Madden 2002 Game Play Picture: Denver Broncos Exhibition Game

 

Denver Broncos using Herman Edwards (New York Jets) playbook:

Madden 2002 Playbook Picture: Offense -- Singleback Trips Plays 1-3: Deep Attack, Deep Threats, HB Pitch Madden 2002 Playbook Picture: Offense -- Singleback Trips Play 4: HB Dive; and Punt
Madden 2002 Playbook Picture: Defense -- Dime Formation Plays 1-3: Man Zone 2, Double Sting, Strike Madden 2002 Playbook Picture: Defense -- 4-3 Jam Middle & FG Safe Man

 

Offense:

    My favorite part of football.  My 2 favorite players of all time -- John Elway and Ed McCaffrey -- are offensive players, and more specifically, involved heavily in the passing game, my favorite part of offense.  Although I'll occasionally use other offensive formations than the Singleback Trips, which is the only formation in my set of audibles, I only have Singleback Trips plays in my set of audibles in order to keep the defense guessing when I play a hurry-up offense (which is almost always my style of play), and besides, the Singleback Trips plays are most effective for my style of passing, as it makes the offense unbalanced, and unless the defense is able to respond to this, can create major mismatches, leaving players wide open.  Even after the defense loads the left part of the field (normally playing more man defenses), I am able to find open receivers/tight ends/runningbacks to get the ball to.  Blitzing is most effective against the Singleback Trips, but even then, I am normally able to get the ball to an open man before the defense gets to my QB, leading to an even bigger play than against a more conservative defense.  If the defense is somehow stopping my Singleback Trips plays, I'll sometimes switch to Shotgun plays, or other formations; however, I'll normally win games because of the Singleback Trips and the following plays:

    Deep Attack:  My "bread-and-butter" play -- I use it probably more than 50% of the time, as I only use my other plays to mix it up or if it isn't working.  The HB is my main man, as it is easy for him to get open in the midfield, as he is tough to defend by linebackers, safeties, and even cornerbacks.  If the HB gets bumped at the line, or just isn't able to get open, and the QB has enough time to throw the ball, the 3rd WR (lined up closest to the line of scrimmage) sometimes gets open deeper down the middle of the field, and finally, (1)if my opponent is able to cover both my HB and 3-WR, (2)to mix it up, or (3) I am in a hurry to get rid of the ball and the middle of the field is congested, I throw it to my #1 WR (lined up furthest left).  I never throw it to my #2 WR, but he does play a part in this play, as he is able to occupy 1 (and hopefully 2 or more) defenders, letting the other receivers and runningback get open.

    Deep Threats:    I mainly use this play in my hurry-up offense mode, to keep the defense guessing which passing play I have called, but sometimes if my Deep Attack play isn't working.  However, sometimes it can be just as effective, if not more effective, than my Deep Attack play.  The RB this time is a much tougher option, as it is hard to get him the ball, and even if he catches it, there is normally a defender right in front of him, letting him get little to no yardage.  Once again, my #2 receiver is just a decoy on the play, used to screen and occupy 1 or more defenders, hopefully getting the other three eligible receivers in man-on-man coverage, in which they can be very effective.  My #3 receiver gets the ball the least on this play, only getting it if my other 2 WRs are well covered and if the #3 receiver gets wide open.  I normally determine who I want to throw the ball to before the play -- either my #1 WR or TE -- and if my choice gets open (which would happen right away on this play), I throw it to him; otherwise, if he doesn't get open, I look to the alternative choice, who should be open, and if they both are still covered, and I have time, I look to my #2 receiver and check if he got open.  If all three of those men are covered, I normally throw it to my TE, because he has a tendency to get the defender not looking at the ball and makes some great catches on this play.

    HB Pitch:    I rarely use this play -- virtually always on 1st down after a big completion trying to get the defense off-guard, and it rarely produces any yardage for me, but it is a good play to have in the playbook, because if I can get the defense to completely guard the middle of the field (which some people do because essentially all of my passes go to the middle of the field) or if the defense is balanced (playing zone or the like), meaning I have more men on the left than the defense does, and if I can break some tackles or fake some defenders out, it could result in a huge gain.

    HB Dive:    My "bread and butter" run, if you want to call it that (I hate to run, and therefore rarely do, but when I run, this is my main play), I rarely lose yardage on this play, and if I can get the defense to play a heavy zone or put little pressure up the middle, this play can gain 10+ yards, giving me either a first down, or leaving me in a second and short situation, in which I can be very deadly.

    Punt:    I normally use the Max Cover Punt, so that my special teams players are down the field quicker to tackle the punt returner, but I've learned that when the defense blitzes against my Max Cover Punt, they can block the punt, which is really devastating, so if I know I'm going to punt the ball, I'll choose the Max Cover Punt, and if it looks like the defense is in a return formation, I'll keep that play; otherwise I'll audible to the normal Punt play for more blockers.  Also, it comes in handy when I want to mess with the defense.  I'll choose a punt play, audible to a normal play, then audible back to the Punt if the defense audibles in response to my Singleback Trips audible.  Normally my opponent doesn't have an audible back to a punt defense, or isn't able to call it quick enough, and I'm able to get away a very effective punt that goes deep past the defenders and isn't returned.

