Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr. Claims Madden 16 Championship Title

At EA Play during E3 this year, EA held the finals for their Madden 16 tournament, and on Tuesday, June 14, it all came to a close as Frank “Stiff” Sardoni Jr. claimed the victory, earning him the title of Madden 16 champion.

Stiff’s hard work along with his fast-paced, risky style ultimately paid off, as he defeated current Madden Challenge champion Zack “Serious Moe” Lane, who is well-known for his defense in the quarterfinals before going on to defeat two-time Madden Challenge champion Eric “Problem” Wright in the final.

As a massive fan of the Chicago Bears, Sardoni Jr. utilized his favorite team with a unique fantasy lineup to dethrone Wright’s San Francisco 49ers 37-21 and win the championship belt created by EA Sports for the event.

In an interview with ESPN, Sardoni Jr. spoke about his love for the game. “[Football] is passion,” he’s quoted as saying while draping the belt across his shoulder. It’s clear that he not only admires the sport, but his newly found prize.

The Madden competitive scene has been around for some time now, though it’s only recently starting to gain attraction as an official eSport. “Stiff” is surprisingly new, with just 3 years of experience under his belt, making him quite the underdog. That didn’t stop him, as he eventually came out on top.

As for support from his family? Luckily, he’s received plenty. “My family supports me … [m]y soon-to-be fiancee supports me 1000 percent. That’s why I’m out here. She told me to come down here and have fun, and that’s what I did. My parents couldn’t be more proud.”

It’s good to see a relatively new player on the scene achieve such success, but even better to see that Sardoni Jr. has the support of his family. Of course, with the Madden 17 championship on the way with a prize pool of $1 million, he’ll also be partaking next year.

“I’m going to be playing Madden NFL 17,” he said. “Getting my game up just like I did this year and hopefully become victorious.”

If you haven’t seen the championship final yet, you can check out the video up top. Keep in mind that the video runs for just over an hour and a half.

What did you think of the Madden 16 championship? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to stay tuned to SGO for more Madden news and tips. Check out our YouTube for some great Madden 17 videos, including an interview with Madden 17 Creative Director Rex Dickson!

Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr. Claims Madden 16 Championship Title

2016 NFL First Round Picks Playable in MUT

In a fun move, EA Sports added the first-round picks from last week’s NFL Draft to Madden NFL 16.

The rookies are now available in packs in Madden Ultimate Team.

Below are the overall ratings for the incoming rookie class.

1. QB Jared Goff – LA Rams – 84


2. QB Carson Wentz – Philadelphia Eagles – 84


3. DE Joey Bosa – San Diego Chargers – 84


4. RB Ezekiel Elliott – Dallas Cowboys – 84


5. CB Jalen Ramsey – Jacksonville Jaguars – 84


6. LT Ronnie Staley – Baltimore Ravens – 83


7. DE DeForest Buckner – San Francisco 49ers – 83


8. OT Jack Conklin – Tennessee Titans – 83


9. OLB Leonard Floyd – Chicago Bears – 83


10. CB Eli Apple – NY Giants – 83


11. CB Vernon Hargreaves III – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 82


12. DT Sheldon Rankins – New Orleans Saints – 82


13. OT Laremy Tunsil – Miami Dolphins – 82


14. S Karl Joseph – Oakland Raiders – 82


15. WR Corey Coleman – Cleveland Browns – 82


16. OT Taylor Decker – Detroit Lions – 81


17. S Keanu Neal – Atlanta Neal – 81


18. C Ryan Kelly – Indianapolis Colts – 81


19. DE Shaq Lawson – Buffalo Bills – 81


20. OLB Darron Lee – NY Jets – 81


21. WR Will Fuller – Houston Texans – 80


22. WR Josh Doctson – Washington – 80


23. WR Laquon Treadwell – Minnesota Vikings – 80


24. CB William Jackson III – Cinncinatti Bengals – 80


25. CB Artie Burns – Pittsburgh Steelers – 79


26. QB Paxton Lynch – Denver Broncos – 79


27. DT Kenny Clark – Green Bay Packers – 79


28. G Joshua Garnett – San Francisco 49ers – 79


29. DE Robert Nkemdiche – Arizona Cardinals – 79


30. DT Vernon Butler – Carolina Panthers – 79


31. OT Germain Ifedi – Seattle Seahawks – 79


32. Patriots had their pick taken in Goodell’s crusade to protect “The Integrity of the Shield”, or some such bullshit.

2016 NFL First Round Picks Playable in MUT

Madden NFL 16 Salary Cap Ranked EP1

Madden NFL 16 Salary Cap Ranked EP1

EA Sports Announces The Madden NFL 16 Championship With $50,000 Prize

EA Sports announced the the 2016 Madden NFL 16 Championship today. The championship will culminate in a finals this summer at EA PLAY, which takes place during E3 this year.

Players can participate in Ultimate Team, Draft Champions and the new Salary Cap Ranked mode on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Participants are playing for a chance to win a share of a $50,000 prize.

