v1.6a (25 December 2002)
No new information, but I've changed my legal info. I'm now carrying my guide
on my own website; you can find the URL at the bottom of the document.
+-------------------+
|+-----------------+|
||TABLE OF CONTENTS||
|+-----------------+|
+-------------------+
PART 1: INTRO
=============
1. Intro
2. Player Positions
3. Teams
PART 2: HEAD COACH
==================
4. Offense
a. Basic Theory
b. Advanced Theories
c. Beating the Blitz
d. Personal Faves
e. Going for Two
5. Defense
a. Basic Theory
b. Advanced Theories
c. Personal Faves
6. Special Teams
a. Kickoffs
b. Field Goals
c. Punts
d. When to Fake
7. The End Game
a. Offense, Leading
b. Defense, Leading
c. Offense, Trailing
d. Defense, Trailing
8. Challenging Plays
PART 3: GENERAL MANAGER
=======================
9. Signing
10. Re-signing
11. Trading
12. Scouting
13. Drafting
PART 4: OTHER MADDEN FEATURES
=============================
14. Create-a-playbook
a. Offensive Formations
b. Offensive Plays
c. Defense
d. Submitted Formations
15. Create-a-team
16. Create-a-player
17. Madden Cards
18. Export-a-team
PART 5: OTHER GAME MODES
========================
19. Mini-Camp
20. Online
21. Tournament
22. Two-minute Drill
23. Football 101
24. Practice
25. Situation
PART 6: PLAYERS AND TEAM RANKINGS
=================================
26. Top 15 Players by Position
27. Top 10 Teams by Category
PART 7: FAQ STUFF
=================
28. Version History
29. Copyright Info
30. Contact Info
======================================================
| PART 1: INTRO |
======================================================
This part of my FAQ holds my opening statement (like I'm on trial or
something), a list of all the positions of football, and a list of all the NFL
teams. The abbreviations will be listed for positions and teams, and I'll refer
to those abbreviations throughout the rest of the document.
Despite my promise on the last update of my Madden 2002 FAQ, I was not going to
do an FAQ on Madden 2003. I don't know, maybe it was laziness or FAQ burnout or
something, but I was real hesitant in doing it.
However, I've had a change of heart, and now I'm going to write this one. Now,
it's more of an update to my Madden 2002 FAQ than a brand spankin' new one, but
it's complete. I've added things that are new to the series, and I've expanded
the GM part and Challenging Plays section.
If a lot of this FAQ looks familiar, that's because... well, it is. A lot of
this is directly copied from my 2002 FAQ. As always, I make no apologies for
plagerizing myself.
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||2. PLAYER POSITIONS||
|+-------------------+|
+---------------------+
This section deals with what each player's position is, and what skills you
want to look for when you either sign or trade for that position. Also, I'll
only refer to the full name in this section... otherwise, throughout the FAQ
I'll be using the abbreviations.
OFFENSE
=======
Quarterback (QB) - This player is the leader of the offense. He's the first one
to touch the ball on any play. He'll either hand it off to a runningback, or
throw it downfield for a pass. A QB needs to have good Throwing Power (THP) and
Throwing Accuracy (THA) if you intend to use a lot of passing plays. If your QB
has high Speed (SPD), he can run the ball himself during plays that break down,
or simply to avoid getting sacked by the defense.
Halfback (HB) - This player is your main runner. He'll typically just take
handoffs and run downfield, although he may go out for some passing plays. He
needs high SPD, Acceleration (ACC), and Agility (AGI) of course, and a high
Carrying (CAR) so he doesn't drop the ball everytime he holds it. If you're
going to pass to him a lot, make sure he's got a decent Catching (CTH) stat.
Breaking Tackles (BTK) is very important too.
Fullback (FB) - This player typically blocks for the HB if you're doing a
running play, or he'll block for the QB on other plays. Sometimes he'll run
with the ball, and he seldom goes out for passes. Typical FBs will have decent
SPD, high Strength (STR), and good Run Blocking (RBK). Pass Blocking (PBK) is
important too, although it doesn't have to be as high. Unless you're going to
use him for running and passing plays, AGI, CAR, CTH, and ACC don't matter as
much. The HB and FB are collectively called the runningbacks.
Wide Reciever (WR) - Except for very specific plays, there's at least one of
these guys on the field, with up to five total. They're the ones who go deep
and catch passes. High SPD, ACC, AGI, and CTH are very important. CAR and BTK
are very close seconds.
Tight End (TE) - There's normally one of these on the field on each play,
sometimes two, ocassionally none. TEs typically block, although they can go out
for passes too. Because their primary job is blocking, try to get guys with
high STR, RBK, and PBK.
Center (C) - This guy is the one who gives the ball to the QB at the start of
every play. That's the only thing he does aside from block, though, so STR,
RBK, and PBK are the three big important stats.
Guards (LG and RG) - These two flank the C on the left and right. They only
block as well, so make sure they have STR, RBK, and PBK.
Offensive Tackles (LT and RT) - These two flank the LG and RG. Again, they only
block, so you know which three to pick. The C, Gs, and Ts are collectively
called the offensive line (OL).
DEFENSE
=======
*Note: All defensive players obviously need high Tackling (TAK).
Defensive Tackle (DT) - Depending on the formation, there will be either one or
two on the field. Except for very few plays, this player (or players) will try
to blast the QB of the opponent. STR is important, and AGI less so.
Defensive Ends (LE and RE) - These two will flank the DT, and also try to nail
the QB on every play. The DTs and DEs are collectively called the defensive
line (DL).
Middle Linebacker (MLB) - Depending on the formation, there will be one or two.
He stands right behind the front line of the defense, trying to block short
passes or tackle the runningbacks if they get past the front line. Jumping
(JMP) and SPD are important here.
Outside Linebackers (LOLB and ROLB) - They will stand a little ways from the
DEs. They are responsible for stopping the runningbacks if they try to run to
the sidelines, and they stop short passes from reaching the recievers. All the
linebackers blitz ocassionally (run right after the QB, ignoring everything
else), but the OLBs do so more. Therefore, they'll need decent JMP, SPD, ACC,
and AGI.
Cornerbacks (CB) - These guys stand near the sidelines at the edges of the
formation. They are responsible for deflecting passes thrown to the WRs. High
SPD, ACC, and JMP are very important.
Free Safety (FS) and Strong Safety (SS) - The safeties try to block long
passes, as well as tackle anyone who manages to get past the rest of the
defense. They'll typically pick up WRs that outran the CBs, or they'll
double-team WRs if they're not needed elsewhere. Safeties need high SPD, ACC,
and JMP.
SPECIAL TEAMS
=============
Kickers (K) and Punters (P) - The K kicks field goals and kickoffs, while the P
is only responsible for punts. In Madden, their exact position is pretty much
irrelevant; if you have either a good K or P, he can take the job of the other
one, too. Ks and Ps need high Kicking Power (KPW) and Kicking Accuracy (KAC),
naturally.
OTHERS
======
Third-Down Running Back (3DRB) - This is any of your other players, and it's
usually your first HB. The 3DRB typically has the best hands on the roster, so
if you do run on third down, there's less of a chance for a fumble.
Long Snapper (LS) - This is the C who snaps the ball to the QB when the QB is
at least a few steps back from him. It's typically your C, G, or T with the
best AWR.
Kickoff Specialist (KOS) - This player is the one who kicks the ball off at the
start of every drive. It's usually your first K.
By the way, if you ever get a safety scored against you, the kicker who does
the safety punt is, logically, your first P. Your KOS only does normal
kickoffs.
This section will list all the teams in the game alphabetically. I'll also list
the three-letter abbreviation for each, and a little bit of strategy for them
based on the default rosters.
Chicago Bears (CHI) - With Brian Urlacher leading the defense, Anthony Thomas a
strong HB, and Marty Booker and Marcus Robinson being decent WRs, the Bears are
a very balanced team. Their only glaring weakness is the Free Safety position,
so they'll give up a lot of deep passes thrown in that direction if their CBs
are burned.
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN) - Because of where I live, I'm supposed to like
them... but, I think they suck. Anyway, Corey Dillon is one of the best HBs in
the game, and Takeo Spikes is a phenomenal OLB. The Bengals have a lot of
quality players in other positions, though QB is not one of them. The OL is
weak, and with slow-ass Gus Frerotte as QB, there will be a ton of sacks all
over the place. Their DL is not that much better, and their CBs and safeties
absolutely blow. To win with CIN takes Dillon carrying the ball a million
times, which makes them very predictable.
Buffalo Bills (BUF) - BUF is... eh, okay. They're average at best, although
their DL absolutely blows. With Drew Bledsoe leading the offense, at least they
have a strong QB. Their P sucks, and their safeties will let a lot of deep ones
get by, so BUF can really only win if their offense is not having a bad day.
Denver Broncos (DEN) - Oh, if only Elway was back... but it's okay, because
Brian Griese is not THAT bad. Terrel Davis is the HB, which is not exactly
accurate for real life, but whatever. Davis is fantastic as an HB, and with Rod
Smith and Ed McCaffery going deep, DEN should be able to be a strong offensive
threat. Plus, Shannon Sharpe, the TE, is much better than just a blocker. He's
got the skills to catch all passes that come his way, so DEN has a *very*
balanced attack. It's too bad that their defense isn't as good, and with Izell
Reese and Kenoy Kennedy playing safeties, the defense will have to work
extra-hard not to give up big plays.
Cleveland Browns (CLE) - The other Ohio team is only marginally less crappy
than CIN. Tim Couch is young and good, and William Green is pretty good for a
rookie. CLE's OL is not the best thing in the world, but Couch's quick release
on his passes should prevent too many sacks. The only weak position on defense
is Devin Bush on Free Safety, but Robert Griffith on Strong Safety is
exceptional, so they may not give up too many big gains.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB) - The entire offense except for the WR Keyshawn
Johnson is only average. As such, TB may have a bit of trouble scoring, but
they're hardly hopeless, and the defense they're playing against cannot fall
asleep or they'll be beat. The DL is exceptional, but most of the LBs suck,
with exception of ROLB Derrick Brooks. The CBs are good, especially Ronde
Barber, and SS John Lynch can deflect most deep passes. Unfortunately, FS
Dexter Jackson is just not up to snuff.
Arizona Cardinals (ARI) - David Boston the WR and Freddie Jones the TE are
really the only ones on offense who are worth their paychecks. The OL isn't too
bad, and the RG Leonard Davis (who is 6'6" and 355 lbs.) is extremely good and
quite young. On defense, they really only have Duane Starks at CB and Kwamie
Lassiter at FS to do any real stopping when the enemy starts passing.
San Diego Chargers (SD) - Doug Flutie at QB is not entirely worthless, but he
has room for improvement. He can hand off to LaDainian Tomlinson though, and
trust that he'll get plenty of yards. The OL will have trouble protecting the
QB though, so SD may take a lot of sacks. SD's DL is pretty good, and their
OLBs are excellent with Donnie Edwards on the left and Junior Seau on the
right. Orlando Ruff and Carlos Polk are terrible MLBs, but at least they're
flanked by Edwards and Seau. The CBs are decent, but nothing to sneeze about.
SS Rodney Harrison is one of the best in that position, and so is P Darren
Bennett.
Kansas City Chiefs (KC) - With Priest Holmes and Tony Richardson the RBs, the
Chiefs can get a buttload of yards on the ground. Johnnie Morton is an option
for a deep pass, but the other WRs are merely average. Still, Tony Gonzalez the
TE is very good, so he can probably do a fine job as a reciever as well as a
blocker. With Willie Roaf at LT, Will Shields at RG, and John Tait at RT (a
combined 19'2" and 939 lbs.), the QB will probably not get sacked too many
times. On the flip side, the whole DL is pretty good and may record several
sacks themselves. The OLBs aren't that great, but Marvcus Patton at MLB is
pretty good. The CBs are average at best and the safeties are crappy, so they
may give up the passing game if the enemy has a good QB.
Indianapolis Colts (IND) - Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, and Marvin Harrison.
Need I say more? With a fantastic threat on the ground and air, IND can gather
yards on any play. Jim Finn the FB is one of the worst in that position,
though, so you may not want Finn to be the lead blocker for James. Adam Meadows
and Tarik Glenn, the Ts, are good, but the rest of the OL will let too many
defenders come through. IND's defense is almost non-existant, so they should be
scored on easily unless the coach gets extremely creative with his play
calling.
Dallas Cowboys (DAL) - Where's Troy Aikman when you need him? (Oh yeah, he
works for FOX.) At least Emmitt Smith is still around, but he's getting old and
he just doesn't have the same vigor that he used to. Larry Allen at LG and
Solomon Page at RT are pretty good offensive linesmen, but the rest are not
that great. On defense, the Cowboys have a good DL, but their LBs are only
average. Their CBs are below average, but safeties Roy Williams and Darren
Woodson are very good. K Tim Seder and P Micah Knorr leave much to be desired.
