safety turn and run with your receiver early in the play, it's time to look to your next read. Completing a deep pass
against this type of defense can still be effective but requires good timing and proper personnel.
Other Factors
Utilizing the Vision Cone
Freeze the safety by using the vision cone. The extra time may leave just enough space to hit your deep route.
One trick that you can use to slow the process of the free safety's zone as it rotates over is to place your vision cone in
the middle or on the opposite side of the field. The safety will react to your vision cone and begin slightly cheating in that
direction. The slight movement by the safety in the opposite direction provides us with any extra time and space that we
may need to go over the top.
Lob or Bullet?
Whenever you are attempting a deep pass it comes down to timing and making a lob pass instead of a bullet pass. The
bullet pass can be completed, but will have a much greater chance of being broken up. Furthermore, bullet passes
usually require a manual catch instead of allowing the computer to catch it. The lob pass, however, should never be
caught manually unless the ball is badly under thrown. Allowing the computer to make a deep catch not only takes
pressure off of you, but it also allows your receiver to go into a sliding animation that creates additional separation just
as the ball closes in. Having pride about being able to manually catch is one thing, but playing Madden to the game's
strengths is another. Manual catch when you have to, but let the computer do the work when the time calls for it.
The bottom line when attempting to throw deep is simply being able to read how the safeties react. If the safeties drop
back, then you should know to immediately look underneath. However, if the safeties are hesitant at all, then just sit
calmly in the pocket and try to protect yourself long enough to deliver a deep lob. Keep in mind that reading the defense
when going deep should be a very quick read after the snap. This philosophy probably falls under the more aggressive
style of Madden player. If you are having trouble looking downfield after the snap, then just head into practice mode and
work on making your safety reads quicker after the snap. This is the quickest possible way (unless you see something
pre-snap) to know if you'll have a downfield opening. Remember though, everything starts up front with protection, so
make sure that you have enough blocking to give you the time to exploit your opponent.
Depth and Spacing
By: Shanker Srinivasan
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