Don't let them score: Simple isn't it? It is better to give up the first down then to allow a big gain. Avoid over pressing the X button and getting your players out of position. Sometimes it is better to play a safe and conservative defense that can weather the storm then an all out attacking or aggressive style.

Neutralize their primary offensive threat: If the are a running team, use a Four Man Front and throw in some run blitzes. 4-3 Pinch, 4-3 Crash Right and Left are good run stopping defenses. For passing teams, put pressure on the QB. A QB with a blitzing LB in his face will throw bad passes. Use 5 and 6 man coverage formations. It is a trade off, though. When you neutralize their primary threat, you are basically challenging the offense to beat you with their other weapons. Some teams are so talented that if you stop one facet of their offesnce the other one is still kicking in high gear (Denver and GreenBay for example). But teams like the Giants, (which does not have a strong passing game) or the Rams (which does not have a strong running game), neutralizing their primary threats should not leave your defensive team exposed.

Show Different Looks: To have a successful defense, you have to switch up on your play calling. Don't call the same play twice and don't call the same play too often. A good offense will find the holes in that defense and exploit it. Have several defenses that are safe and that you can use to give the offense different looks.

Twin Corners: If you have a great pair of CBs then you are lucky. A good pair on CBs can shut down WR in man to man coverage. That means you can use more Eagle formations, Saftey Blitzes and other high pressure defense because you have the personal in the secondary. But, be VERY CAREFUL!!! One blown assignment in the secondary and a receiver can break a long gain. Put your best corner on their go to guy.

Disrupt the offense: Make them play your game. Make what is easy for them to do a chore! If you can stop a strong running team, you force them to pass and vice versa. A blocked pass or an incompletion is just as good as a sack. Use stunts and blitzes to add extra pressure on the pass rush. Use different looks and different plays so that your opponent doesn't know where you are coming from.

Play mind games: Shift your defensive line around to will call havoc with the AI. (1) On passing downs, take one of your defensive tackles and line him up on the outside, then rush him in. (2) If you are using an over/under formation, bring that lonely defensive end in with the rest of his teammates. This also causing blocking problems for the offensive linemen. (3) Drop a lineman into zone coverage-if you really want to mess with the AI do this!!! (4) Rush different linemen-Don't let them see you coming. Use different alignments, plays and formations to keep the offensce guessing. (5) Just before the ball is snapped, shift the defensive line-you just may have put linemen where he was planning to run. Do crazy little stuff like this to give you an advantage.

Attack!!! While it may be fundamentally sound to play it safe, if you sit back, your gonna get nickled and dimed to death. I don't know if you can win a war by retreating, so I believe in attacking and then some. I always bring at least 5 players on each play and put pressure on the quarterback. He can't complete any passes if he is lying on his ass looking up at you. It's fun watching the quarterback lying there for a good minute before he gets up (not in real life though.) Plus the more your pressure the quarterback, his accurracy will drop. Also by getting your players in the backfield, your gonna wreak all kind of havoc and disrupt the best laid plans. Any time you have a defensive player in the backfield, that's a good thing.

Create match-ups. Put your best cover guy on their best WR if you are getting burned. Put your best defensive lineman over their worst offensive player to exploit the weakness. Shift your defensive linemen around to overload the offensive line.

Don't get frustrated: Madden 99 is a game that will keep on the edge of your seat. In those close and emotional games when the pressure is on, it is essential that you keep a cool head. Don't over click that "X" or switch button. Use one player and control him. Don't dive recklessly at a player who has broken loose. If you miss, you take yourself out the play. If you have to, use the "O" button to do a power tackle or catch up. Don't call plays out of frustration. Figure out what you need to do to get back into the game and do it.

The speed rush: Two ways to rush the passer, inside or outside. On the inside rush, you simply try to overpower your opponent and run right through them. Hit the R1 (swim move) button to get a good charge and then the 0 (bull rush) buttton to keep rushing. Try sliding your man off his blocker. On the outside rush, quickness is the key. As soon as the ball is snapped, QUICKLY, hit that R1 button to get around the Tackle.

Bring your LB's up. On Blitzes, bring your blitzing LB up to the line of scrimage. That one extra yard may be the differnece between a hurry and a sack.

Their are two ways to play defense. The "Attack" Defense and the "Bend Don't Break" Defense. It depends on your style of play and philosphy. If you want to put a ton of pressure on the offense but risk breaking a big play, then use lots of Blitzes, Zone Blitzes, Stunts, etc... These will generally leave you with man on man coverage in the secondary, so you better have good CBs. The "Bend Don't Break" Philosphy preaches containment of the offensce and not giving up the big play. This philosphy waits for the offense to make a mistake, but it must be perfect in its execution. Formations such as Base, Safe, Quarters and Prevent give up short yardage instead of the big play. Sometimes the offense will make a mistake and turn the ball over. Sometimes, the drive will stall.

Coming soon...I will break down the defensive coverages and tell you what works and what to avoid.