Welcome back to Ask Huddle! Each week, we take your Madden questions and break them down so you can understand the game on a deeper level. Got something you want answered in a future episode? Drop it in the comments. Our goal is simple: help you win more games.
You can watch the full video on YouTube from Huddle by hitting play above or clicking here.
#1 - How do you pick who your running back blocks?
Answer:
The key to knowing who your running back is blocking starts with your pass protection setup. If your offensive line is set to empty, your back won’t have a consistent blocking assignment, so avoid that.
Instead, use base protection or a half/full slide in either direction. From there, it’s simple: the player you ID as the Mike becomes the running back’s responsibility. This gives you control over who your back targets and helps you pick up pressure more consistently.
#2 - How do you avoid getting burned when showing blitz?
Answer:
There are two main ways to show blitz without giving up big plays over the top.
When showing blitz with your entire defense:
Your outside corners can become vulnerable to deep routes. To protect against that, you’ll want to individually back them off.
- Press Y (Triangle on PlayStation) to open your coverage adjustments.
- Press A (X on PlayStation) for individual adjustments.
- Select the receiver icon for the corner you want to adjust.
- Then press up on the right stick to back that defender off.
You can do this on both sides if your opponent has speed threats outside, keeping your corners safe while still showing pressure.
Using safety alignment tools:
This method lets you give the appearance of a blitz look without moving your corners.
- Set your safety depth to “close”, which aligns them about 8 yards off the ball.
This creates that “show blitz” look but keeps your outside corners backed off and protected. - If you only want to bring your linebackers down, press right on the D-pad, then RB (R1) to show blitz with just the linebackers. This keeps your deep shell intact while still disguising pressure.
#3 - What does each defensive package in the game do?
Answer:
There are far too many defensive packages in Madden to break down each one individually, but we can go over what packages do and how they impact your defense.
When selecting a defensive formation, you can cycle through different packages by moving the right stick left or right. Changing packages can do several things: it might substitute players, swap positions, or even unlock new coverage adjustments for certain defenders.
These options let you customize your personnel to match your opponent’s formation better or create new defensive looks without having to pause and make substitutions manually.
Make sure to watch the video, where we show specific examples of how different packages can be used effectively in certain formations.
#4 - How does Palms defend 3x1 formations?
Answer:
How Cover 4 Palms defends a 3x1 formation depends heavily on the alignment of the solo receiver. If the single receiver is attached to the line (like in a Trips TE formation), Palms will play differently than when he’s split out wide, as in a Trey Open look.
For this breakdown, we’re focusing on the version where the solo receiver is split out wide.
Cover 4 Palms is a pattern-matching coverage, meaning defenders match routes as they develop rather than dropping to specific zones. Here’s how the responsibilities work:
- Outside Corners: Both corners are playing MEG (Man Everywhere He Goes), which means they are essentially manned up on the outside receivers in front of them.
- Trips-Side Safety & Quarter Flat: These two defenders are playing something called 2-Read. The quarter flat reads the inside receiver, if he goes to the flat quickly, the quarter flat takes him. If not, he looks to carry the middle receiver vertically. The safety takes whichever receiver the quarter flat doesn’t (vertical).
- 3 Rec Hook: This player’s job is to pick up the first shallow crosser coming from the trips side.
- Backside Quarter Flat: Matches the running back out of the backfield.
- Backside Safety: Has no immediate responsibility, making him an excellent user in this coverage. You’ll often want to help on deep crossers coming from the trips side.
Make sure to watch the video to see what this looks like on the field, as it can be a lot in writing.
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.
Comments