It is very important to understand that in order for our scheme to be the most successful we are going to want to come out in dime defense. You may be asking why? The reason we do this is because we manage to fully grasp our teams biggest strengths in all areas. We manage to have 6DB’s 3 LB’s and our 2 most athletic DE’s on the field. We certainly have the “beef” to stuff the run but still have the versatility to bring pressure with our speediest defenders. It is really a great balance. I also want to note that we are going to be controlling the DB on the right side of the screen (our 4th CB in the depth chart) on every play. A key to success is being able to make every play look the same. When we do this we can confuse our opponent. Now lets take a look at our depth chart setup:

Depth Chart

DT

1. Best Pass rushing DE (we do this because when we audible to the 1-5-5 this defender will be the ONE down linemen. We want to have our best pass rusher for this situations.

2. Most athletic D-linemen (height is a BIG factor hear as well, when we audible to the 155 this player will be dropping back into coverage. This player may be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. If your deciding between a defender that is 82 speed and 6’2 or a defender that is 78 speed 6’5 choose the6’5 defender.)

DE

1. Place anyone here (we will use the LB pass rush package from Dime, rendering this player obsolete)

2. Place anyone here (we will use the LB pass rush package from Dime, rendering this player obsolete)

OLB’s

1.Fastest LB’s here (if we have a backup that is 6’5 88 Speed…ie New England Patriots Gary Guyton…we will play him over a someone like Mike Vrabel. Seems crazy but is much more beneficial to have a 6’5 88 speed defender on the field over a smaller, slower defender.)

MLB

1.Fastest/Best tackling linebacker (typically our MLB will be our best tackler. If he has a nice speed rating that’s an added bonus. The better the player we have at this position the better it will suit this dime scheme. You will see later on why I say this. Look for a hybrid player here, someone that encompasses, speed, height, and tackling ability.

CB

1. Best overall CB

2. Height/Speed (if you have a team that is blessed with a lot of either of these we want to use this player in this position. Height first and speed second.)

3. speed/height (if we have a team that is blessed with either we want to use them here. Speed first and height second.)

4. Fastest defensive back. (he will be our manual rusher)

FS

1.Second fastest defensive back, look for height as well (this defender will be our user controller for the 1-5-5. Speed is certainly important here, however if we are deciding between a 90 speed 5’11 defender or a 6’3 88 speed defender, opt out for the height)

SS

1.Height/Hit Power/Speed (this defender main objective is to be tall and have a good hit stick. We want a guy here that can help defend in the run game. He is a our 6th “big” defender when we add him in the mix with our other 5 LB’s/DE’s on the field)

In the Sgibs Defensive E-Book 1-5-5 Now Available! breakdown I chose to use the Raiders to fill out my depth chart breakdown. There are 3 teams that fit this schemes mold PERFECTLY.Those three teams are the Raiders, Cowboys, and the Rams. Now there area handful of other teams that can be used and still have lights out defense. These teams however have speed for days at all positions on the field. Ideally the Raiders are the best team to use. If you can make there offense work I would 100% recommend using them.

Lets highlight a few other teams in which this scheme can work:

•Cardinals- Dominique Rodgers Cromartie is a monster on the manual blitz. They also posses one of the tallest secondary’s. Adrian Wilson is an absolute monster to user with at the FS position in this scheme.

•Jaguars- Rashean Mathis is shutdown along side him we have Reggie Nelson who is a great fit for our FS position. Our manual blitzer off the edge is the best in the business for this scheme. Witherspoon boasts 98speed!

• Chargers- Jammer and Cason defending the outside and Cromartie blitzing off the edge equals pain for the offense. There is a glaring hole in the secondary as there are no real madden studs to put back there. There secondary other then these three is extremely slow and short.

• Patriots- Solid speed, solid defenders, NO HEIGHT. The Patriots won’t be a team your choosing solely for defensive purposes. However, they do posses enough speed to make this scheme work.

With the Dime scheme expect to see ALOT of deflected passes!

*Let me also say that these teams are NOT the only teams that you can run this defensive scheme with. These are just the teams that I recommend using.*

Demarcus Ware is the PERFECT linebacker for this defensive scheme. Size, speed, and versatility all in one package!

DB Blitz

Setup

1. Bump N’ Run

2. Pinch the defensive line. LB + down

3. Playmaker blitz both DE’s and our right DT

4. manually slide both blitzing DB’s in closer to the d-line. I recommend placing them both just outside where a TE would be lined up.

5. Manually control the DB on the right side of the field and use Sgibs Manual Super Rush tactic.

This play will 100% Bring it! The pressure will be coming from all sides. The reason we like to manually blitz both the DT and the DE’s is that this will occupy specific offensive linemen for us. The key is for both tackles to be occupied by our defenders. When we accomplish this we can come off the edge screaming!. This will either force our opponent to step up into the pocket, where more pressure is coming, or to roll to the opposite side,where more pressure is coming as well. Don’t get to comfortable calling this play all game. I will tell you this it can be beat. Typically the way I like to play defense is I will keep calling a play until my opponent PROVES to me thathe can consistently handle the pressure, once he does that I will start mixing it up more and try to confuse him to get my sacks. What you need to look for when calling this defense:

• Snap and lob type passes

• If they can manage to avoid the instant pressure, one on one coverage can be RC on all day.

• Drags

• Slants

• HB/FB routes

• This defensive can be weak against the run. If we see our opponent audibleing to beat us with the run, we want to audible to 1-5-5and use our run defense from this set.

There are a few other alternatives we can use to get better pass coverage when using this blitz. If we place one DT in a yellow zone(consider placing in purple as well) and also one in a purple zone we are going to have AWESOME coverage on the field. Lets take a look at what we are going to be weak against with this defense

• Snap and lop passes, over the middle of the field

• HB/FB routes

• This defensive can be weak against the run. If we see our opponent audibeling to beat us with the run, we want to audible to 1-5-5and use our run defense from this set.

