If you’ve ever called a run play in Madden and wondered why your blockers did what they did, this video is for you. In this week’s Ask Huddle, we break down the basics of run blocking: what the on-field visuals actually mean, how different run concepts dictate who blocks who, and what adjustments you can make to put your offense in the best position to succeed. Understanding these fundamentals will help you run the ball more consistently and avoid those frustrating plays that get blown up in the backfield.
As always, if you have a question you want answered in a future episode, drop it in the comments below.
#1 - What visuals do we have for our blocking in the run game?
Answer:
Unlike pass blocking, Madden doesn’t give us clear pre-snap visuals showing exactly who is blocking who in the run game. We don’t get arrows, lines, or assignments that spell everything out for us. However, there is one important visual cue you need to pay attention to: the flame icon above certain defenders.
When you see a flame icon over a defender, it means that player is unblocked by design on that specific run call. In other words, the blocking scheme is not accounting for him. That’s critical information, because if you run directly at a defender with a flame icon, the play is almost always going to get blown up.
Recognizing this one visual alone can instantly help you make better pre-snap decisions in the run game.
#2 - What determines who blocks who in the run game?
Answer:
The single biggest factor that determines how a run play is blocked is the concept of the play itself. In Madden, run blocking generally falls into two main categories: gap schemes and zone schemes.
Gap schemes are your more power-based runs; plays like Iso, Power, Base, and similar concepts. These plays are designed to create a specific point of attack by pulling linemen or inserting a lead blocker through a designated gap.
Zone schemes, on the other hand, include runs like Inside Zone, Outside Zone, and Stretch. These plays rely on linemen working in unison, blocking areas instead of specific defenders, and allowing the ball carrier to read and react to leverage.
It’s important to understand that even within the same category, every run concept has its own unique blocking rules. Just because two plays are both gap schemes doesn’t mean they block identically. Iso and Power, for example, are executed very differently.
While this article isn’t long enough to break down every single run concept, the video walks through several common examples and shows how the defensive alignment combined with the specific play call determines exactly how your blockers will react on the field.
#3 - What adjustments can you make in the run game?
Answer:
A lot of players swear by pass-game style adjustments like sliding the line, double teaming, or ID’ing the Mike when running the ball. While those tools are extremely useful in pass protection, most of them have little to no direct impact on run blocking in Madden.
Let’s break them down one by one.
Sliding the offensive line
Sliding your line, whether half slide or full slide, does not affect run blocking. When the offense is run blocking, linemen will not shift their assignments left or right based on a slide call. Because of that, this adjustment is essentially wasted time before the snap in the run game.
Double Team
Double-teaming also doesn’t work the way most people think for runs. It will not change which defenders your linemen target. Who gets doubled is already determined by the defensive front and the run concept itself.
Where double-teaming can still help is against abilities. If a defender has something like Inside Stuff or No Outsiders, double-teaming that player can reduce the effectiveness of the ability, even though you won't visually see two blockers engaging him (unless it was already part of the original design of the play).
ID the Mike
ID’ing the Mike is a tricky one. It does not force your line to block the defender you select. However, it can indirectly affect the play by changing which defenders are considered untargeted. Since untargeted defenders are not blocked by design, this can influence how the run plays out.
Untargeting defenders
This is the one adjustment that directly impacts run blocking. Any defender you untarget will not be blocked on that play. You can even untarget multiple defenders, which gives you control over which players the offense ignores. This ties directly back to the flame icon we discussed earlier and can drastically change the outcome of a run.
The big takeaway
Most adjustments you’re used to making in the pass game don’t translate very well to the run game. That doesn’t mean they’re completely useless, but understanding which tools actually matter will save you time pre-snap and help you make smarter decisions when running the football.
#4 - Why is HB draw different than every other run concept?
Answer:
HB Draw is unique because it’s the only run concept in Madden where your pre-snap blocking adjustments actually matter. What separates HB Draw from every other run play is how the blocking is handled at the start of the play.
On HB Draw, the offensive line begins in a pass-blocking assignment. Because of that, the game treats the play much more like a pass at first, which means you gain access to most of the pass protection tools.
On this play, sliding your line works, ID’ing the Mike works, and double teaming works, all things that normally have little to no effect on standard run plays. This gives you a lot more control over how the play develops.
That said, you do need to be careful. Certain adjustments can actually hurt the play, causing defenders to come free and hit you in the backfield before the draw has time to develop. HB Draw can be extremely effective when used correctly, but it’s also one of the easiest runs to break if you over-adjust.
Make sure to watch the video to see exactly how these adjustments impact HB Draw and how to use them the right way.
Thanks again for tuning in this week, and as always, if you have a question you'd like answered, make sure to leave it in the comments below!
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