GAV: Defensive dynamics to build your own plays around

This was a thread that was made by Gav quite some time ago. At the time I doubt that he would have envisioned what this post would turn into. This IS probably a top 10 thread in madden history. And for those who havent gotten the chance to read it, here it is. 

This thread was made on 10-08-2008 so it  is dated somewhat and a few things said may not be true to this day. But take away the concepts and ideas expressed. Always look to absorb concepts at all times !!!!!

This thread was hosted on Maddentips.com

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Defensive dynamics to build your own plays around

Well, I'm not much of an offensive mind when it comes to any edition of Madden. Most of VG's patrons have a greater grasp of offense than I do. I have good ideas, but when I present them to the offensive minds on the site (like Michura and Jersey Jay) - they generally take it way further and make it a much more complete scheme. I know both of these guys have tremendous defensive minds as well, but I can do as they do for me on O for myself on D. I can put defensive schemes through the ringer and improve on them when I get ideas just the same. My understanding of offense and defense are simply on separate levels.

You won't read this thread and leave it with immediate fire to blow up your friends with. I'm writing this to fill you in on a few dynamics that will help you to build your own defensive scheme. Simply giving you plays and setups, in my opinion, would be handicapping your potential. If you're short on time or patience, it may be better to bypass this thread - or read it at another time. Tadow904 posted how the MC's have been filled with copycat schemes. I don't want to add to that on the defensive side of the ball. Instead, I want to help breed creativity on defense.

The way to build your defense from scratch is to visualize what you think will work - and then implement it through trial and error. Start from a building block - such as coverage and gap control - or coverage and pressure - or even limited coverage with fast heat - or coverage with a disguised front - or disguised coverage with stout or loose front. The key is to establish a weapon while either limiting your opponent's tendencies or building off your established weapon.

Establishing gap control means that every blocker in an area is controlled by a defender - without giving ground. I have found that pinching and looping with an inside blitzer - or spreading and crashing with outside blitzers establishes this. What it does when run correctly is keep your user defender clean on running plays so that if you react quickly and take a good angle - you can keep really limit your opponent's ability to run the ball. I utilize these techniques alot - so I usually utilize a fast linebacker or a safety with good tackling skills.

Don't be afraid in these one-on-one situations. See them as opportunities to impose your will and go after him. If you don't take good angles and aren't proficient at finishing runners off with your user defender - utilizing these techniques won't help you a ton at first, but you will improve quickly because you will be mostly unblocked.

Another way to utilize your front is penetration. Penetration is the opposite of gap control. In the simplest of terms, there are a few ways to generate pressure through blitzing. One is reblitzing two defensive lineman in a gap and bringing one or two blitzers right through that gap. The drawback to this is that it is a brute force blitz. It's easy to see - therefore it can be met with blockers and slide protection. I've found that setting it up blatantly with just one blitzer won't get in, but an unexpected outside blitzer from the other will when used sparingly enough to be a suprise. Another way is to pinch the DL, loop it, and bring two blitzers up the gut. 

How is that different from gap control? Spacing is the difference. When you are looking to gap control, leave the LBs back so that the DL engages before them. If you're looking for pressure, bring the blitzers up to the LOS so that everyone meets the OL at the same time. For example, set up the 34 so it looks like the 46 Bear. If you bring 5 rushers, one of those rushers is going to get through unscathed on most plays. Obviously, this technique is not great against the run, but it works against the pass. Other techniques involve outside heat. You need to know dynamics to get the outside heat working quickly. 

 If the outside blitzer is taking an inside blitz from a few steps outside the OT - then reblitz the DE and DT on that side for the best results. These dynamics pre-existing in most plays where the nickel or dime back is blitzing. In most cases, spreading the DL is necessary to maximize this type of blitz. Another way to create this dynamic is to shift the linebackers to one side and re-blitz the OLB on that side. It is usually necessary to either spread the DL and reblitz the DE and DT on that side to maximize it. Some pre-existing OLB blitzes work with this dynamic, but most of those seem to work best if you simply leave the DL where they are and loop them. Different sets and different plays offer different dynamics, but it is important that you work out a few plays so that you can maximize them. Once the cat and mouse game of protection verses pressure begins, you want to have a few blitzes that you have already worked out. 

With the blitzes where you shift the LBs left or right, you can bring the opposite ILB to create inside gap control to couple with your pressure - or you can bring the same side ILB on a blitz (works best if you cheat him out to engage the widest blocker at the LOS) to create an overload instead.

 Some pre-existing OLB blitzes work best when you spread the DL and LBs and line loop to make the pressure so wide that it gets outside the widest blockers. With slide protection and extra blockers, it isn't an exact science. Every now and then, utilize misdirection on your blitzes. For example, You can spread and crash the DL in and spread the LBs while blitzing the ILBs. Without an outside slide protection, this blitz would be dead in the water - but if your opponent slides protection out to match your front - it will usually result in a nano-sack. Establish your weapon (in this case it's pressure) and play off your opponent's counter-move. This is an example of a disguised front.

Disguising coverage generally involves establishing one coverage - then changing it slightly (usually on the outsides where it is difficult to see) - or by utilizing the delayed bump (press, then flip - or - press, then reset your play) and run with pressure to force a quick throw while changing up the underneath coverages. For example, an outside CB in a purple will look exactly like a CB in a yellow until the WR releases off his bump. Generally, a CB in a yellow will aggressively play the inside and short routes while a CB in a purple will defend the deeper sidelines after the WR releases. In cases of compression sets, this can mean all the difference between who is open and who is covered. In the simpler cases of one-on-one, a purple will defend the corner, hook, and post - but will not defend the dig or slant nearly as well as the yellow.

Now add in man and flat coverages. Man won't defend the curl, but it will defend the downfield routes. Flat will take away the short routes - and do a better job of defending flooded short routes and will more quickly switch off one reciever to defend another. Backed off flat routes will also take away the flats, but won't stay with the reciever on a wheel. How do I defend the wheel? Either get fast pressure or have a purple behind the flat. Inside defenders such as linebackers and safeties can be used similarly to create dynamics that limit favorite pass routes and such. It is a little more limited in that purple and flat zones make them move toward the sideline quickly, but man, yellows, and spies remain more difficult to read until the reciever releases.

With the delayed BnR, the linebackers WILL bump. They will not if you don't call the delay even if the play itself calls for a bump (like Cover 2 or 3), but they will on any play with the delay - as long as they don't have deep responsibility. The main thing to know is that (even with the delayed BnR) LBs will only bump if they are directly in front of a reciever. For this reason, you need to be a little creative in your fronts. You might need to move a linebacker or two - or shift them to match your opponent's recievers.

The delayed bump will help you disguise your coverages, but it takes a little practice to get it implemented effectively. A loose front is when players are manually moved to maximize a blitz or to disguise coverage with the delay. A stout front is one that remains unchanged by manual movement or shifting to disguise where blitzers are coming from (or not coming from). Also, don't completely forget man coverage. Manning a weapon reciever can go further than simply spotlighting him in trying to take him away. Man, when coupled with zone, can help build some very confusing and frustrating coverages.

I know alot more about the 3-4 books than I do about the 4-3 or 4-6 books, but the dynamics broken down in this thread apply to all defenses in Madden. If you can visualize it, it will work. You just need to apply the in-game dynamics to your vision to make it work.

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