Getting Back into the Swing with Madden 24
Okay, so I fired up Madden 24 again today. Felt like getting some reps in, you know? The muscle memory is mostly there, but sometimes you just gotta drill the basics again, especially with how they tweak things year to year.
First thing I did was just jump into a practice mode. Picked my usual team, set up against a generic defense. Wanted to focus purely on the offensive feel first.
Offense – Feeling it Out
Spent a good chunk of time just running the ball. Honestly, just getting the feel for the left stick movement, finding the holes. Then I started mixing in the skill moves.
- Right Stick Jukes: Tried flicking it left and right. Sometimes it works great, other times my guy just stumbles. Timing is everything, still getting that down consistently.
- Spins: The circle button (or B on Xbox, I think?). Feels pretty much the same. Pulled off a couple of nice ones that got me extra yards.
- Trucking: Flicking the right stick up. Man, it’s satisfying when you run over a smaller DB. Didn’t always work against linebackers, obviously. Got stuffed a few times.
Then moved onto passing. This always takes more concentration for me.
Passing Practice:
- Basic Throws: Just tapping the receiver icons. Focused on timing the release, hitting guys in stride on slants and outs. Threw a few ducks when I got rushed.
- Touch Passes: Double-tapping the button. Tried lofting it over linebackers. Tricky. Threw one pick doing this, sailed it right over the receiver’s head. Lesson learned: need the right situation.
- Low Throws: Holding L2 (or LT) and the receiver button. Good for curls and comebacks, keeping it away from the defender. Felt pretty good with this, actually. More reliable than the touch pass for me right now.
- Leading Receivers: Using the left stick to place the ball. This is crucial. Spent time leading guys towards the sideline on deep routes. Overthrew a bunch at first, but started getting the hang of it. You really gotta anticipate where the defender won’t be.
Switching to Defense
Defense is where I feel I need more work. It’s less about flashy moves and more about positioning and reaction.
Defensive Drills:
- Usering a Linebacker: My go-to. Just trying to read the QB’s eyes, cover the middle zone. Used the strafe button (L2/LT) a lot to stay square. Jumped a route or two, felt good. Got beat deep once when I bit on play action. Happens.
- Tackling: Played around with the different tackles. The standard ‘X’ (or A) button tackle is fine for wrapping up. Tried the hit stick (flicking right stick up or down) for forcing fumbles. It’s high risk, high reward. Missed a couple of tackles completely going for the big hit. Need to pick my spots better.
- Pass Rush: Controlled a defensive end for a bit. Trying out the swim moves and bull rushes with the right stick. Felt kinda clunky at first, but got a couple of pressures when I timed the snap well.
Wrapping Up the Session
So yeah, that was the session. Just grinding the controls. Didn’t even play a full game, just drills. It’s all about repetition. The passing, especially leading receivers, needs more practice. And on defense, I gotta be smarter about when to go for the hit stick versus a secure tackle. Overall, felt productive. Gonna try and do this more regularly so it becomes second nature when I’m actually in a game.
