Smothering D

Published August 12, 2008

The old adage "defense wins championships" rings true in Madden™ NFL 09 just as much as the real NFL. While executing a smothering D may not seem as sexy as breaking a big play on O, you're going to need to dedicate yourself just as much, if not more so, to the smashmouth side of the ball if you expect to survive at higher difficulty levels, or online against your fellow gamers.

Should have gone low with the Hit Stick.

Pre-snap Adjustments

It's the little adjustments before the ball is snapped that are so important to defensive success. Whether it's "showing blitz" even when you're dropping back into Zone to confuse the QB, or swinging your linemen or linebackers to the strong side of the formation to stuff the run, there's always at least one little adjustment you can make to better prepare yourself for the play ahead.

• Edge rushers: Try spreading your defensive line out on obvious passing downs (tap LB and press up on the Thumbstick). This gives your defensive ends an advantage coming off the edge to rush the passer.
• Swing to tendencies: If you're playing against a team that loves to rush to one side more than the other, try swinging your linemen or linebackers in that direction (Left Bumper for linemen, Right Bumper for linebackers and the desired direction on the Thumbstick). For example, the Vikings have a dominant left-side line, and a stud running back in Adrian Peterson, so when the chips are down, they run to that side often.
• On your man: When you dial up a blitz package, your defenders may be slightly out of position in relation to the player they're set to cover. If you blitz a linebacker normally set to cover a tight end, the safety now assigned to that tight end may not be lined up correctly. Fix this by tapping Y for Coverage Audibles and pressing to the right on the Left Thumbstick to make every defender line up on their man.
• QB contain: You don't want to have to call specialized "DE Contain" plays every down when dealing with a constantly scrambling quarterback. Solve this by using the Defensive Playmaker feature. Select your defensive end, tap A to call up the Playmaker options, and then press down on the Left Thumbstick to set the player to QB Contain.

Finished your pre-snap adjustments?

Don't Engage

When you come off the ball as a defensive player, try to avoid contact with anyone but the QB or ball carrier. It sounds obvious, but so many Madden players immediately engage an offensive lineman the moment the ball is snapped. Try instead to angle through the linemen, slipping between them rather than powering through them.

Believe the Button

When you must engage with a blocker, follow the suggested button prompt hovering over the defender's head. This prompt is tied directly to the player's statistics and so suggests the ability most suited to that player's strengths.

Swat

Many a completed deep pass owes its success directly to an overzealous defender gambling for an interception. Unless you're in prime position, give the Y button a rest, and instead tap A to swat the ball out of the air before it reaches the receiver. Interceptions are nice, but your first goal should be to simply defend the pass.

Mud and tackles are a wonderful marriage.

Heavy High, Light Low

A well executed Hit Stick tackle can be devastating as you halt the ball carrier's forward momentum and could possibly cause a fumble. Not every defender is created equally though, so you've got to choose your Hit Stick tackle to match the player you're controlling.

Generally speaking, you can go high (press up on the Right Thumbstick) with linebackers and linemen, but with cornerbacks and lighter safeties, go low and cut the ball-carrier off at the legs. Also, use the Hit Stick only when you're absolutely confident of a tackle. If you trigger it and miss, you run the very real risk of giving up a huge play.

Highlight Time

Star wide receivers like Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, and Randy Moss can eat your coverage alive if you don't focus on them. If you choose not to double-cover, make sure at least to use the Highlight feature to set your defensive backs' focus squarely on the star receiver. Hold down the Right Trigger and tap the button that corresponds to the receiver before the ball is snapped.

Swat it!

Conversely, if you're facing an offense with no real standout receivers and you have at least one lockdown cornerback (such as a Marcus Trufant or Champ Bailey), try using Highlight on the team's second-best receiver. This way, you can add focus to the weaker side of your coverage while remaining confident your cover corner can lock down the other side.

Zone Interceptions

If you can routinely pressure the QB with just your four down linemen, you might want to focus more on Zone defenses. Zone defense works best in the first few seconds of the play before the QB and receivers recognize the coverage, so if you can create pressure in those first moments, the QB may be forced into a bad pass or even an interception.

Learning to love defense is like discovering a whole new game in Madden NFL 09. Soon, you'll celebrate the big hit with the same frenzy as a sixty-yard dash to the end zone. And with these smashmouth tips under your belt, you're on your way to creating your own smothering D.

Article by Ryan Treit