Now we can see that with a few adjustments we are going to knock out a bunch of options for our opponent. We are still able to create major pressure using this adjustment however we do lose a bit of push from up the middle. As I have stressed time and time again. YOU need to be able to make adjustments and be able to read your opponent. If he can’t handle the heat from the first setup then stick to it, if he shows you that he can beat it that’s when we want to look for other options.

If you have any questions, hit us up on the forums for some help!

Related posts:

1. Free Play Friday: Sgibs Under Smoke Blitz
2. Destroying Cover 2 Defense 101!
3. Sgibs Dominant Defensive Play #1

Seeing as how awesome things come in pairs, we are going to provide you with some more fire for your defensive arsenal.

These blitzes can be used in conjunction with each other to really get into the offenses head. If you can learn to disguise your blitzes than you can force the offense into making bad choices under pressure. Here is the second part of free play friday. If you missed the part one check below or click here

Quarters

*Line backer pass rush*

*Place your best pass rushing DE at DT*

*Fastest LB at MLB*

*Fastest CB’s at dime and nickel back ( 3rd and 4th on the depth chart)

*Best CB’s on the outside (1st and 2nd on the depth chart)

*SS hard hitter*

*FS tall and good user ability*

*user the 5th on the depth chart CB*

Under Smoke

Shift line left.

Re blitz the MLB, *RB down*

Re blitz the DT down

Slide the blitzing DB on the left of the screen to the outside hip of the DE

Place the blitzing MLB directly in front of the DT

User the other blitzing DB, and MAKE BIG PLAYS!!!!!!!! (if you bought 1-5-5 guide, use sgibs insanse manual rush tactic for max heat)

When you mix this play in correctly it will mirror the Dime play I discussed earlier. It doesn’t have four down linemen but in the heat of the battle this will look identical to that setup. The major difference is that we are going to be bringing five defenders. If you have played Madden 09 at a high level then you should be aware of the Nickel Strong Man blitz from Nickel Normal. Unfortunately for multiple D playbook users we don’t have the option to use this blitz in our arsenal. This play however is going to give you similar results and even mimics the nickel strong blitz! If your quick on the sticks you can turn this into a zone as well. Quickly adjust your outside DB’s to purple zones and your deep safeties to deep blues and you have a good cover 2 with one of the defenders man’d up on a WR/TE.

This pass rush is great because we are overloading the left by having our MLB and DT occupy the LG and the C. Meanwhile our blitzing RE and CB are going to be attacking the LT. The LT will have to decide which one to pick up and leave the other to come in free off the edge. Our LE is going to be doing a wide outside rush which almost works as a contain because of his rush angle. He will not allow the QB to rush outside the pocked and force the QB to sit inside the pocket. I personally think this is better then the strong man as we get a more consistent rush from the left side of the line.

Implement this into your defense and watch your sack count rise!

Related posts:

1. Free Play Friday: Sgibs 4 Man Rush Blitz
2. Free Play Friday : Indy Scheme Part 2!
3. Free Play Friday: Indy Scheme Part 4

4 Man Pass Rush Nano

Dime

*Line Backer Pass Rush*

*Place best pass rushing DE’s

*Fastest LB at MLB*

*Fastest 2 DB’s at nickel and dime backs (3rd and 4th string on your depth chart)

*Tallest DB’s at your 1st and 2nd string*

* HIT Power at your SS*

*FS place whoever you feel comfortable with usering*

Strong Roll 3

1. Flip the play

2. Shift the d-line left

3. Place the DT on the right of the screen in a yellow zone

4. Bumn N’ Run

5. Place both outside DB’s in purple zones.

6. RE-playmaker your FS and SS into deep blue zones

7. Shade the safeties in

8. Slide both blitzing DB’s in, just outside the hip of the Tackles.

9. Roam with the MLB.

You are bringing only 4 pass rushers with this defense. The rush angles caused by flipping the play and shifting the line left are going to cause MAJOR confusion for the D-line. Take a look at what the DT over the center does to the center. The center almost stands straight up looking confused as what to do. This causes an overload ont he left side as the LT tackle will be forced to pick up or DE and the DT will pick up the LG while the center is left behind in the dust.

You will have absolute BLANKET coverage with this D and have a NASTY nano from it.

*All the playmakers mentioned above can be done in under 7 seconds. I do them every game. So if you cant get them done I recommend going in practice mode and working the kinks out. Ill be posting more blitzes that I have used all season!*

Related posts:

1. Sgibs Dominant Defensive Play #1
2. Free Play Friday : Indy Scheme Part 3
3. Free Play Friday : Indy Scheme Part 2!

Madden Bible Presents:

Sgibs Indy PB Offensive Scheme (Part 4)

“It’s so good, it’s offensive”

Brought to you by: Zfarls and Sgibs

If your new to the book check out part 1 here To get your audibles installed.

Also check out the Part 2 of the scheme here to get base plays installed.

Part 3 talks about the beauty of hybrid formations.

Here is part 4!

Gun Bunch TE Overview

PA Boot Over (quick audible left)

Gun Bunch Te

PA Boot Over

Setup

1. Smart Route the X WR

2. Place Y on a Curl

3. Place A WR/TE on a streak

4. Place your HB on a slant left

5. Motion your X WR to the right, snap as soon as he takes 3-4 steps past the WR/TE

This is the default PA quick audible from this formation. The Smart routed X WR is a great read against cover 3 and cover 4. The reason being is that when we motion this route to the right the defense does not fully defend it. We will look to through a quick lead pass, up and to the right. This will lead the player into space for a big game. You will need to make your reads based on how the defense reacts to this. Get in the Lab and check out this play works against all defenses so that you can fully understand this concept.