Miami Dolphins (MIA) - Ricky Williams is one of the best HBs in the game, and
he's young. WR Chris Chambers is good too, and should see more than his share
of passes. Unfortunately, the TE and OL won't give the QB too much protection.
Should they not be able to score, K Olindo Mare is very dependable and will
make most field goals that he attempts. On defense, the DL is merely average,
and the OLBs need serious help, though MLB Zach Thomas is one of the best
(despite having an EXTREMELY cheesy smile in his pic). CBs Sam Madison and
Patrick Surtain are EXTREMELY good, and with help from FS Brock Marion, the
Dolphins probably won't give up too many big plays.
Philadelphia Eagles (PHI) - Donovan McNabb is one of the best QBs in the
league, and he's still very young. Duce Staley is a great HB, and Cecil Martin
is an excellent FB. WR James Thrash can get it done. TE Chad Lewis is better
suited to going out for passes than blocking. Though LT Tra Thomas and RT Jon
Runyan are excellent in their positions, the middle three of the OL is far
worse. The DL is good, but a little weak on the left side. LOLB Carlos Emmons
is good though, but the MLB and ROLB need improvement. CBs Troy Vincent and
Bobby Taylor, FS Brian Dawkins, and SS Blaine Bishop will do excellent jobs in
blocking passes. K David Akers is well above average as well.
Atlanta Falcons (ATL) - Michael Vick is young and developing from a good QB to
a great one. Warrick Dunn will get plenty of yards on the ground. Bob Christian
the FB isn't the best blocker on the force, and he may be better suited for
short passes or quick runs up the middle. The WRs are average at best and the
OL needs help. Defense isn't much better, with only Keith Brooking at MLB and
Ray Buchanan at CB the only two who are worth their paychecks.
San Francisco 49ers (SF) - Though Steve Young is gone, Jeff Garcia is a more
than worthy replacement at QB, especially since he's pretty young. Garrison
Hearst and Fred Beasley are good RBs. Terrell Owens may be an ass personally,
but he gets the job done at WR. The OL will offer plenty of protection for the
offense. On defense, the DL, especially DT Bryant Young, is a threat. The LBs
are only average though, and only Ahmed Plummer is not a worthless CB. Safeties
Zack Bronson and Tony Parrish are going to be the ones who will have to stop
most passes, and luckily Parrish is up to the task.
New York Giants (NYG) - HB Tiki Barber is above average, and so is WR Amani
Toomer. The OL is likely to collapse though, so plays will have to happen
quickly to ensure scores. LE Michael Strahan is a major threat to opponents,
though the rest of his DL is strictly average. MLB Micheal Barrow is good at
MLB, and Jason Sehorn is an admirable CB with a good five seasons or so left in
him. Shaun Williams at SS will protect deep, as well. Too bad K Owen Pochman is
a very poor compliment to P Rodney Williams, or else the Giants would have some
good special teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX) - The Jags are the favorite team of one of my
friends. There's good reason too: QB Mark Brunell may be getting on in years,
but he's got talent coming out of both arms. He's not very fast though, so
he'll need to depend on his rather average OL to keep him from getting buried.
Fred Taylor at HB is good and can get plenty of yards on the ground, and WR
Jimmy Smith can get it done through the air. There is no defensive player worth
me typing his name, so the D will have to work hard to prevent scores. K Jaret
Holmes blows, but young P Chris Hanson is worth his salary.
New York Jets (NYJ) - Vinny Testaverde doesn't have too many years left, but
he's still got decent skills. Curtis Martin can get it done on the ground. FB
Richie Anderson is a great second option for rushes, but he can also go out for
passes unlike most FBs. The entire list of WRs is filled with only average
players, although I suppose Laveranues Coles is just a hair better. The entire
OL is good at protection (though LG Dave Szott is on the Injured Reserve for
the first season if you play with Pre-existing Injuries turned on). The Jets'
DL is very good, and their LBs boarder on great. The CBs are only average
though, and the safeties are below that, so they may get beat long and wide.
Detriot Lions (DET) - Most of the Lions' offense is average, though FB Cory
Schlesinger is decent. TE Mikael Ricks has the skill of wet fermented cheese,
and the OL will let in plenty of sacks. Although the DL is all right, the rest
of the defense blows. At least K Jason Janson and P John Jett are worth their
money.
Green Bay Packers (GB) - Excellent QB Brett Favre has a couple of years left,
and he's got plenty of arm power and accuracy to get the job done, although
he's not too swift and will get blasted without good protection. However, the
OL is only average at best, so Favre will need to make quick decisions. Ahman
Green is an excellent HB, but aside from Terry Glenn, the WRs are not as good.
William Henderson is a pretty good FB, balanced between blocking and carrying.
TE Bubba Franks is young but he's already shaping up to be a fantastic player.
If the drive goes to hell, the Packers can count on K Ryan Longwell to bail
them out. The DEs are very good, and the DTs are very bad. The LBs are average,
but CB Mike McKenzie can do his part to block passes. SS Darren Sharper can
assist McKenzie to block those deep ones, and FS LeRoy Butler can do a decent
job too.
Carolina Panthers (CAL) - They have cool jerseys, you never notice? Ahem.
Although most of the offense is average, WR Muhsin Muhammad and TE Wesley Walls
are both excellent receivers. LT Todd Steussie, C Jeff Mitchell, and RT Chris
Terry are pretty good, but LG Jamar Nesbit and RG Kevin Donnalley need
improvement. P Todd Sauerbrun can get it done if the drive breaks down, but K
John Kasay is barely average. Julius Peppers the LE may be a rookie, but he's
already got skills to take him far in the NFL. MLB Dan Morgan is above average,
but the rest of his defense is quite poor.
New England Patriots (NE) - The defending Super Bowl champions have QB Tom
Brady leading the pack. He's young but has good skills already. HB Antowain
Smith is very good on the ground, and Troy Brown and David Patten can get it
done through the air. The whole OL offers plenty of protection, but should they
fail, awesome K Adam Vinatieri can score points and P Ken Walter can send the
enemy a million yards back. The DL is strong, but the LBs are average at best.
CB Ty Law is excellent, and so is SS Lawyer Milloy, so there probably won't be
too many long plays given up.
Oakland Raiders (OAK) - The Raiders is a very old team. QB Rich Gannon can't
have too many years left, and neither can HB Charlie Garner and WRs Jerry Rice
and Tim Brown, but all four still have plenty of skills to get it done on
offense. Jon Ritchie is a young FB though, and he's got pretty good skills in
both blocking and catching. RT Lincoln Kennedy and C Barret Robbins are a force
on the OL, and LT Barry Sims is above average. LG Frank Middleton and RG Mo
Collins are average, making the whole OL quite effective. K Sebastian
Janikowski and P Shane Lechler are very good to compliment the offense. The DL
isn't very good, especially with RE Regan Upshaw on the IR. The OLBs are merely
okay, but MLB Greg Biekert is worth his salary. Young CB Charles Woodson is
fantastic; though he may not get too many picks, he'll rack up the tackles. FS
Rod Woodson is also very good at his position, though SS Johnnie Harris is a
waste.
Saint Louis Rams (STL) - Kurt Warner, Marsharll Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry
Holt on offense guarded by Orlando Pace, Tom Nutten, and Adam Timmerman. That
should tell you why the Rams' aggresive and fast-paced offense took them to the
Super Bowl last season. On defense though, don't forget about DEs Leonard
Little on the left and Grant Wistrom on the right. Aeneas Williams, Dexter
McCleon, and Dre' Bly are all above average or better CBs. Adam Archuleta is
great at SS, and Kim Herring is above average at FS. K Jeff Wilkins and P Mitch
Berger are great there too, so they round out the whole roster quite nicely.
Look for STL to go at least to the NFC championship game or further this year.
Baltimore Ravens (BAL) - They don't have Elvis Grbac anymore, and Jeff Blake is
only decent at QB. Luckily, they've got Jamal Lewis at HB to get the job done
on the ground. All the WRs and TEs are average at best. FB Alan Ricard is
worthless, along with LG Mike Flynn, C Casey Rabach, and RG Bennie Anderson. LT
Jonathan Ogden and RT Edwin Mulitalo are the only offensive linesment worth
their paychecks. Matt Stover is an excellent K who can pull the Ravens' butts
out of the fire if needbe. RE Michael McCrary is the only good player of the
DL. LOLB Peter Boulware is amazing, and MLB Ray Lewis is one of the best
players in the NFL of ANY POSITION. Unfortunately, their fellow LB Adalius
Thomas is a waste. CB Chris McAlister is young and one of the best at CB. The
other CBs and both safeties are below average.
Washington Redskins (WAS) - Until the Redskins get a good QB (and Shane
Matthews just does not cut it), they'll have a one-dimensional offense. It's
not like HB Stephen Davis is bad--he's actually quite good--but if they only
run the ball, the enemy defense will keep stopping them. It doesn't help that
the FB, TE, LG, and C are pathetic. At least LT Chris Samuels and RT Jon Jansen
are young and good, and RG Rod Jones is above average. The K and P are average,
but can do their jobs. The DL is average as well, but the LBs are exceptional
for some reason, with LOLB #57 (LaVar Arrington, who for some reason doesn't
have his name in the game) on the left, Jessie Armstead on the right, and
Jeremiah Trotter in the middle. CB Champ Bailey is incredible, and fellow CB
Darrell Green ain't bad either. Too bad the safeties both suck, or this would
be a pretty potent defense.
New Orleans Saints (NO) - QB Aaron Brooks is young and talented. He's not super
fast, but his speed is above average (especially for QBs), and he's very
accurate in his passes. HB Deuce McAllister can run it well, and WR Joe Horn is
always a good option to pass to. The only weakness on the OL is RG #65 (Chris
Naeole). The other four on the OL are Bubba Miller at C (average), Wally
Williams at LG (above average), Victor Riley at RT (above average), and Kyle
Turley at LT (extremely good), who won't be chucking Jets helmets across the
field in Madden. K John Carney can be depended on, and P Toby Gowin is not
worse than average. Defensively, the Saints are a mixed bag. The DL is pretty
good, with RE Darren Howard and DTs Grady Jackson and Norman Hand being pretty
good. The OLBs are weak, but MLB Charlie Clemons can make some plays. All the
CBs are average at best. So is the FS, but SS Sammy Knight is very very good.
Seattle Seahawks (SEA) - Trent Dilfer is a capable QB with quite a few years
left. He can feed passes to Darrell Jackson with faith, or he can handoff to
Shaun Alexander for big gains on the ground. Rookie TE Jerramy Stevens is okay,
but he'll get better with time. The left side of the OL, with Walter Jones at
LT and Steve Hutchinson at LG is quite strong. The other side of the OL is a
little weak though, so Dilfer may take bear left when in the pocket. The
offense will need to get it done, because K Rian Lindell needs a new job. At
least P Jeff Feagles isn't as bad, but punters don't score points. On
defensive, the Seahawks have marginal DEs, but John Randle is a fantastic DT.
All three linebackers are strong, with Anthony Simmons on the left, Chad Brown
on the right, and Levon Kirkland in the middle. CB Shawn Springs is excellent
and can keep up with even the fastest WRs. The other CBs and SS Reggie Tongue
are only average, but FS Marcus Robertson is worth his paycheck.
Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT) - This is my team. I even have my lucky Steelers cap
on my head as I write this FAQ. Gotta love the Steelers! WOO HOO! QB Kordell
Stewart has finally found his stride. He's light on his feet for a QB, so he
can make plenty of plays on his own. Jerome "The Bus" Bettis runs over every
defender in his way on the way to the endzone. His best strength is to just run
down the gullet of the defense, piercing the DL and blasting into the
secondary. FB Dan Kreider is a very good blocker, and he's quite young. WRs
Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress are young and well above average. Rookie WR
Antwaan Randle El is underrated, and with time he'll become one of the most
effective WRs in the NFL. Mark Bruener has five or more years left and is a
phenomonal TE, able to block as well as receive passes. With Wayne Gandy at LT,
Alan Franeca at LG, Jeff Hartings at C, RG #71 (possibly Kendall Simmons) at
RG, and Marvel Smith at RT, Stewart should not be on the wrong end of too many
sacks. New K Todd Peterson (new in the sense that PIT just got him this season)
is proving himself worthy, and P Jon Miller has already established himself as
one of the premier punters of the league. Defensively, the DL is formed by
strong LE Aaron Smith, big RE Kimo von Oelhoffen, and super-strong Casey
Hampton at DT. The fantastic LBs have Jason Gildon in left, Joey Porter in
right, and Kendrell Bell in the middle, who can all make big stops and big
plays. CBs Chad Scott, Dewayne Washington, and Deshea Townsend all excell in
their position. FS Brent Alexander is decent, but a little below average.
