Defending Gun Tight and Stack Formations in Madden 23 - Part 1

[@kgpilot7]

One of the best defensive quotes I ever heard is that we always do the opposite of the offense. “They get wide, we get tight. They get tight, we get wide.” If an offense goes empty or spread, they’re trying to spread you out and isolate or attack the middle. If an offense is tight, they’re trying to out leverage you to the outside.

[@BIGNOSEPOPPA]

Man that's a fuckin great quote. I took a screenshot just to remember this.

[@cbasha82]

That’s a real good way to think of it bro. Very helpful too.

[@XandoFootball]

Hey this is hard.

[@jjerrodaustin]

Common sense

[@BIGNOSEPOPPA]

@@jjerrodaustin nigga shut up. If it's common sense then everyone that plays would be doing it.

[@janitorialguy4436]

I just want to say your cov. 3 cloud concept on tight set is perfect for my setup. I have been racking my brain trying to match out of the 46 with very little luck until now. Well it’s not a match but it’s great coverage. All my thanks.

[@dylanrobinson555]

Gotta admit I just discovered your channel and been watching videos all day this is good shit

[@kb1515ful]

Appreciate the new defense to add. Never thought of adding C3 Cloud. A rotation of C3 Cloud, C9, and 6 Invert is going to be hard to beat.

[@jeromep6694]

Brooooo...just came across this video....u did an oustanding job.....ill be coming to you first for the rest of the madden year...good stuff bro....u got a new fan in me

[@charleschapoill7510]

Did you make a cover 9 video for it yet i know it’s late in the season but every since I’ve been using your defense tool boxes i have been making people quit a lot I only play regs so your videos are awesome thanks bro😅

[@charlesrose7088]

This is exactly what I have been doing. Nice to see like minded individuals. I use dime 23 more often and mix in nickel 24 ....But I run cover 3 buzz show 2, cover 3 buzz match, cover 9 show 2, and under smoke 2 out of dime and overload 3 press, cover 3 cloud out of nickel 24...I try to make it look the same but run multiple coverages. Cover 3 buzz , cov 3 cloud, cover 9 seems to be the best combo vs tight for me

[@XandoFootball]

This a nasty set up. I like how you make them look the same. Keep them guessin'.

[@charlesrose7088]

@Xando Football For sure. I have different coverages I run for different formations but whether I'm in 2 high pressed looks, 2 high off coverage looks, or playing a one high safety look. I run multiple disguised coverages. Adjusting out of 1 or two plays is probably easier but learning and applying real concepts makes the gm fun for me.

[@PillzBerry27]

I need to take your advice. Do you run a lot of match?

[@cesarmv89]

This video is pure gold

[@mikeTomas3128]

Been waiting on this series lol. Love to see real life and realistic answers to Madden problems. Hope you get chance to cover inside breaking deep over concepts like Yankee too.

[@XandoFootball]

Do they run it on you from condensed formations?

[@mikeTomas3128]

@@XandoFootball condensed and especially under center. PA shot type plays with deep over.

[@XandoFootball]

@@mikeTomas3128 Kind of crazy how I haven't ran into opponents that run Yankee. I will have to look into this. Yankee wrecks Single High... So single high is a no go.

[@mikeTomas3128]

@@XandoFootball Thanks

[@damienscott9654]

Cover 3 single high does a fairly decent job shutting down certain tight formations but cover 6 is basically the best for tight with match on.

[@XandoFootball]

I like cover 9 most from the double high side when defending this formation.

[@derricknewton2385]

Great informative video! Can you show how to defend gun Bunch corner routes next ?

[@mastaaceexclusive]

Ommmfggg i was using the rolb to manual press the inside guy. But if u go wider and do it on the wide guy this will work better

[@ralphkreuz6236]

i love your content. I hope you keep it up!

[@jjerrodaustin]

Quick question so if you move players around like your showing is adjustments too?

[@XandoFootball]

I appreciate the dono Big Dawg!

[@jjerrodaustin]

@@XandoFootball u welcome did you get a chance to read my question for you?

[@XandoFootball]

@@jjerrodaustin Sorry I missed it. Moving players around can optimize your defense. I consider it as adjustments. I would never assume Madden has presnap alignments right. Sometimes, moving a player makes the defense youre in play a lot better. You just have to understand the goal of the play, what you are trying to accomplish and whether or not there is a better spot for a particular player to play their assignment more efficiently. Just my opinion though.

[@jjerrodaustin]

@@XandoFootballokay. i have seen people doing it all the time. I will need to practice that.

[@KyInterlude]

This is the besttt vid I’ve ever watched I’d love to stop five wide bro W vid Wando Football

[@BrizzyTV.]

They have match D in madden

[@kghostthegreat]

Hey Xando, Zan just posted this video showcasing a man match style principle with a outside quarter and a player in man to man coverage. They do a pretty excellent job of switching and matching accordingly.