After our first quick pass read we will want to focus on our A WR/TE running the streak. This needs to be a read we make very quickly. At the start of the play we are going to drop back and drift a bit to the left. This will cause an opening in the defense for our WR/TE in the seam. This can be hit virtually against any defense. However the timing and read of this play are specific. We want to roll left because this will force the deep safety to roll with the QB and drift away from the streaking WR/TE. Throw this pass with a lead up and left throw for a big gain.

Our next read is the curl and slant combo. This works exactly as the flat/curl combo we have dissected in previous articles. If it is man dump off to the slant to the HB for a BIG gain. Use the curl as our safety valve.

*Holding down A after the snap will actually hand the ball off to the HB, if you read pass coverage simply hold down A for some yards on the ground!*

Stick

Setup

1. Place A on a curl/streak

2. Optional to motion HB out of the backfield for a quick pass/Motion HB to the left for a better passing angle our of the backfield

This is a quick hitter we like to use to keep the defense honest and respect the trips bunched side. We will want to sprinkle this in to ensure our opponent plays some type of cover 2 hybrid defense. Whether he plays he a playmaker adjustment style or a regular cover 2, that is our goal. We then can build off that for our other options. Our first reads are simultaneous. We want to read both the Y and B routes at the same time. If the curl is covered our flat route should be open and vice versa. Work these routes all game, they will be quick and easy reads for us to make.

We have the corner route that we will get open do to the spacing of the curl and flat. In order for the defense to properly defend this they will need position enough defenders to the bunch side of the field to cover all our options. We want to RC this route by throwing a high bullet pass using LT. Click on and drag down to get the RC animation.

Our last reads are the HB and WR/TE route. The TE route works just as describe in PA Boot Over. The HB route is a great quick option to the right side of the field. Look to hit the defense for a big gain in the flats. Motioning the HB to the left will create a better angle for our HB to get up field when running this route. It IS the best way to run a flat route in Madden 09. It is very similar to how CG routes ran in the flats. We can constantly gain 5-7 yards using this method all game.

Curl Flat corner

Setup

1. Curl our B WR and smart route the curl

2. Slant X/Out route

3. Block both our WR/TE and HB (optional)

4. Motion the HB left (optional)

I use this play to give the defense a different look. I have max protection with this play. 7 players are blocking for me and 3 are running routes. The three routes will create a major flood on the left side of the field. The out/slant will be an easy RC on the sideline and is our first read. High bullet pass with LT, click on and drag down for the RC. Next we look for the deep corner. This corner will create MAJOR space because of how deep it runs and will typically result in a 1v1 match up against almost any defense. We will need some time in the pocket for this route that is why we are blocking seven. Our last read is the curl route. Dump off as our last read.

Inside Cross

Setup

1. Slant/Curl the Y WR

2. Curl/Drag the B WR

3. Curl the A WR/TE

This is my go to play from this formation, mainly because of the blue route out of the backfield. If you haven’t been able to tell I LOVE to hit the defense underneath its coverage. The reason for this is because repeatedly beating the defense here is what opens up the deep ball. What a lot of gamers get frustrated with is why can’t I ever complete deep balls in Madden 09!!! Well let me tell you, YOU CAN! It first starts with constantly attacking the flats. If they are available we want to take it every time. We can pick up big chunks of yardage this way. Then look down field for the big gain.

This play is one of my favorites because of the blue route from the HB and also the deep post assigned to our outside WR. If we place our Y WR on a slant we will want to place B on a curl. If we place Y on a curl we want to place B on a drag. It is a small change of pace for this play but can really pay off dividends for us. Look for the slant and or the drag as our first read. We then move to the deep post. If it is available for a big gain throw a lead pass up and to the right. If the deep gain is not there we can still RC this at anytime by throwing a high bullet LT pass, click on and drag down for the RC. Next we look to the curls and or drag. We dump off for big consistent chunks on the offense. Our last read is the blue route.

The last minor change that we can do with this play is smart route the deep post and motion the WR to the right and snap once he passes the TE. This will work just as we described in the PA Boot Over play.

Related posts:

1. Free Play Friday: Indy Scheme Part 4
2. SGibs Free Madden 09 Indy Scheme!
3. Sgibs Indy Scheme Part 3!

Madden Bible Presents:

Sgibs Indy PB Offensive Scheme (Part 3)

“It’s so good, it’s offensive”

Brought to you by: Zfarls and Sgibs

If your new to the book check out part 1 here To get your audibles installed

Also check out the Part 2 of the scheme here to get base plays installed

Part 3 talks about the beauty of hybrid formations and next week part 4 will break down the rest of the indy book!

Gun Bunch TE Overview

PA Boot Over (quick audible left)

Stick (quick audible up)

Curl Flat Corner (quick audible right)

HB Draw (quick audible down)

Inside Cross (pre-set audible)

I have been looking forward to today’s release! The possibilities with formation are almost endless. This is almost a SUPER formation. How many times have I mention “hybrid” formations? Think of the Gun Bunch TE formation as the SUPER Hybrid formation, the KING of the hybrid’s. Here’s why:

· Bunch Trips

· TE on the LOS (line of scrimmage)

· HB in the backfield can be motioned to the left of the QB (great for blocking purposes) and motioned to the right for quick passing and one v one options with the HB.

· Tight formation

· Ability to motion to create different match ups and different adjusted sets

· Ability to tell if our opponent is in Man or Zone pre-snap

Each of the above need to be guarded differently in order to successfully defend them. Lets take a look a quick glimpse of some of these options:

· Bunch Trips

-Overload on the Trips side. The defense needs as many defenders as there are offensive players to properly guard all the quick options ie. Flat, corner, and Curl/streak

-Defense needs to shade the flat to guard the quick hitting flat routes. (much easier to do in real life, in Madden it requires us to manually move our flat defender out to the flat)

-Trips formations eat pressure for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With the overload on one side we will be able to immediately find holes in the defense when they are bringing pressure.

o TE on LOS

- In order to properly bring pressure from the strong side (TE side) we the defense needs to overload this side. We can, in most situations; guarantee pressure won’t be coming from the strong side.