In a statement Todd Sitrin, SVP and General Manager of EA’s Competitive Gaming Division, said, “Madden NFL players can be some of the fiercest competitors out there, and we’re excited to celebrate their passion and skill with the Madden NFL 16 Championship. We look forward to incredible competition in the community as the Madden NFL 16 Championship builds to the finals taking place on stage at EA PLAY in June.”

Players competing in Salary Cap Ranked and Season 2 Draft Champions Ranked ladders can climb the leaderboards and compete in live events for a chance to take home the grand prize at EA PLAY.

The top 64 players in Salary Cap Ranked on each console will be invited to the first round of the competition.  Madden Challenge Finalists, DCR Season 2 finalists and Salary Cap Ranked finalists will all come together to crown the Madden NFL 16 Champion.

It’s unclear from EA’s statements how many finalists from DCR and Madden Challenge will be invited to the competition.

EA Sports Announces The Madden NFL 16 Championship With $50,000 Prize

Salary Cap Ranked Comes to Madden 16 Tomorrow

Madden Ultimate Team is about to get a lot more interesting when the latest game mode hits Madden 16 tomorrow. That game mode is Salary Cap Ranked, and it’ll be available in beta as of April 26th. Don’t let the beta tag fool you though, because Salary Cap Ranked should provide a satisfying new way for fans of Madden Ultimate Team to compete.

As mentioned when the mode was first announced, Salary Cap Ranked will provide a much more strategic and competitive element to Madden Ultimate Team by introducing a some restrictions to team building. You’ll be tasked with setting up a team of 34 players that doesn’t exceed a cap of 1000 points.

In exchange for those restrictions, injuries will be turned off completely and the rate of fatigue will be slowed.

For a more detailed look Salary Cap Ranked, check out the video up top or give EA’s blog on the subject a look. EA has also uploaded their own video about the new mode, which you can watch below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udu4a34Uw2U

Will you be playing Salary Cap tomorrow? Let us know in the comments.

Salary Cap Ranked Comes to Madden 16 Tomorrow

Madden NFL 17 NEW Features Wishlist - Part 1

As part of our continuous coverage of what we think would be the best content possible in a game that could use a few ideas, we wanted to cover more things on our Madden 17 wishlist. This time around, we’re dedicating time to completely new features such as an opponent scouting system and a possible practice still feature, among other things.

Scouting an Opponent

What would be nice would be to open Madden and receive an immediate on-screen “Scouting Report,” if you will, of your upcoming opponent. This report should include that opponent’s play styles, common situational play calls, possible personnel mismatches or exploits, and overviews of their behavior in key plays. There are a variety of tidbits the game could tell you right off the bat, such as if they prefer to run or pass the ball or if they have a more aggressive, blitz-happy defensive style. This information would be determined through their plays. Therefore, your plays and practice would have to adapt to different styles.

Right now, many of these pieces of information can be uncovered or inferred by digging around the game’s menus. Sure, I could look at my opponent’s depth chart to see if their QB is mobile or if they have any particularly dangerous star players. In previous versions of the game, I could even look up the play-calling strategy for any given CPU team; though, I think this feature isn’t available anymore since the

play-calling strategy for 16 is cloud-based and not locally accessible.

I could dig through game and season stats and box scores to see who their preferred receivers and sack leaders are. But I shouldn’t have to. It could be streamlined and more intuitive because that’s what should be on my mind. Tabulating little but important information is a great place to start.

CFM Online Resume

In Madden’s offline mode you have the ability to resume an unfinished game. While I”m sure there are technical reasons why this exact feature is not available for online play I don’t see why something similar could not be implemented in the future. After each quarter locally or on the servers the time remaining, down, distance and score should be saved. So if a game is ever disconnected you would be presented with a RESUME option that would simply take this automatically saved data, recreate the scenario and reconnect both players. This would avoid players having to start every disconnected game completely over.

Film study

An intriguing (and under-utilized) feature of the play-calling screen is a small widget in the corner that shows the previous play including both the offensive and defensive play calls. The outcome and average success rate of that play are displayed based on global user stats. This is actually a really useful piece of information to have, and it’s available on every play! The game’s “Highlights” menu in the pause screen also includes a list of every play that’s been run, including replays for some of those plays. The downside is that none of this gets saved or recorded for your review later. Every play of a game is logged, so why not save this log for review in the next week’s “Game Prep”?​

These elements could be expanded. This information could be saved and recorded to a log. During the game prep for the following week, you could then review your plays from the previous game. Madden could even combine the results of repeated play calls to show you the average, best and worst outcomes alongside the respective play calls by the opponent. This would be an effective simulation of watching “game film”. You can look at your plays that went well; examine why they were successful; and you could look at your plays that went poorly and examine why they failed. Then, it would be a matter of if those plays are worth keeping in your playbook.

