Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15: Two Gap Defenders (Training 101)

05:43 PM - August 18, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Friend of OS and Madden video creator extraordinaire Jake Berger, checks in again today with a video on how defenders fail to fully utilize the two-gap method to react to the ball in Madden NFL 15. Because defensive linemen still don't seem to be able to be responsible for more than a single gap, odd man fronts seem to be at a disadvantage against the run. We look at the footage available to us (granted, not the ideal examples) and break it all down. Check out the video and offer your thoughts on how you have successfully run a three man front in Madden to compensate for a handicapped DL.

Be sure to subscribe to Jake on YouTube. And don't forget to follow him on Twitter.

Official Video Description: Welcome to the SECOND EPISODE of my Madden 101 series. Today, we take a look at 2 gap defenders; how they are programmed in Madden, and how they operate in real life.

Image Credits in the Video:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/f...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/20...

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2014/6...

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 1 lassefos @ 08/18/14 06:23 PM

Very informative

So i guess user controlling the NT on defense would make this less of a problem?

# 2 kiing 360 @ 08/18/14 06:39 PM

This is very intriguing. Never even thought about this being an issue. My question tho is have you tried with multiple NT's. I would assume awareness and play recognition would also play a big role in this. I would assume that Ndamukong Suh wouldn't have the same tendencies in that situation as Mitch Unrein, who I think is the NT in the video and also is a 3rd string NT

# 3 regroc88 @ 08/18/14 06:42 PM

well I hope EA fixes That since there not coming out with a Demo! Get to Work EA. NOw!!!!!

# 4 N51_rob @ 08/18/14 06:43 PM

This makes me so sad. Every D-linemen basically plays a one gap scheme and to make matters worse you have to adjust their position and when way they attack furthering their "one-gap-ness" in madden. Makes playing with a non 49er players in a 3-4 very frustrating.

# 5 Black59Razr @ 08/18/14 06:52 PM

Great video! I wish the AI was as thoughtful as your tutorial.

At 2:31, the ball is pitched, and the running back starts stretching towards the sideline, along with an offensive lineman, mind you. However, as this convoy leaves the pocket for greener pastures, the one defensive player who is free, an AI middle linebacker, opts to abandon his outside route towards the ball carrier, and decides to join a couple of engaged linemen in the opposite direction of the play. Feels like Madden from 10 years ago. I guess I have to wait another year in hopes of an overhaul.

# 6 Wolverines05 @ 08/18/14 07:11 PM

Hey guys, if you'd like to catch the vid on my Youtube channel, click below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EsEpHvEVB8

Next time I'll be covering the force defender in 4-3 formations with different coverage schemes. I'll focus specifically on how the force defender in Madden is utilized vs real life, with the ultimate objective being to illuminate how force defenders should be programmed in future versions of madden.

Hope you guys like this kinda stuff..

Anyway, suggestions for future vids would be great. and if youd like to collaborate to make sure all the football terminology is more accurately articulated, just message me.

# 7 McG @ 08/18/14 07:23 PM

The EA Madden team is a complete joke. The game is predicated 100% on an arcade style of football, hence the default 5 min quarters. It's a joke, they need to fix this stuff and make a real football game or at least let 2k do it for them. At least the MUT players should be happy, you can still play the same way. Score as much as possible and let random fumbles and INTs that aren't dropped determine the out come. EA SPORTS... if it's in the game (then we will butcher it).

Great video though, I wish you worked with EA (or anyone who actually understands REAL football like we do).

# 8 CT Pitbull @ 08/18/14 07:24 PM

very well explained. its football gap assignments 101. tutorials like this should be in Madden for people who really don't understand the game. start educating these kids who DONT play football IRL and maybe then we will have a bigger community of gamers who want a complete simulation when it comes to football fundamentals.

A start would be to correctly program these concepts into the game. Whether the talent exists at EA Tiburon to do this is still up in the air, as you would think this would/should have been addressed/fixed last year with the whole "battle in the trenches" campaign. there are 2 sides to those trenches.

awesome video Jake..thanks for sharing Chris

# 9 Hoops737 @ 08/18/14 08:14 PM

This is really disappointing however if you shift the D-Line to the strong side of the formation and/or shift your line's direction to that side it often eliminates that problem the video shows. Sure it leaves you vulnerable for counters but you just have to read your opponent.

# 10 Mechcaniq @ 08/18/14 08:16 PM

Good info.