- The TE in the seam of the defense can KILL Cover 2’s and Cover 3’s downfield. The defense is forced to guard this route manually, play cover 4, or man up this player.

o HB in backfield/Motion Left of QB/Motion to the flat

-The unique ability of being able to motion our HB either to the left or right can cause some real headaches for our opponent. We can pick up pressure extremely well when we motion the HB to the left of the QB. We want to block the HB a certain way and then motion him to the left. The only other formation in the game where we can do this is from Trips TE.

-In my scheme I talked about how when I come out in the Gun Deuce formation I like using the WR HB package. This gets a taller and faster player at the HB position than most teams can offer. The reason I like doing this is because of reasons such as this. When we motion the HB/WR to the right we now have a WR on the outside to take advantage of a one v one match up on the defense.

- This forces the defense to be accountable for both flats and also to be aware of the speed and the one v one match up we have no created on the weak side of the field. The defense is now accountable for every part of the field.

o Tight formation

-Gives us the ability to read the defense pre-snap. If the defense starts wide and slides in they are in zone. If the defense starts in and does not slide they are in man.

- The tight formation forces the defense to be aware of both flats and is typically much harder to defend against quick passes and crossing routes.

Now I’m sure that you can now see why I love this formation so much. Another great key to this formation is that all the quick audibles are great! Most formations may have great plays in them but a downfall for them can be there quick audibles. Stay tuned for the release of each play!

Related posts:

1. Free Play Friday : Indy Scheme Part 3
2. SGibs Free Madden 09 Indy Scheme!
3. Free Play Friday : Indy Scheme Part 2!

Madden Bible Presents:

Sgibs Indy PB Offensive Scheme (Part 2)

“It’s so good, it’s offensive”

Brought to you by: Zfarls and Sgibs

Shotgun Deuce

FL Cross- Flipped

Setup# 1

1. Place both TE’s on curls

2. Place LB on a slant left

3. Motion the HB to the left and snap right before he sets

One thing I want to stress about this formation is that we may want to use the WR HB package. The reason I say this is because there are some teams that may not have a speedy running back. We can fix this problem by subbing in one of our faster WR in this spot. If they manage to have height as well that is an added bonus. Teams such as the Raiders and Vikings have starting HB’s that are both 6’2 and possess 95+ speed. This is huge because we can use them in both the run game and in the RC game.

Another thing that I love about this formation is that we have the ability to pick up ANY blitz that our opponent may throw at us. This is a HUGE confidence booster for us on offense and very demeaning for the defense. Lets get to the breakdown!

Our first read is going to be the slanted HB. The post and the slant will work off each other. The post is going to carry the outside defender with him and leave the HB on the slant wide open on the sidelines. If our opponent is playing man the HB will look covered but because of the angle of the route we will ALWAYS have position on the defender. We throw this route by using a high bullet pass with LT. Click on and drag down and in to get the RC animation. Most times the defender will go spinning out of bounds and we can scamper up field for a few more yards. This route combination is one of the toughest to defend in the game. If they have a defender that drops into the short flat look to hit the seam with the post. We can RC this route as well by throwing a high bullet LT pass. We can even wait longer to see if the deep middle of the field is vacant. We need to anticipate this during the play, if we see this look to hit the post in the deep middle of the field. We then of course have the curls. These are great safety valves for when we need them. Dump off to the curls using a high bull pass LT, click on and drag down to perform the RC. Our last read is the delayed drag. The delayed drag is such a great route. It will never be bumped in zone coverage, only man. This is a nice tell for us on offense. Also because its delayed it stays true with its original depth. Typically when we place our player on a drag he will get bumped and then be carried up field by the bump, thus rendering the underneath drag useless.

Curl Flats- Flipped (quick audible right)

1. Fade both outside WR’s/ Curl both outside WR’s

This is another great play. We can kill the flats with this play if our opponent doesn’t respect them! We can’t let our opponent get to comfortable on there side of the ball. There is nothing more frustrating then getting beat in the flats. How many times has it happened to you and all you want to do is scream! Now we need to force our opponent to guard the flats. The fades/curls will drive the defensive coverage up field, opeining up the flat routes by the TE’s. We can hit this against any coverage besides cover 2. However if our defense has the flat covered then we are going to want to work our route theory! If they use cover 2 to defend the flats then we know our fade/curl is going to be open! Route theory 101 fellas! This is a very basica play with a very basic setup, the simplistic nature of it allows for easy reads for us to make. Our last read is the HB with the delayed curl route. This is a money route. This route will be open almost every play. When all else fails dump off to the HB!

Setup# 2

1. Curl both outside WR’s/Fade on WR curl the other

2. Streak both TE’s/ Streak one TE and Curl the other

The seam routes by the TE’s will burn any cover 3, man cover 1, and man cover 0. Our main objective with the streaks is to look for an open seam and hit it. We then want to RC the route. These routes are EXTREMELY easy to RC. We want to throw a high bullet LT pass, click on and drag down for the RC. Now what will happen is our defender will begin to cheat on this route. They will drop back and protect the deep middle of the field to aid in the defense against the streaks. This is when we work the curl/streak route combination! When we do this we force our opponent to choose which to cover! It is such a beautiful thing we when actually see this work as designed! We always want to switch this combo up, what I mean by this is switching up the TE’s by making one do a curl one play and a streak the next. Remember either TE’s streak can be RC with ease.

We are then going to look to our outside with the curls/fades. These two routes are just basic safety routes. Look to dump off if need be. Our last look is once again our light blue curl by the HB. Again this route makes this play so tough because it is virtually open against any defense.

