THE MADDEN GLORY DEFENSIVE GUIDE
INTRODUCTION:
There is just something about an A-Gap blitz that comes in from one of the defensive lineman that just makes you warm and tingly inside. If you agree with that statement then this guide is for you. While other sites play around with second level pressure we went right for the goods. Madden isn’t truly Madden unless you have the ability to watch your defensive lineman fly through interior gaps at unsuspecting Quarterbacks. This guide has it all, from blitzes to coverage, and back to run defense.
Below you will find each defense with its own section laid out within tabs. When possible we will also go over an advanced strategy that may require more adjustments, a complete understanding of the formation, or quicker fingers to get setup before the snap.
So lets jump into it, we are confident that this is the best material out. Thanks for checking out the guide!
3-4 DEFENSIVE SYSTEM
MaddenTurf Defense of Choice3-4 Defense has always been a popular selection on defense for many players because of it’s versatility. It offers balanced looks that can defend the run well, create overload concepts to apply pressure on the QB, and has plenty of linebackers on the field to get creative in coverage.
Watch the intro below, and then move into the setups. We have broken this guide into a section for 3-4 Odd, Other Formations, and Advanced Concepts. Make sure to go through each section and absorb all of the content to get a clear understanding of it. Lastly, practice, practice, practice. Learning the setups on the fly is never advised.
To get every setup in this guide you will want to be in New England Defense, however if you are still struggling with the run, you can run all but one setup from Pittsburgh or Tennessee that both have the 4-4 formation.
- 3-4 Odd
- Left Side Loop
- Right Side Loop
- Aggressive Base Blitz
- Cover 3 Buzz Buck Blitz (PATCHED)
- Cover 4 Mike Blitz (PATCHED)
In this group of tabs we will go over the basic fundamentals of the 3-4 Odd. It is VERY important that you understand all three of these setups at minimum before taking the defense into a game. Once you have these setups committed to memory you have the basics you will need to understand the adjustments and the advanced sections appropriately. In this group we will cover;
- Left Side Loop
- Right Side Loop
- Universal Base Blitz
- Cover 3 Buzz Buck Blitz *ADDED 9/10*
- Cover 4 Mike Blitz *ADDED 9/10*
Simply click the corresponding tab to learn a particular setup. We will have the written setup in there, but it is VERY important to watch the videos as well.
This setup is ran from the play Will Buck 3 Press and provides simple left side B-Gap pressure from the second level. This blitz is no where one of the best blitzes in the guide, but it does offer a very passive look that defends the run fairly well. Best of all your opponent will most likely not even assume a blitz is coming and can easily be caught off guard.
Setup:
- Base Align
- Pinch DL and Crash Left
- Spread LB’s
Video:
This setup is ran from Edge Blitz 3, and is setup with the exact same look as the previous blitz with a different line crash. Again this blitz is not going to move mountains but it is a nice, simple way, to put passive pressure on your opponent.
Setup:
- Base Align
- Pinch DL and Crash Right
- Spread LB’s
Video:
Now its time to get into the meat and potatoes. This is the base blitz setup from 3-4 Odd. This setup will absolutely scream off, either the edge, or up the A-Gap from the MLB. Sometimes it will even come from both directions. Blocking a RB does pick this blitz up, but your opponent will not have much time as the block shed is incredibly intense. Please keep in mind that the left side of this defense is fairly weak against the run.
Setup:
- Base Align
- Shift DL Right and Crash Right
- Blitz the Left of Screen MLB
- Slide the Left of Screen MLB Over a Step or Two Until Angle is Pointing at Center (See Video)
- QB Contain
Video:
This second level b gap is really consistent and provides us with a stock cover 3 shell. Anytime we can blitz and not need to change the coverage means the adjustments here are really basic and keeps the play intact as it was designed. Please keep in mind here that this play must be flipped for it to work.
Setup:
- FLIP PLAY AND STEPS MUST BE IN ORDER
- Base Align
- Spread linebackers
- Pinch defensive line
- QB Contain
- Crash defensive line down
Video:
This second level b gap is really consistent and provides us with a stock cover 4 shell. Anytime we can blitz and not need to change the coverage means the adjustments here are really basic and keeps the play intact as it was designed. Please keep in mind here that this play must be flipped for it to work.
