Madden Umbumpable Routes Guide - ZFarls's Blog

ZFarls's Blog

Madden Umbumpable Routes Guide

Posted on October 21, 2010 at 10:04 AM.

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This is a little less sim, but still an important concept for football fans everywhere!

Unbumpables

Questions to ask ourselves!
Are we being bumped? Which WR�s are being bumped? Why are they bumping us?

First, you must recognize if the defense IS playing bump and run. It is a strategy that good players use to bring pressure and throw off timing. �Pressing the WR� has been effective year after year in Madden. If the CB�s slide up close to your WR�s then that is a sign. Also if after the snap they seem to get �pressed� at the line thats another sign.

Bump and run is usually Man to Man.
However flat zones often bump to throw the WR off and let the WR run by into another zone (but his timing will be off)

Another reason the defense plays bump is because they are about to bring pressure.
If you see the blitz coming, you want to make your hot read and get the ball out as soon as possible. So, you hike it and go to throw but the Defender is all over your WR which is legal within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. When your WR finally gets free (and often wide open) the pressure from the blitz is already there.

Why is bumpng bad for the defense? It often comes without alot of safety help over the top. If the WR beats the bump and run, he is often wide open and the blitz won�t have arrived at the QB yet. Many big gains are made against bump and run when the WR is still able to get the ball early in his route.

Now, here is how to beat the bump!
Look to the RB�s - RB�s dont start on the line of scrimmage, they are next to the QB so the defense physically can NOT bump them when the play starts. They can�t line someone up in your backfield to press him so they are off the hook! Look to leak the RB to where the blitz is coming from, OR keep him in to pick up the pressure and give your WR�s more time to get open.

Find routes that are hard to bump. - The C route in single back tight doubles WR corner is a money route. Instead of it running straight ahead to start (like almost every route, think about it) it takes a quick diagonal cut first. So when you hike it, you run left and the DB goes straight ahead to bump you but your already running away instead of AT Him!

Find unbumpable formations - Bunch sets are hard to bump. There are 3 WR�s standing very close to each other and you need to put the DB�s in a tight space revealing that you are playing�man coverage� Another reason is because one of the WR�s wont be on the line of scrimmage, he will be a few steps back from the line giving him more time to get off the bump. Lastly, the 3 WR�s often �work off eachother�. Thats 6 players in a small space running picks and routes and its alot to cover in that little space especially if you know where your WR�s are going.

Use motion - Lastly, my favorite way to smash the bump is motion. If you are running sideways along the line of scrimmage when the ball in snapped, its impossible for the DB to slide along with you and bump when the ball is hiked. The only problem is that just 1 man can be motioned at a time before the snap. So you must make sure that WR is running a nice pattern that works well with motion. (C route above, PA WR In (singleback y trips screen play, Quick audible left)

Rules are you must have 7 players on the line of scrimmage

Split end (Z or SE): A receiver on the line of scrimmage, necessary to meet the rule requiring seven such players at snap. Where applicable, this receiver is on the opposite side of the tight end. The split end is farthest from center on his side of the field.
Flanker (X or FL): A receiver lining up behind the line of scrimmage. Frequently the team's featured receiver, the flanker uses the initial buffer between himself and a defender to avoid jamming, legal contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The flanker is generally on the same side of the formation as a tight end. As with the split end, this receiver is the farthest player from the center on his side of the field. The flanker is probably lined up just like a split end except that he is just behind the line of scrimmage, being in the backfield and not on the line.
Slot receiver (Y or SL): A less-formal name given to receivers in addition to split ends and flankers (for example tight-ends who line up wide). These receivers line up between the split end/flanker and the linemen. If aligned with a flanker, the slot receiver is usually on the line of scrimmage, and if with a split end, off the line of scrimmage. As with the flanker position, a featured receiver often takes a slot position with a split end to avoid jamming.