Help Please

need a few questions answered because i do t get the X and O 

Defense Help

what is each formation typically used for 

3-4

4-4

nickle

dolllar

dime

Is this a joke?  Lol

No need to judge, Gatorthug.

Happy to help, as I coach football.

3-4 — in real football, this is a base defensive formation with 3 defensive linemen & 4 linebackers used to combat heavier offensive formations (usually sets with 2 WRs and 2 RBs or 2 WRs and 2 TEs).  In Madden, it’s not a very effective formation because you can generally stop the run just as well out of Nickel.  It can be a good blitzing formation with the Cover 0 blitz (Pinch Buck 0) if that’s your style.

4-4 — this is an ultra-heavy defensive front with 4 linemen & 4 linebackers, with only 2 CBs & 1 safety.  Used at the goal line & in extreme short yardage situations.  I actually like it in Madden because you can spread the linebackers out wide to stop stretch runs without sacrificing the middle to dives/inside zone.

Nickel — this is 4 defensive linemen, 2 sub-linebackers (sometimes safeties), 3 cornerbacks, and 2 deep safeties.  Good against the pass & fast becoming the most-used defensive formation in the NFL.  It’s also the most popular in Madden.  I really like Nickel Wide, Nickel Triple & Big Nickel in Madden this year.  You can run that against every offense, even goal line.

Dollar — 3 defensive linemen, 2 sub-LBs, 4 cornerback & 2 safeties.  Very light & used against the pass (usually 3rd/4th and very long).  Susceptible to the run.

Dime — 4 defensive linemen, 1 sub-LB, 4 cornerbacks & 2 safeties.  Slightly better against the run compared to Dollar, with similar set-ups versus the pass.  I like Dime Rush in Madden this year because it’s symmetrical & you can bring pressure off of either side without tipping off your opponent.

Hope this helps!

jcsteel66 said:

No need to judge, Gatorthug.

Happy to help, as I coach football.

3-4 — in real football, this is a base defensive formation with 3 defensive linemen & 4 linebackers used to combat heavier offensive formations (usually sets with 2 WRs and 2 RBs or 2 WRs and 2 TEs).  In Madden, it’s not a very effective formation because you can generally stop the run just as well out of Nickel.  It can be a good blitzing formation with the Cover 0 blitz (Pinch Buck 0) if that’s your style.

4-4 — this is an ultra-heavy defensive front with 4 linemen & 4 linebackers, with only 2 CBs & 1 safety.  Used at the goal line & in extreme short yardage situations.  I actually like it in Madden because you can spread the linebackers out wide to stop stretch runs without sacrificing the middle to dives/inside zone.

Nickel — this is 4 defensive linemen, 2 sub-linebackers (sometimes safeties), 3 cornerbacks, and 2 deep safeties.  Good against the pass & fast becoming the most-used defensive formation in the NFL.  It’s also the most popular in Madden.  I really like Nickel Wide, Nickel Triple & Big Nickel in Madden this year.  You can run that against every offense, even goal line.

Dollar — 3 defensive linemen, 2 sub-LBs, 4 cornerback & 2 safeties.  Very light & used against the pass (usually 3rd/4th and very long).  Susceptible to the run.

Dime — 4 defensive linemen, 1 sub-LB, 4 cornerbacks & 2 safeties.  Slightly better against the run compared to Dollar, with similar set-ups versus the pass.  I like Dime Rush in Madden this year because it’s symmetrical & you can bring pressure off of either side without tipping off your opponent.

Hope this helps!

Nice breakdown. Thank you for helping.

Gatorthug said:

Is this a joke?  Lol

actually it's not

Staff WizzLe said:

Nice breakdown. Thank you for helping.

great breakdown , thank you so much , i just have to learn to read offense now

jcsteel66 said:

No need to judge, Gatorthug.

Happy to help, as I coach football.

3-4 — in real football, this is a base defensive formation with 3 defensive linemen & 4 linebackers used to combat heavier offensive formations (usually sets with 2 WRs and 2 RBs or 2 WRs and 2 TEs).  In Madden, it’s not a very effective formation because you can generally stop the run just as well out of Nickel.  It can be a good blitzing formation with the Cover 0 blitz (Pinch Buck 0) if that’s your style.

4-4 — this is an ultra-heavy defensive front with 4 linemen & 4 linebackers, with only 2 CBs & 1 safety.  Used at the goal line & in extreme short yardage situations.  I actually like it in Madden because you can spread the linebackers out wide to stop stretch runs without sacrificing the middle to dives/inside zone.

Nickel — this is 4 defensive linemen, 2 sub-linebackers (sometimes safeties), 3 cornerbacks, and 2 deep safeties.  Good against the pass & fast becoming the most-used defensive formation in the NFL.  It’s also the most popular in Madden.  I really like Nickel Wide, Nickel Triple & Big Nickel in Madden this year.  You can run that against every offense, even goal line.

Dollar — 3 defensive linemen, 2 sub-LBs, 4 cornerback & 2 safeties.  Very light & used against the pass (usually 3rd/4th and very long).  Susceptible to the run.

Dime — 4 defensive linemen, 1 sub-LB, 4 cornerbacks & 2 safeties.  Slightly better against the run compared to Dollar, with similar set-ups versus the pass.  I like Dime Rush in Madden this year because it’s symmetrical & you can bring pressure off of either side without tipping off your opponent.

Hope this helps!

Love non judgmental people! Thank you this actually helped me understand it more and will help others like me here!

Beware of the cheese, though.

Although jcsteel66's breakdown is accurrate and a great starting off point, when it comes to Madden, you can sometimes buck a lot of these. Take last year, for example, and you would see formations like Dollar run almost exclusively by some players. Why? Because the coding of the game isn't perfect, and it was great at stopping the run despite only 3 down lineman. 
So use this as a jump off, but keep your ear to the ground around here if playing META is your thing. Sometimes the weirdest plays and formations become glitchy. If you arent going to use them, at least know about them and how to combat the inevitable cheeeeeeeese.

jakezze01 said:

Beware of the cheese, though.

Although jcsteel66's breakdown is accurrate and a great starting off point, when it comes to Madden, you can sometimes buck a lot of these. Take last year, for example, and you would see formations like Dollar run almost exclusively by some players. Why? Because the coding of the game isn't perfect, and it was great at stopping the run despite only 3 down lineman. 
So use this as a jump off, but keep your ear to the ground around here if playing META is your thing. Sometimes the weirdest plays and formations become glitchy. If you arent going to use them, at least know about them and how to combat the inevitable cheeeeeeeese.

i'm still trying to learn , i've come a long way for sure , but i'm having no luck in dime on 3rd or 4th down , seems like they always get the first down

Gatorthug said:

Is this a joke?  Lol

You realise there are a lot of Europeans who have had little to no exposure to any of this in real life ?

And are coming very late to U.S. football.

Didn't think of it that way, sorry for sounding so rude lol

Gatorthug said:

Didn't think of it that way, sorry for sounding so rude lol

I thought it was funny as shit haha lol

MrWonderful89 said:

You realise there are a lot of Europeans who have had little to no exposure to any of this in real life ?

And are coming very late to U.S. football.

Erm, slightly patronising no?

I'm in the UK. I played for 12 years, watched the Fridge roll over the goal line in the 1st Superbowl I saw and haven't missed one in 37 years. Football has actually been pretty big in Europe for ages, particularly in Germany where there's a thriving league. In the UK it's still played in Universities and the International Series sells out every year. We're not quite the hick backwater you think bud.

been around football my whole life.  Even I learned a little knowledge with this forum.  common MUT GG W