# 11 fancyclaps @ 08/18/14 08:34 PM

This is a very small sample size and I'm not so sure I agree with it. I think the Play Recognition rating and Pursuit ratings have a lot to do with the angle the players shown in the video are taking.

I doubt the lineman are pre-programed into just shooting up a gap. The video shown looks like the NT has no chance to get across the center. As soon as the ball is snapped the NT gets double teamed.

I'm not trying to defend Madden, I just have to see more than 2 plays before I accept this as a fact. After all, there are plays in the NFL all the time where players take the wrong gap.

# 12 Rezzo503 @ 08/18/14 09:38 PM

The photos are showing NT in true 0 Tech

The chargers were in 1 gap 34 discipline. The NT was clearly shaded into a 1 tech.

Yes, a great NT will be able to play both gaps even when shaded. But idk if this is enough footage . Also, we would need to see the chargers lined up in 3-4 odd (5tech,0 tech, 5tech) to match the Photos

# 13 catcher_0_3 @ 08/18/14 09:48 PM

Other than that being an even front, I completely agree with what you said. To be fair, you were also going 6 on 6 in the box, if Peyton Manning gets that look, he's going to audible every time to a run because he has a hat on a hat and the runningback is free.

# 14 reeboyfresh23 @ 08/18/14 10:46 PM

The problem is, slanting your defensive linemen through pre play adjustments only works for pass plays! If you slant left or right and they run the ball, nothing happens. All the blocking animations are pre determined on run pays

# 15 Wolverines05 @ 08/18/14 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catcher_0_3


	Other than that being an even front, I completely agree with what you said. To be fair, you were also going 6 on 6 in the box, if Peyton Manning gets that look, he's going to audible every time to a run because he has a hat on a hat and the runningback is free.

not trying to argue, but isnt a 335 an odd front? i thought odd front is determined by number of down lineman no? anyone have clarification?

# 16 Wolverines05 @ 08/18/14 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rezzo503


	The photos are showing NT in true 0 Tech The chargers were in 1 gap 34 discipline. The NT was clearly shaded into a 1 tech. Yes, a great NT will be able to play both gaps even when shaded. But idk if this is enough footage . Also, we would need to see the chargers lined up in 3-4 odd (5tech,0 tech, 5tech) to match the Photos

the photos were mainly just to show off concept of 2 gap lineman. but a NT can be shaded or 1 tech and still 2 gap. happens all the time.

and yeah i def agree itd be best to show off 0 tech NT in 3-4 defense... problem is i have limited footage so i have to make best with wahts available. once i get game, i can do a MUCH better job of showcasing this stuff.

so i do apologize that there arent going to be many examples, and the examples shown arent always perfect for what im trying to display. yet i think the footage does illustrate a lack of 2 gap responsibility. is it conclusive? no, not from the video's 2 examples. BUT, 2 gap defenders just dont exist in madden. id need to make a vid covering multiple fronts and show off tons of examples, but thats just not feasible or necessary for what im trying to do. just my opinion anyway

# 17 Demoncrom @ 08/18/14 11:07 PM

the sad facts. EA still does not know how to code d-line. Maybe next year or 2 the d-line will get actual read and react coding

# 18 reeboyfresh23 @ 08/18/14 11:20 PM

The offensive line determines the block animation.they slide into place without taking any steps. The dline doesn't matter if they are all pro.. or practice squad player, you'll get the same animations. It would be nice if dominate nt made a difference in Madden..but they don't!

# 19 catcher_0_3 @ 08/19/14 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverines05


	not trying to argue, but isnt a 335 an odd front? i thought odd front is determined by number of down lineman no? anyone have clarification?

I'm sure there is someone out there who counts a 335 stack as an odd front, however in my experience, you count the front based on the number of bodies on the line of scrimmage in the box. Therefore a anything with 3, 5, or 7 bodies on the line of scrimmage would be classified an odd front. Anything with 2, 4, or 6 bodies is an even front. In this video Von Miller is slid down onto the line and even though it might be a 3 DL, 3 LB, 5 DB package, it is an even front with the alignment. A 34 base is an odd front, a 43 Under is an odd front, but this was just a team specific 4 man front nickel package.

# 20 daonejmel @ 08/19/14 03:14 AM

Nice to see people finally see this stuff. Things I've noticed in Madden for years smh, but cant tell fanboys anything bad about Madden

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