Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

[ShaneTheMaster]

This is the worst I have seen secondary play on NextGen. 3 of these issues occurred in 1 game. It's hard to try and customize the game with sliders when issues like this will basically nullify the customizations you are making. These games were all slow-simmed, so I dont have the play calls. Below are some of the relevant settings I was using.

Difficulty: All-Pro
Min Speed Threshold: 80
Pass Coverage: 56/56
Pass Def Reaction Time: 54/54

Example 1:

Video says it all. We know EA doesn't program human error into the game - this is just a very bad bug.

https://youtu.be/HmZBy2Ah4Tw

Example 2:

Another blown coverage...

https://youtu.be/Mtwk4h6FQVE

Example 3:

Defenders dont know how to play pass defense in the endzone. They rather just stand still at the back of the end zone, instead of guarding the goal line.

https://youtu.be/TdeofcbtMvo

Example 4:

Running backs coming out of the backfield are a common blown coverage.

https://youtu.be/QXszHh8O_NA

Example 5:

Tackling is an issue often, too.

https://youtu.be/sreaRxpibyo

Example 6:

Another tackling glitch. Seems to happen when multiple defenders are trying to tackle.

https://youtu.be/tSKfneyAA04

[Jm0ney2001]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Yep. The defense is brain dead this year. Not sure why they changed it but it reminds me of madden back on the ps2. Too many big plays. It’s all offense. I have decided to lower my quarter length to 12 min/ 15 sec acc clock bc my first franchise game was 38-41 final on default all madden. My team was #3 on offense for the week but my defense was #32. I gave up 500+ yards of offense to Baker Mayfield 🤦*♂️

Hopefully a patch comes out to fix the defense and I can return to 15 min qtrs. I’m not a fane if every game being a shootout. This game is supposed to be a simulation of NFL football. The NFL has much better defense. Poor choice EA. [emoji35]


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[canes21]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Errors are coded to happen in the game, that's how the dice rolls work. That said, some of those clips are ugly, and I agree that the secondary gets lost in the end zone, especially in red zone play. They have zero idea of what to do there.

With clips 1 and 2, are you running with match coverage?

Clip 3 is awful and far too common.

Clip 4 is ugly. Haven't seen that myself yet, but obviously it can happen as your video is proof.

Clip 5 is just unfortunate physics at play. The missed tackle animation leads to the DB on the ground and the lack of awareness by the CPU plus the physics leads to the safety just ragdolling over the fallen DB. It's ugly, but at least understandable.

What difficulty level are you playing on, and have you adjusted sliders. If so, what were they in these clips? Specifically pass coverage, reaction time, and even threshold.

[toodles2you90]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Hard to really say much specifically on these videos without having any context to difficulty, sliders, defensive play calls, coaching adjustments, etc. Some look bad but blown coverages happen due to route combinations in the NFL every week so I'm fine with some of these happening every now and then.

They definitely need to tighten up the pass defense though specifically zone, I've made man coverage at least respectable with adjustments but zone needs some love for sure.

[ShaneTheMaster]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Errors are coded to happen in the game, that's how the dice rolls work. That said, some of those clips are ugly, and I agree that the secondary gets lost in the end zone, especially in red zone play. They have zero idea of what to do there.

What difficulty level are you playing on, and have you adjusted sliders. If so, what were they in these clips? Specifically pass coverage, reaction time, and even threshold.

I will edit the original post with this information - but I was playing CPU vs CPU, so no human intervention involved.

Difficulty: All-Pro
Min Speed Threshold: 80
Pass Coverage: 56/56
Pass Def Reaction Time: 54/54

Dont have the play calls, since they were slow-simmed.

[ShaneTheMaster]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Hard to really say much specifically on these videos without having any context to difficulty, sliders, defensive play calls, coaching adjustments, etc. Some look bad but blown coverages happen due to route combinations in the NFL every week so I'm fine with some of these happening every now and then.

They definitely need to tighten up the pass defense though specifically zone, I've made man coverage at least respectable with adjustments but zone needs some love for sure.

yes, much of these problems seem to have to do with zone coverage. I edited my original post with more information on the settings I was using.

