I was talking about earlier, he's blowing me up in the hole if he was in the strong A-gap. But because he was two steps to his right and away from the run, my right tackle (#77) has time to peel back off the double team and pick him up. It's amazing how much needs to happen in just one play.




The play continues, and you can see the alley that my line has tried to create. The safety flies up to meet me in the hole...




And he makes contact about 4 yards down field. But because Kevin Smith ate his Wheaties this morning...




He breaks out of the mess and gets taken down by the cornerback 11 yards down field. Good start to the running game. You're not always going to break out of that tackle, but 4 yards is fine. Remember, all we need is 3.5 a play. Let's go to first and ten and keep this ground game rolling.




Next play is the HB Blast from the Strong-I Formation. The defense has now shifted to a 4-3 Under, which I really should run Weak Iso against, but for the sake of the guide, let's move forward!

HB Blast is designed to go to the 2 hole, which is in between the left guard and left tackle. The goal is to have the tight end and right tackle, similar to last play, double team the defensive end... and the fullback leads through the hole and kicks out the strong outside linebacker. But because the defense is giving me a front that cannot make that happen, the Blast might not work so great. I should check out of this play, but I'll continue just to show you what I mean.




The ball is snapped, and things are going pretty well so far. The center and right guard correctly double team the defensive tackle, my right tackle - although on an island - is blocking the defensive end, and my tight end is leading up the field to get the outside linebacker. My fullback will probably be lost on this play, but I'm hoping he picks up the middle linebacker and that creates some sort of alleyway.




Here you can see the play really breaking down. My right tackle couldn't contain their defensive end, and my fullback is literally standing straight up with nobody to block. Smith really doesn't have a chance.




And he's hit in the backfield for a short loss. This is a situation where you have to know your blocking assignments, and you have to get in the correct play. As I said earlier, a Weak Iso is effective against this type of formation, as are weak counters or stretch runs. This play didn't work because the defensive alignment confused my blockers, and my right tackle lost the battle with the defensive end (which we all saw coming).

After a quick throw to Calvin Johnson (gotta keep 'em honest!), let's move on to the next play.




We're gonna try to hit them on the edge with a HB Toss here. The play is designed to go to the 8 hole (even though it's not really a "hole", it's technically between the tight end and the wide receiver). This is about the weirdest Base 4-3 you'll find.. the middle linebacker is hiding behind the umpire and the outside backer is stacked behind a standing defensive tackle (weird?). Regardless, in a 4-3 Base defense, the players responsible for edge contain are the defensive ends. Their job is to keep all outside runs from getting around the corner. So hopefully my rookie tight end can control this guy for a few seconds (that's why we drafted him, after all).




And the end pretty much rejected that idea pretty quickly. Perfect rip to the outside and really a good job controlling the edge. If the middle or outside linebacker were in any position pre-snap to play defense, they would've won this play. But since they're lost at sea, my pulling guard is able to get around the end and contain him.




And you can see that illustrated here. Again, if the guard is occupied by the outside linebacker, this is a fantastic play by Justin Tuck. He does his job to perfection, and really could've messed this play up with any help. Luckily for me on this play, football is a team game, and his teammates are nowhere to be found. So unfortunately for him, he gets double teamed.




And I'm in the clear!




I get tackled down field after a solid gain of 10 on the play. For those keeping track at home, that's 3 carries for 20 yards... over 6 yards a pop! Let's keep this drive going...




This was originally a HB Counter play to the left, but the defense has it pretty well shut down. I audible to a quick dive play to the left instead, hoping my line can drive everybody away from the hole and I can burst through for a few yards.




No real luck as the defensive tackle makes a nice move on my center.




I slam it in there anyway, pick up my 3 yards, and move on to the next play. Nothing wrong with that play on first down, since I still only need 3.5 yards a play on my next two plays to get a first down. Nothing magical going on here, it's just executing the running plays and giving yourself a chance on every snap.




Stretch play here. You know the drill: we're trying to attack the edge, defensive end has outside contain, if my tight end can control him and my fullback can get around and hook the outside linebacker it could be a big play.




Tuck proves once again why he's a great player and doesn't let a tight end hold him back for too long. Still, it was enough time for me to get the corner. As long as my fullback picks up the linebacker and Calvin is making a block on the outside I can still make a big run here.




Fullback whiffs. All you can really do here as a runner is pick up as much yardage as possible.




Smith gets taken down after a gain of, you guessed it, 3 and a half yards. That leaves me 3rd and a short 4 to go.. which is right on pace. A quick little WR Screen to Calvin to attack the blitz, and it's first and 10 from the 11 yard line.




I go back to the counter run, since I had to audible out of it earlier. The hole can vary slightly on this play depending on the defensive alignment; it could either be between the left guard and left tackle (the 3 hole) or between the left tackle and tight end (5 hole).




You can see the hole starting to form here between the tackle and guard. Hopefully, my line can hold their blocks just long enough for Smith to dart through the hole and score the touchdown.




The hole is still there, but the defensive tackle is winning his battle against my guard. It's been happening all day, so I'm not really surprised.. they are better than us after all.




He spins off and makes a tackle, but not before I got my 3.5 yards! Nobody said this style of offense was cute, but I'm inside the 10 with the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants defense, and I've thrown two passes. The proof is in the pudding; execute the play, give yourself a chance to gain yards, take your 3-4 yards and do it all over again on the next play.




