Offensive Play Calling: Connected Plays - PGaither84's Blog

PGaither84's Blog

Offensive Play Calling: Connected Plays

Posted on October 12, 2012 at 02:26 PM.

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In this installment, I want to talk about offensive play calling. Specifically, I wanted to talk about plays that are tied together. I like to call plays that will give the defense the same look, but turn out to be different in some unexpected way. This keeps the defense honest and on it's toes.

NOTE: All of the plays I will be talking about come from the Madden 13 playbook Facebook ap, but you can find them in Madden 12 as you create your own custom playbook

We are going to take a look at running out of the shotgun:

The basic HB Sweep. Simple enough, run off the right tackle, or flip the play to run off the left tackle.

Ah, now here is where we start to get tricky. At the snap, this looks like the HB Sweep, but is really a counter. Obvious to you as you read this, but not to the defense, even after the snap. This play is set up by the success of the HB Sweep. If you can force the D to respect the sweep, it will open up the counter.

Our third play here is more for teams with a mobile QB. The QB wrap really sells the HB Sweep. In fact, you can actually hold the A button [on the 360] to hand it off to the HB if you want. However, if you don't, the QB will keep the ball and run with it.

Similarly, we have the Read Option. This does not have a pulling tackle to lead your QB and I think it is the better play, but I wanted to mention the QB Wrap so it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. The Read Option looks MORE like the HB Sweep, and if you hold the A button, you will again hand it off to the back. The Read Option is all about watching the Weak Side DE. If he plays the HB, don't press anything and let the QB keep it. If the DE plays contain, hold A and hand it off.

Now we have the Read Option Play Action Pass. This play is set up to look like the HB Sweep/Read Option, but is really a pass. I recommend you flip all of these plays for mobile right handed QBs, as they were designed for Lefty Tim Tebow. If you are using Tebow, you can fake the hand off and sprint left [right with a Right handed QB] and you will have all of your receiving option flowing play side to your strength.

We also obviously have the draw play, which of course is a fake pass run.

With these 6 plays, the defense will have a hard time knowing if it is run or pass, or which way the run is going if it is a run until it's too late. That doesn't mean every play is going to succeed, but knowing how these plays are tied together can help you build a balanced attack.

Football is all bout tendencies. In Madden against randoms, they don't really have film to study you with, but you can set them up by having early success with the HB Sweep, and continuing to run it until they show that they are ready to stop it, and then you hit them with the counter or read option. When they commit to the run action, you hit them with the Play Action Pass and really burn them. Conversely, as they commit to stopping your aerial attack, you can keep them honest with a good draw play.

When you are playing against the computer, having this variety of plays can help keep the game from feeling stale/repetitive and keeps you playing a simulation style offense.

Here are three more plays that are all tied together from the I Pro:

The End Around is a simple hand off to the WR.

Here is an End Around Fake. Often times in the NFL, teams will run this play first, and more than once early in the game and watch how the defense reacts to the end around fake. If they see the defense playing aggressive, they will go with the End Around to take advantage of that aggressiveness.

Finally, we have the End Around Play Action Pass. Combined with a boot leg roll out by the QB, you have a lot going on on this play that the Defense has to account for. In Madden, play action passes have been known to lead to sacks, but I have had MUCH more success with the boot legs than with the normal play action passes. It also helps me to use slide protection to the side of the roll out. This play will buy time for your TE to get deep, which is your first read. You can also just keep it and take off, or check down to the HB. You might even find the end around receiver open on the back side across the field. Just like with Slam End Around Fake, this Play Action pass is often times used before he actual End Around itself. You threaten the End Around and make the Defense respect it, and if they don't... then THAT is when you hit them with it.

However, some teams who have a really fast WR might open up with the End Around and force the D to respect it that way to open up the other two plays. It's really all up to how you play. The main point is that all three of these plays are tied together.

Finding plays that are tied together and using them all effectively will really improve your offensive play calling and execution. Until next time, happy gaming!