However, Lee (Lethon) Flowers at SS is more than fit for the position. Watch
for the Steelers to go to the AFC championship game or further this year. GO
STEELERS!
Houston Texans (HOU) - I hate the Texans. They haven't played a single real
game yet and I hate them. The name is an embarassment to those of us who are
even remotely creative. WHY THE "TEXANS"? Grr... luckily, because they're an
expansion team, you don't have to worry much about being a threat. David Carr
is their rookie QB, and he's average at best. The only other good thing about
their offense is their OL, because they've got fantastic Tony Boselli at LT,
above average Steve McKinney at C, and above average Ryan Young at RT. K Kris
Brown, let go by the Steelers after his hideous performance all last season, is
on the Texans and stinking up the place. Their P, John Baker, is even worse.
Defensively, the Texans only have four good players: Gary Walker, an
above-average RE; Jamie Sharper, a great MLB; and Aaron Glenn and Marcus
Coleman, both above-average CBs. The rest of their defense blows. Look for the
Texans to carpet the basement.
Oh, Mark Johnson (markjohnson46@cox.net) gave me a quick lesson on the Texans'
name...
The new team wanted to resume the name of the Oilers but Bud Adams, the owner
of the the Titans (formerly the Oilers), wouldn't release the name. As a result
Houston decided to take the name of the former Dallas Texans of the AFL. The
Dallas Texans had moved to Kansas City and renamed themselves the Chiefs.
Just thought you might like to know that it wasn't really a lack of creativity,
rather some inspired respect for the past.
Whether it's inspired respect or a lack of creativity, I still don't like it,
sue me. ^_^
Tennessee Titans (TEN) - QB Steve McNair has plenty of years left and is a
respectable player. Eddie George is a phenomonal HB and is even younger than
McNair. FB Greg Comella is more of a rusher and receiver than blocker, but he
does all three well. WRs Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson are good. TE Frank
Wycheck is more of a receiver than a blocker, but he offers enough protection.
LT Brad Hopkins and C Bruce Matthews are good. Fred Miller at RT is slightly
above average, and the others on the OL are mediocre at best. K Joe Nedney is
slightly below average, but P Craig Hentrich can get the job done. The DL is
good, especially with young Jevon Kearse at RE. MLB Randall Godfrey is very
good, and so is Samari Rolle at CB. FS Lance Schulters is extrememly good, but
his fellow safety Aric Morris leaves much to be desired.
Minnesota Vikings (MIN) - QB Daunte Culpepper is fantastic, not to mention
young. He can easily and accurately feed Randy Moss the WR. Derrick Alexander
is another option, thought his skill is nowhere near Moss's. The HB, Michael
Bennett, is okay, but he's young and can grow. TE Byron Chamberlain is very
balanced, and he can go out for passes as well as he can hang back to block.
The left side of the OL, with rookie Bryant McKinnie at LT and Chris Liwiensky
at LG, are average. C Matt Birk is excellent, but the right side blows. K Doug
Brien is below average, and P Kyle Richardson is average, so both are decently
reliable. The Vikings have a terrible defense, with their only good player the
DT Chris Hovan.
======================================================
| PART 2: HEAD COACH |
======================================================
This part of the FAQ contains information on actually playing the game. For
practice, access any of the training modes in the game, like Football 101 or
Mini-camp.
Even if you can't tell Marshall Faulk from Zach Thomas, or have no idea what
position Jerome Bettis plays, or what two teams actually share the same
stadium, you do know that it takes points to win a game. You can't score if you
don't hold the ball, and you can't score consistently if you make mistakes
every five seconds. While it takes a little practice to get down your style,
you should be racking up points in no time.
All right, when you're on offense, the basic question that poses you every
single down is: run or pass?
Now, let's assume for a second that all your guys are equal in strength. The
basic theory of which to choose is related to three questions: what down is it;
how far is it to get a first down; and what's the score.
WHAT DOWN IS IT - Running plays are far better to choose in early downs, mostly
because they are much safer. Because your QB is handing the ball DIRECTLY to
your runningbacks, there's no chance for a turnover unless your runner's
fingers are made of butter and he drops the ball every time. However, because
you probably won't get more than 3 to 5 yards per run, you'll need to pass if
the down count is getting too high.
HOW FAR IS IT TO GET A FIRST DOWN - If you ever need more than 10 yards, you'll
need to pass. Passing will oftentimes get you worlds more yardage than runs,
although throwing too deep too early will cause problems. The Pass Defense AI
is much stronger this year than in 2001 and 2002, and while it's not perfect,
you'll not want to risk giving up an early lead.
WHAT'S THE SCORE - If you're leading, don't bother with passing plays. After
all, there's no reason to risk the lead to get a few extra points. If you're
behind, you'll want to go deep, since that may be your only chance to get away
with a win.
Here's the basic theory list, assuming the score difference is 7 or fewer
points either way...
1st Down: Run.
2nd and less than 7 yards: Run.
2nd and more than 10: Pass.
3rd and less than 2: Run.
3rd and more than 5: Pass.
4th and less than 1: If you're feeling confident and you're past the 50 yard
line, try a run.
4th and anything else: Punt or Field Goal.
Notice that I didn't cover every single yardage situation. The reason is
simple: your team's strengths and weaknesses, as well as your personal playing
style, should dictate the list also. If you've got a fantastic runner like
Bettis, George, or Faulk, run more. If you have a good passer with good
recievers, like Culpepper/Moss or McNabb/Thrash, pass more.
WHEN TO PASS
============
On all passing plays, the WRs have definite routes that they run. If they cut
(quickly change directions) or curl (come back toward the line of scrimmage
after running a set distance), you'll want to time it so they they recieve the
pass as or soon after they make the move.
For example, let's take a play in which the WR cuts inside. The moment he
plants his foot and turns directions, the enemy defender is still going to be
travelling the same direction. The defender must REACT to the action, which
might buy that extra split second you'll need to hit your reciever when he's
free.
Another tip for passing to get your timing so you throw BETWEEN defenders. Take
a look at this...
R------------N----------->
X X
===========================
Q
R=Reciever
X=Defenders
Q=Quarterback
You'll want to throw the ball so your reciever will catch the ball at the N
mark. Now, you'll not want to throw when he's AT the N mark. You'll want to
throw the ball while he's a few steps away. Basically, you'll want to throw the
ball where the defender SHOULD be in two steps, not where he's currently at. If
your timing is good, you can make the play and burn the defense to get a few
extra yards. Practice your timing in Football 101, that's what it's there for.
RED ZONE
========
The "Red Zone" is the area between either 20-yard line and the closest goal
line. If you are inside either Red Zone, the strategy changes a bit.
First of all, if you're in your own Red Zone, you need to be careful. An
interception or fumble could quite easily turn into a defensive touchdown, even
if you're against a team with below-average defenders. Besides, even if you
manage to stop the enemy before they score, he'll be in a beautiful position
when they take over on offense.
Getting out of your Red Zone has two schools of thought. Some play as if their
tails are on fire, and they chuck the ball deep every time to get out quickly.
Others go the safe route and call runs, although they may be stopped soon.
I play a mix, and alter my play depending on the situation. If your team has
better running or passing, or the defense is weak against one or the other,
exploit it. Say you've got a phenomenal QB and WRs. Passing to get out is
probably your best bet. If you've got great blockers and runner, try a running
play designed to get you to the sidelines, then turn up and head downfield.
If you're in the enemy's Red Zone, it's a whole other ball of wax. 20 yards is
not too far from a touchdown, and you're definitely in field goal range. Again,
you'll want to exploit your team's strengths and the enemy's weaknesses, but
it's not nessecery to go insane with risks. I personally run my standard
offense until I hit about the 7 yard line.
The one problem with being in the enemy's Red Zone is that you can no longer
use really deep passes. Short and medium passes are typically what are blocked
unless your QB has a lightning-quick release (which is more up to how well you
play personally). On the other hand, the enemy may use their best DTs and DEs
to stuff the line and give little to no hope of running.
What I typically do when I get that close is run my best running play and see
how the defense reacts. If they blitzed, I throw a pass on the next down. If
they hung around looking for a pass, I run again. Typically, they will run
about the same play for the first two downs, then change for the third if they
think it will help them.
PLAY ACTION PASSES
==================
Play action passes are plays that have the QB pretend to hand the ball to a
runningback, but then he'll drop back to pass. If you use too many of these, or
you seldom call runs, the enemy will not be fooled. For example, I typically
run PA Passes on the second down about 3/4 of the way to the enemy's goal line.
Except for the hardest difficulty, the computer is pretty fair. If you
generally call running plays, then throw in a PA on the same downs, the
computer will generally go for it.
There's a science to using this play, though. The defense will only react to it
for a split second, and typically only the LBs are thrown off. After all, the
WRs and TEs will be running their routes, so the CBs and safeties won't be
distracted since they're only looking at the guys they're supposed to be
covering. Also, the fake handoff takes about a second or two, which is enough
time for a sack if enough of the enemy is blitzing.
Basically, you shouldn't run a PA unless you know exactly how it's going to go
and who you're going to throw to. I'm not saying you'll have to pass
immediately after the fake, but because the PA is nothing more than a deception
pass (and is therefore only as good as the deception itself), you'll need to
find a target quicker than a normal pass play.
Because the MLBs and OLBs react more to PA plays than anyone else, try to
choose one in which you'll pass to someone going in the middle.
QB SNEAKS
=========
A QB Sneak is when the QB takes the ball himself and runs it. This typically
won't get more than a few yards, but it could throw the entire defense into
confusion. There is only one "set" QB Sneak; it's under the Goal Line formation
of all the playbooks. However, that doesn't have to be the ONLY QB Sneak.
If you watch real NFL games, you'll notice that when severe pressure is applied
to the QB, sometimes he'll just give up trying to throw it and run. This works
VERY well in-game, although you're going to need a very speedy QB to pull it
off with any sort of sucess.
One of my favorite plays was to call a Hail Mary, which sends five WRs (and
therefore all the CBs and safeties and LBs after them) deep. With most the
defense 30 yards downfield, and the rest tangling with my front line, that gave
my QB the chance to just walk around the scuffle and haul butt downfield. The
defense covering my WRs would have to take the time to turn around, plus my WRs
would try to block them. Also, the front line of the defense would have trouble
breaking away from the front line of my offense. By the time all the defense
figured out what was going on, my QB was several yards downfield already and
still running. When it was executed correctly, I could get upwards of 20 yards.
This is a VERY dangerous play to try all the time, however. QBs tend to drop
the ball when they're hit, and you'll have to be slightly lucky to get a QB
with the SPD to pull this off right. Also, if only one CB or LB hung back to
watch my QB, I could not get more than a few yards. I only used it in times of
crisis, or when I needed to throw variety into things.
HURRY UP OFFENSE
================
At the end of each half, you should hurry to get your plays off. You may elect
to choose the same play and not enter a huddle by issuing a No Huddle command.
Once the play is done, hold Triangle, and everyone will reset to the line of
scrimmage with the same play chosen. You can call an audible there to mix up
your offense.
This has other uses than the end game, however. The defense gets tired faster
than the offense, and by continually hurrying the play, you can make them tire
out fast. This will lead to them being at quite a disadvantage by the time you
get to their Red Zone. This also disrupts the tempo of the game if you start it
during the second or third quarter, and you can severely throw off a human
opponent at the same time. While the computer doesn't get completely confused,
they tend to fall asleep on the first few plays if you run a Hurry Up Offense
at an unexpected time.
+---------------------+
|4c. Beating the Blitz|
+---------------------+
First, I would like to thank Juan Little (jlittle@numind.net) for inspiring me
to write this...
The blitz is definitely a threat. However, there are a few things you can do.
First of all, if the blitz always comes from the middle, and the CBs just cover
receivers, consider a sweep. If only the LBs are blitzing, you can actually run
AROUND them.
If the blitz comes from the sides, there are a few things you can do. If you
want to try your luck, you can try to run the other way from the blitz, but
it's a little hard to guess that (and the blitz could come from BOTH sides
anyway). Running up the middle is also risky all the time, blitz or not.
If the enemy blitzes from the sides, then, you'll need to use your receivers
creatively. If you insist on running, then use a man in motion and put him on
the side of the run (if you run right, move the left-most WR as far right as he
can go).
The other thing you can do is set your WRs to BLOCK. To do that, select the
play. Then, before the snap, hit Triangle, then the button of the receiver,
then R2 or L2. He won't be an eligible receiver for that play, but he might be
able to stop whoever is blitzing.
Remember the basic rule of fighting against the blitz: for every man blitzing,
that's one less they have in the backfield. If his CBs are blitzing, then your
WRs are openb for a SPLIT-SECOND after the play stars. If your enemy is
consistantly using blitzes, especially from the sides, try passing only a
moment after snapping. It's risky, but he may not expect it.
