How to get the most out of your 10 CPU defenders?

[Cowboyfan_19]

I'm so close to doing something I'm going to regret out of pure frustration due to how awful CPU defense is. This is strictly H2H user vs user, so I'm willing to take part blame since my opponents don't have these problems as often, maybe I just suck on offense too. I take care of my job just fine whoever I'm usering on D, but the other cpu 10 defenders...hahahaha it's a joke.

I know about defensive personnel, like when to use 3-4 / 4-3 or what kinds of players fit each scheme, etc. So I'm not completely clueless.

To this day I can't pin point exactly what went wrong with defense in the Madden series, but it all went downhill for me after Madden 12. Since then, I feel that CPU defense has grown weaker & I've lost a lot more. Been playing since Madden 05, so not really a noob, just curious whether it's me getting worse or if defense really has been notched down over the years.

[GameBreaker35]

Well, you said you're not completely clueless, but there may be some details that your missing that can make you more effective. I play in competitive simulation 32 team league, and finished this year with the best defense in all major categories, on route to a Superbowl, for whatever its worth.

First with the basics, ask yourself a few questions:

1.) What kind of team am I going to be? 43, 34, Multiple? I prefer to base out of the 43 Under/Over for example against normal sets.

2.) Does my personnel match what I want out of my defense? If not, consider your options in FA and the draft, or change philosophy.

3.) How do I want to defend two-back sets? I prefer to present the 43 Under against two back sets to defend the weak-side runs and establish edge pressure against any naked bootleg action. Typically, I will also present an eight man from front here - unless they threaten me vertically by alignment or personnel.

4.) How do I want to defend one back sets? I typically settle on the 43 Over to discourage gap blocking type runs and will again use an eight man front unless challenged vertically. I will also use the 46 Bear and 43 Over Plus as change ups.

5.) How do I want to defend Shotgun sets? This one is based on personnel; however, will usually match personnel using my sub-packages Nickel and Dime Normal unless down and distance come into play. The big thing here is: How do you want to defend trip alignments. This is critical. Most money plays in this game come out of some sort of Gun-Trips formation, and it will involve flood patterns across the weak-side of the passing strength. The key here is to study your opponents tendency before the game is ever played. When they get into formations that are familiar, you should already be ready to attack the play.

6.) How do I want to defend Empty sets? Same as before.

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It all starts with having a plan ready for when situation arise during games. There's a lot of other in-game tools available to you that people often forget about on defense as well. There's spotlighting of receivers, base align, man align, show blitz, and the most important of which, is defensive hot routes. The biggest thing is not letting the opposing QB come to the line and have a good pre-snap read. We want to make life hard on the QB - not easy. Don't get too vanilla with your looks. If you're in Cover 3, base align every now and again to present a 2-High look pre-snap. The QB will begin to realize that he will need to look to the safeties during his initial drop back, and this will allow you to sneak some overload blitzs while he is busy trying to determine where to go with the ball.

I have some more specific things that you can do in specific situations that I could go into further, but I figured some of that might not be relevant as a first response.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Cover 3 for trips sets, and take the weak side flat defender and move him to cover the interior strong side wr, or zone closer to the middle of the field. People love 4 verts out of that alignment. The strong side slot WR, if he's fast, is usually the primary deep threat. That and the flexed WR closest to the line. Either user your high safety or man him with the second strong side slot WR.

[Mattanite]

Gamebreaker35 above just described my ideal defensive set up ^^


The only things to add to that great advice is the use of over/under depending on scheme archetype. I use a smaller prototype or cover2 WLB and a bigger runstuff/3-4 SLB so exclusively play over with a speed RE and runstuff/balanced LE. In the 4-3 over this almost gives a 3-4 except the NT lines up in the 1 as oppose to the 0 but the 3-tech DT and LE become 5-tech DEs essentially. You HAVE to have high play recognition and block shed on the SLB though or a very fast MLB or you will give up a lot of big strongside outside runs. The WLB is usually fine as he's playing off and FB or downfield OL blocking AI is pretty bad in Madden.


I've started to use a lot of A-gap too (Vikings fan here). Great formation as the user QB can't eye your safety movement too much post snap as they also have to double check the A-gap. Mixing it up with blitz, fake blitz and double hook zones works well as they'll call for pinch blocking more opening up the RE or LE (worth noting, the slow LE needs subbing out in nickel here).