HB Sweep- Flipped (quick audible down)

Setup

1. Slide protect up or opposite side of HB

2. Motion the WR on the HB’s side

3. Snap once the right before the WR reaches the center

This is a great play we can call that is quick and easy and can pick up yards in a hurry. We will have 8 blockers up field for us. When we receive the hand off we will want to go with the handoff and then cut up field. If we look to cut right away we will get a delayed animation and get caught in the backfield for a loss. When we go with the handoff and then cut up field we can pick up BIG chunks of yards. This is because we will almost always have the advantage in the run game because we have, in theory, 7 offensive linemen (5 o-linemen and 2 TE’s) blocking and then our motioned WR. Sprinkle this into this mini 3 play scheme and you have yet again another TOUGH formation from the Indy book.

With each Free Play Friday at Madden Bible I will discuss strength of each formation. Last week I touched upon how the single back doubles close formation is great for making easy reads and great for being able to dissect the defense all pre snap. Lets take a quick look at why Shotgun Deuce is so special.

Shotgun Deuce

Maximum Protection- Curl Flats (can be done with any play)

Setup

1. Fade both outside WR’s/Curl/Combo or curls/outs/fades/drag

What makes this formation so great is that we can virtually pick up any pressure that the defense may be bringing at us. This can be done by assigning both our TE’s on the line to stay in and block. This gives us 7 “offensive linemen” to block with. Typically the defense won’t be bringing more then 7 on any given down. What is also great is that because they are on the line, just as the regular linemen are they act just as an extension of the o-line. Have you ever noticed that when you come out in a shotgun formation you are always getting killed from the weak side! Well not anymore. We don’t HAVE a weak side. When we mix this blocking scheme in with our quick audible, Curl Flats, we pick up a delayed blue from our HB. The HB route is great because it will be open almost guaranteed. Our outside WR’s we will want to use some type of combination of Fades/Outs/Curls and the occasional drag.

Have you ever had that feeling that when you face an opponent that has lights out blitzes that he not only is bringing crazy heat, but at the same time he is able to have blanketing coverage! Well that’s because we aren’t picking up the pressure properly. When we use this tactic above and use the assigned route combo’s above not only will you pick up the pressure but the field will look HUGE. You will be able to see all the holes in the defense and it is going to allow you to sit back and make the easy throw. Once you burn the defense a few times by doing this except to see a lot of 10 man coverage D. I often joke to Zfarls and tell him that I’m the only guy on the planet that can actually “scare” someone out of a defense. Typically this is the reverse effect. However when you use this blocking scheme to pick up pressure your opponent will soon realize that his blitzes WILL NOT be getting to you!

Stay tuned until next week for another FREE play Friday here at Madden Bible!

Related posts:

1. SGibs Free Madden 09 Indy Scheme!
2. SGibs Pass Balanced Tips – Play 2
3. Sgibs Dominant Defensive Play #1

Madden Bible Presents:

Sgibs Indy PB Offensive Scheme

“It’s so good, it’s offensive”

Brought to you by: Zfarls and Sgibs

Audibles

FL Cross- Singleback Doubles Close

WR Out- Singleback Doubles Close

WR Drag- Doubles On

FL Screen- Doubles On

X Spot- Gun Bunch Te

*We come out in FL Cross from the “Shotgun Deuce” formation/ I-form TE Wing FB dive*

With this write up I will be touching base on the audibles above and also the quick audibles associated with them. The Indy playbook is great because of how unique it is. When I look for a playbook, whether it be offensive or defensive, I look for formations that are not the “norm.” I look for playbook specific formations. Indy’s playbook caught my eye right from the gate. This is the book that I have come back to all year. It is also the book that has lead me to all my successful playoff seasons in the EAFL. Let’s take a Madden Bible look at what is so great about this book!

Singleback Doubles Close

I want to first start by saying that this formation is hands down one of the best formations in the game. It doesn’t get much recognition because it is under center, let me tell you, EVERYONE has been missing out. If you have been following Madden Bible for sometime now you will notice a the reacquiring term “hybrid” being used. That’s exactly what this formation is, it is a hybrid formation. It is both a spread and compressed set.

When playing defense there are certain ways to defend certain formations. When we face a Compressed/Bunched set we defend this differently then a Spread set. What this means is that this formation really can’t be defended against properly. Some may say the downfall of this formation is that it is under center, I would have to whole heartily disagree with that. The reason being is that we can run exceptionally well out of this formation!!! Most find it hard to make reads on the defense, most find it difficult to determine when a running play should be called and when a passing play should be called, and most don’t take what the defense gives them. When we use this formation we will be able to make easier reads on the defense, determine when to run or to pass, and be able to really take what the defense gives to us. Another important thing to notice about this formation is that we have the ability to flip the play without our opponent ever knowing that we did. This causes MAJOR headaches for opponent and is another way we can cause confusion for our opponent. Enough jibber jabber lets Bring it!

FL Cross

1. Flip the play/or leave as is

2. Place your Y and A on Curls

3. Place B on a drag (X if we leave as is)

4. Motion X on the deep post, just before he reaches the tackle, snap (B if we leave as is)

5. Slide protect to the side the deep post is going to. If we want to sit in the pocket, slide protect down drop back 3-5 yards.

*This same exact setup can be done without flipping the play. This type of deception will be key in confusing our opponent. We will always be motioning either our X or B WR in this scheme. This type of motion is going to be our key for setting up our other plays*

Our first look is going to be to look to see if we have the deep ball available. If we chose to slide protect right we will be rolling out right a bit to get the appropriate angle for the deep ball. If the deep ball is not there we can still RC the deep post into any coverage. We will do this by throwing a high bullet pass using the LT. We will then click on and drag down to get the animation. After we make the immediate deep read we then have out drag route as our next read. Earlier I mentioned how Indy’s playbook is unique is so many different ways and how this specific formation is potentially one of the best in the game. One reason being is that our X and B WR’s are NEVER going to be bumped. This is a huge advantage to us, we are able to know that this drag route can be hit on timing almost at will. It will also help to open up the curl routes we have designated to our Y and A WR’s/TE’s. If the drag route looks to be covered look to the delayed blue route out of the backfield. Our last reads will be our curl routes. We will want to throw to them using the high bullet pass using the LT. Click on and drag down to the RC animation.

