Description
If the opposing offense is in a medium yardage situation with personnel that could be used to run or pass, Stunt Man is an excellent defense. Five of the seven defensive backs play man coverage, ensuring that every eligible receiver is covered. The slot corners blitz around the outside to pressure the quarterback or neutralize runs to the outside, while the ends and linebackers blitz at angles to try to find a gap in the offensive line.
Overall, Stunt Man is very well balanced. Six blitzers create decent pressure while five DBs provide solid pass coverage. The blitz is designed to attack each gap across the offensive line evenly while disguising the source by the use of varying attack angles. My favorite situation to use Stunt Man in is 3rd down and 5-7 yards to go. A pass is most likely here but teams will try to run a draw play once in a while, and Stunt Man is well equipped to handle either. Because of its six blitzers, Stunt Man can also be useful on earlier downs as a change of pace. Just don't overuse it, or the opposing offense will likely figure out that it can't stand up to power running straight up the middle on every down.
One word of caution with Stunt Man: although I like to use it against the pass because it provides a good balance between coverage and QB pressure and containment, you need to watch out for deep passes. Because no one plays deep zone coverage, it's possible for the safeties to get pulled down close by short routes while a CB gets beat deep while in single coverage.
Player Assignments
| Position | Action |
|---|---|
| RE | Blitz Right |
| LE | Blitz Left |
| ROLB | Blitz Left |
| LOLB | Blitz Right |
| Right Outside CB (CB #2) | Man WR2 |
| Right Slot CB (CB #3) | Blitz Left |
| Left Slot CB (CB #4) | Blitz Right |
| Left Outside CB (CB #1) | Man WR1 |
| Rover (SS #2) | Man WR5 |
| SS | Man WR4 |
| FS | Man WR3 |
See the Madden Playbook Guide for a description of these symbols.
Analysis
Pros:
- Excellent balance between coverage ability and QB pressure
- Blitz attacks every point on the offensive line while creating confusion with line and linebackers stunts
- Holds up well against surprise runs like draw plays
Cons:
- No one in deep zone coverage makes it possible to give up deep pass plays
- While decent against the run, will not stand up to power runs up the middle
- All receivers single covered
Contact Arkaein with any comments or questions regarding the Monstrous Madden Playbook.