Setup:
- FLIP PLAY AND STEPS MUST BE IN ORDER
- Base Align
- Spread linebackers
- Pinch defensive line
- QB Contain
- Crash defensive line down
Video:
- Nickel Formations
- Nickel 335 Odd Loop
- Nickel 335 Tampa 2 In Depth (NEW)
- Nickel 245 SS Reno Zone (NEW)
- Nickel 245 Buck Slant 3 (NEW)
- Nickel 245 Universal Concept (PATCHED)
- Nickel 245 Overload 3 (PATCHED)
In this section we will go over setups from the nickel formations in the playbook. We are focusing on Nickel 245 and Nickel 335 Odd (Patriots only). These slightly heavier db formations perform well as base defenses vs 3+ wide receivers and will allow you to bring some really nice pressure too.
- Nickel 335 Odd Looper
- Nickel 335 Tampa 2 In Depth
- Nickel 245 SS Reno Zone
- Nickel 245 Buck Slant 3
Simply click the tab for the concept that you want to study. There will be written setups, however it is very important to learn the concepts so please make sure to watch the videos as well.
This video goes over a nice pass defense with some blitzing concepts using either base align or non base aligned tendencies. This allows us also to utilize some cross manning concepts as we have a middle linebacker and safety we can adjust as needed. Please watch the video for the concept to get the best idea of how to use this play
SETUP:
- Watch video
VIDEO:
This video goes over an indepth look at a base defense where you can choose to either blitz or play coverage. Please watch the entire video to learn how we run this and when to blitz vs when to play coverage.
SETUP:
- Watch video
VIDEO:
This video goes over a blitz/run d from SS Reno Zone. This play is unique with the rolling safeties, and in game it does take a second for the safeties to roll like you see in the video. Please watch the video as it explains the setup, but also how and WHY you should turn auto flip on when running this play. 3 man pressure where the RB has a very hard time stopping it.
SETUP:
- Watch video
VIDEO:
Another oldie, but a goody! Everyone loves buck slant, but now we are using it to get a looping 3 man pressure similar to cross fire. This 3/4 man blitz is tricky to pick up as someone will need to block their rb/te most likely. Keep in mind this is NOT great run defense either, so please watch the indepth video and enjoy!
SETUP:
- Watch video
VIDEO:
This formation/setup is universal in the nickel 245 formation and allows us to blitz from essentially any coverage shell needed. We go into deep detail here to show you how to get pressure from these shells and how to disguise what you are doing while getting good pressure.
SETUP:
- Watch video
VIDEO:
This setup is play specific to Overload 3, and is a little on the lengthy side. We suggest taking this into practice mode to make sure you learn the setup and how you want to adjust out of the play. If done correctly this blitz is extremely hard to block as it requires extra blockers while only sending 4 blitzers.
SETUP:
- Watch video as setups need to be done in order
VIDEO:
In this section we will go over some of the setups from other formations that you will need to understand to run the defense at a high level. With this game making it so easy to pick up pressure it is important to give your opponent different looks so they don’t see the blitz look every down. In this group we will cover;
- 3-4 Under A-Gap Blitz
- 3-4 Under Run Defense
- 4-3 Under A-Gap Blitz
- 3-4 Under 007 Blitz
- Nickel 335 Odd Looper
Simply click the tab for the concept that you want to study. There will be written setups, however it is very important to learn the concepts so please make sure to watch the videos as well.
This video goes over the holy grail of Madden defense, the defensive lineman A-Gap pressure from OLB Strike 2. With this setup placement of the MLB is VERY IMPORTANT, so please make sure to watch the video from start to finish. It is also very important to make sure to do the steps in order. This pressure will come from the DE up the A-Gap most of the time, and the MLB up the A-Gap the rest. If your opponent blocks a RB however, something interesting happens…..the A-Gap gets picked up, but the pressure will generally come off the edge.
SETUP:
- Base Align
- Shift DL Right and Crash Right
- QB Contain
- Blitz the MLB of Choice and Position Him Over Center (See Video)
- Zone Left of Screen Outside LB
VIDEO:
Defending the run from 3-4 Under is a solid user’s dream. With the alignment we have detailed below you will either be shooting the gap yourself to blow up the run, or occupying the blocker to allow the computer to blow it up for you. That being said, the run is very over-powered in this year’s game, and you will give up a run from time to time. The setup below should minimize how often you are giving those runs up however.
