Madden NFL has changed since last year’s title. There have been some updates to the game mechanics and controls. However, the fundamentals remain the same. There are some crucial changes that you should be aware of before jumping into a game. I’m going to go through those changes in this Madden NFL 20 guide.
Get the ball out quick
Madden has changed the pass rush mechanics and really upped the ante. You will notice this even more when going against superstar pass rushers. The pass rushers are super quick this year so players can’t sit back and hold the ball as long compared to older games.
Another reason to get the ball out quickly is that the quarterback releases the ball a lot slower than before. On top of that, the ball trajectory has been changed so it’s a lot more realistic now. Your quarterback will be hit as soon as he releases the ball so practice leading your receiver to the open area.
New Defensive Controls
There are a few changes to Madden NFL in-game controls you need to be aware of. They have reconfigured how players change their defensive line, linebackers, and defensive assignments. This is very important to learn because if you don’t, you will be screwing up your assignments which will cost you games.
To change the defensive line settings you now press left on the D-Pad and change them to the way you want using the joysticks. To change the linebackers, press right on the D-Pad and change using the joysticks. Finally, to change the defensive assignments press the LB button and configure them the way you like.
Use Safeties More
Linebackers are not what they used to be. Madden this time around has really nerfed the linebackers. You can’t get those epic jumps any more. However, the safeties have been buffed a lot. They are super athletic and can run much faster speeds. Mastering them will allow you to cover a lot more ground.
New Pump Fake Mechanic
Madden NFL 20 features a new pump fake mechanic. This is where the quarterback will fake pulling the ball back. If you get good at using it, it can be great for faking out a defender. However, it won’t work every time. This is so it can’t be abused by players. To use the pump fake mechanic on a player quickly double-tap his icon.
Using the new abilities
You can now search for players abilities in the menu screen. This will bring up a list of every team and their players. You can look through the teams and see who their superstar and x-factor players are. This is a great feature for finding teams that have abilities to suit your play style.
If players in the NFL are better at certain elements like receiving. They will get better hot routes in the game. This works the same for players who are strong running backs. They will get better stiff arms or tackles. Take a look around the menu and definitely keep it in mind.
Kicking with perfect accuracy
In the past players needed to get perfect power and accuracy to not get their kicks blocked. Now you only have to worry about getting perfect accuracy. This is far more realistic now as players in real life don’t use all their power for every kick. Some kicks are long and some are short. The power of the kick is adjusted accordingly.
Using Man Defense
If you are looking to play more bend on break it is recommended to play man defence. It used to be that zone was better than man defence. However, this year’s zone defence is not so good at the moment.
Scrambling with QB’s
There is a new mechanic in the game this year that allows players to pull their passing eye with hands down. Your quarterback will immediately turn into a runner behind the scrimmage line. This will speed up the process of setting up a pass to a receiver running wide open. For example, if you decide you want to pass to them, hit the L2 button or trigger to activate the passing icon.
Configure your coach adjustments
Players can now set the alignment of their defence to whichever they prefer most. Madden players most often base align their defence. They do this because it lines everything up so it looks the same and it disguises your coverage pre-snap. You can access and adjust this from the coach adjustments menu.
Avoid Big Hits
Fumbles are a lot higher this year than in previous games. Previously you could run through attacking players or simply juke and spin to avoid being hit. This now has consequences and your player will fumble the ball more often. The same goes for quarterbacks, if your QB is taking hits he will most likely fumble the ball. To counter this, try sliding, giving yourself up, covering the ball, and even going out of bounds. Just try to avoid taking big hits as much as possible.
Mix up your routes
As mentioned above man defence is a lot better than in previous years. In previous years everyone only focused on zone defence and no one really played man. So you can’t just go out and expect to play zone. People are going to be hitting you with man defence. Therefore, you should always have extra routes like a crossing route on the ready.
Use peels to open offence
Peels are a new feature added to the game this year. They’re essentially an upgrade to run plays in previous Maddens. They now have a passing feature built into the run play feature. So if you see a guy is open you can get a pass on him a lot quicker. Definitely get to know this feature it can really open up your offence a lot more.
Real or Fake Philly Special
They have also added a fake version of the Philly special. It comes in the form of a run play. Using the fake Philly disguises your gameplay so it’s not blatantly obvious what run you’re going to play.
Know the jet sweeps plays
Another new addition to the game is the introduction of jet sweeps. There have been a lot more jet sweeps added to the game. You now have new categories of jet sweeps such as play-action jet sweeps and fake jet sweeps. Definitely check these new features out and try adding them to your game plan.
Contains are back
Contains work very well compared to last year. They work even better on superstar cubbies that have mobile abilities. For example, contains can now give them better agility when scrambling out of the pocket. To use contains, hold LB or L1 and then press RB or R1. This will keep the players from getting outside the pocket a lot better.
Tight End Hot Routes
They have added all new tight end hot routes and removed some of the old ones people used a lot. This is to make the game more realistic. For example, you cannot put a tight end on a slant like you could in previous games. This is more in tune with real life because tight ends don’t run the slant route often.
Now players can use check and release routes. There are various ways you can use them. You can use them on a delayed feed, the flat or even a delayed drag route. Another great feature is that you can now manually release a player on a check and release route. The game used to do this automatically. Now you have a lot more control to release your player if you see an opening.
Wrap up…
That’s it for our Madden NFL 20 tips. Let us know in the comment section below if you have any other tips we can use.