If saving every play isn’t feasible for technical reasons or whatever, then EA could alternatively provide an option for the user to tag a specific play for film review. This could include reviewing an interception to find out what mistake you made while reading the defense, or a failed blitz that left a huge hole for the opposing running back. You can review what play you called, what play the opponent called, how you were so open and be better able to recognize a similar opportunity in the future.

Practice Drills

Previous versions of Madden actually had drills and workouts that improved only

specific sets of skills, but this could be improved. An alternative could be for such drills to provide temporary boosts to the relevant skills.

Using the tackling drill, for example, would provide general experience that can be used for any attribute, but would also provide +1 to the player’s tackling skill for some duration. This duration could be as short as one day or it could last for several weeks. Getting a higher rank in the drill could perhaps increase that boost or lengthen the amount of weeks that the bonus applies, and more drills would provide different bonuses. You could also drill to level up certain attributes faster through experience boosts.

Conclusion

These are just a few ideas was to what we could expect to see in an ever-evolving franchise that is still filled with potential. Advancements such as these could make the game great even if it does take a few development cycles to implement.  Be sure to stay tuned for part 2 of our Madden 17 New Features Wish List here at SGO.

Madden NFL 17 NEW Features Wishlist - Part 1

Madden 17 Top 5 Most Needed Fixes

There’s never a game that is without its flaws. And Madden is no exception to such. Without much delay here is the top 5 worst aspects we want to see improved upon for Madden 17:

1. Defender Reaction to QB Rollout

In Madden defenders are often lost when a QB begins to scramble. Defenders either break from their assignments or stand in the middle with no clue what to do, often either leaving a wide-open lane for the QB to run through or a receiver streaking up the field with no one to cover. The truth is there is no telling what happens or what will happen when a QB breaks to scramble. I have seen guys in deeper zones start progressing forward towards the QB while guys in closer zones with no one even near them just continue to stand there and watch it all happen. There needs to be some sort of logic to this. A defender with no one in his zone or a linebacker covering a HB who stays in to block should start to pursue the QB and not let them break free for a huge run.

2. Realistic Pocket Formation

A few years ago Madden took some huge strides in Offensive Line AI, and thus resulted in a pretty fluent and well-developed pocket. Now I really can’t say the same. Rather than forming the upside down “U” shape that the pocket should be, it is more of a line created by the offensive line. In my opinion this leads to several problems. The main problem is that the QB containment is almost non-existent unless you call “QB contain” which results in your ends not rushing the QB. A realistic pocket should have the defensive ends crashing the outside as both the tackles aim to push them towards the outside. Without this, just the basic line that is now a “pocket” it makes it far easier for a QB to simply break that line and scramble without much opposition.

3. Play Action 

Sometimes it works just a little too well when it shouldn’t. 3^rd and 20, let’s be honest no defender is going to fall for a play action here. Even if they do run it you have 20 yards on the defensive side to stop them from getting a first down. But in Madden, this could work. Without making any adjustments such as play pass the defenders will sometimes fall for this leaving some guys wide open. And this shouldn’t be the case. Defenders need to have some sort of logic to understand the situation.

4. Nano Blitz Blocking

It’s unfortunate that this is still an issue in Madden today, but it really is attributed to broken Offensive Line, and more specifically the inability to properly block from inside to outside. The lack of inside-outside blocking results in open blitzers running free right up the middle, and interior offensive linemen either double team blocking someone with a free runner, or just blocking no one at all. This is a huge broken part of the game that really needs to be addressed.

5. FB Dive

It’s 3^rd and 1, who you gonna call? FULLBACK DIVE! Almost a 100% certainty in Madden, but in NFL it really is almost a useless position that continues to be faded out, especially as carrying the ball. You hear of John Kuhn every once and awhile and maybe another here or there, but not on every 3^rd and short or 4^th and short. But it truly is a give me in Madden, it’s almost impossible not to pick up. Short yardage in NFL is truly tough; there are a lot of 3^rd and shorts not picked up from just pounding it up the gut. The community all know of the ease of a FB Dive, and is definitely something that is broken and needs to be fixed.

Let us know what you think below in the comments. As always follow us on Twitter and YouTube to stay up to date on the latest Madden NFL news.

Madden 17 Top 5 Most Needed Fixes

Madden NFL 16 Draft Champions EP4 GM 4

Madden NFL 16 Draft Champions EP4 GM 4

Madden 16 Patch 1.09 Has Been Released

As reported on EA’s Twitch Livestream today Madden 16 Patch 1.09 is now available across all consoles.

https://twitter.com/RexDEAFootball/status/702159894699311104https://twitter.com/RexDEAFootball/status/702159894699311104

Here are some of the gameplay changes available in the patch courtesy of OS:

• A fix is in to prevent multiple nano-blitzes using the B-Gap. The RG will now always look inside to outside for blocking assignments.


• The ‘playcalling/pause’ freeze is fixed (where you lose input data and have to dashboard).


• Untimed downs will occur at the right times (this also fixes the FG Block glitch).