+------------------+
|4d. Personal Faves|
+------------------+
Because my team has an all-around running and passing offense, and because I
run about two-thirds of my plays as runs, I needed a playbook with mostly run
plays but a good selection of passing plays as well. I settled on Mike Martz's
Saint Louis Rams playbook. Here are my favorite plays from that playbook...
SPLIT BACKS-NORMAL > HB OFF TACKLE - This is a perfect play to establish the
running game early. My HB takes the ball on a handoff from the QB and runs
right. The FB gives him a lead block, and the TE and offensive line block any
oncoming traffic. The sole WR on that side helps out too. I can get about 4 to
8 yards on average.
WEAK I-NORMAL > FB POWER - When I only need a few yards, such as a
third-and-short situation, I go to this play. The FB takes the ball and pounds
it up the middle while the HB goes to the right, hopefully making some of the
defense watch him. While I never get more than 2 to 4 yards with this one,
sometimes that's all I need.
SINGLEBACK-SLOT STRONG > PA HB CURL - This is a basic Play Action Pass play.
The HB fakes the handoff, runs up the field five yards, then curls back toward
the line of scrimmage to get a pass. The reciever on the left side of the field
is mimicing those motions, although he curls back after about 15 yards. The TE
runs up a few yards then breaks diagonally to the left, and he's normally the
one I'll pass to. Meanwhile, I have another reciever who is hanging around near
the right sideline, and another who's going deep. That gives me two short, two
mid, and one deep options for my pass.
SPLIT BACKS-3 WR > FLATS - This play features both runningbacks going shallow
for short passes. Two of the WRs are also running short routes, though one is
going deep. I use this play if I only need about 4 or 5 yards.
SPLIT BACKS-NORMAL > POST CORNER - This play has the two WRs going deep, but
they cut twice in the process. If the defense is napping or playing a zone
defense, the second cut normally loses safeties and CBs. The FB goes shallow,
but I try not to pass to him unless I have no choice. The TE goes forward five
yards, then cuts right, giving another option for a short-yardage gain.
SINGLEBACK-EMPTY 5 WR > HAIL MARY - 4 WR and my HB line up, and they just run
deep. My HB is normally who I throw to, and I favor the right side over the
left since there are more recievers there. Of course, if everyone's covered and
no play is possible, I drop it and tell my QB to run.
+-----------------+
|4e. Going for Two|
+-----------------+
If you're behind by a large margin, you can elect to go for a two-point
conversion after a touchdown. That means you decide not to kick a field goal
and simply try to make a touchdown from the two-yard line. If you suceed, you
get two points instead of the usual one. It's risky, but sometimes it's the way
to go.
If you're ahead, don't bother. When you're in the lead, you'll want every point
you can get, so there's little reason to risk getting none in order to get one
measely additional point more than the sure thing of the one-point field goal.
If you're behind, again you'll need every point you can get, and again there's
little reason to risk it. The time to try it is in the fourth quarter, when
that one point can mean the difference between a win and a loss.
Some people like to try it when they're one point down. That means they will
either be ahead or behind after the play, taking a gamble either way. I
personally don't do this, and I prefer to send a game into overtime with a
field goal than to risk a two-point conversion, especially during the playoffs.
It's really up to you, and you may want to use them more if you think you can
get those two yards easily. Just remember, though, that you only get one
chance.
If you have to take your extra-point attempt farther away for some reason (say,
an offsides or delay of game penalty on the first attempt), don't bother trying
a two-point conversion. It's hard enough to get 2 yards downfield on one play,
it's even harder to get 7 yards or more.
Defense is somewhat harder, because the play is entirely controlled by the
offense. You have to react, and you'll need a little luck on your side as well.
However, once you have the basic formula down, you should do well.
The biggest thing you need to do, especially if you're actually playing one of
your defenders, is know what your player's responsibility is. Generally, you'll
not want to pull your DTs back to block passes, and you'll not want to bring in
your safeties to blitz (although there are plays written for those).
Beyond remembering what you're supposed to do, also know what you've been
ordered to do. The defensive plays are written so each player has their own
area or player to watch and defend. When a player steps away to help another
too early, it can result in problems.
For example, let's say that you're playing as your MLB. You see a WR burn your
CB, so you decide to go and help. That leaves the entire middle open, and if a
WR is running that way, he'll have an easy reception. You'll have to have the
mindset and will to keep your guys where they should be. After all, in this
example, one of your safeties should be picking up the stray WR. It's not the
job of MLBs to clean up trash.
Obviously, the DTs and DEs (along with anyone else who's blitzing) have easier
missions. Their jobs are to kill the QB with disregard for everything else. If
the play you picked assigns your guy to blitz, ignore all rules and tendancies
of where defenders are supposed to be. Yes, having your MLB blitz will leave
the middle open, but hopefully you'll get a sack before the QB can pass there.
You may be asking, "What's the difference between telling my guy to blitz and
picking a play that has him doing it? He's blitzing either way!"
There's a problem with going on your own. Plays in which non-linemen are
blitzing are DESIGNED to compliment the open area. For example, if you're
running a 3-4 formation, in which you have two MLBs, and one of those two
blitz, then the one who hangs back will take a half-step to the center as well,
trying to cover both areas.
You see, the "problem" is that the computer will control your other 10 guys as
the play dictates. So if you do something that the play did not intend to
happen, then your other guys won't try to help out with the open area. If you
take that MLB and have him blitz on a play that wasn't designed for him to, the
other MLB will not attempt to cover your guy's area until it's too late.
Once the ball has been thrown or handed off, it's a whole other story. The
moment you know that the enemy has thrown or handed off, your job, no matter
what your position, is to run over the ball carrier. It doesn't matter if
you're on the other side of the field, hold that sprint button down and get to
the ball.
To block passes, you'll have to first make sure you're between the ball and WR.
That seems obvious, but you have to realize that blocking passes is not the
only way to play defense. If you're ahead of the WR, you can wait until he
actually touches the ball before planting his face into the ground. That alone
may jar the ball loose, and even if it doesn't, it won't get them any
additional yardage.
Of course, blocking passes gives you a chance to intercept, and unless you're
one of the safeties, there is at least one man back to help you should
something go wrong. As the ball nears the target, simply hit the Triangle
button. Your player will try to catch it, although if he can't, he'll do his
best simply to knock it away.
To tackle a player, make sure you're close enough and jam the Square button.
Keep tapping it as you make contact to better you chances of taking him down.
Just remember not to blast the QB after he's passed, or the K or P after he's
kicked, or you'll get a penalty.
LINE SHIFTING
=============
Before the ball is snapped, you can shift your DL and LBs. Hitting R1 activates
an LB shift, and hitting L1 activated a DL shift. Hitting left or right makes
those people slide a few steps that direction. Hitting up makes them spread
out, and hitting down tightens them up. If you see a weakness in the offensive
line, or you see a strength of the offense that you need to block, shifting
your lines may make the difference between a 20 yard gain and a 5 yard loss.
You basically want to look for a situation in which the offense has more WRs on
one side than the other. You'll want to shift your LBs to the side that has
more WRs to cover them better, for example.
Note that you don't need to shift your lines as long as the number of recievers
match your CBs. For example, if there are 2 WRs on the left and none on the
right, your RCB will move over to the left before the play even starts. No line
shifting is necessary in that case.
DEFENSIVE COVERAGE
==================
Before the snap, you can perform a coverage audible to tell your secondary
where to go and how tight they should cover the WRs.
Bump & Run coverage (Triangle, Down) tells your men to jam the receivers at the
line and stick with them closer than jockstaps as they run down the field. This
prevents quick passes, and increases the liklihood of an interception. Also,
should the WR actually get the ball, he should be planted soon after it.
However, if the offense is using their WRs creatively, with odd cuts and the
like, your CBs will get burned easily.
If you use a lax coverage (Triange, Up), your men will hang about five to seven
yards away from the LOS. That way, they can read and react a little better,
which more or less defeats the weird cuts the offense may try. But, that leaves
you open to short passes, quick passes, and absolutely BURNS you with runs. If
you know that he'll do a pass (say, late in the game with you leading), it's
safe to do a lax coverage.
You can also hit Triangle, Right to rearrange your men a little better. For
example, safeties typically stay back behind the middle. However, if the
offense is running a Singleback/Empty 5 WR set, then hit Triangle, Right to
send your safeties to the sides, where they'll cover the receivers MUCH better.
Or, if they run a Pro Form and send one of the runningbacks left or right,
hitting the Triangle, Right combo sends the closest safety at him without
moving the other. Of course, this affects more than just the safeties.
Creatively using Line Shifting and special Defensive Converage, especially
together, gives your defenses a bit of a flavor that the offense may not
expect. Mix it up to keep them guessing.
PREVENTING A TD
===============
Sometimes, towards the end of the game, all you'll want to do is prevent a
touchdown. If there's only time for one more play, for example, and you're
ahead, running a standard defense is not necessary. Definitely put your
defensive players in a lax coverage. You should also manually take one player
back deep, and have him be the last line of defense. I'll go on more about that
in a later section.
+------------------+
|5c. Personal Faves|
+------------------+
There are now four playbooks. Although most have the same plays, there are a
few differences between them. I use the 3-4 playbook.
NICKEL > MAN LOCK - This play has the four defensive linemen charging forward.
The three CBs will tag and follow WRs. The MLBs will follow the runningbacks if
they go on passing routes, or they'll cover the middle area of the field. The
safeties go back toward the closest sidelines, preventing a Hail Mary or other
deep pass. This is a great balanced passing defense when you know that the
enemy will go to the air, but you're not sure where exactly the target will be.
3-4 > CB BLITZ - If you know that the enemy will run, this play will annihilate
them. The three defensive linemen charge the QB, and the CBs curl in from the
outside. With pressure from both sides, it's very hard to pull off a running
play against this defense, and offensive sweeps and tosses are most
susceptible. However, if the offense decides to pass, it leaves BOTH WRs open
for a very fast bullet.
3-4 > OLB BLITZ - This is a less risky version of CB Blitz, because the CBs
still cover the WRs, but with OLBs crashing the line, most runs will fail.
NICKEL > UNDER SMOKE - Both MLBs and one CB will blast through the line and try
to blast the QB and stuff the line in case they run up the middle. This defense
is weak against sweeps and shallow passes.
DIME > DOUBLE WIDE - Each of the CBs and the MLB will cover the five eligible
receivers. The safeties will cover the widest WRs.
DIME > UNDER MAN - Similar to Double Wide, but a little more variable. 4 CBs
cover four of the eligible receivers, and the safeties go deep. The MLB watches
the QB in case he takes off, but the MLB can also just cover the area against
short passes in the middle.
QUARTER > MAN LOCK - When you know that they're going to pass, like if it's 3rd
and long, you can't go wrong with this play. Each CB covers one of the eligible
receivers. The safeties go deep. The MLB watches the QB, but can break off like
Under Man.
QUARTER > 3 DEEP - Both safeties and the CB closest to the middle go back. Two
more CBs and the MLB cover zones about 7 yards wide. The end CBs cover the
areas they're standing in, preventing short passes. If the offense runs, you're
screwed. But if it's a shallow pass, though, you'll probably stop it.
GOAL LINE > SLANT STRONG - When you're within your own seven yard line, you'll
want to be very careful. If you make your defense too compact, you'll leave a
large open spot somewhere for a quick run or pass. If it's too sparse, then you
won't be able to help someone in time if they get into trouble. This play is a
healthy balance. Four defensive linemen charge the offense, making runs up the
middle nigh impossible. The men flanking them fall back and step to the
sidelines to deflect passes. Behind the front line is two men who can cover the
middle. On the sidelines are two CBs to stop quick passes, and to tag and
follow the WRs. This play is weak against a sweep.
+------------------+
|+----------------+|
||6. SPECIAL TEAMS||
|+----------------+|
+------------------+
Special teams are the guys who are on the field during any kind of kick.
They're comprised mostly of your best defenders, although the linesmen are
taken out of the equation due to their low speed.
+------------+
|6a. Kickoffs|
+------------+
Kickoffs usually feature your kicker on the 30 yard line. Kicking it out of
bounds will cause a penalty flag to fly, and the enemy gets the ball on their
own 40. If the kicking team kicks it into the endzone, the receiving team can
kneel, taking the ball on their own 20. Otherwise, once a member of the
receiving team gets it, everyone else will block while the ball carrier tries
to get as far downfield as he can.
The first goal of both teams rests on the 20 yard line of the receiving team.
If the receiver can get to his own 20 or farther, he "wins" the kickoff and
puts his team in a good position. If the kicking team stops the receiver before
his own 20, the receiver "loses" the kickoff, putting his team in a rather bad
position.