In pass coverage I lean mostly towards Cover 3 and if I have 2 good press CBs with good speed for recovery I'll risk calling press on Cover 3 to jam the slants and drags to give the DL time to sack. The CB will then still drop into the deep zone, but you'll want a fast cover FS if the CB blows the press. I also call under on Cover 3 if they're going flats, screens and drags more but this opens up the middle routes more.


But yeah, play recognition and block shed for your front 7 is key. If they can't run you know they then have to pass so makes defence twice as easy for you then.

[GameBreaker35]

Quote: Originally Posted by Geodude

Gamebreaker35 above just described my ideal defensive set up ^^ The only things to add to that great advice is the use of over/under depending on scheme archetype. I use a smaller prototype or cover2 WLB and a bigger runstuff/3-4 SLB so exclusively play over with a speed RE and runstuff/balanced LE. In the 4-3 over this almost gives a 3-4 except the NT lines up in the 1 as oppose to the 0 but the 3-tech DT and LE become 5-tech DEs essentially. You HAVE to have high play recognition and block shed on the SLB though or a very fast MLB or you will give up a lot of big strongside outside runs. The WLB is usually fine as he's playing off and FB or downfield OL blocking AI is pretty bad in Madden. I've started to use a lot of A-gap too (Vikings fan here). Great formation as the user QB can't eye your safety movement too much post snap as they also have to double check the A-gap. Mixing it up with blitz, fake blitz and double hook zones works well as they'll call for pinch blocking more opening up the RE or LE (worth noting, the slow LE needs subbing out in nickel here). In pass coverage I lean mostly towards Cover 3 and if I have 2 good press CBs with good speed for recovery I'll risk calling press on Cover 3 to jam the slants and drags to give the DL time to sack. The CB will then still drop into the deep zone, but you'll want a fast cover FS if the CB blows the press. I also call under on Cover 3 if they're going flats, screens and drags more but this opens up the middle routes more. But yeah, play recognition and block shed for your front 7 is key. If they can't run you know they then have to pass so makes defence twice as easy for you then.

Yes, personnel wise, we approach the 43 alignment the same way. I kind of draw inspiration from the Seattle and Jacksonville alignments, and try to replicate it as best I can in Madden.

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[4thQtrStre5S]

Some of the best sources to finding out what works best is to follow the MUT community. Whether you like MUT or not, many of these people spend a lot of time figuring out these exact questions.

As for CB's and Safeties - Zone is by far the most important in pass coverage; M2M, from what I have watched in tournaments and videos is only used in situations where you are in prevent situations.

Block Shed and Agility is very important for DL.. a 3-4 NT for example has a tendency to have high strength and helps on 1on1 confrontations, but if the DT has poor Agility, below 80, any block from the side will knock your big, strong NT right off the mark and any RB will have a clean hole.

Block Shed is first and foremost before even Finesse or Power moves. In a 4-3 set you can sacrifice a little Block shed, IF you have agility and acceleration. Power Move, I have found, to be of less value compared to Finesse, and I even run a 3-4 base using players with higher Finesse, but lower strength, and see better pass rush; also these more agile DL still can stop the run, IF you have solid tackle rating.

Play Rec isn't as important, overall, unless you are facing an opponent that uses a lot of screens, but even here, this depends on if you user a player of let the game AI run the show. If you user a player, then YOU have to key on the screen and blow it up; and it is this case where your DL can have lower than average Play Rec. Still, DT's and MLB's benefit most from play rec..

Linebackers - You definitely want Pursuit here, and this is more important in stopping the runs outside.

MLB in 3-4 you want the highest Zone you can find, along with play rec...

MLB in 4-3 you want the same as in 3-4, but also your ROLB needs these same abilities...

Never overlook speed, acceleration and agility on any player because these are base ratings that are used a lot on any given play.


CB's - along with Zone, agility is a must - also, even if running a Zone defense, which I would definitely recommend, Press is an amazing rating. When looking at Press, you want it highest on your outside corners, CB1 & CB2; then Press every play, but don't Run Commit.

Safety is all about Zone coverage: it determines how well they stay in coverage, follow receivers down field, and react to the ball once thrown...A higher Zone causes the defender to react to the ball faster, with Acceleration taking effect after Zone determines how quickly the defender reacts to begin with.

Tackle is important for all positions, but especially DL and LB's. I would suggest sacrificing Hit Power for Tackle ability...

If you have a position you most often user, such as the MLB, the 3 things that matter is Speed, agility, and acceleration; you are the players' Awareness, Play Rec, Zone, M2M, etc.