Madden NFL 23 Gameplay Tips for Beginners - Electronic Arts (2024)

Learn all the skills and best moves you will need to dominate the gridiron with this Madden NFL 23 beginner’s guide.

Beginners Tips Contents

  • How To Catch The Ball In Madden 23
  • How To Dive In Madden 23
  • How To Qb Slide
  • How To Cover The Ball
  • How To Hot Route
  • How To Audible
  • How To Pass Rush
  • How To Use Ball Carrier Moves
  • How To Pump Fake
  • How To Scramble
  • How To Intercept
  • How To Swat The Ball
  • How To Tackle/ How To Hit Stick
  • How To Qb Contain
  • How To Play Qb On Option
  • How To Adjust Zone Drops

Madden NFL 23 Offensive Beginners' Tips

How To Catch The Ball in Madden 23

Make sure you are catching passes even when facing strong defenses or when making risky plays.

  • Hold Y/Triangle for Aggressive Catch
  • Hold X/Square for RAC Catch (running catch)
  • Hold A/X for Possession Catch (falls to ground to secure catch)
  • Press nothing = auto catch

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How To Dive in Madden 23

Diving in Madden 23 is an important move to master as you can gain extra inches that will make a difference between victory and defeat.

  • Press X/Square on defense for dive tackle
  • Press and hold X/Square to dive as the ball carrier
  • Tap X/Square to ‘give up/slide’ as the ball carrier
  • Diving catch is contextual on Y/Triangle & A/X
  • When the hot route menu appears, select the route you want with a direction flick of the Left Stick (LS) or Right Stick (RS)

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How To QB Slide in Madden 23

QB Sliding in Madden 23 can help you gain yards with your quarterback without the risk of turning the ball over on a fumble.

  • Tap X on XBOX s or Square on PlayStation

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How ToCover the Ball in Madden 23

Covering the ball will decrease the chances of a fumble.

  • Tap RB on XBOX s or R1 on PlayStation

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How To Hot Route

Here’s how to hot route in Madden 23.

  • Before the snap, press Y/Triangle then press the receiver button icon of the receiver you want to hot route.
  • When the hot route menu appears, select the route you want with a direction flick of the Right Stick (RS)

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How To Audible

  • Standard Audible - Before the snap, press X/Square to show your audible menu; the user can use D-Pad Left or Right to scroll to the other audible menus for formations with appropriate personnel, then select the audible you want with the corresponding button press
  • Quick Audible - Before the snap, press X/Square to show your audible menu; then flick the Right Stick in any of the following 4 directions for the corresponding quick audibles:
  • Offense – Up = Quick Pass, Right = Standard Pass, Down = Run, Left = Play Action Pass
  • Defense – Up = Cover 2 Man, Right = Tampa 2, Down = Blitz, Left = Cover 3
  • Playmaker flip allows you to change the direction of your running play by flicking the RS right or left before the snap.

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How To Pass Rush

  • When engaged with a blocker or slightly before getting engaged, flick the right stick in any direction for a pass rush move while choosing the desired direction with LS.
  • You can also simply do a speed rush by holding down R2/RT and spin by rotating the right stick in either direction, starting it at the bottom and rotating either clockwise or counter clockwise.
  • The number of bars shown on the widget above the player’s head is the number of pass rush move attempts you have available on that play.

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How To Use Ball Carrier Moves

  • Acceleration boost = hold down RT/R2
  • Celebration Run/swag = Hold L2
  • Juke = RS Flick left/right
  • Deadleg/Hesi = RS flick down while steering with left stick
  • Hurdle = Y/Triangle
  • Truck = Right Stick up
  • Spin = B/Circle or rotate right stick
  • Stiff Arm = Hold X/Square
  • Cover the Ball = hold RB/R1
  • Change ball hand = tap RB/R1
  • Pitch the Ball = Press LB/L1 or on specific option plays, R2 and R1 are also pitch options
  • Juke, hurdle and spin can combo together by doing the mechanics in rapid succession
  • Truck and spin can combo with each other by doing the mechanics in rapid succession
  • All moves turn into ‘precision’ moves if performed while not holding down accel boost (RT/R2)

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How To Pump Fake

Pump fake is the same as ‘Throw Cancelling’ – quickly double tap the passing icon to cancel the throw before the release.

  • A second press will cancel it and result in a pump-fake
  • One press will start a throw;

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How To Scramble

Scrambling is a great option to elude defenders coming to sack your quarterback or surprise your opponent by turning him into a runner.

  • Hold down R2/RT and aim with LS to scramble with your QB

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Madden NFL 23 Defensive Beginners' Tips

How To Intercept

  • Intercept = Hold Y/Triangle as the defender to Play Ball

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How ToSwat The Ball

  • Swat = Hold X/Square as the defender to swat
  • Hold A/X to play the receiver to try to knock the ball out

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How To Tackle/How To Hit-Stick

Offense wins games but defense wins championships! Learn how to tackle or hit-stick your opponents and dominate the gridiron.