• A rare bug where QB sacks were creating a stopped clock has been fixed.


• User QBs will now get less of an accuracy penalty on All Madden difficulty level.


• Patch notes also mention general stability improvements (aka less freezes).

 

Madden 16 Patch 1.09 Has Been Released

Madden NFL Fantasy Draft Tips & Strategies

Drafting in a full CFM versus other users brings an entirely new set of challenges and requires a different strategy than when drafting versus the CPU. So we have a few tips and strategies for you guys that will help you be successful in your Madden NFL Fantasy Draft.

Drafting Tips

1. Check out the roster– Know what roster you are using beforehand. Over the course of a season  madden ratings can go up or down, or even experience position changes. So be sure to check out the roster you are using prior to the draft to verify the ratings and positions for any targeted players.


2. Have a strategy– Whether it’s what you value by position (QB > CB > TE > MLB) or specific types of players you target for your style of play (Run Heavy, Zone Coverage, etc)make a strategy and try to stick with it. This is a chance for you to build a team exactly how YOU want it so don’t choose solely based on OVR and miss out on players that fit your scheme the best.


3. Draft selection position– Where you choose in the draft makes a HUGE difference in the type of strategy you develop. Selecting in the Top 10 taking a QB with your 1st pick may be a much better option than if selecting at #32. So get to know your draft position ASAP before figuring out your draft strategy.


4. CPU vs User – How many CPU teams are there in the draft. How a human chooses players is completely different how the CPU does. The CPU tends to value QB, pass rushers and youth at most positions. Users are completely different and each will have their own individual strategies.


5. Pay attention! – Watch the picks, pay attention to what others are picking. Try to anticipate “the run” on specific positions and get ahead of it. This is especially important when drafting in the top 5 as there will be a large gap in between your selections.


6. Development and age – Be sure to pay attention to the development and age of players. You can find development of each player in Madden here. Age matters even more if this is in a CFM that you plan to play multiple seasons in.


7. Be ready for your pick – Don’t rush and scramble when it comes to your pick. A few picks ahead starting planning out between 2-4 guys you will take when it’s your turn to pick. This will avoid mistakes and reaches. If there are 3 teams ahead of your pick choose the top 4 players you want to take so when it’s impossible for at least one of your guys to be there.


8. Have a backup plan – If your strategy is to take a QB/CB/RB with your 1st pick but all of these elite players at that position are gone make sure you have a backup plan. Don’t reach for an 80 ovr QB with your 1st selection just because that’s what your initial plan said.


9. Sleepers! – Getting quality starters in the late rounds is key for winning your Madden NFL Fantasy draft. Be sure to checkout our Madden Sleeper Series for great underrated players you can snag later on.

Drafting Strategies

Blue Ocean Strategy– Personally I like to follow a blue water strategy when drafting. Searching for ways to gain “uncontested market space” than engaging in traditional competition. I apply this to Fantasy drafting by watching what positions others are focusing on and going in the opposite direction. If teams are going focusing heavily on corner there may be top players left at Safety. If many are taking WRs then there may be top rated offensive linemen still on the board. The point is to go where others are not, be sure not to do this and sacrifice your overall strategy though.

Domination Strategy- The domination strategy is when you go all out for a select group. Meaning to draft heavily in one or two positions. Like bookend pass rushers, two lockup corners, a LT/LG combo or two highly rated cover 2 safeties. One of my favorites is a top DT, MLB, FS combo so you are strong up the middle on each level of the defense.

Team Versatility- Selecting players on both sides of the ball that excel at multiple positions.  A fullback like Marcel Reece that can also play TE. A TE like Jimmy graham who can play WR. A DB like Tyrann Mathieu who can play corner and safety. Also players like Wide receiver Tavon Austin who also excel in returning kicks and punts. This will allow you to move these players around to cover any weakness you may have in another area.

Win Now Strategy- Many CFM vets see age 30 as a death knell for Madden players. Take advantage of this and grab those high rated but older players that others pass on. Most leagues won’t go more than a few years so this probably won’t hurt you as much as people think. I have seen highly rated players go well into the later rounds because they are 30+, draft those guys and let them show the league they have some juice left!

Check SGO daily and subscribe to our YouTube for more free madden tips and news from your favorite sports games!

Madden NFL Fantasy Draft Tips & Strategies

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers

After detailing the 3-4 Rush Linebackers here are some of the most underrated Cover Linebackers in the game based on the ratings that actually matter so you can find possible sleepers that other guys would trade for minimal value in Madden 16 CFM.  A few of the factors taken into consideration in the selection process were the ease it would be to get ahold of that said player and their location on their perspective team’s depth chart. With that said here are our Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers in Madden 16 Connected Franchise:

10. KOREY TOOMER (RAIDERS/26 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 64 OVR/86 SPEED/88 AGILITY/87 ACCEL/73 HIT POWER/73 PURSUIT/52 PLAY REC/70 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Toomer used to be on the Seahawks so you already assume he’s fast and at 86 speed, he’s the 4^th fastest outside linebacker in the game. Toomer is not going to be laying anybody out with his 73 hit power, but at 6-2 with 95 jump, he’s a perfect user linebacker.

