We are just over half way through our first season and are starting to get a clearer picture of where we are as a Madden league. Numbers don't lie as they say and our league's stats say some things about us as a group. Some of this falls on sliders and possibly overpowered mechanics in the game. However, a decent amount falls on us as users as well. Below are the numbers that are outliers for our league compared to the NFL and what we in the leadership group largely feel is causing them and how you can adjust your game to be more realistic.
1. SACKS
Contributing factors: Sliders, blitzing, user play calling, lack of user adjustments, user drop backs and aggressive pass rush
Sliders - WKXT85 and myself are working on sliders to adjust this to a more reasonable level. The league as a whole is about 1 sack per game higher than the NFL average (if not more). This tell us that sliders definitely play a role so we will be seeing a little better pass protecting going forward.
Blitzing - Many users in this league still blitz far too frequently. Only one team in the NFL blitzed more than 40% of the time last year and that team was under 50%. We should all be in the 20-40% range as a league. You can use base defenses like Cover 3 and Cover 4 as well as Cover 1 Hole to stop the run. You aren't going to stop them for no gain every time. No team does. You just want to set up a 3rd and medium where your chance to get them off the field is 50% or better.
User play calling - We often see users run play action on 1st down against users that are heavy blitzers on 1st down. Unless you are blocking eight and only runnign two guys on routes, that's awfully dangerous. What happens is these users get sacked on 1st and have a 2nd and 17 and then are trying to throw 20 yard passes on 2nd and 3rd down and either getting sacked or throwing an INT. Use runs and short passes on 1st down to set up manageable 2nd and 3rd downs. Use screens and outside run plays vs users that like to blitz a lot. Run 6-8 yard pass plays on 2nd and long to set up manageable 3rd downs. Being smart with your play calling and recognizing what your opponent is doing will significantly decrease your sacks and INTs.
Lack of user adjustments - I can't even count the numbers of times I have seen a defensive opponent blitz, an obvious blitz with the safety coming down into the box, and the offensive user just snaps the ball with no adjustment and takes a sack. I've done it myself. We have to be better about using slide protection to try and pick up extra rushers and using our HBs and TEs to block on blitzes or to even double team superstar DEs. We have a lot of tools at our disposal but very few of us are using them as often as we should be.
User drop backs - This is an old habit for a lot of us who used to be able to drop back 10-15 yards and sling accurate passes downfield to our receivers. That goes all the way back to Tecmo Bowl. Fortunately, Madden has grown immensely and you will pay for doing that completely unrealistic action now. In Madden 18, it is more important than ever to stay in the pocket. If you drift too far back, you will create angles for the DEs to disengage their block and get a sack. Also, if you drift left or right while in the pocket and run into a lineman, the new reach sacks animation will trigger and you'll almost always go down. You have to have pocket presence and realize where you are in the pocket and not give away sacks to your opponents.
Aggressive pass rush - With the sliders that we had been using previously, this coaching adjustment was VERY powerful. Probably too much so. We are trying to find a good balance of risk vs reward with this mechanic. We want it to give you an edge when you use it, but we also want the offense to be able to counter it (aggressive blocking) and there to be a possible penalty (getting drawn offside with a fake snap). We don't have the perfect balance yet so we ask that you don't abuse this. However, there is a place for it in this league and you should know how to counter it.
2. INTERCEPTIONS
Contributing factors: Blitzing, user play calling, poor user reads, pocket presence
Blitzing - The teams with the most INTs are also two of the teams with the most sacks. Typically, in this league, that is because of blitzes. Users get flustered by pressure and start making quick throws, often into coverage, when pressure is high. This is realistic but I also think we can overdo the blitzing too. On the opposite side, as was mentioned above, we have to be better about identifying blitzes and using slide protect and keeping extra blockers in when we do face blitzing teams. If you expect to have five guys running routes when your opponent is sending six rushers, you're going to be in for a long day.
User play calling - Again, this is somewhat addressed above. Football is largely a game of field position. Sometimes when you take a sack on 1st or 2nd down and have a 3rd and 15 or so, you just have to play field position and not turn the ball over. A high percentage of the time, NFL teams will just run the ball or throw a screen pass to try and pick up 6-8 yards and then punt. Far too many users in here try to throw 20 yard passes into coverage in an attempt to get 1st downs. Then they get sacked or throw an INT and have even worse field position. Don't always play conservative in those situations, but we should be far more than we are as a league now.
