Madden 07 gets a next-gen renovation for the PS3, and the bone-crunching fun is as intense as ever. Here’s how to blow out your competition with unstoppable offense.
A quarterback has more responsibilities beyond getting all the hot girls and picking up the biggest endorsement deals. It’s his job to keep the defense guessing by mixing things up on the field. Let’s look at your passing game.
Your goal is to throw off the defenders by making them think you are running when you are actually passing. Throwing in situations like 1st and 10 or 3rd and inches will cause that. You can also call formations that have only two wide receivers and two running backs. As the defense attempts to stop the run, you can easily throw a touchdown pass.
Another powerful tool to use during the passing game is Play Action. This play starts off by faking a hand-off to the running back, so the defense will focus on him. Meanwhile, you launch a pass to your receiver. Play Action doesn’t work too well on blitzes, so be careful when using this play or your QB will get sacked.
When choosing a target to complete a pass, look for mismatches on the field. Match up your best receiver against the weakest defenders and watch him dart through for a touchdown. Avoid throwing the ball to the receiver if there is multiple coverage; it’s a recipe for an interception.
Don’t forget about precision passing, which is done with the right analog stick. To lead your players, simply move the stick right or left. Move the right analog up to throw the ball high, or avoid interceptions by throwing low. You can also lob the ball by tapping one of the pass buttons. Lobbing works best when throwing the pigskin down the field. Throw bullet passes for hook routes by holding down any of the pass buttons.
Passing is great, but this year’s Madden has an improved ground game as well. Just like the passing game, your goal is to be unorthodox in order to throw off your defenders. Run in situations like 2nd and 20, when the other team is obviously thinking pass. You can also trick the defenders by running the ball while using a three or four wide receiver set. If a team is heavily stacked on one side, flip the play and run the other way.
Remember to take advantage of your running backs too. Use the beefy and stronger backs to plow through the middle while using your faster backs to run the outside. Don’t forget to use the Spin, Juke, Stiff Arm, and trucking moves to avoid oncoming defenders. They put these moves in the game for a reason people!
Finally, use Madden’s new Lead blocking feature to your advantage. Before snapping the ball, cycle through and select the full back by pressing L1. After you hike the ball, clear a path for your running back. You can either pancake the defender by pushing your right analog up, or cut his legs out by pressing the right analog down. Press circle to gain control of your running back and head for a touchdown.
Hopefully these tips help you score a ton of points, like the time I rocked the Wac-A-Mole at Chucky Cheese. 50 Tickets!