9. NEIRON BALL (RAIDERS/23 YEARS OLD/LOLB): 67 OVR/84 SPEED/80 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/78 HIT POWER/77 PURSUIT/55 PLAY REC/67 MAN COVERAGE/77 ZONE COVERAGE

At 23 years old, Ball has 84 speed and 88 acceleration, to go along with 79 tackle 78 hit power. He also has one of the better zone coverage ratings at 77.

8. KEVIN PIERRE-LOUIS (SEAHAWKS/2 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 78 OVR/88 SPEED/87 AGILITY/92 ACCEL/67 HIT POWER/78 PURSUIT/60 PLAY REC/61 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Pierre- Louis has 88 speed 87 agility and 92 acceleration making him of the most athletic players at linebacker. Build up his pursuit, zone coverage and play recognition and Pierre Louis could turn into a monster pretty quickly.

7. LAMIN BARROW (BEARS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 66 OVR/84 SPEED/86 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/84 HIT POWER/81 PURSUIT/58 PLAY REC/58 MAN COVERAGE/68 ZONE COVERAGE

The LSU product has 84 speed and more importantly 86 agility to be able to turn on a dime sharply. Barrow has good hit power at 84 with 81 pursuit and 75 block shed starting out.

6. JONATHAN ANDERSON (BEARS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 68 OVR/87 SPEED/84 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/72 HIT POWER/77 PURSUIT/70 PLAY REC/67 MAN COVERAGE/76 ZONE COVERAGE

Anderson is the 3^rd fastest middle linebacker in the game and has solid starting numbers with 77 pursuit 70 play rec and 76 zone coverage.

5. BRANDON WATTS (VIKINGS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 61 OVR/88 SPEED/86 AGILITY/93 ACCEL/76 HIT POWER/79 PURSUIT/56 PLAY REC/66 MAN COVERAGE/73 ZONE COVERAGE

Watt dropped 2 speed points between Madden 15 and 16, yet he’s still one of the fastest linebackers in the game . Being 6-2 with cornerback like athleticism gives Watts an advantage not many linebackers have.

4. BEN HEENEY (RAIDERS/22 YEARS OLD/MLB): 69 OVR/86 SPEED/79 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/73 HIT POWER/84 PURSUIT/72 PLAY REC/73 MAN COVERAGE/72 ZONE COVERAGE

Heeney has 86 speed and 88 acceleration with 84 pursuit and has the 3^rd highest man coverage rating in the game at middle linebacker. So Heeney is a solid option especially if you favor man defense.

3. KHARI FORTT (JAGUARS/23 YEARS OLD/MLB): 68 OVR/82 SPEED/85 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/87 HIT POWER/75 PURSUIT/64 PLAY REC/70 MAN COVERAGE/74 ZONE COVERAGE

A personal favorite of mine(I traded for him in my CFM last Madden) Fortt being 6-2 with 87 hit power 79 block shed and 74 zone gives you great starting points to turn him into a nice starter by years end.

2. DAREN BATES (RAMS/24 YEARS OLD/MLB): 62 OVR/87 SPEED/81 AGILITY/85ACCEL/86 HIT POWER/79 PURSUIT/58 PLAY REC/72 MAN COVERAGE/76 ZONE COVERAGE

Bates is already one of the better balanced coverage linebackers in the league with 72 Man and 76 Zone. He also has 86 hit power and 87 speed already giving him the two of the hardest traits to come by for linebacker.

1. ERIC PINKINS (SEAHAWKS/24 YEARS OLD/ROLB): 62 OVR/90 SPEED/81 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/76 HIT POWER/80 PURSUIT/68 PLAY REC/68 MAN COVERAGE/77 ZONE COVERAGE

He’s 6-3 with 90 speed and 91 jump, so good luck trying to throw near him. and Pinkins 77 zone coverage already puts him into the Top 10 in zone coverage ratings for outside linebackers. So whether you user or leave it to the CPU he won’t be a liability

Stay tuned and subscribe to our YouTube for more Madden 16 CFM Tips as we bring you more analysis to get the most of out of your rosters and tips to get your team to the the Super Bowl in your leagues. Be sure to checkout our other parts of this series:

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Running Backs

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Wide Receivers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Quarterbacks

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Cornerbacks

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Tips: Top 10 Sleeper Safeties

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Tips: Top 10 Tight End Sleepers

Madden 16 Connected Franchise Top 10 Sleeper Cover Linebackers

Madden 16 Tip: Shotgun Trips TE - Pays Y Post

Playbook: New England Patriots

Formation: Shotgun –Trips TE

Play: Pats Y Post

Analysis: The primary option of the play will be the B receiver who will be used to attack the safety, with the tight ends post route as the secondary option for when the B receiver starts to attract the defenses attention. Pats Y Post also will have enough man beaters to be an option vs both coverages

Hot Routes: X (Square on PS4) on a streak, Y (Triangle on PS4) on a hitch route and RB (R1 on PS4) on a curl route

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

Y (Triangle on PS4): The hitch is unbumpable vs man coverage, so as soon as the receiver turns around bullet pass to the left so you’re throwing away from the defender.