In the event of a safety, the scoring team will get the ball back. When this
happens, the kickoff is replaced with a safety punt by the kicking team's
punter. This kick will definitely not go as far, because the punter won't get a
running start. Safeties are bad for whoever is scored against for many reasons;
the nasty safety punt afterwards is part of it.
In a non-safety kickoff, you can attempt what's called an onside kick. Here's
the deal: technically, the moment the ball passes the kicking team's 40-yard
line, it's really anyone's to grab. So if you kick the ball at least 10 yards
and your guys get it, you get the ball back. This is what everyone does late in
the game if they're trailing.
This is EXTREMELY risky though. For example, if the ball goes less than 10
yards and one of your guys grab it, you get flagged for illegal procedure
(never mind that the ref doesn't say anything, that's what the penalty is
called). This is a five-yard penalty, but you can re-kick. If you mess up
again, the opponents will simply get the ball on your 40.
Also, if the opponents get the ball at all on an onside kick, they get to start
their drive from wherever they get it, whether it went 10 yards or not. That
means they can start on the edge (or closer) of field goal range... of course,
if you're attempting an onside kick, it's probably because you're extremely far
ahead or behind and can take the risk.
There's no easy way to perform the onside kick. 99 times out of 100, it will
fail. So, before attempting one, practice it to death in Practice Mode. That's
what the mode is there for anyway, and if there's any play that needs a
tremendous amount of practice, it's the onside kick.
+---------------+
|6b. Field Goals|
+---------------+
Field goals feature the kicker trying to boot the ball between the uprights
that lay against the endline of the endzone.
Before I go any further, I offer a quick explanation on how field goal
distances are calculated. The kicker is 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage,
and the uprights are 10 yards from the goal line (due to the endzone). So,
whenever field goal distances are calculated, take the yardage from the line of
scrimmage to the goal line and add 17. For example, if a team is on the 30 yard
line and attempts a kick, the kick is a 47-yard field goal attempt.
Field goal range is from around the enemy's 35 yard line to the goal line,
although 52 yards is stretching it. The safe distance is from the 20 yard line.
Despite the range, you can command your team to kick a field goal from anywhere
on the field if you so desire.
If the kick is made, the scoring team gets 3 points and kicks off to the
opponent. If the kick misses, the defense gets the ball where it was KICKED
(that is, 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage).
Patrick Lim (Neuropat@aol.com) has sent a way to block FGs, especially extra
points...
hey ive found a glitch i guess that almost guarantees a successful block
against field goal formation (field goals and extra pts which can REALLY be
useful). First of all, you must be in punt block, pull the guy that goes back
to recieve to the line of scrimage, line up DIRECTLY behind the guy on the ball
snapper...see the diagram below.... and HOLD down on the analog
stick....basically the only thing stopping him from running down and into the
other team member and getting an offsides call is this guy your lining up
behind... When the ball snaps, a guy off the kicking team will pull over to
block you, thus a man is free to break through the line and block the kick. It
is almost always the guy that is 2 or 3 men down (can't remember) but once you
get it, go into replay, look at his number (or name) and substitute him with
the fastest defensive player on your team, usually a safety or linebacker. It
works just about everytime, except when the cpu takes control and jumps into
the kicker......
Punting is the way to launch the ball downfield when it's fourth down and you
have no hope of getting a first. You should only punt when you're too far away
from the endzone to attempt a field goal.
Punts are done by the punter, who stands 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Unlike field goals, punt distances are determined by the line of scrimmage, not
the punter's location. So, if the line of scrimmage is on my own 30, and I
punted the ball to your 40, it would only be a 30-yard punt.
Because the punter stands 15 yards behind the line, he cannot give full power
to his punts if he's standing any closer. That means that if you're on offense,
and you haven't even gotten past your own 5-yard line, your punter will not be
at full strength. Of course, if you can't get past your own 5, you have more
problems than a weak punt.
If a punt goes out of bounds, then the receiving team gets the ball from where
it went out of bounds. This can work in favor of the kicking team; if you
manage to kick the ball out of bounds at the enemy's 1-yard line, then that's
where they have to start their drive.
Punts are subject to touchback rules if one is kicked into the endzone.
+----------------+
|6d. When to Fake|
+----------------+
You can call fake field goals and fake punts whenever you wish. The computer is
not stupid, but it doesn't cheat either. If it's conceivable that you would
make a play from a certain distance, they will set up to defend it, whether
you're faking or not. For example, if you select a fake field goal when you're
on your enemy's 20-yard line, they will probably defend against a field goal,
not knowing it's a fake. Of course, if you call a fake field goal from YOUR OWN
20-yard line, they'll know something is up.
Faking isn't that important, and it's certainly not needed if you're in the
lead. Also, if you're more than just a few yards away from getting a first
down, it's too risky to try it. I never call fakes if I'm more than 5 yards
out, and I seldom call fakes unless it's less than 2 to go.
You'll want to take your field position into consideration when you decide to
call a fake. If you're nearer to your own line than the enemy's, you shouldn't
fake. Screwing up would just put the enemy that much closer to getting a score.
Also, remember that your special teams are not supposed to be used on offense.
Your punters and kickers are worthless when it comes to passing, and you
probably won't have your best WRs there either. An effective fake field goal is
the run, in which the guy who's kneeling will take the ball and run to the
right immediately. It's not perfect, and will in fact fail most of the time,
but it's still not a bad option if you need it.
Punters are even worse, although an RB Direct Snap may be the solution. In that
play, the C simply snaps the ball to the runningback, and he tears up the line.
The man there is normally the FB though, and he may not have the speed to get
far enough for a first.
If you're far behind, don't bother faking, just run a normal play on fourth
down. You'll lose any element of surprise that you may have had, but at least
your normal offense is out there making the play instead of crappy kickers and
punters.
I'd say that the best time to fake would be if you're near the opponent's
40-yard line. That's a little too close to punt, and a little too far to kick a
field goal, so a fake punt may actually be a better option.
+-----------------+
|+---------------+|
||7. THE END GAME||
|+---------------+|
+-----------------+
Strategy is more important in the final 5 minutes of each half, and especially
more important in the final two minutes of the game, than in the rest of time.
Games have been won or lost depending on the coaches' decisions and the
players' mistakes during those critical seconds before the final gun.
If you are in the lead, then your mission is to burn time off the clock.
Timeouts only serve to freeze the clock, so don't bother calling any.
Remember that the clock only runs after a play if someone actually had control
of the ball before hand. That means that incomplete passes and runs out of
bounds will freeze the clock and buy the defense a few precious seconds.
In order to milk the clock, only call running plays that go in the opposite
direction of the hash marks, or go right up the middle. For example, if you're
on the left harsh mark, run right. If you're on the right, go left.
After a play is over, quickly select your next play, and just sit there on the
line of scrimmage until the play clock reads 1 second. Defensive offsides
penalties are your best friends, since those will run the clock and reset the
play clock in the process.
If the clock stops for some reason, such as a timeout or the two-minute
warning, just select the next play like normal. Remember, avoid passes unless
it's 3rd down and at least 5 to go. Of course, if you complete the pass, all
the better.
If it's 4th down, don't hesitate to kick. Kick a field goal only if you're SURE
you'll make it. Otherwise, punt as close to the enemy's goal line as you can.
In the special teams formation, you can select the QB Kneel play. In that play,
your QB will immediately take a knee when he gets the ball, resulting in a
2-yard loss, but it moves the clock along.
Here's how you can determine if you should kneel. If the enemy is out of
timeouts, multiply your remaining downs by 40, and compare the solution to the
remaining game time. Here's a little chart...
So, if there's less than two minutes left, and the defense has no timeouts, and
it's first down, you can just kneel to move the clock all the way to 0:00. If
you can't kneel the clock all the way out, just run running plays until you
can.
If you're winning by only 3 points in the 4th quarter, you're hardly out of the
woods. A field goal will send the game into overtime, and a touchdown will put
you down.
Opponents get desperate if they're losing as the clock runs out. They will try
mostly passing plays, and most of those will go medium or deep. Set up Dime and
Quarter defenses, which are designed to stop those range of passes. You need to
do your best to keep the enemy out of field goal range, which again is about to
the 35 yard line. If you fail in that, you need to be on the highest alert to
stop them from getting any farther.
If you're leading by more than 4 points, but less than 7, things get just a
smidge easier. With that difference, the enemy is forced to get a touchdown, so
they can't settle on a field goal. What that means is you simply have to stop
them before getting to the goal line, which you should be doing anyway. Just
remember that they'll go for yardage on their fourth down, and you'll have to
be ready for anything.
If you're up by at least 4 and there's only time for one more play, and the
enemy is a rather large distance away from the goal line, then you need to
invent your own defensive play. Go to Quarter, and pick the play called
Prevent. This sends all eight of the backs deep to prevent any touchdown, but
you can do two better. First, hit Triange, Up to send all your backs back in a
lax coverage. Second, take manual control of a guy and send him ALL THE WAY
BACK before the play comences. Leave him there; he's the absolute last line of
defense when the offense does their play. While this leaves an area or person
open to be hit with a pass, you can immediately rush whoever has the ball to
cream them to the showers. That one guy in the endzone serves as the mopup
crew, ready to floor whatever fool happens to try to score, no matter where on
the field they are.
Mistakes are bad, very bad. Chucking a ball into the hands of a defender will
seal your coffin, as will a fumble that turns to the guys in the other shirts.
You need to run plays that you're very comfortable with. Deep passes are
preferred, although running the same play over and over will fail eventually,
because the enemy will learn your actions. Running plays are dangerous, but
almost necessary when you get to the enemy's Red Zone.
Pick a play you're comfortable with and run it, issuing a No Huddle command
every time by holding Triangle after the play stops. Running out of bounds will
freeze the clock, so do that as often as you can. Even if you think you can
gain an extra yard or two by running forward, break to the sideline. You NEED
to save every precious second you can.
Call timeouts if you need to, but try not to unless you have no choice. If you
hold Square instead of Triangle after a play, your QB will spike the ball on
the next play, stopping the clock, although it will cost you a down. Still,
that's the only way to freeze the clock if you're out of timeouts.
Defensive penalties are your best friends. THE GAME CANNOT END ON A DEFENSIVE
PENALTY. If you throw the ball, and there's 0:00 on the clock, but the defense
gets called for pass interference, you'll get to run ANOTHER play. Also, you'll
get to run the point-after attempt after you score a touchdown, whether or not
there's time remaining on the clock.
Remember, you need to get your plays off as quickly as possible. The other
advantage to hurrying is that the defense will tire, and they may not even be
in a set position when you snap it. That will give you a slight advantage.
If all else is failing, use a Hail Mary. That play alone has saved my hide
many, many times.
Hoo boy. This is the worst situation to be in. The offense controls the clock,
and they will do so without mercy. They will only run running plays, so you can
set your defense accordingly. The only time they'll pass is during 3rd down if
they need yardage (although I've seen them pass on 2nd down before to throw me
off).
What you need here is an interception or fumble recovery. Try your hardest not
to cause a penalty, since that will keep the game clock running if it already
is, and reset the play clock either way.
This is the time to burn your timeouts if you have them. Use them whenever you
can, but remember that the two-minute warning will stop the clock as well. If
there's 2:01 left on the clock, don't bother calling a timeout since the clock
will freeze in only a play or less. Just keep those fingers crossed and pray
that luck is a lady this night.
Unlike in 2002, challenging plays is actually a HUGE part of the game. There
are bad calls every game or so, and you have to be ready to challenge!
To challenging a play, pause the game and select it from the menu. You cannot
challenge plays if the call results in a dead ball. For example, let's say
there's a play where you think it's a fumble, but it's called an incomplete
pass. You can't challenge it because the call results in a dead ball. Now, if
it happens the other way around, where it's a fumble but you think it's an
incomplete pass, THAT can be challenged.
You get two challenges per game, but if the game goes into overtime, you'll
lose all remaining challenges. Also, you cannot challenge a play within the
final two minutes of either half; however, the booth (the refs in the press box
in the stadium) can challenge any play within those last two minutes.
If you challenge something and you're wrong, not only will you waste that
challenge, but you'll lose a timeout. That's why you should only challenge if
you're totally sure. If you challenge and are right, you lose one challenge,
but you keep your timeouts and the play becomes the way it should be.
Also, you need to know when to challenge. For example, let's say you're on
offense, and you fumble, but you recover. Whether you fumbled or not, don't
challenge the fumble. There's no reason to, because since you recovered it,
challenging would not put yourself into any better of a position.
By the way, you cannot challenge penalties. You also cannot challenge a play
after accessing instant replay mode. That would be cheating!
I'm going to go over a couple rules of football here.
WHEN YOU'RE DOWN
A player is down when his knee, elbow, shoulder, or butt hit the grass. The
MOMENT he's down, the play dies, and the ball is spotted where he held it at
the time.
