How To Play Head To Head Madden 22

A new year means a new Madden. With Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes on the front encompass, pocket passers and on-the-run QBs will finally settle the dispute of who'due south the best in the NFL. Each new Madden tightens a few bolts, changes the UI, and adds new elements to the game that returning players may not be familiar with.

Here are some tips and tricks for Madden 22 that'll take your game to the next level.

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Shake off the rust

If it'due south been a few years since yous've played a Madden game, it's best to head into the training carte and run some refresher drills. If y'all've never played Madden or watched a football game on Tv set, the trainer teaches yous the basics of each position and how to use them.

However, the skills trainer menu is hidden, so here's how to find it.

Press the Exhibition tab.
Coil downward to Skills Trainer.
Select your team and skill level.
Select the skill you want to acquire/improve.

The all-time skills to practice and hone are RPOs, Attacking Coverages, and Pre Play. Agreement how these work will mean the departure between touchdown and turnover.

Understanding and recognizing coverages

Understanding coverages in the passing game is imperative to driving downfield and scoring touchdowns. The bane of any Madden actor is a costly interception, particularly when shortened quarters make picks and fumbles nearly incommunicable to recover from. Let's get over the basic coverages you'll come up confronting in Madden 22.

How to beat Cover ii

In Cover 2, two deep safeties split the field in half, each roofing their side. You lot'll recognize it past the two deep safeties and the CBs playing about five yards off the receiver. While these tells aren't always a expressionless giveaway, you can trust them more than times than not. Cover two's weakness is the middle of the field. However, you lot must keep an heart on the center LB and run into where he drops in coverage. If he drops back, you can hit drag routes underneath him. If he steps forrad, y'all can hit deep in-routes over the top.

The deep sidelines should also be pretty open if you can hold ane of the safeties in the middle of the field. Do this past putting a TE on a go route off the line of scrimmage and and so hitting a deep corner route to the right or left sideline, depending on where the TE and WR were lined upward.

Cover 2 also puts DBs in a shallow flat zone, taking away the checkdown throw or at least preventing you from gaining yards. Verticals work well against those flat zones, as your WR will run by the CB, finding an opening in the coverage earlier passing through the deep zone. Nevertheless, if you lot mistake this for Embrace 3, you lot'll probable throw a option.

How to beat Cover 3

You'll recognize Embrace 3 past a single deep safety and the CBs playing 7 to 8 yards off the WRs. In Comprehend 3, DBs are responsible for 3 deep zones, making it harder to throw the deep ball if you've only got two players running up the field. Run verticals to transport four receivers into the 3 zones. Ideally, you're seeing who the middle zone defender goes for and then throwing to the open receiver. The sidelines get risky when throwing into Cover 3.

How to beat Man Coverage

DBs are assigned to a particular receiver in Human being Coverage, trailing them as they run their route. Yous can recognize Man Coverage pre- and post-snap past looking at how the CBs line upwards. You tin assume it'due south Human Coverage if they're on the line right in front end of the receiver. After the play, if the DBs turn their back to the QB, yous'll also know they're in Man coverage. In Zone, defenders face the QB and normally backpedal into their zones.

Beat out Man Coverage with crossing routes, elevate routes, ins, outs, and zigs to either "buck" the defender off your receiver or outrun them. Double moves also work confronting man coverage for the aforementioned reason.

When it comes to throwing deep confronting man coverage, you'll encounter a Encompass ii scheme, similar the image in a higher place, or a Cover 1 scheme with a single deep condom roofing the dorsum of the field. Remember, if the defender is looking at you, they're in zone. Check to see where the Safeties are looking before uncorking a deep pass downfield. Your speedy WR may have gotten separation, but that doesn't mean he isn't running into a trap.

Become through your reads

The "Hot Route" receiver on whatever play is distinguished by the ruby color on the play fine art. However, that doesn't mean they're open up. Don't force throws to the hot receiver, especially if they're running into a covered zone or covered in tight man-to-man coverage. Instead, pick another road you like on the play and see if they're open up.

Bank check-downwards throws are brusk tosses to RBs or TEs out of the backfield. They are commonly waiting in the flat or only ahead of the line of scrimmage. You'll need to interruption a tackle for these to be gainful, just checkdowns are usually a safe bet to proceeds a few yards on the play. Withal, be conscientious not to throw into a covered flat, peculiarly if the defense is in Cover ii. If they're blanketed in Man Coverage, you're better off throwing the brawl away past clicking R3 or scrambling with the QB.

Running QBs are all the rave in today's NFL. If your get-go two reads aren't there, or you see an opening to run with your QB, do it. Make certain to run out of bounds or slide to avoid injury or a costly fumble.

You will miss a few passes, and y'all will throw an interception from fourth dimension to fourth dimension. Remember to breathe and relax between bad plays. Don't endeavor and go it all back on one play, particularly with Madden 22's momentum mechanic.

When and how to blitz in Madden 22

If y'all go in the habit of blitzing besides much, a wise opponent will torch you in the quick passing game, eventually burning you deep for a touchdown. Knowing when to blitz and how different blitzes work will make your defense as lethal as your criminal offence.

The most important thing to pay attending to is the offensive personnel on the field. Yous'll meet how many RBs, TEs, and WRs are coming out on the play and can approximate what kind of play it'll be. For example, if the law-breaking comes out in a ii or iii TE set, you lot can presume they plan on running the ball with all that added blocking power. This would be a good time to rush.

Otherwise, dial up the rush on first down and third and long. Your opponent will most likely open up with a run on first downwardly, so blitzing plugs the holes and forces a 2nd and long. On third and long (10-plus yards), the QB needs time for his receivers to get open, and then you have more fourth dimension to pressure and sack him. Less than 10 yards makes the tertiary-downward blitz riskier than information technology has to be.

