Dropkick Clinic: Spacing - DropkickCleary's Blog

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Dropkick Clinic: Spacing

Posted on December 22, 2013 at 01:36 AM.

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Spacing is a common concept in Madden. Every playbook has it, and often from several formations and personnel packages.

Spacing is a classic West Coast play. It requires a single receiver to one side of the formation, and either two or three to the other. This can be doubles with a TE, a traditional pro line with a back running flat, or any other combination that will preserve the timing and, well, spacing of the routes.

Spacing is a 3-step timing play and falls within the "Horizontal Stretch" family of passing concepts, as it attempts to attack the defense at multiple points across the width of the formation... in this case, the short zones.

Spacing is a short, timing throw ideal for establishing rhythm in the passing game and making good, solid gains on early downs. It has, however, limited big-play potential.

There are a number of ways Spacing can be run, but the typical Madden version features the X running a quick slant, play side receivers running spot routes with a third outside receiver either running a flat from the backfield or another spot from the Z position.

One thing to note is that the play is designed so that a number of routes can be run by the primary receiver (the weakside X receiver). While Madden usually defaults to slant, hot routing to a hitch, out, or fade all remain within the design of the play. Be aware of your opponent's play calling tendencies and choose the best primary route for your opponent. Three-across shells will typically be vulnerable to the quick-out and hitch routes, man-across to the fade, the slant will punish aggressive blitzing teams.

Executing Spacing:

1. Identify Front: If you are facing a potential "Sugar Blitz", get out of the play. Late bailing linebackers on fake sugars will clog your passing lanes on two potential routes.

2. Read Weakside Box: The purpose of the pre-snap read is to determine if the defensive shell takes away your primary (X). Simply put, if anyone occupies the weakside flats area (CB playing close, WILL outside the end, nickleback, etc.), then don't bother with the X. Simply treat him as a decoy and turn your attention to the Y running a spot over the ball.

3. Set Protection: Hot route your offensive line into "Aggressive" protection. I highly recommend this with all 3-step drops as it cuts down on the number of "suction" sacks that occur when the tackle splits the A gap just because he's close to the QB.

4. Execution: Snap the ball, and read right to left, beginning with whoever your presnap read dictated you begin with.

Remember to read the passing lane, not the receiver. This means you want to identify a clear line of sight between the QB and the spot where the intended receiver will catch the football. Don't worry about seeing if the receiver is "open"... if your timing is right and your read is accurate, he will be. Do not attempt to identify the coverage. It's irrelevant, so long as your timing and passing lane read is sound, and doing so can lead to interceptions against defensive linemen dropping into coverage.

The pass button should be pressed at close to precisely the same moment the receiving icon becomes opaque. If the timing is correct, the receiver should turn and find the ball already on top of him, leaving no opportunity to react for the defender... only a bone jarring hit will produce an incompletion in this case.

Scan your lanes quickly. You should be able to release the ball at the end of the drop, with a discernible delay only when forced to go to your 4th option.

It isn't recommended that you user catch these routes. I theorize that there is code in place that increases the chances of a drop if you switch to a receiver and affect the left stick at all before the ball is secured (simulating 'running before catching'). This is an easy catch for the CPU so long as the timing is good, so let the CPU do its job here.