Your final read would be any route that stretches across the field. These routes take the longest to develop, providing
plenty of time to make the other reads. In this case, the outlet is the drag route. If none of our first three reads are
open, then we look to our outlet pass to dump the ball off to the drag route for a minimal gain. We strongly recommend
having at least one route such as this because these routes are hard to defend and can usually turn a busted play into a
small gain.
Aggressive Read Progression
The aggressive approach can lead to bigger plays, but also requires taking a few more chances. The strength of this
progression is that reads are made in the order of simplicity and you should be able to discern exactly where to throw
the ball after the first two reads. We're going to use the same variation on the I-Form Normal TE Corner play to
demonstrate how this type of read progression is different.
Step 1: Read the Pressure
The premise here is identical to the conservative approach. Make blocking adjustments as necessary and/or be prepared
to dump the ball off quickly. Again, in this case, the flat route to the running back is the quickest developing route.
Step 2: Keep the Defense Honest
The next read is really what makes the aggressive approach different from the conservative. The second part of the field
that the aggressive player looks for is the streak deep downfield. Making this read does not mean that a throw is going
to be made at this point in the route. However, one quick glance at your receiver and the safety will tell us if this route
will be open early in the play. If the safety is in deep zone coverage, then we know that our routes underneath are more
likely to be open. Instead, if the safety comes down to guard another area, then we will have a 1-on-1 situation deep. If
the latter is the case, there is no reason to continue your read progression; simply wait another second and lob it deep.
Step 3: Look Underneath
Assuming a shallow zone or straight man coverage has taken away your shallow looks and double coverage has taken
away you deep look, your medium depth routes will almost always be open. Corner routes are as especially deadly here.
Step 4: Hit Your Outlet
The outlet pass remains the same as in the conservative approach. If all else fails, hit your outlet. Altough it is very
cliched at this point, take what the defense gives you.
Regardless of whether you choose the conservative or the aggressive approach, always account for any pressure that
your opponent may be bringing. The more you can read pre-snap, the easier your post-snap execution will be. Start
thinking about the process you take when making your reads and ask yourself if you are maximizing your options. Are
you easily able to go from one player to the next without wasting precious seconds in the pocket? If not, use the I-Form
Normal TE Corner as a guideline to start making your game more efficient.
Responding to the Blitz
By: Kyle Cooper
Being able to pick up defensive pressure on offense is the most important thing you can do when attempting to run a
successful play. If you're never able to pick up the pressure from your opponent, then you will never have enough time
to make your reads downfield. Any top Madden player will tell you that all successful offensive plays start with the
protection up front. In this article, we're going to provide you with a few things that you can look for from your opponent
before the play begins to give you a better idea of where the potential pressure may be coming from. Furthermore, we'll
be including different protection options in the pocket, as well as ways to avoid any pressure that may come in
unblocked.
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