B (Circle on PS4): Once he breaks to the outside lead pass to the sidelines.

A (X on PS4): Before the tight end makes his cut, lead pass to the inside before the defender can react.

RB (R1 on PS4): As soon as the back turns around pass it for an easy 5 yard gain. IF YOU’RE EXPECTING MAN COVERAGE before the snap,  leave the back on his default flat route. It’s an angled flat route that allows the back to beat his man to the edge, but you run the risk of it your opponent plays zone you have no one in the middle underneath to keep the linebacker from covering the tight end deep.

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

Y (Triangle on PS4): You want to wait until the quarterback is done his drop before you even think about throwing to Y. Because by then that tells you for certain if any underneath defenders will cover him or leave Y open to cover the deeper routes.

B (Circle on PS4): If gone according to plan, Y will occupy an underneath defender leaving B potentially one on one with a safety. Depending on which side the safety is shaded towards (Cover 2 he would be more towards the sidelines)  so you can aim inside and (and vs cover 3 and 4 the safety is towards the middle)  so wait for the receiver to  beat him to the sidelines.

A (X on PS4): His route makes the defense think hard about who should cover B’s route, because he already eliminates one of the easier ways to defend B by usering the safety on that side, because the tight end runs directly into the area the safety would leave. And if the safety(s) stay put,  since the tight ends route runs at an angle towards the middle, he creates a cushion because him and the safety allowing him to catch passes in front of them.

RB (R1 on PS4): The back is used mainly as a decoy to occupy an underneath defender, but he is available for the check down if the defenders don’t cooperate.

Another Madden 16 Tip just for you guys. Be sure to drop a like on the video and subscribe and check back daily for more Tips from the favorite sports games at SGO.

Madden 16 Tip: Shotgun Trips TE - Pays Y Post

EA Simulates Super Bowl 50 With Madden 16, Predicts Panthers Victory

As is tradition, EA has released their annual prediction for Super Bowl 50 using Madden 16, and you can watch it on YouTube right now. This year their simulation is predicting a win for the Panthers, though the final score does come in pretty close at 24-20.

Of their past 12 predictions, EA have gotten 9 correct. Not bad. If you disagree with the likelihood of a Panthers victory and are rooting for the Broncos, EA wants you to head over to their website and make your own prediction. As for me? Well, the Panthers have had some pretty good games this season, but I’ve gotta root for the Broncos!

As for the stats, on the Panthers side Cam Newton completed 19/26 passes for 216 yards, with one touchdown and one interception earning him the title of MVP. Jonathan Stewart managed 47 rushing yards and 1 touchdown, Greg Olsen racked up 79 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, and Josh Norman had 6 tackles and 1 interception.

On the Broncos, Manning led the team with 21/37 passes completed for 241 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. Demaryius Thomas made 6 catches, 98 yards and 1 touchdown, and Emanuel Sanders followed with 5 catches, 55 yards, and 1 touchdown. Aqib Talib managed 5 tackles and 1 interception.

What do you think, has EA scored another accurate prediction with Super Bowl 50? Let us know in the comments.

EA Simulates Super Bowl 50 With Madden 16, Predicts Panthers Victory

Madden 16 Offensive Tips: Trey Open Offset - Motion Inside Cross

Playbook: Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins

Formation: Shotgun –Trey Open Offset

Play: Mtn Inside Cross

Analysis:  What makes this unique is while a normal flood route concept would have a streak, flat and post corner route by the 3 receivers on the same side of the field, Mtn Inside Crosses’ flat route will be run by the back coming from the opposite side. So you in a way get an “extra receiver” on the right whose not included in the core route concept of the play, but can alter how the defense responds to it because of his location.

Hot Routes: X (Square on PS4) on a slant route and B (Circle on PS4) on a streak

Reads (Left to Right) vs Man:

X (Square on PS4): Bullet inside once the receiver gains inside position.

A(X on PS4):  Check to see if he’s covered going to the flats, if he’s open throw a bullet and hold X (Square on PS4) to activate the run after the catch animation or else he will stop in his tracks

RB (R1 on PS4): Lead to the inside once he cuts, but if he’s bumped only look to throw to him if he releases inside. Releasing inside allows the receiver to create instant separation on his route as soon as the defender finishes his bump.

A (X on PS4): Lead pass to the sidelines once he cuts outside

B (Circle on PS4): Take the 1 on 1 opportunity down the field if it’s there.

 

Reads (Left to Right) vs Zone:

X (Square on PS4): If he isn’t running into an open spot in the zone immediately move on.