The drive is then capped with a Daunte Culpepper pass to Will Heller in the back of the endzone for a touchdown.


9 plays, 71 yards, touchdown. Not too bad, eh?

So next time you're struggling to move the ball, can't make a play or feel completely helpless, think about this drive. Just keep it simple, get your 3 and a half yards, and convert on third down. Don't make the game harder than it really is. You don't have to be all that creative if you know how to execute.

[I LastWish I]

Now I got something to read at work tonight! Thanks!

[LopaKa]

nice read spyder. I'll keep that in mind when i'm struggling on offense.

[DSpydr84]

wow this really helped. After I read this I hoped straight online.

Won the game 35-7

Eli Manning was 14/14 with 3 TDs and a 157.7 rating
Brandon Jacobs averaged 5.3 a carry with 1 TD
Aaron Ross got a pick 6

Never threw an incompletion, 5 yards per carry and a 28 point win... and I didn't show you a single "money play", "nano blitz" or any other bogus glitch that you find on those dumb websites.

Who needs eBooks anyway?

P.S. Not a perfect 158.3 rating? What more do they want out of the guy than 14/14 and 3 TDs?

[Saluki]

Football how it's supposed to be played FTW

[Chadman]

Football how it's supposed to be played FTW

darren mcfadden cheese. lol

Good shit Spydr. I love reading your work. You should do this everyday.

What slider set are you using when playing the CPU? All Madden or custom sliders?

[corbin]

Good shit, this is one of my favorite things to read on VSN.

[Deegeezy]

Never threw an incompletion, 5 yards per carry and a 28 point win... and I didn't show you a single "money play", "nano blitz" or any other bogus glitch that you find on those dumb websites.

Who needs eBooks anyway?

P.S. Not a perfect 158.3 rating? What more do they want out of the guy than 14/14 and 3 TDs?

Yards per completion maybe?

[DSpydr84]

Slowing Down an Aerial Assault

You hear coaches and announcers say it all the time: "Take what the defense gives you". But as a defense, have you ever thought of using that to your advantage?

We talked earlier about how as a defense, you can't cover everything. And on each play, you are giving something up, in order to take something else away. In theory, the offenses job is to find out what you're giving up, then attack it. But if you know what you're giving up, you should be able to control any offense you play against because you should know the where the holes are in your defense.

Follow what I'm saying?

Let's say for example, I run a Cover 4 zone the entire game. That's the only play I run on defense from the opening kick to the final whistle. Now as a defense, I know that my Cover 4 is giving up holes in the running game, and passes to the flats. So in this sense, I am telling the offense, "the only way you are going to win this game is if you have a dominant running game, and you throw the ball short". You can see that if all goes according to plan and nobody blows a coverage, we have total control over the offense. We'll know exactly where the ball will go and what kind of plays they'll use.

This is just one of the many ways you can dictate how the offense should play. The goal is to control the offense and force them to call plays that they don't want to use. There are three more points of emphasis that I wanted to hit on with this post that I think will be beneficial to stopping a high-powered offense.


Know What You Got

What kind of players do you have on defense? What kind of identity does the roster have? Knowing what kind of talent you have will help you in calling plays. If you have a strong defense line, you'll know that you won't always need to blitz to generate pressure. If you have a strong secondary, you'll know you can trust them one-on-one and maybe you can blitz more often.

In the same token, if you have a weak secondary, it might be best to protect those players by not putting them in situations to be unsuccessful. Know what your players can and cannot handle. If you know there is an obvious mis-match somewhere, make sure that player has help or that he's not in a position to lose the battle.

Remember, the offense is trying to attack YOU. And chances are, they're not going to come out throwing at Nnamdi Asomougha or running at Albert Haynesworth.


Know What You're Up Against

If you're playing the New York Giants, that Cover 4 idea we talked about earlier is probably a dumb idea. Know what kind of players the opponent has on offense, then formulate a strategy around that.

A technique you could use is try to take away the offenses best player, and force the opponent to win the game with somebody else. So against the Giants, you could stack 9 in the box and force the offense to win the game by throwing the ball. Maybe against Arizona you'd use a Dime or Quarter coverage all game and force the offense to win by throwing short or running the ball. If you can take away what the offense is good at, and you force them to beat you another way, you may take them out of their element and they could make mistakes.


Know What They Like

This ties into the last comment, but as the game goes along, try to remember what kind of plays they like to use in certain situations. If you can really develop a knack for this kind of thing, it will ASTRONOMICALLY help your defense. If they caught you on a WR Screen earlier in the game on 3rd and long, and you notice on the next third and long that they're using the same personnel group as the screen play, go with "Double Z" and take that play away. Even remembering two or three of their favorite plays from certain formations will greatly improve your success as a defense. Again, it's about taking the offense out of their comfort zone. You want to force them to beat you in ways they are not used to.



The bottom line is that defensively, it is important for you to take control of the game and force the offense away from what they like to do. If you can control the offenses attack, there is a great chance that you will slow it down and bring it to a stop altogether. If the other team can win the game by playing outside of their element for four quarters, they deserve to win anyway.. because they're a great player. But I'm willing to bet they won't.