Description
Strong Man is probably my most well rounded defensive goal line play. Five defenders play man coverage, ensuring that every eligible receiver is covered in case of a pass (how many times have we all seen an easy touchdown to a wide open receiver because the defense rushed everyone to stuff the run?) and allowing adaptation to unbalanced offensive formations. Even though he is technically in a zone coverage, the strong safety spies the quarterback to guard against sneaks or draws, making sure that truly every possible ball carrier is accounted for. I also prefer man coverages against the run because players naturally flow toward the direction of theblocking, which is usually where the run is headed, especially in short yardage situations.
No goal line play can cover every situation, you have to try to predict the two or three most likely moves by the offense and defend these, otherwise you leave yourself vulnerable to everything by focusing on nothing in particular. Even as well rounded as it is, Strong Man is not an exception to this rule. The fact that every player reacts quickly to the run leaves it wide open to many play action passes, a goal line staple for many offenses. The key to using this play effectively is to know your opponents tendencies; a lot of players do not use much play action or cannot use it very effectively, and against these players Strong Man is a fairly safe call. Players who like to mix things up with play action or draws are more dangerous in this regard, so don't call this play against good PA passers unless you are really backed up, say at your own 2 or 1 yard line, and you really need to stop the run as top priority.
Player Assignments
| Position | Action |
|---|---|
| D-Line | Base |
| ROLB | Man WR3 |
| MLB | Man Deepest |
| LOLB | Man WR4 |
| Right CB (CB #2) | Man WR2 |
| Left CB (CB #1) | Man WR1 |
| SS | QB Spy |
See the Madden Playbook Guide for a description of these symbols.
Analysis
Pros:
- Well balanced against most running plays
- Every eligible receiver and ball carrier covered by a defender
- Better pass defense than most goal line plays
Cons:
- Vulnerable to play action passes
- Outside defenders can get caught inside on pitches or other runs wide to the outside
- Doesn't really key on any one gap, so cannot be expected to stop a lot of runs from within the 1 yard line
Contact Arkaein with any comments or questions regarding the Monstrous Madden Playbook.