WR Out

1. Place B on a curl

2. Motion B on the curl, just before he reaches the tackle, snap

*Instead of motioning B we can choose to motion X on the 7 yard out. This type of motion will be setting up one of quick audibles, the WR screen.*

This play calls for our X WR to be running a 7 yard out. This is unique as most outs are either 5 yards by playmaker or can be playmakered to the first down. The timing is different in each scenario. I have found that the 7 yard out gets the best angle for a RC animation on the sideline. The deeper the route gets past 7 yards is tough to get if our opponent gets solid pressure. Once the WR reaches the sideline we throw a high bullet pass using LT. Click on and drag down and in to perform the RC. This RC can be performed against almost any coverage. Next we will be looking to the slot Y and A WR’s/TE’s. These routes are angled streak routes, what makes them so good is the angle! We are able to RC these routes easily from about 7-25 yards downfield. Anything before develops to quick to pull off and anything after is a bit riskier but still can be done. We want to throw a high bullet pass using LT, click on and drag down and in to get the RC animation. It is also advantageous to us if we role a but to the opposite side we are throwing to, to get a better angle for the RC. Our last read is the curl, if nothing else is open we want to dump off to the curl. For this play we want to leave our HB as is in the backfield. If you take a look at his blocking assignment it is different from default then almost any other play in the game! It calls for him to step up into the pocket and pick up A gap pressure. This is GREAT for running under center. It will allows us to drop back 3-5 yards, step into the pocket, and deliver the throw.

WR Screen (Quick audible, up on the joystick)

1. Slant the HB towards the WR screen side

2. Slide protect toward the WR side

3. Place X on a curl

4. Motion the B outside

*Remember this play can be flipped without our opponent EVER knowing. This is going to cause MAJOR headaches for our opponent. Defending a WR screen to just one side of the field is tough enough, when they have to worry about both sides it’s almost unstoppable!*

This is the money maker of the formation. This is another reason why this formation is so GREAT! Not only do we have a WR screen as a quick audible we also have the ability to flip it to either sad and not allow the defense to key in on the switch. In a way we are almost forcing our opponent to play a Cover 2 or Man to Man defense. This is EXACTLY what we want to do, we want to dictate the defense to play to how WE want them to play.

We slant the HB towards the screen side to pick up better blocking. We motion the screen WR outside to get a better angle for the screen. If we leave it as default it is easier for the defense to defend as the WR will be closer to the tackle box. That is why we have all our other forms of motion to “fake out” our opponent. This way they can never key in on what we are doing!

If the screen is manually covered we can look to hit the HB running the slant out. He will almost always be uncovered as the defenders will run into the blockers. Also look to dump off to the curl route. The WR/TE running the post is a great route if we can manage to get time in the pocket. We want to hit this WR/TE with a lead bullet pass using LT, click on and drag down for the RC.

HB Dive (Quick audible, down on the joystick)

1. Slide protect up

2. Motion B inside, snap once he has passed the tackle

3. Motion B outside, snap after 1-2 yards of motion

*The motion here is going to look exactly like our previous plays we have setup. Ie WR screen, WR out, and FL Cross.*

Here is another key factor about this formation. Because it is compressed we can tell if our opponent is in zone, if there zone blitzing, and if there in man. We also force the defenders, pre-snap, to line up to defend in the box against the run, or line up to defend the WR’s/TE’s in the compressed slot. First we want to watch the defense when we come out from the huddle, if they start wide and slide they are playing zone. If they start in and do not slide they are playing man. Next we want to see if the linebackers/inside CB’s are lineup to defend the compressed slot. If they started wide and slide in and are now guarding the slot WR we know this:

* They are playing zone

* They are NOT blitzing

We know this because if they were blitzing the line backers would start wide and then slide all the way into the box, never going out to the compressed slot. Now if they start wide, guard the slot, and then slide in we know this:

* They are playing zone

* They originally were not blitz

* They used the “man align” feature on defense

* They could playmaker a blitz or audible to a blitz

We know this because when we use the man align feature it causes the linebackers/slot cb’s to slide into the box to play the run. The defense may be making playmaker adjustments or they could be bluffing the blitz in hopes to scare us away from running. We will have to get a feel for what our opponent is doing, once we pick up there tendencies we will be able to adjust and make the right play call.

Now if we notice that when we come out of the huddle and the defenders start in and do no slide we know the defense is in man. If the linebackers/slot CB’s are aligned up across from the compressed slot we know this:

* They are playing man

* They are NOT blitzing

Same scenario again, if we notice that when we come out of the huddle and the defenders start in and do no slide we know the defense is in man. If the linebackers/slot CB’s are aligned up in the box we know this:

* They are playing man

* They ARE blitzing

Now that we know what type of defense our opponent is in and if they are blitzing, I would definitely say that we have a one up, maybe two, on the defense! At this point we are going to move forward and take this knowledge here to help us know when to run the HB dive.

Anytime we see the Box with 6 or less defenders in it we are going to want to at least consider running the ball. If we see 5 or less defenders, WE ARE GOING to run the ball. (as long as it is no 3rd and long of course). No excuses here, if there are 5 or less defenders in the box we will always have the advantage in the run game! When we use the motion of the WR and snap once he passes the tackle we will have 6 players that are blocking for us. Use some common math sense here if there are 5 defenders to our 6 that means we will have one free blocker that will push up field! You are going to pick up HUGE yardage when this is done right. When you fully grasp and understand everything above you will be getting 9-10 yards a pop. What is also so great about this is that it can be setup instantly. This is yet another advantage for us in this formation.

Stay tuned for Sgibs break down of the Doubles On/Gun Bunch TE/Gun Deuce formations in the coming days!

