(How To) Read Defense Like A Pro [Madden 24]

[@MF_DOOMer]

One of the more precise videos. Love that the community is teaching actual Football instead of broken plays now.

[@WinMadden]

I appreciate that!

[@realmcraftchronicles]

exactly! i havent played since madden 21. So much changed. i was trying to figure out the new pass rush moves, and instead i found 80 videos on glitched pass rush plays instead.

[@ShinyHunterBobby]

Especially defensive plays that just abuse gaps instead of reading formations

[@bigpapakennels8936]

I agree

[@thereal_onelargemammal]

Fantastic explanation. As a NON natural NFL/Madden player/watcher, this vid really helps to understand the nuances of American football. Cheers

[@Philipp19911]

Same here. I'm from Germany and I did not grow up watching american football at all. So starting to play Madden is kind of a challenge and this helps a lot

[@gamervisions9947]

It’s so frustrating playing lol😭

[@byronmcmullen5599]

This is not ground breaking information. However this is probably the most concise explanation that I have seen to intro new generations of madden players to actual football strategies instead of teaching them cheese plays. You sir are doing the work of the Football gods.

[@OneManWolfPack18]

I've been playing madden for a long long time and always been a pretty solid player but I've never gotten to the point of trying to read defenses presnap to this degree. Great break down, earned a sub 👌

[@kennysiskmusic3743]

Can you do this same video, but with a quiz section, where you show a defensive spread and ask us what the probable coverage is and what to do next before giving us the answers? That would help me a lot lol. Your videos are great, on another level

[@TyboGames]

great idea tbh

[@WinMadden]

@TyboGames taking notes 📝

[@TheMelnTeam]

Players can swap zone assignments and base align. There are also some plays like "cover 3 show 2" or the opposite that people can use, though back when I played madden a lot they were not commonly used. But for example madden lets you do some weird stuff like 2 man under with the deep zones swapped to cloud flats + user over middle, which can cause some trouble for man beaters. I do wish man shading and deliberate double team man assignments worked better than I've seen them work.

[@randyseidler1907]

I LOVE this video every year

[@scorpio-yp3hu]

CBs will always always play 3 different shades. Outside. Inside. Or Even. No matter what.... Btw moving the WR in motion don't always mean there in Man or Zone they do a good job of disguise the defense. Sometimes you think there in Man but they in Zone and vise versa...

[@slowmotion7478]

Great video! This madden has been great to play because of having to read the defense and not just find the broken plays

[@thenickfoxx]

Dude I just stumbled upon this video today after picking up madden 24 after not buying a madden game since 22. You were the guy i watched the most for tips. Glad to see you're still making videos man!

[@matthiasdegener2849]

Awesome Video as always! As I saw in your gameplay as well, the inside Zone run out of Bunch Str offset is SO good! from all the shotgun runs, this one is probably top 3 in my opinion (because it goes to the weak side and the blocking is so good) ! The audible over from Bunch offset is super quick and it is a good mix in, when your dotting up your opponent :)

[@WinMadden]

Thanks for the comment Matthias! Sorry I missed it until now - it’s always good to hear from you!

[@cpcolella]

This is great. Now i can read a defense but still have no idea what plays to choose given each coverage. I suppose that’s probably another video😅

[@johnstronz4672]

Know what type of play you want to run (for pass: depth of route or quickness of release. for run inside or outside) Then read the defense, and I pull the route art up while I do that. Look for passing routes to attack the seams where the zones meet or good matchups for your guys (Audible to do that if need be.) I usually know which two routes I want to throw to, and keep my eye on the defender I want to pull.

[@stqrryhze]

SAME

[@TheMadison86]

@@johnstronz4672 How do you know what a good match up is?

