Utilize your talent: Have your best players on the field. Don't be afraid to substitute. Some defensive backs make great third or fourth recievers. Put one of your star players on kickoff and punt returns. Try to have the ball in your most talented players hands as much as possible.
Don't deviate from your team make-up: Some teams do things really well because of the players that they have. If you have a smash mouth football team, stick to that style. If you teams airs it out alot, make those DBs earn their paycheck.
Playing Styles:
Smash-Mouth: This is football at its most basic level. You give the ball to your RB and he pounds it into the offensive line. No style here. What you need is a big, strong offensive line and a RB who can pound the ball, break tackles and take the beating he is gonna get. The offense is good to hide a quarterback who is not that talented.
East Coast I mean West Coast Offensce: A ball control short yardage passing offense. Here you are not concerned with getting a whole lot of yardage, just moving the ball and getting first downs. This offense is dangerous in the fact that all recievers are potential targets. A great offense to run if you have the players.
The Run and Shoot or the Fun and Gun: Actually, no NFL teams uses this offense anymore (but colleges such as Florida use it to win alot) but it was alot of fun while it lasted. Basically, you are running out of 3 and 4 WR sets. Use this if you have a great group of WRs and the opponents secondary just ain't got what it takes to keep up. You are playing a high stakes game of poker, here partner.
Establish the run: When you establish the running game, you accomplish several goals. First, you control the ball. You keep your defense off of the field and your opponents offense on. Your opponents offense cannot score if he doesn't have the ball. If you are ahead in the game, you may also want to run the ball to take time off the clock and to protect your lead. Second, your opponent must play to stop the run. This is effectively sets up your passing game. Third is balance. The offense is balanced as not to rely soley on the passing game. If the passing game falter, at least you still have the run to fall back on. Fourth is protection. Fumbles occur less often than interceptions in Madden 99. Fifth: You set up the pass. With the defense pre-occuppied stopping the run, you force them to respect your running game which opens things up for you to pass. If you are having trouble running the ball try these tips:
(1) Follow your blockers. Plays rarely look the same on the field than they do on the chalk board. NFL running backs run to daylight, so should you. (2) USE THE R2 "JUKE" BUTTON (This is important!!!):) When running through the middle, use the R2 to avoid contact and find the holes in the line. After you break free, use your speed burst and straight arm to avoid tacklers. When a tackler is trying to tackle you from the side, use the spin move and watch him miss! Usually all you have to do is beat one man to make a long gain. (3) Use run orientated sets such as BIG, JUMBO and GOALLINE. They offer extra blocking for your runners. Also, formations such as 3WR and 4WR tends to spread the defensce , thereby creating running lanes. (4) Run inside first: Pound the ball inside (let's say 3 inside runs) a couple of times first to open up outside running lanes. (5) Look where you are going: Don't blindly charge just pressing buttons. See where your blockers are, see where the linebackers are, so the hole in the defense and hit it.
Control the ball: Move the ball upfield in a controlled manner. You don't have to make a big play on every down. Find the plays in your arsenal that you can constantly get at least 5 yards every play. This should be your bread and butter. What you want to do, is keep the ball moving, get first downs and put yourself in a position to score. Nickle and Dime your way upfield until you are in a position to strike. If you are in a situation such as second and fifteen (holding? bad boy!!!) you can pick up eight yards on the first play and the other eight on the second. What you want to accomplish is keep your offense on the field and your opponents offense off.
Be Patient: Smash Mouth and ball control football requires patience. I have never heard of an NFL team that scored on every drive (I could be wrong though). Sooner or later, you will get the opportunity to put the ball into the end zone. If you can't score on this drive, set yourself up on the next drive by giving your opponent the worst field position possible.
Expose the defensive weak link: Scout your opposition. If he has a weak link attack it. Create match-up problems by subing in a prime-time playmaker to create a defensive mis-match. Look for injured players. Abuse the scrub they use to replace him.
Mix it up: Don't let your opponent see you coming. Mix your plays so that you don't tip off the your opponent. Here is a good rule to remember: run to set up the pass and pass to set up the run. If you are going to use a passing play often, throw to different receivers. Sometimes, the computer will double and triple team a reciever that it sees you using alot. Somebody is bound to be open. Also in Franchise mode, it seems as if over the seasons, the AI begins to remember plays that you have traditionally run. (Does the AI watch game film???)
Build your offense around your money plays: If you have a couple of plays that really work and what to use them throught the game, use other plays out of the same formation so as to successfully disguise your intentions.
Make them account: Every team has 5 eligible reicievers. Make use of them. If your opponent knows that your are going to throw deep to your favorite wideout every passing situation then they are going to have him covered every time. Don't throw to the same guy over again. When you throw to your other players like your tight end and fullback, you make your opponent play honest. You make him cover your other recievers because he knows that you are throwing to them. And just when you throw to them a couple of times, go back to your favorite guy.
Make them stop you: Sometimes, you will have a play that works over and over again. This is a good thing. Make the defense stop you. Why fix something that ain't broke?