SETUP:
- Base Align
- Spread DL
- Spread LB
- User Weak Side Linebacker (See Video)
VIDEO:
This pseudo blitz was posted to our YouTube channel and so we are just now adding it here as well. Watch the video and prepare to be amazed by the sneakiest play in Madden 18.
SETUP:
- (See Video)
VIDEO:
In this section we will go over another A-Gap pressure from the Defensive Tackle. The play we will be using is Sam Blitz 2. This setup is similar to the 3-4 Under however, gives us a wider defense to assist in stopping the run a bit more. Again the setup is VERY IMPORTANT, so please make sure to watch the video for a full understanding.
SETUP:
- Base Align
- Spread LB’s
- Shift DL Right and Crash Right
- QB Contain
- Blitz Left of Screen OLB and Move Over Center (See Video)
- Zone Left of Screen DE
VIDEO:
This section is for the advanced player that prefers to stay in one defense and adjust out of it. These concepts require a much deeper “Madden IQ” and generally faster fingers to get the adjustments in. Once you have a complete grasp on the defense however, these are the things that will separate the average from the good players. This section also has a very solid run defense from a formation that will entice your opponent to run on you. In this group we will cover;
- 3-4 Odd Advanced Defense
- 1-4-6 Advanced Run Defense
Simply click on the tab for the concept you would like to learn. There are no written setups in this section because these concepts require more explanation than anything else, the setups will be adjusted on the fly to account for what you are wanting to accomplish.
This concept was something that we stumbled upon by accident one day spreading our linebackers after we had already showed blitz. What we saw was that both MLB’s come down into the gaps on the line of scrimmage creating an even front that looked very appealing to send pressure. After some time in the lab finding the best plays to use this concept from, this is the final product. Be aware that while this defense usually defends the run very well, if your opponent catches the edge, you are probably giving up six points.
When defending the run in Madden 18, Big Dime 1-4-6 is probably not a formation that comes to mind, however it has been a TurfTeam staple for years as it generally just requires a few tweaks to the setup to make it work. The pancakes this year were a bit scary, but from what we noticed, even when pancaked, more often than not this defense provides enough clutter to keep the RB at bay. This setup can vary from formation to formation and run play to run play so make sure to watch the video a few times.
Today we go over the setup for the growingly popular 34 odd crossfire. We go in detail to show you how to send the blitz with 5 men, 6 men, how to change it if you feel they may be running, and adjusting the coverage behind the play.
- Cover 4 Drop Show 2
- Tampa 2
- Pinch Dog 2 Press
- Edge Blitz 3
- OLB Strike 2
- Tampa 2
- Cover 4
- Cover 2 Man
- Tampa 2
- Cover 4 Drop
- LB Cross 3 Show 2
- Cover 2 Man
A SHORT THANK YOU
Because We Care!As always we greatly appreciate your business and support. We look forward to providing you with the best content for offense and defense in Madden 18. If you have any questions about the defense please feel free to post them in the comments at the bottom of the page. This is our new method of providing on-site support for our content. Once you have finished going through the guide please make sure to reach out to us on Twitter @MaddenTurf and especially on Facebook where we would appreciate your 5 star review at;
http://facebook.com/maddenturf
Thanks again guys! Here is to a great season!
fake i will NEVER AGAIN SPEND MONEY ON THIS SHIT THIS IS SO FAKE UNBELIEVABLE
you GUYS ARE A JOKE WTF I BOUGH THIS THIS OFFENSE AND DEFFENSE NUTHING WORKED I GOD DESTROYED AND I DID ALL THE SET UP I DIDNT GET 1 PRESSURE NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY THIS SHIT….THIS IS A JOKE LIKE DUDE I REALLY PAY 40 BUCKS BYING THIS SHIT AND I GOT NO HEAT AT ALL FAKE YOU GUYS ARE FAKE FUCK MADDEN TURF IN DONE WITH MUT EVERYONE A LIER
what does patch mean
is there a good playbook for both ravens and patriots
Are you guys going have more written ways for plays instead of videos
Added the 34 Odd Cross Fire to the advanced section.
do you know when the chiefs defense playbook will be released
Turfteam I really need help ive had this ebook since it came out and I’m still struggling can someone please help me
What seems to be the issue?
im having a real hard time on defense ive studied the guide multiple time to make sure i got it down but im still having a hard time stopping poeple from scoring easy run pass all of it
What formations are you running vs which sets? Playcalling is strategic so lets make sure you are calling the plays at the right times.
and i cant move the ball on offense
Anything new coming up for us 43 users
Nothing on the immediate horizon for 43. If you happen to need to run 43 then wide 9 gets good sheds with coverage d.