[@johnstronz4672]

@TheMadison86 I pick a route I plan to throw to, even if it's not the "designed" route (in red), then a backup route I'm comfortable with. The goal for me is to give the defenders multiple choices to cover, force them to make a decision, then attack the option they didn't choose. The key is that YOU pick the options for them and YOU dictate how the play is going to go. For Deep routes:I'll look first at the safeties to see how many/where they're at. If there's only one, I'll keep my eyes on him and when he moves to cover one side of the field, I'll attack the other. For Short routes: similar concept but with the linebackers For Medium routes: both safeties and linebackers. When I select a play, I'll look mostly for the route I want to hit first, and will see when other routes are being run that can help pull defenders away. For example, if I want to throw deep on the left side, I'll find/hot route to have another option on the right to force the safety to make a choice between the two. For medium and short I'll try to get multiple players crossing each other to create space for at least one of them. Disclaimer: I play to unwind so I like a challenge, but I'm not the kind of guy who has every playbook memorized.

[@TheMadison86]

@@johnstronz4672 So helpful thank you

[@shaun_177]

The best explanation ive seen. Thanks homie

[@WinMadden]

Appreciate the comment and kind words!

[@Night--Shift]

Man thank you for this. I’m a returning player from 20 years ago and I needed this to refresh myself since my old brain doesn’t process as fast now.

[@WinMadden]

Thanks for the kind words and welcome back!

[@thinkersthink-]

Damn me too..

[@jeffreyac1995]

Same bro except it’s been about 8 years. I’m coming out of retirement lol

[@c1pher1400]

Think of SCAN safeties,coroners, alignment, numbers. Numbers let's you know where the blitz or rush is coming from.

[@WinMadden]

Pretty good rule of thumb! 👍🏻

[@chowder3ful]

thanks for the video, defenses are well explained but would be helpful for an explanation of what to do offensively vs certain coverages

[@DevinDoutt-o9u]

I’m struggling against user LB’s. What’s best to do against those?

[@Acewako2023]

Love it my brother ! Precise and very well spoken thats getting you a sub my guy 🤟🏾

[@hotspitta5]

Can you do a video on best offensive plays to beat the defensive plays here? (short pass, run, slants etc.)

[@LeQuito]

This is why i run Base alignment. Makes opponents have to read D after the snap

[@dadecountymcfly5582]

This best information I received from madden this year.. 💯

[@matthewklee7377]

When I am in Gun doubles HB WK for instance and I motion my WR bc I see one high safety and the corner moves with my receiver It is still zone sometimes. I am confused?

[@powerblazing3603]

great video! I'm somehow new to the sport and to the game (im not american lol)...it'd be awesome to know when to make certain type of offensive play depending on the reading of the defense...like: "OK, its a 4 man coverage, what play should i pick? should I run the ball? should I try to pass it deep? should I make a short pass?? If you have a video of this kind please let me know the title! Thanks !

[@WinMadden]

Thanks for the comment, yes, to answer your question I have lots of videos on how to beat certain defenses. If you’re looking for something “generic” I would suggest the video on this channel titled “how to beat every defense in Madden 24”!

[@sppsports2449]

Essential for anyone who wants to "git gud" at Madden.

[@scorpio-yp3hu]

😩 can we get some spread formation videos.... I see so much bunch and I just knew before I clicked and played this video it would be a bunch formation 😂.... I just find it much easier to read the Defense when there in spread type formations in general but that's just me...

[@nedruss7040]

Excellent breakout of coverages. I've started practicing the reads. The puzzling thing to me is how you view play art for defense while practicing as offense. You can even audible into different defensive plays. I'm sure it must be a setting somewhere, but I haven't found it. How can I change that?

[@WinMadden]

Appreciate the comment and the kind words! I’m using two controllers to be able to switch defenses in practice mode and show the play arts. Hopefully this helps!

[@nedruss7040]

@@WinMadden Thank you. I'll have to give that a try. In practice, it helps to see what the defense is doing beforehand to get a better grasp on why the play unfolded a certain way. It's particularly useful when looking at how the same defense lines up against different formations. I'll try using a keyboard as the second "controller". I probably have a spare controller lying around somewhere, but I only need to see the defensive play art & maybe audible. Appreciate the help! 😃

[@nucleargandhi3759]

So defensively in this situation would you need to try to audible your plays after some time or try to manually mess with alignment to throw the offense off from their read?