Poor user reads - Frankly, some users in here just don't understand how to read coverages. There are tons of videos and articles out there. That's where I learned. You have to know how to identify the likely coverage your opponent is in pre-snap, where you should go with the ball and then where your 2nd read and check down options are if you don't get the look post-snap that you expected. A lot of guys just pick a play and lock onto a receiver that is running a route they think will get them a first down or big play and try to force the ball into them. Use your check downs. There is a difference between focusing on your TEs and RBs excessively when throwing the ball and using them as they are intended as check downs when the defense shuts down your deeper routes.
Pocket presence - Not only does dropping too far back in the pocket increase the likelihood of getting sacked, it also increases the likelihood of throwing an interception. The further you drift back in the pocket, the more distance you are adding to your throw. Not only are you putting more air under the ball giving your opponent more time to react, but you're also possibly dropping your QB from a short pass to medium or medium to long. Most quarterbacks get less accurate the longer the throw is so be careful when dropping back not to make what should have been a medium throw an adventure because you just made it a 70 DAC throw for your QB.
3. YARDS PER PASS ATTEMPT
Contributing factors: User play calling, sliders
User play calling - This is far and away the largest contributing factor to a league wide high YPA for QBs. In the NFL, QBs average anywhere from 6-9 YPA typically. Our league is largely between 8-12, 33% higher than real life. A very large portion of that is users who don't use check downs and who don't throw slants, drags, ins, outs and curls. Not using those because you may get picked off is not an excuse. Learn what defenses they exploit and practice your timing. Any online scrub can launch deep crossers, posts and corners into an AI defense that still has some holes. Great sim players learn how to use the other routes to their advantage and create big plays by forcing the defense into trying to take away something short and then hitting them over the top with a big play. Let's be more cerebral in our play calling and try to mimic what real life QBs do more and less of what Johnny couch potato does in MUT.
Sliders - This should really say CPU AI but I'll go with sliders. INTs are high already so I don't really want to make the pass defense tighter. However, I also don't want 90% of our users averaging 25-33% more yards per pass than real life. I believe I can force everyone in here to be the masters of the short game through sliders but I don't want to. Let's try to be more balanced as a group and see where we are. Otherwise, games could get extremely boring with nobody being able to move the ball more than 5 yards through the air...
4. YARDS PER RUSH ATTEMPT
Contributing factors: User defense, user play calling, user adjustments, sliders
User defense - As I mentioned in the blitzing section, too many users are relying on heavy blitzes to stop the run vs base defenses like Cover 3 and Cover 4. Or, they are siting in 2 high safety looks (Cover 2 typically) where the safeties do not have run fits and their d-line and LBs aren't good enough to contain the run without safety support. You have to know what the plays you are calling do and what your team is good at. Unless you're the Vikings or the 2002 Tampa Bay Bucs, you probably can't defend the run very well with a 2 high safety look (unless its Cover 4 where the safeties have built in run fits). As far as blitzes, they are high risk, high reward. You may get a sack on an unexpected pass attempt or get a few TFLs on rushing attempts. However, you're also going to be much more susceptible to outside runs and a broken tackle going to the house. There's definitely a realistic use of blitzing to stop the run, but let's not focus on JUST using the blitz to stop the run.
User play calling - I don't know that I feel any run is necessarily over powered but we do see some guys using a lot of the same runs repeatedly, usually outsides runs (including counters). I don't think it's a huge issue if guys are using Cover 4 against those type of teams like they should be,. However, we also shouldn't be running outside excessively either just in case (as there usually is) a few over powered run plays that we're just not aware enough to realize work better than they should too consistently.
User adjustments - Far too often I see users over adjust their defense and create cut backs and counter openings for the offense. Personally, I rarely use shifts. The reason being, the game has built in run fits without them. Those typically work pretty well. I also don't want to give up a 40 yard counter because I over shifted the strong side. Be aware of your weak side and if you are giving your opponent numbers (more blockers than defenders) to that side. Understand that, unless its 3rd or 4th down and one, you don't need a negative play. There is nothing wrong with holding your opponent to a 2-3 yard run consistently and forcing them to put together long drives and convert on 3rd down.
