Welcome back to another episode of Ask Huddle! Each week, we break down your Madden questions to help you understand the game on a deeper level. If you have questions you'd like us to answer in a future episode, drop them in the comments below. Our goal is always to help you win more games.
To watch the full video on YouTube from Huddle, click play above or here.
#1 - Do you have any tips on navigating the pocket better?
Answer:
This is a great question, and honestly, pocket presence is one of the most valuable — and overlooked — skills you can improve in Madden. It’s something I’ve personally worked on over the past few years to become a more consistent passer.
The best way to get better is to go into practice mode and dedicate time specifically to pocket movement. One simple drill is to call a random pass play against a random defense and focus only on staying upright in the pocket for as long as possible — don’t worry about throwing the ball. The goal is to avoid taking a sack and, when you do get sacked, make sure it’s as close to the line of scrimmage as possible.
If you’re a more advanced player, you can tailor this drill to specific defensive looks you struggle with. We go over that approach in more detail in the video!
#2 - Is Cover 4 Quarters a good defense against empty sets?
Answer:
The short answer is no — Cover 4 Quarters isn’t ideal against empty formations, but if you know how to user it properly, you can make it work.
When facing empty sets with Cover 4 Quarters, you must user the 3-rec and take responsibility for the inside receiver on the 3-receiver side if he goes vertical. That’s your primary assignment.
Depending on the route combo, there will be times you can peel off that vertical and help elsewhere, but if you don’t stay with that route initially, the CPU will give up a wide-open touchdown.
We break down exactly when and how to peel off in the video, so you can use Quarters more effectively against empty formations.
#3 - Does shading your zones change match coverage?
Answer:
Yes — shading in zone coverage will cancel match principles and cause the defense to play more like a traditional spot drop zone coverage.
It won’t behave exactly like spot drop, but once you shade your defense, the match logic is turned off, and your defenders will cover areas rather than matching routes.
If you want a more in-depth breakdown of how shaded match coverage compares to true spot drop zones, we cover that in detail over on our website.
#4 - How do you block Sam Will Blitz out of 43 Even 6-1 with no mug?
Answer:
If your opponent is running Sam Will Blitz out of 6-1 without mugging the gap with their user, it's much easier to block.
It becomes a simple numbers game — they’re sending six, so we need to block six. You can handle this by keeping in either your running back or tight end. As long as your running back/tight end is assigned to the edge rusher on their side, you usually don’t need to slide your offensive line at all.
Make sure to check out the video to see how this looks in-game and how to ensure consistent pickup!
Thanks for tuning in again this week! If you have a question you'd like us to answer in a future episode, make sure to drop it in the comments section below.
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