So, let's say there's a called fumble, but he dropped the ball AFTER his knee
touched the ground. If the offense challenges the play, the fumble will be
reversed, because the moment he was down, the play was really dead. That is,
you cannot fumble the ball if the play is already over.
Also, if you dive forward, you again won't be down until your knees or elbows
hit the ground. So, if you are at the five yard line, dive and land, and the
ball is at the three-yard line once you land, that should be the spot.
Sometimes the refs won't spot the ball correctly, which could affect whether
you get a first down. Challenge if you think the ball was spotted at the wrong
place.
CATCHES
In order for a catch to be complete, the receiver must catch the ball and have
BOTH FEET IN BOUNDS. The only exception is if he would have stayed in bounds,
but is pushed out. Under standard circumstances, if the receiver had a foot out
of bounds when he caught the ball, then it's no catch.
======================================================
| PART 3: GENERAL MANAGER |
======================================================
You may be the greatest coach in the universe, but if your team plays like
1st-grade girls, you won't be seeing too many Super Bowl rings. Luckily, not
only are you the coach, but you're also the General Manager, in charge of
players, their salaries, and their fates.
For this entire section, I'm going to assume you have the Salary Cap option set
to On. If not, you can pretty much ignore this, since you can make your team
into anything you want.
The Free Agent Pool may be what you need to round out your team. If you have a
particular weakness at one position, or you want a good backup for an already
strong position, you can sign someone to a yearly contract worth a particular
amount of money.
Most players want to be signed for only a few years, although the older players
want long-term contracts. Getting the perfect deal is easy, because the players
have infinite patience.
When you're first presented with the sign screen, the amount of money listed is
what the player wants. The secret is that he'll normally settle for a LOT less.
The first thing you should do is cut the money in half, then select the number
of years you want to hire him for, then submit the offer to him. Depending on
how many years he wants, he'll respond in different ways.
If he says that the years are right, but he wants more money, that's a good
thing. If he says that the whole deal stinks, then slowly adjust the years and
NOT the money. Basically, you want to establish how long he wants to play for
you.
Once you've got that figured, move the money offer up slowly. Work one tick at
a time. He'll accept the moment you get within the range, and he'll normally
make some comment about that he should have held out for more. He's now on your
team, for as cheap as you could get him, and for the number of years that you
set as well!
Don't worry about making any bad offers. They don't have attitudes, so you
don't have to worry about a player getting mad and just leaving your offer, no
matter how high, to go somewhere else.
You have the opportunity to re-sign your players to alter their contracts,
which is very important at the end of seasons. Players with zero years
remaining will be released to the Free Agent Pool if you don't resign them,
which is trouble if they're stars.
If you're dealing with an older player that's been in the league for awhile,
especially if he's carrying a high price tag, you may not want to sign him for
too many years. His skills may just decay for the rest of the time you've got
him, and his price will hurt your salary cap.
On the other hand, youngsters that have high skills need to be signed longer
than they want. If you have a star rookie, you may want to pay him an obscene
amount of money so he'll stick around for 7 years. Of course, the problem is if
he ends up sucking, you're stuck with a black hole of money.
Carefully weigh whether you need a player before paying him large sums for
long-term contracts. If he's failed to live up to your expectations, then
there's no shame in not re-signing him.
Players may hold out if they don't think you're paying them enough. While they
will remain on your roster, they will not play in any games until they get
however much they think they deserve.
If a player becomes dead weight, or another team got someone you wanted, you
may want to trade.
You can trade up to 3 players, 3 draft picks, or a combination to one other
team (no triangle trades here). The CPU values draft picks relatively highly,
so you can use those as bargaining chips to get what you want.
If your team is very old, you may want to save your draft picks or even trade
to get more to get youngsters. You can have up to 10 picks for the next draft,
and those can be distributed to any round however you see fit.
Players that are injured, players that are holding out, and players that have
zero years left on their contract cannot be traded.
Joe Fritz (s_tristero@hotmail.com) gave me a tip that I actually have always
used, but I never bothered to write it in my guide for whatever reason...
Early in the season the computer is silly about trading draft picks. Play
through week five and see who looks like they're going to have the worst year.
Then simply trade them pick for pick. If you trade around for picks you can put
yourself in a good position no matter how well you finish. I once traded picks
until I had two first, two second and two third round picks. I didn't have any
fourth through seventh rounders but who needs 'em. And they were from teams
like the lions.
I'll elaborate a bit on Joe's tip. The trading deadline is week 6, but you
can't trade if you've played a game that week. In other words, the moment ALL
games on week 5 are done (all user games are played and all CPU games are
simmed), you need to resolve your trades then.
Using Joe's (and my) tip, after week 5 is in the books, click Play Week from
the main Franchise menu, then hit Standings. Look at the team with worse
records; they're the ones who will probably have the best draft picks. Now, the
computer does not think that far ahead, so a team that's 0-5 will value its
draft picks just as much as a team that's 5-0.
The theory is that if you know you'll do reasonably well that season, try to
trade your picks so you end up trading up. If you are lucky enough to get the
worst team's picks, that means you'll have really GOOD picks at the end of the
season.
During the draft, you will not be able to see the actual attributes of the
rookies. So, what you have to do is scout up to 15 players. Once they are
scouted, you'll get a scouting note that reveals a few of the stats.
Example: the scouting note may read, "He does his best to stay healthy." That
means his INJ rating is really high, and he stays uninjured most of the time.
There are three scouting rounds. If you scout a player for only one round, you
get one scouting note. If you get scount the same player a second time, you get
three notes. If you scout a player through all three rounds, then you get five
notes.
Don't just scout guys who are projected to go in the first round or two. You'll
have to draft (and therefore should scout) guys who are projected to go late.
At the end of each season in Franchise Mode, you get to draft rookies from the
colleges around the country. When you draft, you need to keep several things in
mind.
First of all, you'll want to make sure that you're not drafting for a position
that you know is already filled. If you're the Bengals, there's no reason to
get a HB since you've already got Dillon.
Drafting is more or less like signing a free agent. You want to compliment your
team's strengths by filling holes in its weaknesses, or at least get backups
for your players that are already established.
The draft order is determined by your position in the previous season. The
Super Bowl winner will pick last, with the Super Bowl loser picking just before
them. The worst team will pick first, and the records determine most of the
other picks. Of course, you can trade up; I once won the Super Bowl, but traded
a bunch of picks and players and eventually got first pick.
You have to pick on each round, but you don't have to SIGN anybody. Once you
make all your picks, you can sign whoever you want. You can sign them all, or
none, or whatever combination you feel you need to. Like signing free agents,
you can slowly manipulate your target to get the best deal possible.
======================================================
| PART 4: OTHER MADDEN FEATURES |
======================================================
There are a million things you can do aside from just straight-up playing
football.
Several games on several systems have had modes to let you create plays, like
Troy Aikman Football on the SNES (anyone remember that game?). This, however,
is the richest play creator in the business, especially considering the fact
that you can make your own formations!
There are a few things you have to remember if you're making an offensive
formation. The QB has to be behind the center, and any RBs you have have to be
BEHIND the QB. Take a look at this example...
O=OL
Q=QB
R=RB
OOOOO
Q
R
*correct*
OOOOO
Q
R
*correct*
OOOOO
Q
R
*correct*
OOOOO
R
Q
*wrong*
OOOOO
QR
*wrong*
You never HAVE to have runningbacks at all. Don't forget about the two real
formations called Singleback-5WR and Shoutgun-5 WR, where there is no RB at
all. Of course, if you choose to do that, then you can only make passes for the
formation. That's not bad if you've got the Steelers or Vikings, but it may not
be so hot with the Texans or Browns.
You can have as many WRs, TEs, and RBs as you want so long as the total is
five. Although most formations feature two RBs or less, you can make formations
with three. Here's one I made...
W=WR
Q=QB
O=OL
R=RB
W OOOOO W
Q
RRR
The final restriction on offensive formations is that there must be seven (no
more, no less) people on the line of scrimmage. Now, since you already have
your offensive line and they're unmoveable, you just need two more. You can use
two TEs, two WRs, or one of each. Any other TEs and WRs on the play need to be
at least one tile from the top. The game will tell you that you made an invalid
formation if you make a mistake.
Also, the two guys aside from the OL have to be balanced on the sides. That is,
you have to have one TE or WR on the line on the left, and one TE or WR on the
line on the right. You can't both players on one side or the other. You CAN
have different positions, so like you could have a TE on the right and a WR on
the left, but they both have to be on the line.
Here's a sample list of some formations I made.
Q=QB
H=HB
F=FB
W=WR
T=TE
O=OL
W OOOOO W
W W
Q
H
(Name: Four Up)
TOOOOOT
W W Q
H
(Name: Lean Left)
TOOOOOT
Q W W
H
(Name: Lean Right)
W OOOOO W
QF W
H
(Name: RB Flankers. If you notice, the FB is ineligible for rushes; that's not
a mistake, I intentionally desgined it that way.)
W OOOOO W
W W W
Q
(Name: Shotgun Spread)
TOOOOOT
Q W
F
H
(Name: Tight Strong)
TOOOOOT
Q W
F
H
(Name: Tight Weak)
W OOOOO W
Q
HFH
(Name: Trio Left)
W OOOOO W
Q
HFH
(Name: Trio Right)
Kristofor Newman (newman@glasscity.net) gave me a crapload of info for this
section. Among other things, he's mentioned how to actually take a created
formation and just alter it to a better version...
I noticed the other day that you can modify an existing formation. It seems
that when you do this, all the pre-created plays in that formation remain (but
with the players in different positions)...
The rest of that first e-mail is pointless, because he sent a follow-up e-mail
which gives a VERY informative piece of info. Check out the next subsection.
There is no good or bad formation. Success is based on how creative the plays
those formations have are.
Madden 2003 gives you the power to make your own receiver routes. Just don't go
too nutty if you do, because though you may throw off the defense, you may
throw off your pass as well. Also, remember that you don't have too long in the
pocket when you pass, so if you run an extremely complex play, it may not get
done before your QB gets blasted. And trust me, that's never a good thing.
You can also set up runs, but you have a little less control over the
intricacies for a reason. Just like real NFL plays, the moment the HB has the
ball, all plans go out the window. A play may start with, "Run left and the QB
will toss you the ball." That's fine, but the second the HB has run left and
has control of the ball, he needs to go and do whatever is needed to score.
Typically when you make a run play, you'll need a lead blocker, which is
normally the job of the FB. You can also tell your WRs and TEs to block, and
you can send your OL one way or another if you're running a sweep.
Previously, I stated that it is impossible to create trick plays like draws,
reverses, and play actions. However, Kristofor Newman (newman@glasscity.net)
has said a way to do it!
I created a "new" formation by taking an existing formation and moving people
around. As it turns out, any plays that you have already included in the
formation prior to modifying it remain, as do the "routes" that all players
follow. Using this property, it is possible to have Delays and Play Action
passes in a user-created formation. In addition, you can put players in motion
(even in brand-new plays, not just in modified existing ones) but some strange
things can happen. In one instance I had two WR's going in motion at the same
time from left to right (an obvious glitch, not to mention an Illegal Procedure
even though you won't get flagged). There's definitely some room for abuse here
by unscrupulous players.
Defensive plays are a little trickier, because as you know, they can only
react, they can't control where the offense goes. As such, making formations
and plays becomes less detailed.
A good defensive play is one where either all receivers are covered or all
probable zones they will pass to are covered. A good run defense play is one
where your DL plugs all holes and your CBs prevent sweeps.
But, of course, you don't know what the enemy is going to do play to play. They
may surprise you with a Hail Mary on first down or run it when it's 4th and 15.
As such, you need to make most of your defensive plays at least moderately
balanced.
Unlike the offense, there are no restrictions to your formations.
You can build a team from ground up, choosing their uniform style and colors,
as well as a logo. You can customize a stadium and choose to play on turf or
grass and adjust the seating capacity as well.
Let me say upfront that the stadium changes you do are strictly cosmetic.
Players get no more injured on turf than they do on grass unlike real life, and
the stadium capacity won't affect the in-game graphics or crowd noise. But,
this way you can keep current on changes if you own the game that long.
Also, you can import your team into any mode you desire. You could, say, make
16 fantasy teams and shove them into your own tournament for ultimate
customization. You can also import your new team into Franchise Mode and have
them replace any of the real teams. For example, because I hate the Houston
Texans, I creacted the Houston Phoenixes and put them in. Damn, I hate the
Texans.
Created teams borrow rosters from real teams. You can set what roster your team
is borrowing from, although you can change it anytime. If you import a team
into franchise mode, your team basically takes the place of another, keeping
the players. For example, if you have the Colombus Comets take the place of the
Washington Redskins, the Comets will keep all the Redskins' players, as if
Washington simply moved. Of course, once you're in the season or franchise, you
can trade and such to your heart's content.