Thanks ?? Fam
*flaming elmo gif*
CHECK OUT THE NEW SETUPS IN NICKEL 245 AND REMINDER TO LOOK AT THE 335 ODD SETUP FROM EARLIER THIS WEEK.
trying to learn the set up for 335 nickel tampa 2 and i get theres a ton of adjustments out of it but im really lost as to any set up without being able to read it. im not very good at verbal learning
the base for it is base align, press, line left, crash out. then optionally sending the slot db and putting the left of screen lb in a deep blue. You can also contain to help with roll outs as needed.
What formation is this for CC?
335 odd
thanks
Any updates to 3-4 odd going to be made? I really enjoy that formation because it has great run defense but still provided pressure on the Buck and Mike.
The pressure we have seen isn’t phenomenal or better than the will buck/edge blitz setups. The new 335 odd is gooooood and these two new blitzes posting shortly in 245 are good 3 man pressure.
All tackle lock blitzes are noted as patched now. We added the 335 Odd Tampa 2 setups as well now – great base play and passive blitzing scheme.
Is 34 Under 007 patched?
Still worked in solos
still works in games
Looks like all the QB spy blitzes have been patch as well as that nasty A gap out of 34 Under. I’m at work right now so I can’t test it but from the new patch notes Rex posted all that stuff is done for.
what system are you on
PS4
Not QB spy BTW I meant QB contain.
Right – the tackle lock blitzes were indeed a focus of the patch
Urgent!! Can not stop the motion pitch that is all the craze right now from tight slots/deuce close. It’s like impossible…. anyone have any insight? Tried so many different things, but to no avail….
Just to stop the pitch? Cover 2 in odd/under. Base align, press, pinch line, spread lbs. This does open you to the dive a bit and will need to have some user to hit the gap.
CC, are you still running 34 under as your base was or did you switch to 335 odd as your base?
I run a lot of 335 odd now vs passing sets and 34 under/odd vs run sets. Nothing too special and playing passive waiting for people to make mistakes.
what system are you on
He on ps4 and xb, but his main account with his mut team on xb
I’m on xbox Tom can you lab with me
Hey Billy, my gamertag is LEC05010 if you want to lab sometime
anyone wanna lab im trying to get used to this defense
so in your 3-4 odd cover 3 buzz buck flipped in the set up u say that the steps must be in order but in your written set up u say
base align
spread linebackers
pinch d line
qb contain
crash d line down
but in the actual video u say
base align
pinch d line
spread linebacker
qb contain
crash d line down
which 1 is the right one the one in the video or does the steps not matter ?
Shouldn’t matter. I pinch the d line first. But the linebackers just have to be moved out before you contain. And you have to crash the line down after the line is pinched and linebackers spread. The cover 4 is just inconsistent. Sometimes it just depends on what formation they are in and what type of play they have called. The cover 3 usually sets up right all the time.
what system are you on
so in your 3-4 odd cover 3 buzz buck flipped in the set up u say that the steps must be in order but in your written set up u say
base align
spread linebackers
pinch d line
qb contain
crash d line down
but in the actual video u say
base align
pinch d line
spread linebacker
qb contain
crash d line down
which 1 is the right one the one in the video or does the steps not matter ?
Apologies on the delay. The proper setup is to do them in order for the best chance to get the contain to appear without having to manually move a player.
i understand doing them in order but in your written set up u say it different then in the videos which is the right set up
The spreading of lbs or pinching the line does not matter the order. What matters is when you contain and crash.
for the 3-4 buck buzz n the cover 4 mike I found it only works when I manually move the blitzing lb out past the tackle otherwise he just runs to the middle instead of going through the tackle. i followed the steps n all i was wondering if that is normal?
Yeah I’m having the same problem, it doesn’t put the lb on the contain unless I manually move him out. Am I doing something wrong with this guys?
Sometimes it does seem to not register – will find out what exactly causes it
The key it appears is to contain after the lbs and line have set. If it does not register you may need to flinch the lb out.
cc do you know anyone that will lab with me
love how easy your site is to view on. some are just too much. good job setting this website up guys!!!