Related posts:

1. SGibs Pass Balanced Tips – Play 2
2. SGibs Money Madden 09 Plays! Play 3
3. Sgibs Money Scheme : The Auto RC!

The Auto RC

Welcome back Madden Biblers! After a short hiatus we are back at it again. Blame Zfarls on this one, spending to much time hitting the sack and then going to bed. Anyways, for todays tip we will be discussing something that not many know about in the madden community. A while back I had discovered the AUTO RC. I had labbed this with Zfarls and together we have found a way to best implement this tactic!

Setup

*Works best with shotgun normal and doubles on sets

*Any play thats not a screen

TE Slot Package. (we need height for this tactic)

Streak both the Slot TE and the TE on the LOS.

Place the B WR on a Drag

Place X WR on a Fade/Curl

Block HB or place on a slant right.

The routes we are going to be focusing on are the TE’s streak routes. The position that both TE’s are in is the reason why we can get the AUTO RC. When they are lined up else where we will not be able to get the AUTO RC. What we need to do is drop back with our QB about 4-5 yards. We want to watch both TE’s, what we are looking for is a bump and run. If we see bump we need to check down to one of our other options. The bump and run will throw the timing off of the AUTO RC. However, by streaking both TE’s we present the problem to the defense that they typically can’t bump and run both TE’s with one defense, without adjustments pre-snap. Usually we will have one of the two that will not get bumped. We then wait for the TE to streak downfield about 15 yards. Both routes we throw the same ball. We throw a bullet LT (left trigger) lead pass left. This is something we are going to need to practice in order to get the timing down. We also need to trust that once we get the timing down we will be able to nail this consistently.

If you watched the Super Bowl, you would have heard countless times that Kurt Warner needed to re-learn the QB position. He had to trust that he could throw the ball to Larry Fitzgerald even when he had two men covering him. He needed to trust that the play would be made. It took a while but once he had that confidence, skys the limit.

The same goes for this AUTO RC. You will be tempted to click on but DO NOT. If done correctly the TE’s will turn around and perform the RC by themselves. This is huge because what it does is allow us to perform a deadly route without human error. I stress that a good amount of time needs to go into this before you attempt this in game. Now, on to our other reads.

Man to Man bump and run will be the most consistent defense that will counter this tactic. The reason for this is because this is the most consistent defense to ensure bump and runs on both TE’s. However, here at Madden Bible, we have all angles covered. We have hot routed a drag route and a slant to our HB. Both routes are man beaters. If we see man to man with bump and run we will hit whichever opens up first. Our last read is the outside WR on the curl/fade. This is another route to watch for the bump. If we see bump we will want to by pass on this route. If we don’t see bump we know we can hit the fade on the RC.

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Alot of people have check out our offensive videos and increased there scoring exponentially. However most of the emails then ask well how can I play better defense. Me and sgibs bumped our heads together and came up with some plays and soon a video that will help you harness your inner Baltimore Raven!

With out upcoming series of defensive plays your games will stop looking like Big 12 Conference games!

Defensive Tip #1

3-4 Drop Zone (any 3-4 variation will work)

Setup #1

1. Shift the defensive line right. (LB right on the d-pad)

2. Fake Blitz (Y Left on the D-pad)

3. Place the DE on the right side of the screen on a blitz straight down

4. Place the MLB on the left side of the field in a QB SPY (highlight the MLB+ A joy stick on the d-pad)

5. Place the SS in a contain (highlight the SS + A down on the d-pad)

6. Shift the secondary to shade the middle of the field (A +joystick down)

***Shading your safeties left, right, in, our out depends on what looks there giving you. Adjust accordingly.***

BREAKDOWN:

Sgibs here to once again not only show you a dynamic defense but to also teach you the concept behind it all. When I discovered this defense I was searching for a way to shutdown the Trips Te formation from the Run N’ Gun playbook. I noticed that this formation is one that has given me fits all year. After countless hours of preparation and labbing, I proposed this play to Zfarls in an actual lab game. Soon thereafter we realized we had struck gold.

A few thoughts behind what this defense is. It is a hybrid cover 3. We are removing the SS from his deep safety assignment and moving him in the box on a contain. The result of this is that if the QB roles to the right the SS will blitz off the edge untouched every time. Even if it’s a slight movement to the right it will still cause the SS to blitz off the edge. By blitzing the DE, on the right of the screen, we will guarantee the SS off the edge to come in untouched. The line shift to the right creates a misconception of pressure. We are making it look like intense pressure is coming from the right. (intense pressure will occur if they role right at all. This will give the idea that we are bringing tons of guys to result in this pressure. Remember we are trying to actually “trick” our opponent here. In reality this play will only bring 4 rushers at the QB resulting in intense pressure)We always want to force the QB to his weak side. Having it appear as pressure is coming from one angle is a big advantage for us. We have a good idea as to what they are going to do after the snap.

The default line rush is for a crash out. By shifting the DT and the DE on the left of the screen we have created a deeper angle at which they rush the QB. Watch as they rush, it is a very unique angle. It starts out extremely wide and then has a hard cut towards the QB. This causes lots of confusion on the o-line. The center will usually stand straight up and not pick anyone up. The LG will usually move to pick up the DT, leaving a one on one with our best pass rushing DE; lots of times the DE will literally loop around the LT untouched. If your opponent scrambles hard left the angled pass rush will work even better. At this point we will now be in the head of our opponent. They will literally feel as if pressure is coming from all points on the field. The idea behind this is to bring passive aggressive pressure. If our opponent likes to dictate the pace of the game by rolling right or left we will prevent him from doing that with this defense. Step 1 to playing lock down defense is now complete. We now dictate how our opponent is going to play. Lets now break down the coverage we have on the field.