[@n64central]

The motion isn’t fool proof. Zone will follow the player if they matched up, most if not all players have that set by default

[@DevinDoutt-o9u]

Do you have a chart or spreadsheet showing man and zone beaters? Also, is it best to audible to a run when you see cover 4,6,9?

[@WinMadden]

Thanks for the comment. There are lots of great videos on this channel giving you lots of man and zone beaters as schemes that u can use

[@DevinDoutt-o9u]

@@WinMadden thank you

[@Cluchh.Productions]

So I understand like how to read it like if it’s cover 4 whatever right but I don’t know how to change my offense to beat it can somebody help.

[@rayallaire4423]

Do you have a vid of some good examples of man and zone beaters that aren’t the spam plays

[@WinMadden]

Yep, there a a whole video on this channel called “how to beat every defense in Madden 24” cover concepts to beating everything

[@Jdub-tv3ww]

This sounds good until you play the cheese balls that base align press every single play usually mixed with some over top coverage audible and qb contain.

[@matts.441]

Go compressed. If the corners come inside towards the numbers its man, if they stay outside the numbers its zone.

[@cvogt12345678]

Love your content man. Do you offer any individual coaching services? I’m a new fairly new madden player struggling to string together wins in H2H refs and am looking to get better

[@WinMadden]

Hey thanks for the comment and the question. I don’t do any individual coaching sessions - I’m sorry… hope to keep helping you with the videos though!

[@MF_DOOMer]

I do individual services for $10 an Hour.

[@brycemcrawford]

What are you supposed to do when there is 3+ in the safety/prevent area???

[@firstnamelastname5697]

You should do a video where we have to use these tactics to guess the defense so I can get practice😂

[@theghostofGeorgehalas]

At 9 minutes what play is the defense running? to my noob eye I didn't recognize the safety because he was't in the middle of the field.

[@bmjbmjay9148]

can’t cover 3 have two safeties sometimes?

[@nahfoo-v9s]

I wish you told us which types of routes bust each defense. now i know how to tell what the defense is but I can’t even use that information because I don’t know how to counter

[@ThePresidentialBoys]

does this work for cfb 25

[@brettseaberg5033]

Won a Superbowl finally! 🎉🎉🎉 You're a G.O.A.T!

[@WinMadden]

You are Brett! Skol! I’m predicting 15-2

[@brettseaberg5033]

@@WinMadden that defense is starting to look wicked. Young and raw but they have the swagger.

[@teegee289]

When's the parade?? I'll bring the 🍺!!

[@brettseaberg5033]

@@teegee289 Saturday when I go for #2!

[@teegee289]

@@brettseaberg5033 an old Wiseman once said... "When the mountains are blue go for 2

[@happyCAmper510]

I appreciate how you broke that down !

[@stevee8556]

Aside from using motion, how do you identify man coverage when you are in compressed sets, like Deuce Close if the defense comes out in press coverage? The CB's don't seem to align inside the WR's.

[@ItsMullz]

depending on formation or personnel, you could potentially bump a tight end off the line and see if a corner bumps out with him

[@Cam0005]

This has helped me so much in regs thank you champ

[@matthieugustin4261]

When we are able to recognize what défense, our opposant play, is there a tips to play our offense ? Exemple run for cover 6 or 9 Quick slant ? Deep pass for cover 2 man ? Excuse me i'm french so i Hope that you understand me

[@FlugHerr]

Does anyone know what the three green dashes are above the highlighted defensive lineman?

[@WinMadden]

They are indicators that the offensive line recognizes you a a blitzing threat.

[@larrymiller3546]

I needed this!

[@Azi_clips]

How do you know if a play is cover 4 or cover 1 robber

[@jordanhenderson8679]

What do you do if your opponent base aligns every formation?

