Winner of the DC Madden Challenge and Madden Nation contestant, RJ Warren, is providing SportsGamer with one tactic that he likes to use to attack the flats. The key to perfecting the throw from the quarterback to the running back is to use proper timing. You'll know if you used proper timing on the throw if the running back goes into a leaping animation. Also, using a taller player when making the catch will help your running back get the ball at its highest point. Check it out!
I-Form Normal - TE Out
Quick Setup
Step 1 of 1 - Lock your cone onto the running back before or just after the snap.
Step 2 of 2 - Flick the right analog stick to the right just before making the pass to the running back.
Step 3 of 3 - Press the running back icon and up on the directional pad to send your player flying into the air after the ball.
Play Breakdown
Figure 1 - The New Orleans Saints have come out in the I-Form Normal TE Corner play. It doesn't matter what play you call, but you do have to make sure that it has the exact same route that running back Reggie Bush has in this image. We've already placed the cone on the running back, but you can do it right after the snap if you don't want to immediately give away where you're going with the football.
Figure 2 - As quarterback Drew Brees drops back to pass the receivers begin heading upfield.
Figure 3 - As Bush races out of the backfield we keep the cone on him. If you started with the cone somewhere else before the play began, then now is the time that you would want to switch it back to the running back.
Figure 4 - We flick the right analog stick to the right, which will place the cone slightly in front of our running back. Then, make make the pass right after with Brees.
Figure 5 - We Make the throw with Brees just after Bush turns it upfield.
Figure 6 - Bush keeps his eyes focused on the ball as it closes in.
Figure 7 -BUsh leaps into the air to snag the pass out of the sky.
Figure 8 - Bush hauls in the pass as the defender's momentum forces him to fly pass the ball.
Figure 9 - After the catch is made, Bush uses his speed to get extra yardage.
Figure 10 - Bush picks up a gain of 10 before the first defender is able to get into position to make a hit.
Figure 11 - Bush is taken down at the 24, with the end result being a gain of 11 on the play.
Final Thoughts
The animation that's created on this route in the flats is very easy to do. Zone defenses seems to guard this pass slightly better when there is a defender in the flats. Fortunately, not too many people play zone defense because it is so easy to exploit. This means that you will most likely be able to utilize this pass over and over again throughout the course of a game because defenses will play man to man against you. Furthermore, attempting to manually guard this pass is also a bit risky because there is a chance that you could get beat over the top. This is one pass that you'll definitely want to perfect.
