While the NFL is a passing league, never underestimate the threat of a strong running game. But when it comes time to face off against an offensive juggernaut, what ever will you do? Fortunately, multiple steps can taken to help mitigate the opposition’s rush offense. And that’s why we’re here, to teach you how to stop the run in Madden 24.
Stopping the Run in Madden 24
Can you read a defense? No? Well that’s okay because if you pay attention to the opposition’s personnel package, that’ll give you a pretty good idea as to whether or not they’re going to run the football.
In the above example, the Kansas City Chiefs are coming out in a three wide receiver set. It’s a fairly standard formation, one that even leans towards a passing play-call. Yet players should be mindful of a run to the inside, such as a draw.
Keeping that in mind, the game becomes about which defensive formation you trust most. Coming out in a goal line formation would be disastrous, and leave Patrick Mahomes with his pick of a presumably wide open receiver. Balancing the three wide receiver set with a Nickel or 3-4 package, then, is a better option. Especially if you’re running man coverage, as every defender sticks to a specific offensive player.
But what else should you consider when attempting to slow down your opponent’s running game?
Player Lock
If you’re making your way through Franchise Mode, utilizing the Player Lock function could prove essential. After all, maybe you don’t trust yourself to run an entire defense and would rather focus on one defensive player. That’s what the player lock is for.
Just be sure to lock in your player of choice pre-snap in order to avoid any mix-up. From there, you’ll only have to focus on one player and can practice all you’d like. This is the best feature to lean on when looking to stop the run. Playing as a big-time defensive tackle or an agile linebacker can make all the difference when trying to shut down the opposing ballcarrier.
Stack the Box
Despite being a more aggressive approach, stacking the box pre-snap and showing blitz can help you get a jump on the running back. While the potential reward is pushing the offense back several yards, the risk is nothing to scoff at either.
If you’re going to stack the box and blitz, you better hope the other team has called a run. If not, you’re leaving your secondary very vulnerable. Additionally, it may be wiser to choose an inside blitz rather than an outside one. While teams do run the ball outside the tackles occasionally, inside handoffs are far more common.
Need Practice? Only Play Defense
The nice thing about Team Practice or Franchise Mode in particular is that it allows the player to only focus on one side if they wish to. That means that if you’re struggling with stopping the run game, you can devote all your time to the defensive side of the ball.
When playing a Franchise game, you’ll be asked beforehand whether or not you’d like to play the Key Moments, Offense, or Defense. Even better, you can change your mind throughout the game. But taking advantage of the defense-only feature is a good way to sharpen your run-stopping skills.
A Little Focus Never Hurt Anyone
Lastly, players can set a gameplan focus for both their offense and defense before every Franchise game. On the defensive side, there are two options that pertain to the running game: Defend Inside Run and Defend Outside Run. Of course, there are suggestions as to what you should make the focus of your weekly gameplan, but if you’re intent on slowing down the run, those are your options.
That’s all you need to know about how to stop the run in Madden 24 for now. Shutting it down entirely can be difficult, but there are plenty of little things one can do to slow it down. And as always, be sure to check back here often as our Madden coverage rolls on.
