Skip links

How To Run a 4-3 Defense With a 3-4 Team

Defensive formations are as important as ever in Madden NFL 15.  Many times, for whatever reason, a 4 man defensive line rushing the quarterback gets more pressure than a 3 man defensive line with an additional linebacker rushing the quarterback.  You also may be more comfortable running a 4-3 playbook but you happen to use a 3-4 team.  Today’s Madden School tip will go over how to properly run a 4-3 defense with a team that has 3-4 personnel.

Let’s get started. You will need to first go into your depth chart and take a look at your team.

With a 3-4 team, you will have 2 starting defensive ends and 1 starting defensive tackle.  You will need to choose the 2 best players out of those 3 and put them at defensive tackle #1 and defensive tackle #2.

Take your starting ROLB and move him to RE and your starting LOLB and move him to LE.

At this point, you will need to identify your best remaining outside linebacker.  This can be either a ROLB or a LOLB.  Choose whichever one you like best and start him at his position.  Then take your MLB #2 and move him to the remaining OLB position.

You have now successfully migrated from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense in Madden.  Essentially you have swapped out your worst starting defensive tackle or defensive end for your best backup linebacker.  The rest of your personnel is the same.

Switching to a 4-3 from a 3-4 isn’t for everyone and some people are much better off running a 3-4 defense, but if you are looking to make the change you now have a place to start.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

3 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ian Dickson
Ian Dickson
10 years ago

I understand the tactics that EASPORTS has come up with to run a 4-3 defense with a 3-4 defensive team. With that being said, make the names of the plays on Offense and Defense much realistic because Cover 3, HB Dive, Slants, MLB Blitz, CB Blitz and other names of plays in madden just will not cut it for me. Unless, EASPORTS can make adjustments to allow us to change the names of the offensive and defensive plays in CREATE a offensive or defensive playbooks. Names such as Cover 2 2 Stick Y, 2 Zebra, Cover 8 8 Flip, 8 Double X Cover 9 Blitz 9, Sub 33 Buzz, Blitz 99, Blitz 11, Blitz 00, Cover 3 3C 3-4 SS3, 3 Buzz, 3 Slide, 3P Cover 4 Stick 4, Cover 5 5 Vise, 5 Cone, Cover 6 6C, 6 Buzz, Blitz Zone 6 Cover 11 11 Robber, 1 Robber 1, 11 Cross Rabbit, 1 Rabbit, 1 Funnel 1, Cover 22/55 22 Stick Z, 55 Triangle, 22 Triangle, Jab 547 Power F Right, Stack I HB Trap Right, Pro Right 42 dive 25 fake, Pro Right 24 fake Z-Motion, 6-582 Screen Right to F To Be Continued…………….

Corey Harrell
10 years ago

Very GOOD writeup on changing 3-4 teams to a 4-3 team! Very helpful

Fred
Fred
9 years ago

Could you guys help me changing Chargers to a 4-3 team? I feel like it’s a little different because they already have Freeney.

Right now I have it as:
Freeney – RE
Reyes – LE
Liuget – DT
Lissemore – DT

Ingram – OLB
Butler – LOLB
Johnson – ROLB

Any suggestions or is that how you would leave it? Thanks dudes xD