Ever wanted to be an NFL quarterback? Now you can.
Back from last year's version (and a million other versions for that matter) is
Create-a-player. There's a few new equipment pieces you can select, but that's
not the new big draw. Now, despite whatever your player's weight and height and
all that is, you can adjust the attributes to any level. So, you can have a
415-pounder able to run the 40 in 3.5. Or, you can have a skinny little 5'6"
160 lbs. guy able to pick up and throw those cornerbacks and linemen.
Just remember that the more your stats are, the higher their salary. Of course,
if you're a wuss and play without the salary cap, that doesn't matter.
Returning from last year's edition, the Madden Challenge awards you tokens for
reaching milestones in the game, such as 3 sacks by one player, or kicking a
50+ yard field goal.
For every 100 tokens you get, you can buy a pack of Madden Cards. Each pack
contains 15 cards, and range from current players to cheerleaders.
You can activate most of the cards during a game. Some boost the stats of
players, while others let you "cheat" by fudging the rules a bit. For example,
there's a card called 5th Down, which allows you to have an extra down on a
play.
Some cards are automatic, such as the stadium cards, which unlock old stadiums
like the Pittsburgh Steelers' old turf bowl. Others need to be activated, such
as the historic player cards, which put an old vet into the Free Agent Pool.
Part of the fun of the game is collecting all the cards in their gold format,
although, just like real life cards, you may have to buy 100 packs before you
get that one last card.
Cards can be traded between users as well, in case you have friends that play
Madden and want to help each other complete your collections.
Some cards are locked until you get gold on drills in Mini-camp. Others are
locked unless you own other EA Sports games. I hate it when games do that... I
mean, I understand locking cards until you complete challenges, that's what
video games are all about, but why lock cards unless you have other games?
Sheesh.
I've had a few questions about how to get the cards that are locked unless you
have other games, so I'll answer it here. From what I can tell, you have to
have the 2003 version of games. I tested it over the last weekend with NASCAR
Thunder 2002, and it failed. That means, among other things, that you can't
possibly unlock all the cards yet.
Once you get/rent those games though, I think all you have to do is get the
settings file on the same memory card as your Madden file. Then, once your
Madden game loads, it'll check the memory card for settings files for the other
games, and if you have them, boom, the card is unlocked.
For the first time in the series, you can take a USER-CONTROLLED team from
Franchise Mode and export it to your memory card. Then you can use that team in
other modes, like Practice and Tournament. This is a great idea... see, I'm
anal enough to practice with my team between seasons (especially now that I've
lost the Super Bowl to the Eagles. Damn, I hate the Eagles.). The option is
under Features in the Franchise menu. You can't really export CPU teams to a
card, but if you wanted to, you could simply add enough users and put them in
control.
======================================================
| PART 5: OTHER GAME MODES |
======================================================
In addition to the basic Exhibition Game and my favorite Franchise Mode, there
are several other ways for you to play.
If there was only one change from last year's version, this would have been my
second choice after the new scouting engine.
In Mini-Camp, you compete in eight drills ranging from pocket passing to pass
coverage. If you do well, you'll get a trophy, and you'll unlock a game
situation. If you manage to get a gold trophy, you'll unlock and win a cheat
card. If you beat the game situation, you'll unlock and win a cheerleader/pump
up the crowd card (and I love those cheerleader cards).
Trust me, you should spend some time here. You'll REALLY improve your in-game
skills. For example, I always play MLB, but I could never deflect passes. I
practiced that drill for about an hour and a half straight, and once I got in
game, I was able to read receivers and intercept passes with more ease.
I still need practice in several areas, especially because I lost my second
Franchise Super Bowl to the Eagles (damn, I hate the Eagles), and I'm going to
be staying in Mini-Camp for a LONG time.
With the right stuff for your PlayStation 2, you can take your Madden skills
online and challenge other players across the country.
I haven't tried it myself (don't have the network adapter, and don't really
want one), so I'm depending on you readers to get me a report. If you do,
you'll be properly credited as always.
My first note come from guhoya323 (guhoya323@netscape.net) who reports that you
can download new roster files almost every day. That's certainly worth the
price of admission if you're a purist who constantly updates his roster with
the real one. It's far easier this way than to deal with it manually.
You can select 4, 8, or 16 teams to participate in a tournament ladder. The
games can either be single- or double-elimination. You can also accept an
option to conduct a fantasy draft prior to the tournament, the draft composed
of all the players in the league.
This is perhaps one of the most fun modes in the game. You select a team for
yourself and a team for your oppoents. You then have two minutes to score as
many points as you can. You can earn tokens to buy cards, and you have a
numerical score that you can enter into memory. Challenge your friends! (Yeesh,
I sound like a commercial.)
+------------------+
|+----------------+|
||23. FOOTBALL 101||
|+----------------+|
+------------------+
This is a fancy name for Training Mode from last year. John Madden will be the
annoying man who teaches you timing and such on offensive plays. Football 101
does not cover defense, which is fine, because Madden's voice is so repetative
and irritating in these voice overs that I wanted him to shut up as soon as
possible.
This mode also allows you to earn tokens for cards.
You can select one team and run any offensive, defensive, or special teams play
as many times and from anywhere on the field that you want. This is a perfect
place to go to learn the ropes and timing of plays, especially when you switch
playbooks.
You select two teams and a situation for the game to be in. You can recreate
famous drives from the past, like the New England Patriots' game-winning final
drive in last season's Super Bowl. As the Rams, can you stop them this time, or
will reality repeat itself?
You can also set up a standard game but handicap one player by spotting his
opponent a touchdown or two. The possibilities are endless.
======================================================
| PART 6: PLAYER AND TEAM RANKINGS |
======================================================
This section will list the top 15 players by position, ranked by the overall
statistic. Also, it will list the top 10 teams by category. Please note that
all these rankings are based on the default rosters that shipped with the CD.
If a player is marked with an asterisk, that means he's on the Injured Reserve,
which means he can't play that first season in Franchise. Of course, if you
turn off Pre-Existing Injuries, it doesn't really matter.
+--------------------------------+
|+------------------------------+|
||26. TOP 15 PLAYERS BY POSITION||
|+------------------------------+|
+--------------------------------+
+------------+
|Any Position|
+------------+
1. (99) Ray Lewis (MLB, BAL)
Marshall Faulk (HB, STL)
Michael Strahan (LE, NYG)
Larry Allen (LG, DAL)
Warren Sapp (DT, TB)
6. (98) Randy Moss (WR, MIN)
Jonathan Ogden (LT, BAL)
Orlando Pace (LT, STL)
Terrell Owens (WR, SF)
Brian Dawkins (FS, PHI)
Sam Madison (CB, MIA)
Junior Seau (ROLB, SD)
13. (97) Matt Stover (K, BAL)
Kurt Warner (QB, STL)
Aeneas Williams (CB, STL)
+------------+
|Quarterbacks|
+------------+
1. (97) Kurt Warner (STL)
Brett Favre (GB)
3. (92) Jeff Garcia (SF)
Donovan McNabb (PHI)
Peyton Manning (IND)
6. (91) Rich Gannon (OAK)
7. (89) Daunte Culpepper (MIN)
8. (86) Mark Brunell (JAX)
9. (84) Aaron Brooks (NO)
Tom Brady (NE)
11. (83) Steve McNair (TEN)
Drew Bledsoe (BUF)
13. (82) Kordell Stewart (PIT)
14. (81) Tim Couch (CLE)
15. (80) Trent Dilfer (SEA)
+---------+
|Halfbacks|
+---------+
1. (99) Marshall Faulk (STL)
2. (93) Curtis Martin (NYJ)
Edgerrin James (IND)
Corey Dillon (CIN)
5. (92) Ahman Green (GB)
6. (90) Ricky Williams (MIA)
7. (89) Eddie George (TEN)
Shaun Alexander (SEA)
9. (88) Jerome Bettis (PIT)
Priest Holmes (KC)
11. (87) Stephen Davis (WAS)
Fred Taylor (JAX)
13. (86) LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)
14. (85) Garrison Hearst (SF)
Terrell Davis (DEN)
+---------+
|Fullbacks|
+---------+
1. (93) Larry Centers (BUF)
2. (90) Tony Richardson (KC)
3. (89) Lorenzo Neal (CIN)
4. (87) Richie Anderson (NYJ)
5. (86) Bob Christian (ATL)
6. (85) Cory Schlesinger (DET)
7. (84) William Henderson (GB)
Cecil Martin (PHI)
9. (82) Greg Comella (TEN)
Jon Ritchie (OAK)
Fred Beasley (SF)
12. (81) Rob Konrad (MIA)
13. (79) James Hodgins (STL)
14. (78) Marc Edwards (NE)
15. (77) Zack Crockett (OAK)
1. (98) Randy Moss (MIN)
Terrell Owens (SF)
3. (97) Marvin Harrison (IND)
4. (95) Rod Smith (DEN)
5. (93) Jimmy Smith (JAX)
6. (92) Torry Holt (STL)
Isaac Bruce (STL)
Keyshawn Johnson (TB)
9. (91) David Boston (ARI)
10. (90) Tim Brown (OAK)
11. (89) Troy Brown (NE)
Eric Moulds (BUF)
13. (88) Joe Horn (NO)
14. (85) Hines Ward (PIT)
Muhsin Muhammad (CAR)
+----------+
|Tight Ends|
+----------+
1. (97) Tony Gonzalez (KC)
2. (92) Shannon Sharpe (DEN)
3. (89) Frank Wycheck (TEN)
4. (87) Marcus Pollard (IND)
5. (85) Wesley Walls (CAR)
Chad Lewis (PHI)
7. (84) Freddie Jones (ARI)
8. (83) Bubba Franks (GB)
9. (81) Mark Bruener (PIT)
10. (80) Byron Chamberlain (MIN)
Anthony Becht (NYJ)
Dwayne Carswell (DEN)
Desmond Clark (DEN)
14. (79) David Sloan (NO)
15. (78) Todd Heap (BAL)
+------------+
|Left Tackles|
+------------+
1. (98) Jonathan Ogden (BAL)
Orlando Pace (STL)
3. (94) Tony Boselli (HOU)
4. (92) Walter Jones (SEA)
Tra Thomas (PHI)
6. (91) Kyle Turley (NO)
Tarik Glenn (IND)
8. (90) Chris Samuels (WAS)
Jason Fabini (NYJ)
Willie Roaf (KC)
11. (87) Wayne Gandy (PIT)
Derrick Deese (SF)
Bob Whitfield (ATL)
14. (85) Brad Hopkins (TEN)
15. (83) Todd Steussie (CAR)
+-----------+
|Left Guards|
+-----------+
1. (99) Larry Allen (DAL)
2. (96) Ruben Brown (BUF)
3. (93) Alan Faneca (PIT)
4. (87) Pete Kendall (ARI)
5. (85) Dave Fiore (SF)
6. (84) Wally Williams (NO)
Mark Dixon (MIA)
8. (83) Kerry Jenkins (TB)
9. (82) Steve Hutchinson (SEA)
Dave Szott (NYJ)*
11. (81) Tom Nutten (STL)
12. (80) Mike Compton (NE)
13. (79) Rex Tucker (CHI)
14. (77) Brian Waters (KC)
Matt O'Dwyer (CHI)
+-------+
|Centers|
+-------+
1. (97) Kevin Mawae (NYJ)
2. (95) Tom Nalen (DEN)
3. (94) Olin Kreutz (CHI)
4. (93) Matt Birk (MIN)
5. (92) Damien Woody (NE)
6. (87) Bruce Matthews (TEN)
Jeff Hartings (PIT)
Barret Robbins (OAK)
9. (86) Jeff Christy (TB)
10. (85) Steve McKinney (HOU)
11. (84) Jeff Mitchell (CAR)
Jeremy Newberry (SF)
13. (80) Tim Ruddy (MIA)
14. (78) Casey Wiegmann (KC)
Mike Gruttadauria (ARI)
+------------+
|Right Guards|
+------------+
1. (97) Will Shields (KC)
2. (95) Dan Neil (DEN)
3. (94) Adam Timmerman (STL)
Ron Stone (SF)
5. (90) Leonard Davis (ARI)
6. (86) Randy Thomas (NYJ)
7. (83) Rod Jones (WAS)
