So does the 3-4 finally work?

[Deegeezy]

I haven't been able to get a good read on if the 3-4 defense finally works the way it should. I have seen sort of "accidental-looking" double team blocks but nothing concrete.

[Steeler99]

Wow, this was such a hot topic earlier, I'm surprised you haven't receieved any feedback. I didn't bother getting the demo, so I'm anxiously awaiting an answer to this question too?

[Broncos86]

It "works" in that it's an effective defense. Does it work in that the system requires a huge NT that can take a double team? Not so much. If you run three man rushes, you'll struggle to create pressure.

[PGaither84]

As of the 1min quarters Demo, no it does not "work." I am a huge 3-4 fan, and will still be using it in M10 but that is because I still feel it is the better D in Madden. I prefer to send linebackers from various spots and various combos. In the demo Ii played as both the Cowboys and the Giants and found that the Boy's 3-4 wasn't all that scarry or impressive.

It is hard to place final judgement when Ian has said this demo was made prior to the new line interaction "fix" from a month or so ago. Maybe things are different. However it is my opinion that the real flaw is the AI in Madden.

There is something in the AI that tells the oline to do a double team, and that same AI tells the line to do things we see as stupid. What I want to know/see is Ian and the team find out what makes the line do the right thing and take out doing the stupid things. I can understand mistakes but almost if not every play only 2 or 3 linemen do the right thing and the rest don't. Even if all 5 block someone, they block the wrong someone.

I just don't see how the ratings "fix" will allow the o-line to make the right AI choices.

PS. I see the same "dumb" AI when choosing animations. A Linebacker running straight at Eli Manning and then when he should straight up nail Eli in the chest and drive him to the ground, he instead chooses a bad animation where he slides to behind Eli and do an arm tackle and throw him to the ground. It may not mean anything to some, but if the AI drives the animations liek we are told, then the AI chooses bad animations and that needs to be fixed.

[eb1920]

Yeah, I've been wondering about this too. I'm a Pats fan and it's always bugged me how the 3-4 works (or doesn't) in Madden.

[Hooe]

I had a ton of trouble running against Casey Hampton and the Steelers defense in the Gamestop demo (Cardinals line gets very little if any push), and in the standard demo I can wreak havoc with Demarcus Ware. I'm inclined to believe that the 3-4 works to some capacity at this point, though I'm no expert on NFL defenses myself.

[bigdfan76]

I play with the Cowboys and have been using the 3-4 since Parcells switched us over. I've played the demo with the Cowboys and the pass rush seems slow and sloppy so far. I do understand the game speed has been slowed down on purpose (adjustable in the retail version)and I heard that the demo came out before the D-line/pass rush fix. Not to mention working sliders will be in the retail version. So I guess we'll see. I mean the Cowboys and Giants have arguably the top 2 pass rushing teams in all of the NFL!