Sliders - I'm not convinced yet that our high yards per carry (about 15-20% higher than real life) is related to sliders. Honestly, I think its mostly poor play calling and adjustments by the defense. However, it is something to keep an eye on as we go along. If the numbers remain high even after we see more actual run defenses called in running situations, we will adjust the sliders accordingly.
1. SACKS
Contributing factors: Sliders, blitzing, user play calling, lack of user adjustments, user drop backs and aggressive pass rush
Sliders - WKXT85 and myself are working on sliders to adjust this to a more reasonable level. The league as a whole is about 1 sack per game higher than the NFL average (if not more). This tell us that sliders definitely play a role so we will be seeing a little better pass protecting going forward.
Blitzing - Many users in this league still blitz far too frequently. Only one team in the NFL blitzed more than 40% of the time last year and that team was under 50%. We should all be in the 20-40% range as a league. You can use base defenses like Cover 3 and Cover 4 as well as Cover 1 Hole to stop the run. You aren't going to stop them for no gain every time. No team does. You just want to set up a 3rd and medium where your chance to get them off the field is 50% or better.
User play calling - We often see users run play action on 1st down against users that are heavy blitzers on 1st down. Unless you are blocking eight and only runnign two guys on routes, that's awfully dangerous. What happens is these users get sacked on 1st and have a 2nd and 17 and then are trying to throw 20 yard passes on 2nd and 3rd down and either getting sacked or throwing an INT. Use runs and short passes on 1st down to set up manageable 2nd and 3rd downs. Use screens and outside run plays vs users that like to blitz a lot. Run 6-8 yard pass plays on 2nd and long to set up manageable 3rd downs. Being smart with your play calling and recognizing what your opponent is doing will significantly decrease your sacks and INTs.
Lack of user adjustments - I can't even count the numbers of times I have seen a defensive opponent blitz, an obvious blitz with the safety coming down into the box, and the offensive user just snaps the ball with no adjustment and takes a sack. I've done it myself. We have to be better about using slide protection to try and pick up extra rushers and using our HBs and TEs to block on blitzes or to even double team superstar DEs. We have a lot of tools at our disposal but very few of us are using them as often as we should be.
User drop backs - This is an old habit for a lot of us who used to be able to drop back 10-15 yards and sling accurate passes downfield to our receivers. That goes all the way back to Tecmo Bowl. Fortunately, Madden has grown immensely and you will pay for doing that completely unrealistic action now. In Madden 18, it is more important than ever to stay in the pocket. If you drift too far back, you will create angles for the DEs to disengage their block and get a sack. Also, if you drift left or right while in the pocket and run into a lineman, the new reach sacks animation will trigger and you'll almost always go down. You have to have pocket presence and realize where you are in the pocket and not give away sacks to your opponents.
Aggressive pass rush - With the sliders that we had been using previously, this coaching adjustment was VERY powerful. Probably too much so. We are trying to find a good balance of risk vs reward with this mechanic. We want it to give you an edge when you use it, but we also want the offense to be able to counter it (aggressive blocking) and there to be a possible penalty (getting drawn offside with a fake snap). We don't have the perfect balance yet so we ask that you don't abuse this. However, there is a place for it in this league and you should know how to counter it.
2. INTERCEPTIONS
Contributing factors: Blitzing, user play calling, poor user reads, pocket presence
Blitzing - The teams with the most INTs are also two of the teams with the most sacks. Typically, in this league, that is because of blitzes. Users get flustered by pressure and start making quick throws, often into coverage, when pressure is high. This is realistic but I also think we can overdo the blitzing too. On the opposite side, as was mentioned above, we have to be better about identifying blitzes and using slide protect and keeping extra blockers in when we do face blitzing teams. If you expect to have five guys running routes when your opponent is sending six rushers, you're going to be in for a long day.
User play calling - Again, this is somewhat addressed above. Football is largely a game of field position. Sometimes when you take a sack on 1st or 2nd down and have a 3rd and 15 or so, you just have to play field position and not turn the ball over. A high percentage of the time, NFL teams will just run the ball or throw a screen pass to try and pick up 6-8 yards and then punt. Far too many users in here try to throw 20 yard passes into coverage in an attempt to get 1st downs. Then they get sacked or throw an INT and have even worse field position. Don't always play conservative in those situations, but we should be far more than we are as a league now.