  • Hold A/X for a conservative ‘Breakdown Tackle’
  • Press X/Square for an aggressive dive tackle
  • Flick Right Stick up when in range of ball carrier to hit stick
  • Flick Right Stick down when in range to cut stick (take Ball carrier’s legs out)

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How To QB Contain

  • Press RB/R1 to open Defense menu, then Press RB/R1 again to have your edge rushers do a QB Contain Rush

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How To Play QB On Option

  • At playcall, press R3 (RS Click) to bring up Coaching Adjustments menu, then switch Option Defense to Conservative

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How To Adjust Zone Drops

  • At playcall, press R3 (RS Click) to bring up Coaching Adjustments menu, then change drop depths on Flats, Curl-Flats, and Hooks Zones

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More Beginner Tips
Madden NFL 23 Gameplay Tips for Beginners - Electronic Arts (2024)

FAQs

Madden NFL 23 Gameplay Tips for Beginners - Electronic Arts? ›

The method is easy: you can edit a player that you want and move his position to a punter or whatever position he's not great at. The objective is to lessen his overall enough for you to trade for the said player without a problem. You could give up a late-round draft pick or a below-average player for that player.

How do you play the best defense in Madden 23? ›

How to Play Defense in Madden 23
  1. Match the Formation with the Opposition. The opponent's offensive formation shows up as soon as they select it. ...
  2. Adjust the Defensive Line in Advance. ...
  3. Use Coverage Adjustment to Shade. ...
  4. Assign Players and Define Their Zone. ...
  5. Choose a Turnover-Friendly Coverage Style.
Mar 14, 2023

How do you make trades easier in Madden 23? ›

The method is easy: you can edit a player that you want and move his position to a punter or whatever position he's not great at. The objective is to lessen his overall enough for you to trade for the said player without a problem. You could give up a late-round draft pick or a below-average player for that player.

How do you run the ball effectively in Madden 23? ›

Running the ball is a numbers game. As painfully obvious as it sounds, you want to run the ball where you have more or equal blockers to where the defense has defenders. You can control which way most runs (not including shotgun) by flicking the "right stick" left or right.

How to be good on offense in Madden 23? ›

How To Pass The Ball In Madden 23
  1. Know Your Offensive Scheme - The Key To Get Better At Passing In Madden 23. Look, this sounds obvious but seriously it's important. ...
  2. You Must Have Great Pocket Presence. ...
  3. Know When To Bullet, Lob, and Touch Pass. ...
  4. Know When To High Pass and Low Pass. ...
  5. Watch The Pros.

How do you hit harder in Madden 23? ›

How To Tackle/How To Hit-Stick
  1. Hold A/X for a conservative 'Breakdown Tackle'
  2. Press X/Square for an aggressive dive tackle.
  3. Flick Right Stick up when in range of ball carrier to hit stick.
  4. Flick Right Stick down when in range to cut stick (take Ball carrier's legs out)

How to never lose in Madden 23? ›

How You Can Win Every Time In Madden 23:
  1. Snap the ball.
  2. DON'T drift back with your quarterback.
  3. Instead -> Slightly tap up on your left analog stick to move up a couple yards.

What is the best playbook for running the ball Madden 23? ›

The best-balanced playbook is simply one that has a solid mixture of rushing and passing schemes that can be of use to most offenses.
  • Best rushing playbook: Baltimore Ravens. ...
  • Best passing playbook: Kansas City Chiefs. ...
  • Best balanced playbook: New England Patriots/Oakland Raiders.
Sep 1, 2022

What is the best position to play in Madden 23? ›

Wide Receiver

Offense is clearly the better choice in Face of the Franchise mode. We had WR ranked lower until we learned that your play art doesn't really matter.

Who has the worst Offence in Madden 23? ›

The Texans are the worst team in the game, with the Giants coming in just one point ahead of them overall. The Seahawks rank third-worst, while the Jaguars and Falcons are tied for the fourth-worst teams.

What is the best defense simulation in Madden 23? ›

The best defensive scheme for Madden 23 will be 4-3 Quarters. No other defensive scheme is better but there are others that are good. However, if you ever face an opponent with this scheme, you will lose the majority of the time. This defensive scheme is best suited to shut down all angles of the opposing offense.

How do you play defense in Madden 23 controls? ›

Advanced Pre-Play Defense
  1. Select Player: Circle.
  2. Audible: Square.
  3. Defensive Line Shift: Left D-Pad.
  4. Linebacker Audible: Right D-Pad.
  5. Coverage Audibles: Triangle.
  6. Defensive Keys: R1.
  7. Zoom Camera In/Out: Up or Down on D-Pad.

What team in Madden 23 has the best defensive line? ›

The teams that find themselves at the top of the "Madden 23" team defense ratings aren't much of a surprise. The Bills were the league's best defense in 2021. The Rams have two of the top overall players at their positions on defense. The Packers have at least one of the top 15 players at each defensive position.

Who has the best defensive playbook in Madden 23? ›

Best Defensive Playbooks in Madden 23
  • Kansas City Chiefs. As of right now, it seems as though the meta defensive playbook in Madden 23 lies with the Kansas City Chiefs. ...
  • When it comes to defensive playbooks in Madden, non-team playbooks are usually the meta. ...
  • Multiple D. ...
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ...
  • Chicago Bears. ...
  • Baltimore Ravens.
Sep 2, 2022

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