Don't expect to shut down the offense: A good offense can produce against a good defense. Your role is to limit their production and make them earn their yardage. Their is no one play is going to stop the run or pass 100% of the time. Showing different looks and anticipating your opponent will help you defuse their offense.

Field Position: In Madden 2000, field position is more of a factor in planning your strategy. One philosphy is the bend but don't break philosphy. The belief behind that is that an offense can not march 80 yards every drive without it stalling. Somewhere along the drive their will be a stop, incompletion, penalty or a turnover.

Contain, contain, contain: Don't give up the big play. Make sure that when you dive at a ball carrier, you have other players to back you up. It ok to give up a first down instead of the touchdown.

Learn his tendancies: Does he tend to run out of a certain formation? Pass out of a certain formation? Does he always pass on third and long? Does he always run on third and short? Does he run or pass on first down? Does he throw deep or does he use a ball control passing attack? Does he run inside or outside? Ask yourself these questions and others. Scout and know your opponent.

Know your opponents strengths and weakness: Does he have a weak or strong passing game? You may be able to put eight men in the box or you may have to play more pass defense. Is the running game strong or weak? How does he handle blitzes? Who is their weakest offensive lineman? You may want to exploit and attack their weaknesses.

Take away his primary weapon: Taking away your opponents big guns forces them to go to plan B or may just take them out of their game plan. If they are going to beat you, let them beat you with their secondary game plan.

Show different looks: If you stick to a pattern defense, a good offensive coordinator will find the weakness in your defense and exploit it. Keep the offense confused and guessing. I suggest using several base defense that are solid, cover well and don't leave you open, mixed in with a couple of well timed blitzes.

Pressure the QB: A hurried passer is not an accurate passer. If you front four are not generating a pass rush, consider blitzing one or two linebackers.

Defensive Line Play: Before you go mashing buttons when the ball is hiked, determine whether it is a run or a pass. If you bull rush you way into the backfield on a run, you might just blow past the ball carrier and give him a nice hole to go through. On running plays, what you want to do with your linemen is to clog the lanes and shut off the gaps.

Games Linemen Play: Shift your defensive line before the ball is snap to confuse the offensive linemen. Drop a linemen into coverage. Pull a linemen out of his normal position and rush him from another spot. Make a custom play with linemen doing crazy drops and stunts. GO CRAZY with your defensive linemen.

Change your rush: Don't fall into a set pass rushing pattern. On one play, bull rush, the next play swim move, the next rush to the outside, the next rush to the inside. Keep the offensive linemen guessing. Be ready to rush the Qb when the ball is snapped. The better jump that you get, the better chance you have of getting into the backfield and making something happen.