A(X on PS4):  Check to see if he’s covered going to the flats, if he’s open throw a bullet and hold X (Square on PS4) to activate the run after the catch animation or else he will stop in his tracks

RB (R1 on PS4): RB isn’t an option vs zone, so you only look to him if the safety overplays the post corner route leaving him open.

A (X on PS4): Lead to the sidelines once he cuts outside and if he’s covered by an underneath defender look back to the slant coming across the field to expose the area that defender just left.

B (Circle on PS4): Take the 1 on 1 opportunity down the field if it’s there.

Let us know how if our Madden 16 Offensive Tips helped you in the comments below or on social media! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube for more tips and walkthroughs from your favorite sports games.

Madden 16 Offensive Tips: Trey Open Offset - Motion Inside Cross

Madden 16 to Join EA Access Lineup in February

EA really wants you to try EA Access, their digital gaming service which offers a plethora of games on demand for one low monthly fee, as well as allowing you to play EA games ahead of their release. It’s pretty cool when you take into consideration the low price of $4.99/mo.

Quite a few of EA’s sports games are already part of the vault and included as part of the subscription, including Madden 15, FIFA 15, NHL 15, NBA LIVE 15, UFC, Madden 25, and FIFA 14. Today, however, EA announced that they’d be adding Madden 16 to the vault on February 2nd ahead of the 50th Super Bowl. Not bad!

If you’ve been wanting to check out Madden 16 and other EA Sports titles as well as Battlefield, Titanfall, and — perhaps the most important — Peggle, it might be worth dropping $4.99 to check it out. Unfortunately, it’s still not available for the PS4, making this an Xbox only deal. Bummer!

Madden 16 to Join EA Access Lineup in February

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers

Here are some of the most underrated players in the game based on the ratings that actually matter. With that said here are our Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers Sleepers in Madden 16:

10. DEIONTREZ MOUNT (TITANS/LOLB): 63 OVR/84 SPEED/81 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/78 PWR MOVE/68 FIN MOVE/64 BLOCK SHED/82 STAMINA

Mount is one of the easiest on the list to acquire because of the team he’s on. With Morgan, Woodyard, Zach Brown and Orakpo as more established played he shouldn’t be that hard to acquire The 22 year old rookie starts off with 84 speed, 89 accel and 78 power move so he could become a solid starter by the end of his rookie year.

9. DAVID KING (CHIEFS/DT): 70 OVR/81 SPEED/73 AGILITY/86 ACCEL/77 PWR MOVE/49 FIN MOVE/80 BLOCK SHED/82 STAMINA

King is the 2^nd fastest defensive tackle in the game and is especially valuable for leagues that have weight requirements on who can play the position. He has the makings of an impact d tackle with his 81 speed to go along with 77 power move and 80 block shed.

8. SHAQ RIDDICK (CARDINALS/LOLB): 61 OVR/84 SPEED/83 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/65 PWR MOVE/85 FIN MOVE/63 BLOCK SHED/77 STAMINA

The 22 year old Riddick has the highest finesse move rating on the list at 85 and might be harder to pry from Cardinals owner due to the team’s lack of alternative options at his position.

7. BRANDON COPELAND (LIONS/LOLB): 64 OVR/87 SPEED/83 AGILITY/88 ACCEL/78 PWR MOVE/58 FIN MOVE/69 BLOCK SHED/86 STAMINA

At 87 Speed, Copeland Is one of the fastest linebackers in the game and has similar pass rush ratings to one of the more popular rookies Bud Dupree.

6. RONALD POWELL (BUCCANEERS /LOLB): 64 OVR/83 SPEED/85 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/84 PWR MOVE/65 FIN MOVE/67 BLOCK SHED/84 STAMINA

Powell has the highest power move rating on the list at 84 . and Considering Tampa runs a 4-3 and his ratings read like he’s a defensive end I’m not sure why he’s listed at linebacker so he’s good candidate for a position change and a overall rating boost if you get him.

5. DAVIS TULL (SAINTS/LE): 66 OVR/87 SPEED/82 AGILITY/93 ACCEL/60 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/61 BLOCK SHED/80 STAMINA

You all know Donte Fowler, Dion Jordan and Randall Gregory? Well, Tull is faster than all of them and has the 2^nd fastest acceleration in the game only to be beaten by another guy  yet to be named

4. JOSH SHIRLEY (RAIDERS/RE): 60 OVR/86 SPEED/82 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/42 PWR MOVE/76 FIN MOVE/70 BLOCK SHED/86 STAMINA

Dude has  86 Speed and 90 Acceleration so we know he  can fly. To go along with 76 Finesse 70 Block Shed and more importantly 86 Stamina Shirley really has no weaknesses in his game to start with considering he’s a rookie.

3. HOWARD JONES (BUCCANEERS/LE): 75 OVR/85 SPEED/79 AGILITY/89 ACCEL/57 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/78BLOCK SHED/92 STAMINA

The 25 year old Jones has 85 Speed, 89 Acceleration and one of the highest stamina ratings at his position in the league at 92, to go along with decent finesse and block shed ratings making him a starter Day 1 with room to turn into a dominant pass rusher in a year or 2.