 

Defense:

    Defense is not my strong suit, especially against the pass (I love the pass and know how effective it can be, which is why I am normally very effective passing the ball on offense, and beaten up against the pass on defense); therefore, I use defensive plays and personel which are best at defending the pass.  Two of my favorite plays -- the 3-4 Drop Zone and the 3-4 Double Man -- are two of my best plays if blitzing isn't working and I want 9 men (8 by default, plus the person I personally control on defense) in coverage.  Therefore, if the opposing offense isn't doing hurry-up, and keeping a ton of guys back is working, I choose plays from the 3-4 formation (Denver has great linebackers anyway, so the 3-4 fits into that strength).  However, if the 3-4 isn't working, or I need more pressure on the QB, I use the following plays, most of which are from the Dime formation (more secondary personal is better against the pass):

    Man Zone 2 (Dime):    My most conservative defensive audible (only sending 4 guys at the QB), I call this if blitzing isn't working or if I need more men in coverage.  Sometimes the left linebacker will get past the offensive line and get to the QB, but this is mainly a defense which gives the QB time to throw the ball, but hopefully my secondary is able to shut down all eligible receivers and give my DL enough time to break down the OL and get the QB.

    Double Sting (Dime):    One of my favorite plays on defense, I am normally able to put some pressure on the QB, completely shut down the run, and stop passes -- everything you'd want in a defensive play.  Of course, I strongly believe the offense always has the advantage; therefore, this play doesn't always work.  However, for the most part, this play works, and if I am able to get a lead and/or able to stay patient, this play can work well in the long run.  The two outside linebackers put pressure on the QB and stop the outside run; the two DE sometimes get free, and regardless, are able to confuse the OL with the two outside LB blitzing outside of the two DE; and depending on how I'm playing and what's working, I'll either control the DT blitzing and instead control him in coverage (less pressure, but more pass containment), or I'll control the DT already going into coverage (more pressure, but less pass containment).  Normally I choose the former option, but again, it depends on what's working.  If I have to, I'll even control the middle LB or safeties.

    Strike (Dime):    Pretty straight-forward:  My 6 defenders closest to the line of scrimmage (DL and outside LB) put pressure on the QB, and hopefully either get to him before he can find an open receiver and/or throw the ball; or most likely I'm hoping my six defenders put enough pressure to make the QB throw the ball in a hurry, with the rest of my defense covering the eligible receivers close enough to knock the ball down or make the receiver drop the ball.  A more desparate play allowing bigger offensive gains, but sometimes a play I have to go to which works.

    Jam Middle (4-3):    This play focuses most on the inside run.  I normally don't even think about the opposing offense running the ball, since most of my plays most of the stop automatically stop, or at least contain, the run, eventually forcing my opponent to throw the ball.  However, if the opposing offense starts getting a run going, I'll call Double Sting, Strike, or another outside blitz to stop the outside run, and I'll call this play, Jam Middle, along with FG Safe Man (if I get desparate, or to confuse the offense), to stop the inside run.  The DL worry about the OL, with the 2 blitzing LB looking at the RB up the middle.  I'll normally control the middle LB, looking for the run, and if it is obvious enough quickly enough, I'll drop him into coverage, hoping myself and the secondary can stop the receiving core long enough to stop the play.

    FG Safe Man:    Although I'll call the normal FG Block play to try to block a FG/extra point, if the defense is at the goalline, if I need a blitz, to audible into a FG formation if I am surprized and my opponent decides to kick a FG or the like, or to simply confuse the offense, I'll call this play.  It stops the inside run, sometimes stops the outside run, and can stop the pass, since several defenders go into coverage instead of blitzing (like the normal FG Block play).  My main hope on this play is that the offense decides to go with a quick passing play, thinking all of my men will be blitzing, and instead my opponent throws the ball quickly and my defender is able to get in the way, maybe even intercepting the ball.  Secondary thoughts are hoping to stop a run at the goalline or in a short down situation, or getting to the QB before he can throw the ball.  Of course, most of the time, these things I'm hoping for don't work, and obviously this play can give up massive yardage, which is why I don't call this play much in a normal game.  However, it is a good audible to have, and given the right situation (near the goalline, with a lead, and/or needing a big stop), this is sometimes the play to go to.

    Once again, I normally don't even think about the opposing offense running the ball, since most of my plays most of the time automatically stop, or at least contain, the run, eventually forcing my opponent to throw the ball.  That is why most of my defense is built around stopping the pass.  Obviously my game plan changes, either slightly or significantly, when I'm playing against Michael Vick or a team running the ball well, but for the most part, these are the plays I stick with on defense, sometimes just hoping for some stops and letting my offense win the game.