Tuff
GUIDE UPDATED WITH 2 NEW BLITZES IN 34 ODD AND THE NICKEL 245 2 WAY PRESSURE
CC, in a lot of you pack pull videos, you keep the high silvers and high golds. What do I do with them after I have so many?
Held them for anticipation of team leaders. I’ll do a video on team leaders soon.
these dont work anymore
They do – but we added 3 new ones today. Check these out and scream.
Nothing is working anymore
Everything was tested post patch and still works the same. The patch did nothing to the offensive line, this time.
Ok thanks CC back to the lab
really seems like these blitz’s aren’t working since the update
Everything was tested post patch and still works the same. The patch did nothing to the offensive line, this time.
I really think you’re wrong, maybe go test it again. I’ve been grinding online like crazy and even if I play idiots that run 4 verts every single play the 34 a-gap DOES NOT come in no matter what. Also tried the 43 a gap online and it also doesn’t work.
They both work in practice mode, but that isn’t going to do me any good when it gets blocked 100% of the time online.
Don’t focus on the A Gap as a primary play. We’ve got two updates today that blow that out of the water
You guys are great thanks for the updates!!
Is there any way you could post which formations you use vs. different personnel? Do you only call 4-3 against 1 or 2 WR sets? Etc. Thank you!
I meant 3-4 not 4-3.
Is anyone having issues sending the blitz in after the update that happens today
34 odd still works
Can u say what the set ups are for the 335 odd ur all over the place in that video
Preferably call the 34 under run d as a base D vs 2wr sets or if your opponent runs heavy with 3+ wr. Best thing to do is be strategic when blitzing.
so for the 3-4 under a gap is it the same as the 3-4 odd aggressive base blitz where if u get the le to contain it’ll either come from the a gap or from the right edge ?
Yup – also in under if you have time to slide the olb out you can help the lb get the edge pressure as well. Not always easy if you have to setup the blitz and move two people.
Is it possible you guys could put the setup steps in for the 3-4 Odd advanced defense?
Hey Reggie, It would be awesome if we could do that, I agree. Unfortunately people tend to not watch the videos when we list written setups, and then end up missing something important that wasn’t written but was explained in the video. With that particular concept because you can run it from the Pinch Dog plays, you have the option to send from either side, so it really is best to watch (and rewatch) the videos as opposed to just following a written setup. I strongly do suggest writing the setups down however, it helps commit them to memory.
Gotcha Kilo.
whats the best coach adj in mut ?
In MUT you can easily set pass rush to aggressive and be ok. I would also put tackling on conservative until broken tackles are turned down.
ok Thanks a lot
Is that good for ranked games too?
Yes sir, anything for MUT relates to Regs as well for the moment until the MUT cards get better. Honestly regs has better players in it than MUT right now lol
Hey CC, what is your base defense, 34 odd or 34 under?
As I prefer to stop the run – im using 34 under more
To be fair I haven’t run much of the 3-4 Under. I’m going to run it as my base defense tonight and check it out. Then I’ll switch to the 3-4 Odd on passing downs with 3 receivers or less out there. Love the guides though, you guys do an amazing job!
Thanks boss!
These work nicely on the practice field, but in an actual game the blitzes never get there. I feel like Madden 18 is back to max coverage on every play.
Help us and elaborate a little more please
I perfected the setups in the lab and still use them, but they just don’t get pressure quick enough in actual ranked games. Guys will simply block a RB or throw quick routes and bust this up pretty good. I’m finding it’s very, very hard to get any pressure in Madden 18 unless you farm blitz.
With the emphasis on blocking blitzes this year everything is blockable with all of the tools provided by EA. Think of it as a chess match – force them to block an rb and then dont blitz at all. Then they’re blocking 6 and you have the advantage with extra coverage.
Yeah thats very true. Once I get them to park the RB behind the line, that’s one less thing to worry about! 1 more defender in coverage for us then.
Do you have any coverage plays coming to the guide?
We can add some
Let’s get this coverage plays… lol
Yeah, in the last couple of years on most of the ebooks you added some solid coverage plays that I found helpful to mix in with the blitzes etc
are you going to have more throughtout the year or is this it for the vip access
Yes! Will be more
Historically we make about 10 guides a year, this is just the beginning if anything Dusty. Thanks for commenting!