Sell the Run Fake: A successful play-action requires the quarterback to fake the handoff convincingly. The more realistic the fake, the more likely the defense is to Mut 25 coins bite and move out of position.
Patience with the Routes: Don’t force the ball too early. Let the routes develop, especially the deeper ones, before you make your throw. The flood concept is designed to stretch the defense horizontally, so you’ll need to allow time for your receivers to get open.
Targeting Specific Defenders
With flood concepts, you want to identify which defenders are most likely to bite on the play-action and exploit their movements. For example:
Linebackers: If they bite on the run fake and move toward the line of scrimmage, your intermediate and deep routes will have more space to work.
Cornerbacks: In man coverage, cornerbacks can be taken out of the play if they get too aggressive with coverage. In zone coverage, look for mismatches where the defenders are forced to cover multiple routes in the same area.
Safeties: Safeties play a crucial role in covering the deep routes. If they step into the box to support the run, your deep routes (like corners or posts) will have a better chance to get open. If they stay back, your intermediate routes will be wide open.
Effective Routes for the Flood Concept
When using flood concepts with play-action, it’s important to choose the right routes for each receiver:
Outside Receivers: The outside receivers will typically run deep corner routes or post routes to stretch the defense vertically and pull coverage downfield. These routes create separation and open up space for intermediate routes.
Slot Receivers: The slot receiver should run a quick out or a drag route, taking advantage of the space vacated by the linebackers who bite on the play-action. The slot route should sit in the soft spot between the deep and shallow routes.
Tight Ends/Running Backs: These players can run short routes such as quick outs or flat routes to draw in the defenders and make space for the deeper routes.
Adjusting the Flood Concept for Different Defenses
While flood concepts work best against zone defenses, you can also adjust the play to exploit man coverage. Here’s how:
Against Man Coverage: If the defense is in man-to-man, the receivers will need to beat their assigned defenders. Use quicker routes like slants, crossing patterns, or deep posts to shake the coverage and get open. The route depth is less important in this case as you are focusing on beating the defender one-on-one.
Against Zone Coverage: Flood concepts work best here, as you’ll be overloading the zone and creating open space. Look for mismatches, especially in the intermediate and deep zones, where defenders are spread thin.
Conclusion
Maximizing play-action with flood concepts in Madden 25 is one of the most powerful offensive strategies you can deploy. By stretching the defense horizontally with multiple routes at different depths, you’ll put a tremendous amount of pressure on the defense to cover more ground and make quick decisions. When paired with a strong run game and buy Madden nfl 25 coins well-timed play-action, flood concepts can be a game-changer.