[toodles2you90]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Yea, those sliders are low. I was playing on All-Madden and I have my pass coverage/reaction at 95 and the computers at 80 now. Experimenting with All-Pro now and I still had them all above 75 for both human and cpu. 95 speed threshold.

The problem I have more with All-Pro though has been making the CPU run defense good enough.

[SolidSquid]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Zone coverage in the end zone has been a problem for so long now, they refuse to program “plaster” logic, where once routes declare you’re basically playing man, so instead we get defenders covering the back like of the end zone while a receiver squats in front of them and they are like “not my job, have to make sure no one gets behind me”

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

For clip 4 (you labeled it 5 on YT so we're talking about the same one), the defensive playcall looks like Cover 1 robber or something similar because one safety immediately crashes down into a hook zone. I think the game is rolling for the halfback's route running vs. the linebackers man coverage when the halfback makes his cut upfield. The linebacker loses the roll badly so it "delays" his recognition and the back runs right by him, and once his two brain cells meet again, the halfback already has a head of steam and he's flat footed so it's a complete bust.



I think the combination of the legacy code regarding the timing of route recognition is not playing nice with the physics engine. In the old days, the lb would probably just spin and immediately catch the halfback from behind, but by giving him inertia to overcome, he's cooked.

[Eddie1967]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Hard to really say much specifically on these videos without having any context to difficulty, sliders, defensive play calls, coaching adjustments, etc. Some look bad but blown coverages happen due to route combinations in the NFL every week so I'm fine with some of these happening every now and then.

They definitely need to tighten up the pass defense though specifically zone, I've made man coverage at least respectable with adjustments but zone needs some love for sure.

That's a great point about blown coverages happening in the NFL. I also agree with needing context. the teams, the cornerbacks, their ratings etc.

[Dsabol715]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

I started playing offense only in my franchises a few years ago to speed them up. This year I started playing defense again to combat the awful HFA and my defense letting up a score just about every drive. After 5 games in my CFM, I have 1 pick, 0 forced fumbles, multiple games with no sacks, and my defense being 32nd in the league. Zone defense is an automatic catch. Chiefs had their second round rookie destroy Sauce; what’s the point of ratings if they don’t mean anything? This Madden has so much potential and looks beautiful but with the broken HFA and a non-existent defense, it’s even worse than last year and the INT fest we got stuck with for a month.


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[ShaneTheMaster]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

That's a great point about blown coverages happening in the NFL. I also agree with needing context. the teams, the cornerbacks, their ratings etc.

Blown coverages happen in the NFL, yes - but EA is not purposefully implementing blown coverages (that would be cool). These are bugs in the zone logic. Ratings arent going to matter here.

[King Gro23]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Man coverage is serviceable for this game and talks can be improved via user customization of the games sliders/ rosters


Zone coverage has logic similar to a 2001 Indy title.

From the AI to the play art.


Breaking down your example


Example 1- is bad, nobody accounts for him while it kinda does look organic.
(Left high safety clings and Carries the over/crosser)

Left boundary CB follows the dig route. When in reality (if cover 2) he needs to Carry the vertical threat of streak high side

The nickel DB over the streak basically does nothing but a hook drop. He bites to turn around after his streak is 20 yards past but then upon throwing animation drives on the drag coming into his zone.


In practice mode now with same teams - the offensive play is Gun Empty Bunch Y Flex - Dagger

Can’t hone in on defensive play looks like Big nickel over G






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[Jagsfan24]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Blown coverages happen in the NFL, yes - but EA is not purposefully implementing blown coverages (that would be cool). These are bugs in the zone logic. Ratings arent going to matter here.

It's one thing to have a blown coverage at times or if you give up a lot of passing yards with a below average secondary. It is however frustrating if you have an above average secondary with shutdown corners and they give up plays a lot...just as much as it is frustrating if you have a good pass rush on paper but hardly generate any in this game

[tg88forHOF]

Re: Madden 24 Secondary Play Is Bad

Re-asking because I didn't see it answered: were you playing with match coverage?

Edit: if not, then we've already decided this is just a video game, and any comparison to what happens in the NFL is already off the table....nobody's played "country" Cover 3 or Cover 4 in the NFL since Saban coached in Cleveland.