Who you blitz with is equally important. Just considering you're sending a big LB doesn't mean they'll go to the QB in time to make the sack. Mix up your rush packages with DBs for their pure speed. If you notice the opposing QB likes to scramble correct, send that CB at him.

Franchise mode in Madden 22

New England Patriots coaching scheme in Madden 22 franchise mode.

Franchise mode got a complete overhaul in Madden 22. You can take command of your favorite NFL team as a role player, autobus, or owner, and play through season after flavour as yous abound, alter, and upgrade.

Franchise Fashion is broken into three ways to play this year: Player, Coach, and Possessor. Let's talk nearly the advantages of each, with some helpful tips to improve your game on and off the field.

Franchise: The thespian

You tin can create a new thespian at any position or choose an active player in the NFL from the starting time. Choosing the player branch will put yous on your favorite squad whether you lot create a new player or not. All the same, you'll only control that particular actor off the field. You'll participate in preparation drills to build their skills only won't have full management controls.

When creating a player, you'll start as a rookie and choose how large the hype is around you. For the easiest feel, select Peak Selection for decent overalls (lows 80s) and more freedom. The only downside is the expectation that you'll perform well. Of course, if you're a decent Madden player, y'all should be just fine. You'll accept already chosen which team you want to play for, then don't worry about getting stuck on a bad team.

For a real challenge, select the undrafted route to build your created histrion from the ground up. You lot'll brainstorm with a mid-60s overall and volition accept to show yourself in the league.

Franchise: The omnibus

Every bit the coach, you'll have full control of actor personnel. You lot tin can hire and fire coaches (other than yourself) and prepare weekly strategies based on your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. You can set offensive and defensive schemes based on your personnel and classify Staff Points to heave your team further.

For example, the Vertical Zone Run scheme works with the New England Patriots in the prototype above. However, you'll want to acquire a more Agile offensive line for it to work. Exercise and so by trading with other teams.

Franchise: The possessor

As the owner, you lot have 100% control over the squad. Hire and fire staff, play the entire game, and fix concession prices at your home stadium. You'll take to manage your money, re-sign players, and pay attention to what the fans want out of the team. Answer media questions to give yourself weekly buffs, and don't be agape to exist cocky. If you lot predict a win and then get the win, your team receives a buff to Fan Happiness. Lose, and y'all'll be hit with a penalization.

When it comes to stadium pricing, pay attention to what the fans want. Happy fans purchase more gear when it'due south cheaper, peculiarly at home games. Increase prices while on the road, and continue things affordable at home.

The owner co-operative gives you the well-nigh in-depth feel in Madden 22. You don't fifty-fifty have to play a single game if the back-office work is more interesting to y'all. Sim each calendar week, set prices, and pay attention to the media. Tabbing over to News will give you the inside scoop on players looking to exist traded.

Madden 22: Ultimate Team

MUT has blown up over the years. Some fans would rather have a stand-alone live-service game focused 100% on MUT. Notwithstanding, you'll have to start from the lesser again this twelvemonth, so here are some general tips to become you started. We'll get more in-depth with a full Ultimate Squad guide in another article.

Use the offline challenges to earn coins and decent players. Y'all won't be getting a 99 overall elite Patrick Mahomes out of this, just you lot'll earn plenty to build a 75 overall team to take online in Caput to Head seasons.

The best challenges are the Superstar challenges for a few reasons. For starters, they'll earn y'all several one thousand coins equally you complete them. Completing a challenge set rewards you with an 80 to 84 overall Superstar Thespian.

Other than rewards, these challenges make for great do. They'll put you in different situations and give you a master goal and bonus goal to run into. For example, one might be "score a touchdown on this bulldoze" with a bonus goal of "score a touchdown in five plays." If you neglect, y'all can easily restart the challenge. Set the A.I. to 3-star difficulty for the nearly practice. You're only shooting yourself in the human foot when yous practice against Rookie defenses.

Understanding Ten-Factors

The all-time players in the league come with X-Factors, which can lead to game-changing plays. For example, Tom Brady's X Factor ability called Pro Reads highlights the first open target and ignores pressure level. Build up TB12's X-Factor past completing passes for v-plus yards. Nonetheless, taking sacks will decrease your X-Factor gains.

Each X-Cistron Superstar has special abilities and unique means of achieving them. To explore and learn virtually the unlike X-Factors in the game:

Select Roster and Playbooks from the master carte du jour.
Press View Superstar X-Factors.
Find the player you're looking for and select them.
Read their different abilities and X-Factor conditions.

Superstar players too have passive abilities other than their X-Cistron. From the player screen, the beginning ability is always their Ten-Factor. Everything else is passive. For example, one of Brady'due south passives is Conductor, which lets him make hot routes and line adjustments twice as fast.

Understanding momentum

New to Madden 22 is a tug-of-war-style momentum meter at the top of the mid-game screen. You've heard all about Home Field Reward in Madden 22, merely momentum is how you lot'll improve upon information technology. Build momentum by controlling the game. Score touchdowns, sack the QB, and force turnovers to swing the game in your favor. When the momentum meter is full on your side, it'll either have positive effects on your team or negative effects on the other team. These are called M-Factors.

For example, with momentum on your side, your players might accept infinite stamina. Or, your opponent's QB volition have problem seeing non-checkdown receivers. (Instead of the receiver icon, it'll announced as a red exclamation point.)

The M-Factors utilise the same icon for multiple buffs/debuffs. Notwithstanding, they'll popular up in boxes in the lesser-left and lesser-right of your screen, conveniently covering up your aural list and assignment keys. Whether or not this is an oversight, nosotros're non sure. Perhaps it's just another way to strop in on the realism of playing on enemy turf when the game isn't going your way.

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