8. (82) Marco Rivera (GB)
9. (81) Chris Villarrial (CHI)
10. (80) Leon Searcy (MIA)
11. (79) Chris Naeole (JAX)
12. (78) Tre' Johnson (CLE)
13. (77) Rich Tylski (NE)
14. (76) Joseph Andruzzi (NE)
15. (74) Mo Collins (OAK)
+-------------+
|Right Tackles|
+-------------+
1. (95) Lincoln Kennedy (OAK)
2. (90) Adam Meadows (IND)
3. (89) Jon Jansen (WAS)
James Williams (CHI)
5. (88) Willie Anderson (CIN)
6. (87) Jon Runyan (PHI)
7. (86) John Tait (KC)
8. (85) Victor Riley (NO)
9. (83) Edwin Mulitalo (BAL)
10. (82) Marvel Smith (PIT)
Solomon Page (DAL)
12. (81) Ryan Young (HOU)
Scott Gragg (SF)
14. (80) Luke Petitgout (NYG)
Mike Williams (BUF)
+---------+
|Left Ends|
+---------+
1. (99) Michael Strahan (NYG)
2. (93) Marcellus Wiley (SD)
3. (91) Robert Porcher (DET)
4. (87) Trevor Pryce (DEN)
5. (85) Leonard Little (STL)
6. (84) Aaron Smith (PIT)
Greg Ellis (DAL)
Eric Hicks (KC)
9. (83) Julius Peppers (CAR)
10. (81) Kevin Carter (TEN)
Vonnie Holliday (GB)
Shaun Ellis (NYJ)
13. (80) Marcus Jones (TB)
14. (77) Marco Coleman (JAX)
15. (76) Tony Bryant (OAK)
+----------+
|Right Ends|
+----------+
1. (94) Jevon Kearse (TEN)
Hugh Douglas (PHI)
Jason Taylor (MIA)
4. (93) Courtney Brown (CLE)
5. (92) Joe Johnson (GB)
6. (91) John Abraham (NYJ)
7. (90) Michael McCrary (BAL)
Grant Wistrom (STL)
9. (89) Justin Smith (CIN)
10. (86) Simeon Rice (TB)
11. (84) Tony Brackens (JAX)
12. (83) Willie McGinest (NE)
13. (82) Darren Howard (NO)
Andre Carter (SF)
15. (80) Gary Walker (HOU)
1. (98) Junior Seau (SD)
2. (96) Derrick Brooks (TB)
3. (91) Takeo Spikes (CIN)
4. (90) Joey Porter (PIT)
5. (88) Chad Brown (SEA)
Sam Cowart (NYJ)
7. (86) Jessie Armstead (WAS)
8. (85) Dexter Coakley (DAL)
9. (83) Dwayne Rudd (CLE)
10. (81) Tommy Polley (STL)
Warrick Holdman (CHI)
12. (80) Mike Peterson (IND)
13. (76) Patrick Kerney (ATL)
14. (75) Nate Wayne (GB)
15. (74) Roman Phifer (NE)
+-----------+
|Cornerbacks|
+-----------+
1. (98) Sam Madison (MIA)
2. (97) Aeneas Williams (STL)
3. (96) Champ Bailey (WAS)
Charles Woodson (OAK)
5. (93) Shawn Springs (SEA)
Ty Law (NE)
7. (92) Troy Vincent (PHI)
8. (90) Bobby Taylor (PHI)
9. (89) Patrick Surtain (MIA)
Ronde Barber (TB)
11. (88) Chris McAlister (BAL)
12. (87) Samari Rolle (TEN)
Dewayne Washington (PIT)
Chad Scott (PIT)
Mike McKenzie (GB)
+-------------+
|Free Safeties|
+-------------+
1. (98) Brian Dawkins (PHI)
2. (92) Rod Woodson (OAK)
Kwamie Lassiter (ARI)
4. (89) Brock Marion (MIA)
5. (87) Lance Schulters (TEN)
6. (82) Marcus Robertson (SEA)
Roy Williams (DAL)
8. (81) LeRoy Butler (GB)
9. (79) Ronnie Bradford (MIN)
Kim Herring (STL)
11. (77) Edward Reed (BAL)
12. (76) Zack Bronson (SF)
13. (74) Jay Bellamy (NO)
Tebucky Jones (NE)
Deon Grant (CAR)
1. (97) Rodney Harrison (SD)
2. (96) Lawyer Milloy (NE)
3. (95) John Lynch (TB)
4. (94) Darren Sharper (GB)
5. (93) Darren Woodson (DAL)
6. (90) Sammy Knight (NO)
7. (89) Mike Brown (CHI)
8. (88) Robert Griffith (CLE)
9. (87) Lee Flowers (PIT)
10. (86) Shaun Williams (NYG)
11. (82) Adam Archuleta (STL)
12. (81) Tony Parrish (SF)
Blaine Bishop (PHI)
14. (79) Sam Shade (WAS)
15. (77) Mike Minter (CAR)
+-------+
|Kickers|
+-------+
1. (97) Matt Stover (BAL)
Olindo Mare (MIA)
3. (95) Jason Elam (DEN)
4. (92) Sebastian Janikowski (OAK)
David Akers (PHI)
6. (91) Adam Vinatieri (NE)
7. (90) Mike Vanderjagt (IND)
Martin Gramatica (TB)
9. (88) John Carney (NO)
Jeff Wilkins (STL)
Ryan Longwell (GB)
12. (86) Paul Edinger (CHI)
13. (84) Jason Hanson (DET)
14. (83) Phil Dawson (CLE)
15. (81) Mike Hollis (BUF)
+-------+
|Punters|
+-------+
1. (95) Darren Bennett (SD)
2. (92) Mitch Berger (STL)
3. (91) Todd Sauerbrun (CAR)
Scott Player (ARI)
Brad Maynard (CHI)
6. (89) Ken Walter (NE)
7. (88) Shane Lechler (OAK)
Tom Rouen (DEN)
9. (87) Chris Gardocki (CLE)
10. (86) Josh Miller (PIT)
11. (84) Rodney Williams (NYG)
12. (83) Craig Hentrich (TEN)
Jeff Feagles (SEA)
Chris Hanson (JAX)
15. (82) Sean Landeta (PHI)
+------------------------------+
|+----------------------------+|
||27. TOP 10 TEAMS BY CATEGORY||
|+----------------------------+|
+------------------------------+
+-------+
|Overall|
+-------+
1. (94) Saint Louis Rams
2. (88) Pittsburgh Steelers
Philadelphia Eagles
4. (84) Seattle Seahawks
San Francisco 49ers
Green Bay Packers
7. (82) Oakland Raiders
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
+-------+
|Offense|
+-------+
1. (98) Saint Louis Rams
2. (88) Indianapolis Colts
San Francisco 49ers
4. (85) Oakland Raiders
5. (83) Pittsburgh Steelers
Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles
8. (81) Denver Broncos
9. (79) Kansas City Chiefs
Tennessee Titans
+-------+
|Defense|
+-------+
1. (97) Pittsburgh Steelers
Philadelphia Eagles
3. (95) Seattle Seahawks
San Diego Chargers
5. (93) Saint Louis Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns
8. (91) Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
+-------------+
|Special Teams|
+-------------+
1. (99) Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers
Saint Louis Rams
5. (98) Denver Broncos
Indianapolis Colts
7. (97) Tennessee Titans
8. (95) Oakland Raiders
Cleveland Browns
San Diego Chargers
+------------+
|Quarterbacks|
+------------+
1. (97) Green Bay Packers
Saint Louis Rams
3. (91) Indianapolis Colts
San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles
6. (90) Oakland Raiders
7. (88) Minnesota Vikings
8. (85) Jacksonville Jaguars
9. (83) New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
+------------+
|Runningbacks|
+------------+
1. (96) Saint Louis Rams
2. (91) Cincinnati Bengals
3. (90) New York Jets
4. (89) Green Bay Packers
5. (86) Miami Dolphins
Indianapolis Colts
7. (85) Kansas City Chiefs
Tennessee Titans
Seattle Seahawks
10. (84) Pittsburgh Steelers
1. (95) Saint Louis Rams
2. (93) Denver Broncos
3. (90) Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
5. (87) Oakland Raiders
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. (83) Pittsburgh Steelers
Arizona Cardinals
Buffalo Bills
1. (96) Kansas City Chiefs
San Francisco 49ers
3. (92) Pittsburgh Steelers
4. (90) Saint Louis Rams
5. (89) New England Patriots
Oakland Raiders
New York Jets
Chicago Bears
9. (87) New Orleans Saints
10. (85) Arizona Cardinals
1. (96) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. (92) Philadelphia Eagles
3. (91) San Francisco 49ers
4. (89) Saint Louis Rams
Cleveland Browns
San Diego Chargers
7. (86) Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Miami Dolphins
10. (85) Pittsburgh Steelers
+-----------+
|Linebackers|
+-----------+
1. (96) Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington Redskins
3. (94) New York Jets
4. (93) Chicago Bears
5. (91) Cleveland Browns
6. (88) Seattle Seahawks
7. (85) Cincinnati Bengals
San Diego Chargers
Baltimore Ravens
10. (84) Buffalo Bills
1. (96) Philadelphia Eagles
2. (88) Saint Louis Rams
New England Patriots
Miami Dolphins
5. (87) Green Bay Packers
6. (85) Pittsburgh Steelers
7. (84) San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9. (82) Oakland Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
======================================================
| PART 7: FAQ STUFF |
======================================================
This part deals with extras about this document, and has absolutely nothing to
do with the game itself.
+---------------------+
|+-------------------+|
||28. VERSION HISTORY||
|+-------------------+|
+---------------------+
v1.6a (25 December 2002)
No new information, but I've changed my legal info. I'm now carrying my guide
on my own website; you can find the URL at the bottom of the document.
v1.6 (24 December 2002)
Added a bunch of formations.
v1.5a (19 November 2002)
Added one offensive formation.
v1.5 (12 November 2002)
One new offensive formation has been added, and a reader contributed a way to
block field goals.
v1.4 (23 September 2002)
Four new formations have been added, all of them offensive.
v1.3 (21 September 2002)
My birthday is tomorrow, so I'm taking it off as far as my FAQ writing is
concerned. Today though is a medium-sized update. I've got several formations,
and someone offered a tip for trading that I actually use but never wrote in
the guide. Finally, Nlfr123 (Nlfr123@aol.com) was kind enough to correct a bit
of my grammar and spelling mistakes. For future reference, if you think I'll
ever be offended by getting spelling/grammar corrections, trust me, I won't be.
I actually like people editing my work to pick out those swapped letters or
wrong tenses, just don't be rude about it. ^_^
v1.2 (17 September 2002)
I have a few things to add. First, NIKEBURE10 (NIKEBURE10@aol.com) confirmed my
theory of how to unlock those blasted Madden Cards of which you need another
EAS game. I've had a couple of formations that were submitted, and I've got a
small history lesson on why the Texans are named the Texans. You can find the
story under the Texans' part of the team list.
v1.1 (13 September 2002)
Friday the 13th? Oy... well, I've added a new subsection: 14d, which is
submitted formations. Speaking of that, I've added a few notes to the Offensive
Plays subsection. I've answered the question "How do I unlock the cards that
need other games?" in section 17. I've added a few notes on online play in
section 20. Lastly, I've added Onside Kick to section 6. And please, I'm
begging you, don't send me about any e-mails about how the Texans won and the
Steelers lost in week 1. I'm still bitter.
v1.0b (05 September 2002)
Two more corrections. The first comes from Mike Hickok
(nittanyhickoks@hotmail.com), where he corrects what KOS stands for. The other
comes from both Joe Shmoe (johnnyrodz@hotmail.com) and DoubleLimit28
(DoubleLimit28@aol.com) for correcting me in saying that the Redskins' LOLB #57
is LaVar Arrington, not Donte' Curry. That's the last damn time I use Yahoo!
Sports for a source.
v1.0a (03 September 2002)
Someone told me that I had the teams for two players wrong, so I've corrected
that. When I made the player lists, I kept mixing up the logos for the Eagles
and Seahawks for some reason, and I ended up putting Tra Thomas and Troy
Vincent in Seattle, not Philly where they belong.
An HTML version of this guide can be found at my website, listed near the
bottom of this document.
This document is copyright 2002 for J. "PyroFalkon" Habib. If you plan to use
any of it as part of another FAQ, you need my permission first. However, if you
plan to post it on a website or e-mail it to someone or whatnot, you may do so
without my permission AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ALTERED IN ANY WAY. I'd like you to
drop me an e-mail so I know where you're going to take it, but I will not
require you to do so. You may download it or print it at your leisure.
The most updated version will always be found at these sites:
If any information is incorrect, or you wish to sumbit something, please e-mail
me. My address is found on the bottom of the FAQ. Credit will be given where
it's due.
If you submit something to me, I will credit you by the name you signed in the
message body or by the name attached to your e-mail. I will also post your
e-mail address unless you specifically tell me not to.
If you wish to be e-mailed when this FAQ is updated, send your request to me.
If you have a junk mail protector on your e-mail program, make sure you put my
e-mail address on the safe list, or my messages may not get through.
http://www.geocities.com/pyrofalkon/
pyrofalkon@hotmail.com
Good luck in Madden NFL 2003, unless you're playing as the Texans, in which I
hope you lose and your PlayStation 2 explodes! HA HA HA!
