Everybody has the experience of thinking they're ready for an opponent only to get utterly decimated. It happens in real life, so of course it happens in the video game world as well. Perhaps one of the best examples is when trying to make the flip from single-player rookie mode in Madden NFL 22 to player versus player.
This experience can be so unpleasant that it makes people never want to play these modes ever again. That's really too bad, because the gap between Madden NFL 22 experts putting up touchdowns on every play and the newcomers is bridged by just a few handy tips to remember.
Updated on February 18th, 2022 by Hodey Johns: With the news that Madden NFL 22 has arrived on Game Pass, a new wave of players are trying out the franchise for the first time. That makes it all the more important for beginners to get a solid foundation since they'll be up against experts who have been playing the game since its release. It's a daunting task, especially for a game that is infused with top-tier players. But it's not a mountain that is impossible to climb. This list has been updated with three more entries that should help new players take on veterans and give them a chance to pull out a few unlikely wins.
13 Play Every Mode Once
There are two benefits to playing every mode. The first is somewhat obvious; by playing every game available, players are able to find out which parts of the game they excel at. Players who can't figure out how to toss a perfect touch pass can find out via these modes and stick to playing defense or running backs.
But there is another more concrete benefit to this. Each mode offers up some easy rewards and the easiest to earn of these rewards take no more than an hour of playtime. Trying everything gives players an array of goodies.
12 Don't Spend Any Money
It can be tempted to drop a few hundred dollars and then get all of the best cornerbacks in the game. Look, pro players who make a career out of this spend money and earn it back in tournaments, sure.
But the thing about these pros is that they are so incredibly gifted that they can beat amateurs with teams that are complete rookies. Don't spend any money; if you do, spend it after it's obvious that you'll be winning lots of tournaments. Otherwise, it's just a waste.
11 Play With Friends
This is different advice than playing against friends. It can be informative to go head-to-head and then review what worked and what didn't. But it's actually better for beginners to play with their friends, even other beginners, because it teaches them to use teamwork.
A common strategy is to pick a team with two of the best defensive linemen. When both players try to get to the quarterback, the offensive line can't stop them all. And player-controlled characters are faster and stronger than AI-controlled units.
10 Use Every Play Five To Ten Times
Look, not every play in Madden's playbook is good. Some of them are atrocious, with players running routes that make no sense or defenses that leave multiple receivers uncovered. But the best way to tell is to try them out.
The game lists an average play yardage for both offensive and defensive plays. After getting ahold of a playbook for a certain team, try every play out five to ten times. After that, stick to the plays that have good average yardage and ditch the rest.
9 Pick Favorite Players And Positons
Don't feel pressured to pick a team with a high OVR just because they look good on paper. A team can look good in the regular NFL or be highly rated, but if they lack the strongest linebackers available, they might be giving up big yardage on every single down.
Look for a team that has strong players in positions that get used often. This is a great opportunity to use a favorite NFL player and turn them loose. These differences makers matter so much more than whoever the computer is controlling.
8 Level Up Between Games
Traditional RPG fans like to stock up on points and then invest them in big chunks. Since expensive moves are often the ones that have the most advantages, this makes sense for this style of game.
But Madden NFL 22 is different. Investing in skills or talents in between games gives the team/player more talent, which then makes it more likely they will get big stats and knock out their goals. This has a snowball effect, building up every game, and can even turn unexciting players into the best O-Linemen in the NFL.
7 Value Speed Above Everything
It'd be nice to tell players that they should build their players and teams however they want and it will all work out, but this just isn't the case. Think about this: A 99 OVR defensive corner who has a 70 in the Speed attribute will allow a touchdown on every play against a 70 OVR receiver who has a 99 in Speed.
There are a lot of different modes in the game, but velocity is critical in about all of them. Even a pocket passer should have a good amount of speed, or else their game is one-dimensional. Without the risk of running, everything falls apart.
6 Customize Audibles
This is a trick that will confuse even the game's best experts. During practice, when there is no time limit for choosing a play, select the audibles menu and then select four new audible plays in every formation. It's recommended to have two run and two pass plays.
Why is this so advantageous? Players who select recommended defenses will likely be in a good position to counter a run or pass. Additionally, these four plays should be comfortable to the player, allowing them to have a solid go-to when the defense makes them choose something else.
5 Abuse Mismatches
In the NFL, when a starting defensive player must leave the field, the offense tries to take advantage of the backup player whenever possible. It feels unsportsmanlike, perhaps, but that's the nature of the game and it teaches coaches a valuable lesson about having their backups prepared.
This situation works for the defense as well. Whenever a 75 OVR offensive lineman has to go against a 90+ OVR lineman, have that linebacker blitz every single time. Relentlessly. This forces opponents to double team or send help, which then helps the rest of the team get better matchups.
4 Play Smart
Nobody likes to punt. Everybody loves hail mary passes. Nobody wants to go into prevent defense when they're ahead. Everybody wants to take every kick out of the endzone. Madden NFL 22 might be a video game, but that doesn't mean it's a pure fantasy experience.
Do not think of punts as disappointments; these "conservative" plays are huge opportunities. Practice coffin kicks. This gives the defense a chance to get safeties. Making these smart plays gives players a better chance of winning, even if they aren't the maximum amount of fun.
3 Use Underneath Coverage
On defense, in most situations, underneath coverage is better than over-the-top coverage. The short-yard passes are annoying, tire out defenses with long drives, and set up receivers for yards after the catch. The default settings make it so these drag and slant routes are successful almost every time.
To get around this, call an audible on defense and ask that the defenders play "underneath." This is about 90% of the play calling online, so it forces opponents to throw deep and take riskier passes, which are easy to catch up with when selecting a cornerback after the throw.
2 Press Their Best Receiver
The AI is, frankly, terrible at stuffing receivers at the line and will frequently watch as a Pro Bowl wide receiver completely wastes them at the line and sprints by them for an easy touchdown. But as a human controlling the action, the story changes.
Manually engage in a block with the receiver at the line of scrimmage. Since the opponent will be controlling the quarterback, this AI-controlled receiver won't stand a chance and will be effectively deleted from the game. That makes man coverage safer since this one-on-one will be victorious for the defense every time.
1 Run With The Quarterback
The most talented gamers in Madden NFL 22 are so incredibly dominant that passing becomes a near impossibility. Short gains and runs have taken over as the preferred playstyle. But that does not mean that pass plays should never be called. It's quite the opposite.
Look at the field and try to find an open man. If everyone is well covered, that likely means there is a hole in the run game. Even non-mobile quarterbacks should take advantage of this. Elite runners can rip off twenty or so yards, but a slow QB can snag eight yards easily in these situations, which is more than acceptable.
Madden NFL 22 was released on August 17th, 2021, and is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.