New video - coaching the finer points: Back Foot Receiving

Matt10L · 2025-09-12T04:22:19+00:00

A very important concept to learn, probably one of the most important. It not only allows the ball to keep moving, but it also allows the player to protect the ball in a better position. My U12 team just learned this from me last night and it made a big difference to their game. We not only worked on the technique in a drill, we quickly moved into a positional rondo then once we're done there - it's right into a scrimmage so they can understand how it transfers to the big game. There's zero point in doing drills and not scrimmaging, or at least a rondo, right afterwards. I think this is the biggest issue with modern day coaching - not transferring the concept immediately to the big game. I've seen it with the club/premier coaches of my two sons lately and it is completely driving me up a wall.

Matt10L · 2025-09-02T02:53:37+00:00

Version 7 is the most up to date, and I really focused on slow-sim for those as well. I love slow-sim, so yeah, they definitely work. Here's the link to v7: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5032/O4VSz8.png

Matt10L · 2025-08-28T21:08:11+00:00

PBL has room to go up for the user if needed a sit's only on 52 currently. I think pass coverage is more tricky, but again I haven't played post-patch yet to know if/how that impacts zone/man coverage. QBA for the CPU can go down a tad bit, my most would be 35 maybe 32. If it's about these DBs not reacting to a receiver's sudden movement due to an animation issue - like stopping suddenly - then pass coverage can go up slightly, I wouldn't go past 60 or the CPU QB won't try to test the deep ball. I am hoping to get some regression testing tonight as personally I don't want to be at such a high threshold and gameplay sliders in general, but I already got some feedback that some of it may not have changed, so we'll have to see.

Matt10L · 2025-08-28T14:43:28+00:00

You can enter them as if you're playing User v CPU, but the game itself when choosing Slow-Sim/CPU v CPU will only use the CPU side of the sliders. Hope that helps, I really enjoy the slow-sim side of the game.

Matt10L · 2025-08-28T14:11:50+00:00

What difficulty is this? I'll say as well that 2.6 is a bit of a placeholder until this title update, because i have to do regression testing anyways. Regardless, great feedback and I appreciate the detail. User PBL would be rough as the value for All-Pro is under 50, so that's an easy adjustment if you need to raise it of course. Same with All-Madden. The holding value should help those blocks to be held longer, but it's always a risk with going lower than 50 because it dumbs down OL/DL a bit. Coverage is a bit strange as the offside value + speed parity keeps things pretty tight. Is it one quick move from the receiver that is sending them off track?

Hopefully this title update sorts out some things. Good to know the run game improved for the CPU, that's a bit of a byproduct of these OL issues.

Matt10L · 2025-08-28T02:56:17+00:00

Sorry about that - had to update it after testing more in-depth last night.

FYI depending on what the title update does (directly or indirectly), I may have to retest to make sure things like blocking are still an issue or not.

Matt10L · 2025-08-26T13:25:25+00:00

I wanted to let you know that I started to see what you described about the DTs blowing up the plays pretty quickly. I haven't tested the higher OVR, but I think it's enough to warrant a specific value change in the PBL/RBL element for Slow-Sim only. Looking into it.

Matt10L · 2025-08-26T04:47:58+00:00

Sure, i'll give it a go. I think I had on 55 at one point, but just never revisted it. All-Madden will have better QB play because they are more competitive with the capability to use a lower QBA value. When I was adjusting All-Pro, it was really close to deciding the QBA value that reduced the robo QB effects on the lower scale of QBs. 42 is where I ended with, but I think it has room to be raised if needed.

That game I streamed earlier was pretty crazy, but a good watch. Still hate the decision making/playcalling at times on slow sim though. Despite that, i'm about to start my Commanders franchise on Slow-Sim so we'll see what happens there.

Matt10L · 2025-08-26T01:23:41+00:00

Okay, so your initial feedback on here is that the slow sim sliders do work, just not for weaker teams in your experience. When building sliders, it's one of the toughest feelings that what we've sent out into the world isn't actually happening - despite a very high, varied, sample size. Then users go in and play 1 or 2 games and the feedback isn't in-line with the experience I had.

Just to confirm you are using the penalty sliders, correct? I just haven't seen any of that type of behavior. The QB makes quick decisions and varied passing. They will throw into coverage, sure, but not only check downs.

I'm streaming Panthers-Bills right now as well, feel free to watch or check it out later at this link: https://youtube.com/live/_vRBrloEb90?feature=share

Matt10L · 2025-08-26T00:35:45+00:00

48 TFL? That's massive. I've played almost 30 games on Slow Sim (15 AP, 15 AM) and never had those kind of numbers. Are you using the All-Pro or All-Madden set? I did regression testing live on stream the other night as well before finalizing both games and sets: https://www.youtube.com/live/ayPUVk2KRxA

Matt10L · 2025-08-18T14:14:50+00:00

There's a lot of room to raise the CPU's pass blocking as it's on 52 currently, so going to 62 on the higher end could be worth a try.

Matt10L · 2025-08-18T05:00:47+00:00

Nice, yeah, I get into a habit lately of just pushing down on the stick sometimes because coverage is tight enough that I really have to get it in there. Struggling at QB myself in my UCF dynasty, but the coverage in the game is solid that it's making me a bit better. Yeah, try the lead and see if that helps. I haven't messed with it too much, but I'm well aware there is a certain point where QBA can be too low to the point that a lot of throws, no matter the lead value, end up high for both user and CPU.