Save your best plays: Save your best plays for when you need them. If the defense knows that they are coming, they will be prepared for it. (Yes, the AI is that smart!!!) Save your best plays when you NEED to make that first down or NEED to score.
You dropped a bomb on me, baby: No guts, no glory! An ocassional deep pass will catch a defense geared to the run napping. Even after an incompletion, your opponent will have to respect your deep pass threat. This loosens up your running and short passing game.
Beat the Blitz: If you are getting blitzed a lot, try throwing out of the shotgun. That should buy you some extra time. If you are not in the Shotgun formation, keep your eyes open. The key is reading the linebackers. When the blitz comes, it ususally leaves a hole in the defense (the place where the blitzer came from). If you have a "HOT" reciever or a running back you can dump to, hit him fast. If not, try throwing a lob pass to one of your recievers. He should be in Man Coverage. Try to outjump the defender at the last minute.
Passing: If you have trouble passing, try some of these tips.
(1) STOP RUNNING and STAND STILL!!! This is the most important thing that you can do. If you are moving when you throw the ball, you greatly decrease your completion percentage. (2) Use shorter, quicker routes. Ah, the West Coast offense-if you are having trouble completing those deep, Hail Mary 50+ yard bombs, throw short. Again, it is about taking what the defense gives you. You can easily pick up anywhere from 6 to 12 yards on those underneath routes. If you can juke and spin here and there, you may just turn that little out pattern in to a 30 yard gain. (3) Know who your primary and secondary recievers are going to be. You don't have time to monkey around in the pocket to look and see who is open. Madden 99 will blitz you. Hard. If the primary target is covered, quick go to the next target. If he is covered, dump it off to your safety valve (Receiver out of the backfield). To make this easier, throw to one side of the field. You won't have to scan all over looking for receivers. (4) Roll out of the pocket: If you have a mobile QB like Kordell Stewart or Steve Young, rolling out can buy you more time. Often times recievers will start to comeback to the ball. This is a great time to use that R2 pump fake. If everyone is still covered some running lanes may be open. You can scamper for some yardage. Use the square button to slide to avoid injury.(5) Throw to your RBs: Some RB are excellent receivers (Ricky Watters, Chris Warren, Mike Alstott) Flare and swing passes are great ways to get the ball to your running backs if they are having trouble running the ball. Look at it like a long handoff. (6) Avoid passing in crowds. If you have to use the triangle button to jump up and catch the ball. (7) Don't throw to the same receiver or use the same plays over and over: This is important-the computer will start double and triple teaming your go to guy, so it is important that you spread the wealth and hit your other open players. (8) Here is a tip that sometimes works for me-if you are throwing deep, hit the X button to highlight the receiver but don't mess with the d-pad. Jump up with the triangle button to catch the ball. (9) Read the defense-key on the safties and watch where they are flowing. Throwing away from the safties means throwing away from double coverage. (10) Wait for the coverage to break down-If you have a great offensive line and they can give you the protection that you need, wait for the WRs to break loose from their coverages. (11) Look at the entire field-Don't just key on one receiver. Keep your eyes open and look for any linemen or linebackers that break free and coming at you.
Create mismatches: Three and Four receiver formations cause mismatch problems. Look for the single coverage and go to that receiver.
Confuse your opponent: Run pass and play action pass plays out of Big formations when they are expecting you to run. Use motion plays to see if the defense is using man or zone coverage.
Adjust your game plan according to Variables: Weather, injuries, score, field position, yards to go, time and down are all factors that will change your game plan. Adjust it accordingly.
Practice, practice, practice: Learn the plays. Develop a rythem when passing the ball.
Play smart: Stupid mistakes can kill you in Madden. Know the down and how many yards you have to go. Know the time and your time out situation. If seen many people lose games because they forget the basics. Madden 99 is a game of strategy, tactics and percentages. Third down is a critical down. Sometimes, people have a tendancy to go for it all and come up short (incomplete pass or sacked). Sometimes all that you need is a first down. In third and long situations, the probability of getting a first down via long pass is slim. A run, short pass or even a screen pass may be better. Maybe you may not be able to get all the yardage that you need but you may break open a long gaingan also you may be able to put yourself in field goal range or back them up in a punting situation. If you stop them you will get the ball back in great field position.
Field Position:
Inside Your Twenty: You want to play it safe here. An interception could lead to an easy score. Stick with safe plays that you know you can advance the ball with.
Twenty to Midfield: Again, you want to move the ball, but you can take more risk. Methodicaly move the ball downfield.
Midfield to their Thirty Five: This is a good place to use those trick plays or plays that you are just trying out (JUST KIDDING!!!) But a surprise play will be excellent here. If it is busted, it last you will still be close to scoring range.
Thirty Five to Endzone: My "Redzone". This is the area that I am going to try and score in. Use your "money" plays here because your object here is to get into the endzone. If you can't at least you are in field goal range. Be very careful inside this area because alot of turnovers (ie: Interceptions) happen here.
Don't panic: If you fall behind, don't panic and start trying to score on every play. Adjust your game play if necessary. Move down the field, score, stop them on offense and get the ball back.
Ed Eagle.
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