When players start up a game, they may be surprised to find that they get to provide a focus for the team in Madden NFL 24. The first of these choices is the offense focus, letting the entire team know the general game plan. The consequences of selecting a focus are significant.
Teams with an offense focus in Madden NFL 24 receive some serious perks to their favorite style but they come with a price. Some of these disadvantages are bearable but others are genuinely problematic and can single-handedly ruin a game for an otherwise excellent team.
Good Offensive Focus Options
- Run Inside
- ++ Inside Run Blocking
- -- Outside Run Blocking
- Run Outside
- ++ Outside Run Blocking
- -- Inside Run Blocking
- Blitz Counter
- + Blocker Awareness vs Blitz
- + Double Moves vs Coverage
- - Defense Reaction vs Short Passes
When peeking at the best running backs, they usually either specialize in power running or elusive running. Since gamers will likely only be sending them on outside or inside runs anyhow, the upgrade to the blocking essentially becomes a free advantage with an easily-avoided downside.
Blitz Counter does make it tougher to throw short passes but the offset is appropriate. Opponents in the modern game almost always blitz their best linebackers. Being able to pick this up more easily will create more time in the pocket. Best of all, this makes for extra time so the medium and deep passing game will be easier to target.
Bad Offensive Focus Options
- Throw It Short
- + Short Route Running
- ++ Boost Double Move Fakeouts vs Coverage
- -- Pocket Degradation
- Throw It Medium
- + Medium Route Running
- + Catch-In-Traffic
- ++ Release Rating vs Man Press & Zone Chucks
- -- Defense Reaction vs Short Passes
- Throw It Deep
- + Deep Route Running
- + Spectacular Catch
- -- Defense Reaction vs Medium Passes
The three range throwing options are problematic because they write off entire chunks of the field. Throw It Short is the worst of these as pass blocking becomes non-existent. Even short passes need a little time to hit the best wide receivers in their full stride.
The other two provide some interesting bonuses to rare catches. The problem here is that counting on spectacular catches and catching in traffic are still bad things to count on that result in bad results more often than positive outcomes.
Madden NFL 24 will be released on August 18th, 2023 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.