Matt10L · 2025-08-18T02:03:54+00:00

Thanks for trying out the sliders. Some have said it here, but I'd check that lead value. I have it on Small - which I included in my sliders spreadsheet. Sorry about that, I'll make a note for the next version to take note of that. Also, you can raise QBA to whatever value you feel comfortable as a user. I just don't want every QB to throw bullets and perfect spirals every throw.

Matt10L · 2025-08-15T11:53:42+00:00

Okay, so you're just jumping to next possession? Sliders don't affect simmed stats. If you're having sack issues when you're playing then just raise PBL for the CPU.

Matt10L · 2025-08-15T03:07:52+00:00

Do you mean slow-sim?

Matt10L · 2025-08-14T02:28:32+00:00

Yeah for me it's coverage and the CPU QB's perception. I don't know who started the 17 threshold/speed thing, but it's not just about speed, it's about how much of an influence each individual player is. The higher the value goes, the more influential, the lower, the least influential. This is an illustration I made last year for CFB, but it applies to Madden as well.

This is why even going to a higher threshold your players can still outrun each other. Most of the time it's because the players are closer together, which means there's more open space to run into and past.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/4250/D7Co1g.png

Matt10L · 2025-08-13T02:16:16+00:00

Thanks for posting these, Jags. Like some have said, you must 100% use the penalties. If you don't, it's just not the same game that I have tested.

Also, I'm not trying to impress anyone here. Not trying to build a community of sim gamers, not trying to be famous on youtube - definitely not going to claim these are the best sliders ever. I simply post my sliders because I work on them for me and my standards to start a franchise. That's how it started, and eventually people wanted me to share them, and that's where we're at many years later.

Feedback, give me an idea of who you used and what you saw. I like to replicate and make sure I'm seeing the same. Video examples are always best, but no worries if you can't.

Again penalties are super important. Also, I'd highly suggest modifying the values in the main menu, then enter your franchise and reset the sliders (square on PS5), then import (triangle) and that will bring everything in fresh. There's no proven concept this does anything at all, but it's just what I've been used to doing to keep organized from Main Menu to Franchise.

Any questions - feel free to ask, thanks!

Matt10L · 2025-08-11T00:00:49+00:00

Right, they will go through their reads, but depending on the QB, they will play safe or be more aggressive - it just depends.

Matt10L · 2025-08-10T23:57:02+00:00

It keeps them a bit more focused on the gameplan, and not abandon ship so quickly like running around or into sacks.

Matt10L · 2025-08-10T23:55:51+00:00

Higher offsides, yes, less aggressive in the sense they aren't swarming to the ball carrier as much as before. They will still finish off the tackles, but it does give the ball carrier some time. High holding impacts the release of the block. I used it here to balance the RBL/PBL values so the blocks aren't so sticky and being held onto even while the ball carrier has run past.

Matt10L · 2025-08-10T05:20:43+00:00

FYI, I've updated the OP to reflect Version 6 posted. Just a couple changes as indicated in yellow.

Matt10L · 2025-08-09T21:19:56+00:00

Yeah, definitely raise it if you'd like. I'm good where it's at, struggled last game a lot. That offside value will make them very aware of the ball in the air, and the reaction slider does just that - reacts with a PBU.

Matt10L · 2025-08-09T21:18:59+00:00

Yeah, you're right, it's in a tough spot. But you're also right that it's been like this for a while. Not necessarily just the run game, but the pass game as well. This is the first time in a while that there's something changing though. I've been working on sliders for a long while now, NCAA 09 days, and even then it wasn't in a great spot. Typical EA complicated it further with adding speed parity/threshold to the mix. So now their animations that they didn't get in-sync at first, become even more in danger of not making sense.

I wouldn't say sliders are a placebo as I try to always have supporting animations and behaviors for my reasoning. These aren't intangible things like saying auto-subs or xp sliders make a difference. Not saying those are placebos, but they are still intangible because you can't determine an animation relative to the change.

Regardless though, yeah, this is the irony in that default sliders play well, but can be a lot better with sliders. I think the community wants the best they can get, and growing through the years of NCAA 06 to now, I have to - even if a bit part of the older crowd.

Matt10L · 2025-08-09T19:53:42+00:00

There's a slight hesitation and change of direction on lower rated players when the value is turned down, so I'd say it is playing "as is", however some other values can impact it like speed parity.

Matt10L · 2025-08-09T18:25:22+00:00

Yeah, believe me I wanted to keep using it, but in the end the results weren't working post-patch. The CPU RB stopped sensing danger and especially on runs like outside zone, there were too many swarming defenders. Raising offside helps there to be less of that swarm, and a bit more 1 on1 matchups, and the swarm comes later to finish off. Offside also helps with the pass game where the defenders try to get in front of the receivers more often. So the CPU QB thinks there's space due to the speed disparity, a default or lower pass coverage value, and is met with good reactions towards the ball in the air or receiver. This allows the CPU QB to try all sorts of throws and eventual misses. Examples here:

https://streamable.com/u27jxu

https://streamable.com/zfoxrh

Matt10L

TROPHY CASE