User defense against default All Madden: D Line or bust?

[sirio994]

What is your experience playing against default All Madden? I'm enjoying this year's default All Madden. It's definitely stoppable on offense.

From my experience the only problem is that if I control a LB or a S, no matter what I do the CPU will find a guy open in the other part of the field. I can cover three routes, the cpu QB will look for the forth one. I'm having avrage success with LB/S and great success (even shutouts) with a pass rusher to tackler/DB approach.

Is controlling a pass rusher the only consistent way to match All Madden's offense?

I'm asking because even though I love playing on the D line, controlling mainly a pass rusher can be boring long term...

[webbjay82]

I love playing Dline, the only issue I'm having is you have to be super careful because depending on how you move the stick because it will trigger a LB or corner to blitz and leave someone wide open. I'm really careful not to trigger the R3 button but they still register you hitting it, seems really sensitive.

[tdogg097]

I feel like this year the ratings really matter. X factors matter. You have to play to your strengths. If I'm playing D with the Rams I'm usering A.Donald. Seahawks, B.Wagner/J.Adams. Cardinals, most athletic I.Simmons. Niners, mix and match with Bosa and Warner. I also bounce around based on the situation. Base D, user MLB. Passing down, user D-line. Blitz, user FS/SS. Goalline, user blitz MLB.

[Hooe]

I never play defensive line, my online league plays on All Madden (default sliders), and I don't have any X-Factor pass rushers on my roster, but I still led my league in sacks by a dozen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

How I call my defense is pretty robotic. Against 2x2 sets I show at least a five-man surface. Against trips I always call either C4 Palms and freelance with the safety opposite of the passing strength (be mindful of crossers from #3) or C6 / C9 and user the C2-side Vertical Hook defender (carry #2 vertical, otherwise look for crossers). Against two-back sets I almost always send extra rushers. Against empty I call C1 Robber with press bail and user the 3-Rec (show blitz, then drop to #3).

One of the main problems the CPU has in M21 is that CPU QBs rarely - if ever - hot route a running back or tight end into pass blocking against obvious pressure looks. This makes formations such as Nickel Double A Gap or Nickel 335 Wide a bit overpowered vs the CPU, because it's easy to force the CPU pass blockers into one-on-ones as long as you hang around the line of scrimmage with a defender right at the snap with one of the linebackers. In combination with the long QB dropback issues, this makes defense on PS4 / XBOX One All-Madden trivially difficult. As long as I don't screw up on offense, I've mostly been naming my score against the CPU on PS4 All Madden for a while now.

On PS5, I have found the QBs to be more willing to throw the ball away and scramble, especially QBs with higher AWR ratings. I actually took my first loss on All Madden to the CPU in months on PS5 the other day against the Packers in a game that went to overtime. So there is hope for a challenging experience moving forward.

[tyler28]

I play MLB on man plays to cover the RB and play DL on zone plays. Seems to work very well and is a change of pace to play a position based on a defensive play call.

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[UtahUtes32]

Coop, both users playing coverage is the best way.. If not, then safety or LB. I like to play CB, but the CPU just plain doesn't throw your way..ever.