[@kghostthegreat]

He made it originally for stack formations so I’m wondering if that could be a potential answer for the Zulu style coverage

[@brandonjakubowski899]

Is Zulu cover 3 match. They have it in madden 25

[@motivationtheory6999]

Bruh!! Idk how I found this channel but dude.. you not lying.. this joint really works.. no need for adjustments?

[@XandoFootball]

That's what I like most about it. Just move that curl flat outside, and user that opposite hook/curl . . . cushion seam and react to what your opponent does. This defense still has weaknesses . . . every defense does . . . but what you want to do is have more than 1 way to defend opponents and keep them guessing. If you run into someone who struggles to run concepts to beat it though . . . then you can just play it everytime. I've been in shock at how much people just struggle with Cover 2 match. I'll sit in that all game and have no problems in a lot of games.

[@motivationtheory6999]

@Xando Football dude are u on ps5 man?? If so can I add you! Just wanna ask you some stuff about the defense?

[@crizzy9815]

always been wondering man would you ever consider dropping a defensive ebook someday, I just know personally I’m buying it and many others would also

[@XandoFootball]

I wish I could. Would be fun. Time gives me the most problems though.

[@crizzy9815]

@@XandoFootball hella respect my man I get it, but thanks for all the uploads my defense is on a different level bc of your tips

[@XandoFootball]

@@crizzy9815 Glad I can help. Give em' dat work.

[@jamaaljohnson9124]

Like cover 4. The problem is the Safety transitions are bad. Slot CB defender has to get a jam on the Slot WR in Tight and bunch

[@eddiepressley501]

Thank you for this !!!

[@keithr6002]

Are you base aligned? What coaching adjustments do you make?

[@alfonsodavisiv]

How do I become a member of the channel?

[@SoulConnectTrey]

I’m backtracking your entire channel trying to get a better understanding of defense in Madden 25.

[@lilj1702]

Do you ever adjust the weak side cloud for the guys that like to motion out and streak the wide out to clear out of the corner route?

[@XandoFootball]

Yes. You can do a number of things with him. If they aren't attacking the flat to that side with the concepts they are doing, try to think of things you can do with him to help out your defense. Madden waste players in space when they have no work . . . you can help alleviate that by doing things with guys who aren't consistently under attack with routes in their area. At least that's the way I look at it.

[@dbailey3544]

Jeez man, u mind getting a job as an an ea Dev so u can install proper football logic in the game. This was an awesome breakdown. 👍🏽

[@XandoFootball]

I wish I could. I would fight to get every real coverage in the game. I don't know why they won't do it.

[@lonewolff5576]

I see gun, I go Nickle 3-3 Cover 4 drop shade underneath and outside.

[@RealFootball45]

Thanks u for explaining, u could run cover 3 stock on madden 11, 12 u could use Zulu n zebra because they actually adjust madden is just so terrible is glitch n meta vs the player every day

[@globoy5103]

U do know Henry was in tight slots hb weak not normal right right

[@PillzBerry27]

Do you have to go to your coaching adjustment like your flats curls and flats like 0 to 10?

[@XandoFootball]

No. I never do that. If you do that it turns off matching principals as well....not that cloud has matching principals in it but it's still good to kne.

[@PillzBerry27]

@@XandoFootball There is a KZbinr by Zane by how to use match. Check it out.

[@XandoFootball]

@PillzBerry27 I know how to run match though. 95 percent of what I run is match defense

[@PillzBerry27]

@@XandoFootball I do agree l like to run match but I am learning but blilzing is like a hit and miss.

[@PillzBerry27]

@@XandoFootball What defense playbooks you use for Madden ? I see players use multiple D

[@BIGNOSEPOPPA]

Xando for President!!!!!!

[@tommywolmart265]

Where'd you find those playbooks

[@flodquist1268]

Lions playbook

[@TeddyCruxpin]

I send the dogs or I run cover 3 invert.. nothing deep to the outside

[@JokerGaming-y2z]

Do you run match or leave default

[@XandoFootball]

I'm match all day. I never turn match off.

[@rjsingh5076]

Madden has match

[@frescolive]

You gotta watch out for those FREESTYLE CATCHES AND PASSES cause that’ll ruin a great defense.

[@austinetheridge3743]

Not trying to be a dick because it's good thoughts, but I do think it's funny that you were not winning in any of your game clips lol

[@XandoFootball]

I play online with different accounts. When I want to try new things / new ways of dealing with coverages / formations . . . I play on a practice account. You don't understand the nuances of coverages until you play a human opponent who changes dynamically in game to adjust to it. Example . . . I'll try many new things on offense to see how things interact. . . then on defense, try things until I see them come out in this formation. Then I happily jump into the cloud defense to see how it works against what opponents does. But yea you're right. I'm garbage. Play me for 500. Easy dough for you ;-) .

[@austinetheridge3743]

@@XandoFootball I totally get it haha. I just thought it was funny to see lol

[@seanfenton7459]

From a madden standpoint this is terrible. These dudes are running terrible route combo's that no good gun tight player would run vs zone or match. Respect the real football knowledge though