2. LARRY WEBSTER III (LIONS/LE): 69 OVR/86 SPEED/84 AGILITY/90 ACCEL/65 PWR MOVE/83 FIN MOVE/67 BLOCK SHED/78 STAMINA

He’s my personal favorite, as I always try and get him in every league I’m in. He’s 6-7 with 86 Speed so in my opinion he’s a baby Julius Peppers

1. JULIAN STANFORD (JETS/ROLB): 72 OVR/87 SPEED/88 AGILITY/95 ACCEL/56 PWR MOVE/77 FIN MOVE/69 BLOCK SHED/78 STAMINA

Stanford has 87 Speed and the highest Acceleration for a linebacker in the game at 95, paired with 77 finesse and 69 block shed  and at 24 he’s a must get in you have the opportunity too.

Stay tuned for more Madden 16 Sleepers as we bring you more analysis to get the most of out of your roster. Be sure to checkout our other parts of this series:

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Running Backs

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Wide Receivers

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Quarterbacks

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Cornerbacks

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Safeties

Madden 16 Top 10 Offensive Line Sleepers

 

Madden 16 Top 10 Sleeper Pass Rushers

HEAVYWEIGHT MATCHUP VS TD BARRETT!! Madden 16 Draft Champions

HEAVYWEIGHT MATCHUP VS TD BARRETT!! Madden 16 Draft Champions

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 18

The latest Madden 16 roster update is here today from EA Sports, and that means new ratings changes! There are two notable changes this week, via the blog. Alex Smith will see a boost of +1 for a total of 87 OVR thanks to his help in an 11 win streak for the Kansas City Chiefs. Greg Olson is is the next highlight, as he also receives a boost of +1 for a total of 96 OVR thanks to his teamwork with Cam Newton.

You can find three more players moving up and three players moving down below, as well as a full breakdown of the roster update in the table below.

Three Up:

• Brandon Marshall +2 OVR (90)


• Morgan Burnett +2 OVR (86)


• Cliff Avril +1 OVR 95

Three Down:

• Randall Cobb -2 OVR (87)


• Kam Chancellor -2 OVR (93)


• Travis Kelce -1 OVR (88)

 

Madden 16 Roster Update: Week 18

How to Shut Down Tight Ends in Madden NFL

The tight end has become a potent weapon in the modern NFL’s passing game. Oftentimes they are a quarterback’s first read, but also serve as a security blanket for a quick dump pass. If you are Tired of being abused for big plays here few techniques that will work in shutting down the oppositions tight end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GGgZXZFNoI

1.Jamming

The first way that I try and disrupt the tight end’s route and release is to line up over the TE and manually jam him with a defender (R1/RB). It’s usually an LB but a corner or safety works as well. Sometimes I will run with him but other time I will let him go after 10 yards or so and play the underneath routes. I have gotten a fair amount of interceptions jumping underneath routes as user will think I will always look to cover the TE.

2. Man/Zone Combo

Using the 3-4 you can put your blitzing LB (on the tight ends side) into man coverage on the tight end. To place a defender in man coverage hit down on the D Pad once to bring up the menu then Up on the Right Stick + select receiver. When using a 4-3 you can use a linebacker subbed as one of the defensive ends and do the same.  This will put two men in coverage on the tight end if you’re in man coverage or he will have a man trailing him if you’re in zone coverage. Adding a purple route and shading inside man coverage will greatly limit the Tight End’s route options.

3. Spotlight

Spotlighting the tight end will tell your defense to focus on him. To spotlight Press Triangle (Y on Box) then X (A on Xbox) then the Tight End’s Icon you want to spotlight then X again. If you are in man and drop a yellow short zone (D Pad Down) to cover the middle or purple zone (D Pad Right) to guard against the corner route. This will keep a man on him and the zone defender will do a better job focusing on him as well. In general I’d rather just manually control either. In all zone coverages I don’t suggest this though as it can cause coverage breakdowns leaving another WR wide open.

4. Nickel Defender

If up against a fast tight end that’s more of a receiver,  put in an extra cornerback on the field to cover him. When you utilize a cornerback in coverage on a tight end he will be more agile and have a quicker reaction time to a pass to the tight end versus a linebacker or safety in coverage. If the tight end is still open and making plays, don’t hesitate to move your best cover corner into the nickel position to guard him. It also helps if the cornerback in coverage on the tight end is a bigger cornerback at least six feet tall.

Any combination of these tips will help you defend even the best Tight Ends in the game! Stay tuned to Sports Gamers Online for more Madden Defensive Tips, and be sure to let us know in the comments or on our social media if these tips helped you out.

How to Shut Down Tight Ends in Madden NFL

Madden 16 Draft Champions - Episode 4 Game2

Madden 16 Draft Champions - Episode 4 Game2