Poor user reads - Frankly, some users in here just don't understand how to read coverages. There are tons of videos and articles out there. That's where I learned. You have to know how to identify the likely coverage your opponent is in pre-snap, where you should go with the ball and then where your 2nd read and check down options are if you don't get the look post-snap that you expected. A lot of guys just pick a play and lock onto a receiver that is running a route they think will get them a first down or big play and try to force the ball into them. Use your check downs. There is a difference between focusing on your TEs and RBs excessively when throwing the ball and using them as they are intended as check downs when the defense shuts down your deeper routes.
Pocket presence - Not only does dropping too far back in the pocket increase the likelihood of getting sacked, it also increases the likelihood of throwing an interception. The further you drift back in the pocket, the more distance you are adding to your throw. Not only are you putting more air under the ball giving your opponent more time to react, but you're also possibly dropping your QB from a short pass to medium or medium to long. Most quarterbacks get less accurate the longer the throw is so be careful when dropping back not to make what should have been a medium throw an adventure because you just made it a 70 DAC throw for your QB.
3. YARDS PER PASS ATTEMPT
Contributing factors: User play calling, sliders
User play calling - This is far and away the largest contributing factor to a league wide high YPA for QBs. In the NFL, QBs average anywhere from 6-9 YPA typically. Our league is largely between 8-12, 33% higher than real life. A very large portion of that is users who don't use check downs and who don't throw slants, drags, ins, outs and curls. Not using those because you may get picked off is not an excuse. Learn what defenses they exploit and practice your timing. Any online scrub can launch deep crossers, posts and corners into an AI defense that still has some holes. Great sim players learn how to use the other routes to their advantage and create big plays by forcing the defense into trying to take away something short and then hitting them over the top with a big play. Let's be more cerebral in our play calling and try to mimic what real life QBs do more and less of what Johnny couch potato does in MUT.
Sliders - This should really say CPU AI but I'll go with sliders. INTs are high already so I don't really want to make the pass defense tighter. However, I also don't want 90% of our users averaging 25-33% more yards per pass than real life. I believe I can force everyone in here to be the masters of the short game through sliders but I don't want to. Let's try to be more balanced as a group and see where we are. Otherwise, games could get extremely boring with nobody being able to move the ball more than 5 yards through the air...
4. YARDS PER RUSH ATTEMPT
Contributing factors: User defense, user play calling, user adjustments, sliders
User defense - As I mentioned in the blitzing section, too many users are relying on heavy blitzes to stop the run vs base defenses like Cover 3 and Cover 4. Or, they are siting in 2 high safety looks (Cover 2 typically) where the safeties do not have run fits and their d-line and LBs aren't good enough to contain the run without safety support. You have to know what the plays you are calling do and what your team is good at. Unless you're the Vikings or the 2002 Tampa Bay Bucs, you probably can't defend the run very well with a 2 high safety look (unless its Cover 4 where the safeties have built in run fits). As far as blitzes, they are high risk, high reward. You may get a sack on an unexpected pass attempt or get a few TFLs on rushing attempts. However, you're also going to be much more susceptible to outside runs and a broken tackle going to the house. There's definitely a realistic use of blitzing to stop the run, but let's not focus on JUST using the blitz to stop the run.
User play calling - I don't know that I feel any run is necessarily over powered but we do see some guys using a lot of the same runs repeatedly, usually outsides runs (including counters). I don't think it's a huge issue if guys are using Cover 4 against those type of teams like they should be,. However, we also shouldn't be running outside excessively either just in case (as there usually is) a few over powered run plays that we're just not aware enough to realize work better than they should too consistently.
User adjustments - Far too often I see users over adjust their defense and create cut backs and counter openings for the offense. Personally, I rarely use shifts. The reason being, the game has built in run fits without them. Those typically work pretty well. I also don't want to give up a 40 yard counter because I over shifted the strong side. Be aware of your weak side and if you are giving your opponent numbers (more blockers than defenders) to that side. Understand that, unless its 3rd or 4th down and one, you don't need a negative play. There is nothing wrong with holding your opponent to a 2-3 yard run consistently and forcing them to put together long drives and convert on 3rd down.
Sliders - I'm not convinced yet that our high yards per carry (about 15-20% higher than real life) is related to sliders. Honestly, I think its mostly poor play calling and adjustments by the defense. However, it is something to keep an eye on as we go along. If the numbers remain high even after we see more actual run defenses called in running situations, we will adjust the sliders accordingly.