Is There a ‘Best Defence’ to Build in Franchise Mode?

[Mackrel829]

In a tear-down rebuild in which you can create an entire team basically from scratch, what would you do on defence?

Is 4-3 better than 3-4? Is a Cover 3 heavy system better than Cover 4? Would you play primarily zone or primarily man? Would you blitz a lot or a little?

Assuming you have the players to fit the scheme, what actually works in the game vs the CPU?

[CM Hooe]

4-3 vs 3-4 distinction is mostly irrelevant at this point. What matters more is what fronts you want to play (Over, Under, Odd) and what personnel you can deploy in those fronts.

I don't really think there's a best front in the game per se, at least not on current-generation consoles where the run blocking actually behaves reasonably authentically. Which fronts you should run probably depends most on who is on your roster and what run schemes your opponent majors in.

The one defensive opinion I do have is that you should want to play match coverage against trips, so you should have safeties who can play that scheme (better AGI / COD / SPD / ACC / MCV). Having a stud CB who can erase a backside solo WR in a nasty split is also extremely helpful.

The reason I feel this way is that Cover 3 (and additionally Tampa 2) still doesn't have any answers or adjustments for trips in Madden. Against 2x2 and sets with multiple running backs, Cover 3 and Tampa 2 are generally fine, but against Madden spread offenses they are dead on arrival.

IMO it's critical to field a defense which can confidently play match coverage against trips from Madden's Cover 4 Quarters and Cover 4 Palms calls. I also think having a defense which can confidently play Cover 1 Hole and Cover 1 Robber is quite useful.

[Richie71]

For franchise in 24, vs CPU, I found these key principals.
Pressure is really important. I user the DT2. As soon as you get to a pass situation (and the AI passes much more than it runs) get in to a sub DL package. For me the sub package puts LE at RDT1, DT1 at RDT2, RE1 and RLE and RE2 at RRE2. Longer yardage, use the 4 DE sub packages.


24 is much better to play man, but I would mainly play a soft zone until 3rd down, then get to man. Cover 1, but don't bump unless within your own red zone.

[Mackrel829]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

4-3 vs 3-4 distinction is mostly irrelevant at this point. What matters more is what fronts you want to play (Over, Under, Odd) and what personnel you can deploy in those fronts. I don't really think there's a best front in the game per se, at least not on current-generation consoles where the run blocking actually behaves reasonably authentically. Which fronts you should run probably depends most on who is on your roster and what run schemes your opponent majors in. The one defensive opinion I do have is that you should want to play match coverage against trips, so you should have safeties who can play that scheme (better AGI / COD / SPD / ACC / MCV). Having a stud CB who can erase a backside solo WR in a nasty split is also extremely helpful. The reason I feel this way is that Cover 3 (and additionally Tampa 2) still doesn't have any answers or adjustments for trips in Madden. Against 2x2 and sets with multiple running backs, Cover 3 and Tampa 2 are generally fine, but against Madden spread offenses they are dead on arrival. IMO it's critical to field a defense which can confidently play match coverage against trips from Madden's Cover 4 Quarters and Cover 4 Palms calls. I also think having a defense which can confidently play Cover 1 Hole and Cover 1 Robber is quite useful.

I appreciate this!

I'm rebuilding the Chargers so have a couple of pieces in place on the back end like Assante Samuel and Derwin James that should be able to handle those things.

I'll do some additional reading myself but any chance you could elaborate on a couple of things you mentioned:

1. What's the difference between the various fronts? Should I be primarily utilising one front and building my personnel towards that or is it important to change the defensive front based on the offensive formation/alignment?

2. Is there a significant difference between Quarters and Palms?

3. Why is Cover 1 so useful?

Thanks so much in advance for any additional detail you're able to provide.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

It does feel to me like the game struggles more with blocking 3 man DL, regardless of the quality of those players. It seems to trigger a lot of double-team blocks and the backside ILB is usually left free to roam and break things up.

[kiricowell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mackrel829

In a tear-down rebuild in which you can create an entire team basically from scratch, what would you do on defence? Is 4-3 better than 3-4? Is a Cover 3 heavy system better than Cover 4? Would you play primarily zone or primarily man? Would you blitz a lot or a little? Assuming you have the players to fit the scheme, what actually works in the game vs the CPU?

As for the blitz package, I'd opt for a middle-of-the-road approach. I wouldn't want to be an all-out blitz-heavy defense, as that can be high-risk, high-reward. But I also wouldn't want to be totally vanilla and never bring any extra pressure.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mackrel829

I appreciate this! I'm rebuilding the Chargers so have a couple of pieces in place on the back end like Assante Samuel and Derwin James that should be able to handle those things. I'll do some additional reading myself but any chance you could elaborate on a couple of things you mentioned: 1. What's the difference between the various fronts? Should I be primarily utilising one front and building my personnel towards that or is it important to change the defensive front based on the offensive formation/alignment? 2. Is there a significant difference between Quarters and Palms? 3. Why is Cover 1 so useful? Thanks so much in advance for any additional detail you're able to provide.

1 - a front is a configuration of defensive linemen and linebackers. Different fronts place defensive linemen over different gaps of the offensive line, and importantly don't place defensive linemen over other gaps. Any place where there isn't a defensive lineman in a gap is called a "bubble" and is an obvious target for the opposing offense to run at.

Different fronts are susceptible to different run blocking concepts based on the location of the bubbles. Knowing where your front is vulnerable — where the bubbles are — will affect how you call your defense. For example, a traditional 4-3 Over front with only seven in the box tends to have trouble with gap-blocking run schemes such as Power-O unless your strong-side defensive end is a total ***-kicker who can survive constant double-team blocks from the right tackle and tight end by himself.

2 - In Madden, yes, as long as the Match coaching adjustment is enabled. Against 2x2 and two-back formations, Quarters plays traditional man-on-demand Quarters pattern-match coverage (pattern-match coverage is similar to a matchup zone in basketball where defenders' assignments change dynamically as a play carries out). Meanwhile, Palms will play a match coverage called (depending on which coach's verbiage you are familiar with) "Trap 2", "Palms", or "Cathy", which will behave exactly like Quarters unless a slot receiver or tight end runs a short out-breaking route, in which case the boundary cornerback will crash on it and the safety behind him will take any vertical receiver on the boundary, similar to a Cover 2. The rules change even further if the offense deploys a 3x1 or empty formation.

There's a whole lot of stuff to talk about with match coverage, beyond the scope of this one post.

3 - Cover 1 is useful because it is versatile. It is a man coverage defense which can present itself from both single-high and two-high shells (in Madden, this boils down to Cover 1 Hole vs Cover 1 Robber), which can slow down the quarterback's process post-snap. You also have flexibility to add a fifth pass rusher instead of playing a hole / robber zone defender if you'd like.

An example: Cover 1 Robber is my coverage of choice against empty sets. I typically user the robber defender to cheat against the first in-breaking route from the 3-receiver side until my opponents shows a willingness to throw the ball outside the hashes.

[georgiafan]

If you sim the games don't use 3-4 as it gets very little sacks compared to 4-3