[@valvohark]

Pray

[@KeonDaniels-l9i]

Your playing someone who nice but still watch the dbs

[@MF_DOOMer]

Rpo

[@MF_DOOMer]

Or WR Screen

[@jeremyzhao6942]

what if opponent base auto alignment？this read still work？

[@StillJustBob76]

Next time you should add how to beat those defenses based on coverage

[@WinMadden]

There are lots of videos on this channel about that. I even specifically have a video called “how to beat every defense in madden 24”

[@RN4L28]

how can i tell if a play is a man or zone beating play?

[@scorpio-yp3hu]

For Man anything with routes that have cuts in them Examples: Post. Zigs. Comebacks. In and Out routes. Deep In route. Slants. Curls. Shallow cross. Mesh. Especially against cover 2 Man mesh is good. Corner strike. Zones Anything with concepts. Examples: Curl flat combo. Floods. Smash. Hitches. Multiple routes basically on one side so the defender has to make a choice who to guard because it's impossible to be 2 places at once so who ever he doesn't cover that's who will be open. Just read the main 2 routes because the deep routes will take care of itself since the safeties are gonna want to protect the deep blue zones anything going deep for them because there play the outer shells while your main focus is underneath open spaces

[@vincegia]

3:42 sounds a lot like Joe Barry’s defense

[@sokielevel1]

Good contents! I practice almost evryday how to read defense with your M23 vid. By the way around the half of time, a formation looks cover 2 but it's cover3 and an opponent cooks my cover2 beater. do you have any advice?

[@bigpopppapump]

The video is misleading because if you have two safeties the defense can still be cover 3. This is what’s typically called a cover 3 buzz or they are playing a cover 3 match. What this means is that instead of the safety playing the curl flat like in cover 3 sky that shows you a generic single high safety, the LB will play the flat, so the other safety will fall back to his normal spot, giving you a two safety look, but that one safety will still come down and play the middle of the field, not deep like a cover 2. To identify this, you are still looking at cornerback depth as it is mentioned in the video. This is because in cover 3 or cover 4 they will play farther than 5 yards off the ball unless they press.

[@TheMelnTeam]

@@bigpopppapump Players can base align/disable shifts to make it hard to key on it. There's also weird stuff like cover 2 invert. At some point, you can only do so much pre-snap information, and have to key on what one of the defenders does post snap to confirm if pre-snap tells are correct. Usually a safety, but sometimes you look at nickel CB first.

[@DiscoDave20]

Great content. Thanks

[@WinMadden]

Much appreciated!

[@mattyisagopher8407]

I need this you should do how to find your own offensive scheme and dominate

[@TheLab__]

Some defenses have disguise audibles for their secondary. But definitely a great start .

[@landon9949]

Great video ! First game trying this went 14-0 and he walked away👍

[@playthatagainbruh394]

Missing adjustments for base align and when teams are in cover X show something else

[@milkshere0]

Thanks for this bro

[@VictorZelaya-w4e]

you have to explain how to motion players and etc.

[@ScaryJerry80]

Thank you bro honestly

[@WinMadden]

Thank you for the comment and kind words!

[@Spookduke214]

What about base alignment tho

[@kerryhoward804]

I like how you explain things easily and simple with no trying to be cool and using slang because old school guys like me that play Madden don't understand everything the youngbloods are saying. I know some and some I ask my girlfriend because she is young 20 years younger than me!! LMAO!!!

[@deathb4bondage598]

How do u manually press on defense

[@Cliffbourne]

Thanks for this contribution but it's quite frustrating that you never explain which play to use once you recognize the coverage. What is the "man beating play" you are doing for audible? Lots of information and no specific instructions of what to do with it.

[@WinMadden]

The rest of the channel explains how to beat everything. Literally just pick any video

[@davidspeed3930]

What plays do I run against those defences?

[@WinMadden]

Lots of videos on the channel covering schemes to beat sefenses

[@davidspeed3930]

@@WinMadden could you link me some videos of you covering schemes to beat those defensive sweats?

[@WinMadden]

Just click the channel button and scroll through

[@davidspeed3930]

@@WinMadden what would the vids be called

[@rich7300]

Win madden will you put out a mini e book on here with an offensive a scheme?