As I said earlier we have a hybrid cover 3. The reason being is we have three deep safeties in coverage and instead of our LB’s playing in flat zones they are playing in purple zones. Purple zones do a great job at covering RC’s and they also play the flats extremely well. The offense will pick up only a few yards if passing to the flats. It will appear there open but in actuality they are not. So now that we know that we have good coverage down field let’s take a look at the middle of the field. We have one yellow zone and one QB spy. Now you might be asking, Sgibs why the spy? Well it’s simple really. The yellow zone is going to drop to about an 8-10 yard bench mark. It will do a great job at covering curls and smart routed routes. However a big weakness in yellow zones is that underneath they leave drag routes and flat routes wide open. If you read my previous article about the importance of the three route combo, post, curl, and the drag route, you will fully understand how devastating they can be. In order to slow down that underneath drag route we place our LB in a QB spy. This will cause the LB to play underneath the yellow zone. It will also help to give the illusion that there is always pressure on the QB. Wherever the QB goes the spy will follow. The spy is also beneficial for guys that like to quick pass. Because the LB is on a spy he watches the QB’s movements. Lots of times the LB in the spy assignment jumps the quick routes and will either knock the pass down or intercept the past. As with everything there is a minor weakness to this defense. That would be the deep seem. This is the weakness with any cover 3. This can be combated by mixing up what we do with our SS. Some plays we can place him on the contain and others leave him as is. This will result in a cover 4 and will really create havoc for your opponent.

Here at Madden Bible Zfarls and I really want to stress the importance of learning the INS and OUTS of madden. I’m presenting this concept to you out of the 3-4 drop zone, however it can implemented into any formation and any play. That’s the key. This concept in whole is a good base to start from. Take this base and conver it into your defensive scheme.When Zfarls stated in his earlier article, why am I not getting pressure, he stated that we all as players need to get more creative and to stop using what everyone else uses. Well this is your first play to assist you in that right direction. Use your resources in the game. Use all the playmakers you have on defense and see if you can find a defense that is totally unique.

This defense as with all others though if used enough will get repetitive and will be able to torn apart by a true madden player

So, my challenge to all of you out there is this. Come up with your own defense and submit it to us here at madden bible. The winner will receive a one on one 2 hour lab session with me Sgibs. Not only will I lab with you I will break down more defenses and some of my money offensive plays. Zfarls will also give you a scheme breakdown as to what we think would be a good offensive scheme for you to run. The winner’s defense will also be showcased here on the website. Please feel free to submit to our emails.

-As always we play to WIN at madden bible

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2. SGibs Pass Balanced Tips – Play 2
3. Committing to the Run: How to Reap the Benefits of this High Risk Play Call

Alright, the first play was a big success so Sgibs has just emerged from the lab with another play to help take your game to the next level! Here it is:

Pass Balanced

Trips Twin Te Slot Cross

Setup one

1. Place the outside WR on a fade route

2. Place the inside WR on a curl route

3. Place the blocking TE on a drag route

4. Motion the WR running the curl route, snap once he passes the outside TE

I want to stress something right away, a big part about understanding and really dominating your opponents in madden is not always about the “play” you choose, its more based off of concepts. What I’m about to show each one of you is a concept that I have found literally unstoppable. I have yet found one person this year that has been able to shut this CONCEPT down. I also want to point out the ease at which it can be run. I am a member of the EAFL, in season 33 I am the Tampa Bay owner. I finished the season with a 12-4 record, large in part due to this concept. http://www.leaguedaddy.com/leagues/stats/player/?lid=1605 Go there and look at Jeff Garcia. Not only do I boast the number one QB rating at 144.4 I also have thrown 22 TD 2 ints and managed a 77% completion percentage. I have still yet to post 4 games, so those numbers will all increase. If you want your game averages to reciprocate mine read below.

First, motion the curled WR until he passes the outside TE. Your first read is the drag route. This will get open against almost all defenses. The longer you wait on this route the better because this will cause more separation. Next we are going to want to pay attention to the post over the middle of the field. This is the route that we need to abuse the defense with. We want to RC this route. We do this by waiting for the WR to break over the middle of the field. Drop back with your QB, (I stress that you have a clean drop back, drop back in 2-3 yard increments until the WR makes his break over the middle) wait for the WR to break the plain between him and the QB. You want to make sure the WR is on the right side of the QB. You then throw a LT pass with a lead pass up. We then click on and hold down and Y to make the catch. Why this is so effective is because the post route gets great depth on the defense and results in huge gains. Directly underneath the post we have the motion curl route. Now if they manually guard the post look to dump off to the curl.

I want to take a brief moment to better teach this concept to you all. The curl route really holds this all together. It is the easiest route to complete in the game and is always a great safety valve. Having a drag route underneath the curl will force the underneath defender to either pick up the curl or the drag. Because the curl route gets greater depth the defender will almost always choose the curl route to defend. This leaves the underneath curl route wide open. This is a concept that can be used for almost any defensive zone you see. Now the same concept lays with the deep post. However the deep post will either cause the defender to choose to guard the post or the curl. If the defender chooses the curl the post will be wide open with only one defender over the top of him. If the defender chooses the post route you will have both the curl and the drag wide open. If you go into practice mode you can really key in on this and get a better sense of what this all is. Watch as the defender is going to have to choose who he wants to defend. It is not always consistent who he chooses so your reads need to be precise. The beauty of it all is even if you make the wrong read you can still RC the route and really leave the defense unable to make a play on the ball.

Now you also have two other reads on the field. One is the WR on the fade. If there is a one on one match up on the side look to beat them deep or simply throw a RC to this WR. (LT + UP on the dpad). Our last read is simply to hit the blue route out of the backfield. This route and the curl are our safety routes if we get in trouble. Don’t forget that this concept can be carried over to almost any formation that has a deep post in it. Key in on the concept and then relay it in your playbook. Head into practice mode and try these tips out and stay tuned for the next play we will breakdown out of this deadly formation.

(if you read your defender is playing man you can make all the same reads and all the same progression. However, I would key in more on the drag as this will literally force your opponent out of man if you keep hitting them. I suggest to do just that, keep hitting this route until they are forced to play zone. We then dictate our opponent to play how we want THEM to play)

We play to WIN at the Madden Bible!

Sgibs and Zfarls

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