[@WinMadden]

Yep, there will be one coming soon!

[@WinMadden]

And a full free ebook on the website!

[@Squiggly6942]

I appreciate the info so much and have subbed. But damn is this overwhelming... I haven't played a Madden in years. This is gonna take some chewing...

[@Mayfieldisbetterthanderekcarr]

Thanks, I hope I'll be a better Madden player

[@WinMadden]

You will for sure if u work on this!

[@Unknownpound]

what if they baseline?

[@rarebit4430]

Still waiting for a video that explains what type of offensive plays beat specific defensive formations.

[@WinMadden]

There are several on this channel

[@WestVision]

great video.

[@WinMadden]

Thanks!

[@BusyBee-x4z]

uff this is so much information ..im lost hahaha but its a good video

[@x1r1y]

Now we wanna know man beating offense in used

[@James_4]

You didn’t really give us any plays to beat the coverages

[@PNW_STEFF]

That's why I have my base align on in coaching adjustments

[@404SportzCardz]

Great explanation!!👍

[@len5499]

“Walk away” is a PG version of rage quitting and breaking the controller.

[@Stax0-]

You should have played a better defense like the ravens

[@Kashmere34]

Thanks just scored 83 😂

[@MCWheelz]

This is a great video but he said we are going to motion this man to go left then I got lost because he didn't explain how to motion my player to other side ... only motion I learned on this video was how to get motion sickness.. button explanation would have been super useful to know before he just assumes people just know the buttons

[@on3-b1x]

u can’t motion in player lock good to know

[@shadowlazers]

Motion should be disallowed in madden...offense already hff as every advantage..ya..its in the nfl..but your not qbing from 50 ft above the field like a game..motion is cheesy in madden

[@adgehernandez3358]

If I knew a buttons to click to do the things that you're saying to do, I wouldn't be watching this video

[@philthymma]

You’re the type of player I cry against lol

[@brandonfaletti1472]

I'm still throwing it straight to a db

[@eggybert420]

In Mut it don't matter what u do if your team ain't good gonna get smoked I'm no money spent

[@thabruhfrom9444]

NMS as well with an 86 OVR/85 O/86 D. It's quite easy this year for NMS because of how slow the OVRs are increasing. Scheme over team is truth. Especially for defense.

[@Ryan-us4jf]

Honestly, this years meta defenses make the game not fun. EVERYONE comes out running the same shit Henry did in the MCS UK. Literally though, running the inside zone RPO out of gun trips TE can’t be stopped when they pull all their guys to the line. I don’t want to be that guy but I’ve called nothing but that play all but about 4 times in my last 5 Mut champs games. (Won every time and had possession 90% of the game.)

[@themaddenmillennial6342]

Not if they use man align

[@calejandro4075]

9:11 - Man

[@jd9658g]

How to read defense in madden 24. Look up gimmie plays on youtube. Then run that play. All you need to know about madden

[@blakeblack2553]

Why is there 7? I see 4 plus 3…

[@willprice7802]

The back coverage is what determines the coverage

[@BuffaloBills23]

Yo awesome video! Does this work in an actual nfl game. Like if you are watching and wanna know coverage schemes.

[@kevinjustice9850]

How bout them 3-0 Vikings 💜 💛

[@WinMadden]

Skol!!! 17-0

[@Michael-g9z2]

Love your videos. Vikings are 🗑️

[@WinMadden]

lol, thanks.

[@bigwigg5562]

🏈

[@PinkoKane]

You don't have to be a pro to recognize what a defense is lined up in. Just someone who played and knows alignments.

[@coldheart317]

I fell asleep

[@Isocentral]

Not gone lie this video means nothing to a player who knows what their doing and edits their zones before the play starts this more for casuals who apply real life football to madden

[@QRobNYC]

True lol I will come out in Cover 2 and change to cover 3 with a few adjustments or play cover 3 on one side of the field and man up the other side

[@hesigabe5048]

So as long as you know the weakness of defensive formations, it’s touchdowns everytime.