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       |                                                         |
       |                                                         |
       |                   Madden NFL 2005 FAQ                   |
       |                                                         |
       |_________________________________________________________|
       | Nintendo GameCube / Sony PlayStation 2 / Microsoft XBox |
       |                                                         |
       |Author:            Jeff (Aurabolt10)                     |
       |GameFAQs Username: Aurabolt10                            |
       |File Started:      11 October  2004                      |
       |Last Updated:      1  April    2005                      |
       |Current Version:   1.3                                   |
       |Status:            Complete (full beginning-to-end)      |
       |Written for the Nintendo GameCube Version                |
       |_________________________________________________________|



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Thanks to all FAQ writers on GameFAQs; I used a common layout for writing the
Table of Contents in this FAQ (it's my first).

(!)(!)(!)Means this is new to this version of the FAQ.(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)

If you know what you are looking for and need to skip right to that section,
use CTRL + F to bring up the FIND box, then type in the entry in the FIND box.

(Example Search For:   IVE.   To find the Passing Play Tutorial)

I.     Introduction
II.    Version History
III.   The Madden 2005 Classroom
         A. Abbreviations
         B. Positions (Offense)
         C. Positions (Defense)
IV.    Offensive Strategy
         A. General/Playcalling
         B. Running The Ball
         C. Running Play Tutorial
         D. Passing The Ball
         E. Passing Play Tutorial
         F. Formation Matchups and Advantages
         G. Specific Offensive Playcalls
V.     Defensive Strategy
         A. General/Playcalling
         B. Defending the Run
         C. Defending the Pass
         D. Defensive Tutorial
         E. Specific Defensive Playcalls
VI.    Mini-Camp Guide
VII.   Franchise Mode Guide
         A. Fantasy Draft
         B. Salary Cap Guide
         C. Owner's Box Guide
(!)(!)(!)D. Off-season Guide(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)(!)
VIII.  Legal
IX.    Special Thanks
X.     Contact Me/Closing

(!)(!)(!)Means this is new to this version of the FAQ.






_________________
|Legal Disclaimer |
|_________________|___________________________________________________________
|Copyright 2004 Aurabolt10                                                    |
|                                                                             |
|GameFAQs Username: Aurabolt10                                                |
|                                                                             |
|This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,   |
|private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed   |
|publicly. Use of this guide on any web site other than                       |
|<http://www.gamefaqs.com> or as a part of any public display is strictly     |
|prohibited, and a violation of copyright.                                    |
|                                                                             |
|All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their  |
|respective trademark and copyright holders.                                  |
|_____________________________________________________________________________|








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Hey this is Aurabolt10 and I'm writing this FAQ for Madden 2005. If you care,
I'm sixteen and I am a human male... Some people may be surprised by this!
Though I have been visiting GameFAQs for a few years now, I have never
submittedanything before this. I decided to write a FAQ because it is on the
Top 10 Most Wanted list at GameFAQs and I have been thinking of writing one
for a while, and this is one of my most favorite games. In this guide, I will
give you some Offensive and Defensive tutorials/strategies that I'm sure should
help you at least a little.

Anything else that you'd like to help me with, or have any
comments/questions/suggestions, contact me at:

E-mail:                [email protected]
AOL Instant Messenger: Aurabolt12

Basically if you're not a total jerk talking to me, and you don't send me mail
that I don't want or flood me on AIM, then I'd be glad to help you out (if I
can).



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Just in case you're wondering:
SETTINGS I USE: (As of last update to the guide)

Quarter Length:    5 Minutes
Skill Level:       All-Madden
Playbook:          Miami Dolphins
Accelerated Clock: OFF
Auto-Strafe:       OFF
Auto-Avoid (QB):   OFF
Def. Pass Assist:  ON
Off. Catch Assist: ON
PENALTIES:         See HR21's All-Madden Sliders
SLIDERS:           All default (at 10 out of 20)
COMMENTS:          This is a little too easy for me, exploiting the CPU's
                  weaknesses gets monotnous. Oh well I'll change them later.
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Version 1.0 -- 29 October 2004
First version submitted to GameFAQs. Most of the stuff I really wanted to
include are here, like the Offensive/Defensive Tutorials.

Version 1.1 -- 4 November 2004
Got a couple e-mails that helped me fix a few minor things, some small errors I
found were revised. Made titles of sections bigger.

Version 1.2 -- 1 February 2005
ADDED/UPDATED Sections with (!)(!)(!) See table of contents.
Made the titles for sections bigger again. Minor changes all around.
Added Franchise Mode section.

Version 1.3 -- 1 April 2005
ADDED/UPDATED Sections with (!)(!)(!) See table of contents.
Added things here and there. Put some stuff in from e-mails.
Added Off-Season Guide. Added TRADING DRAFT PICKS.

Version 1.4 -- ???
--< Coming Soon! >--


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This is where I'll teach you all the things you need to know to be successful
at this game. If you don't see something here that you'd like me to include in
a future update, email me (See Contact Me at the end of the document).

-----==============------------------------------------------------------------
IIIA. Abbreviations
-----==============------------------------------------------------------------

I made this section myself to those who don't know the basic football
abbreviations. All player positions are listed below.

ATTRIBUTES:
OVR - Overall
SPD - Speed
ACC - Acceleration
AGI - Agility
BTK - Ability to break tackles
AWR - Awareness (Intelligence, knowledge of the game)
CTH - Catching ability
STR - Strength (Affects ability to effectively use Stiff Arm, etc.)
TAK - Tackling ability
JMP - Jumping Ability (Jumping Height)
CAR - Carrying Ability (affects fumbles and fumble percentage)
RBK - Run Blocking Ability
PBK - Pass Blocking Ability
THP - Throwing Power (Distance)
THA - Throwing Accuracy
KPW - Kicking Power
KAC - Kicking Accuracy
IMP - Importance (affects trades)
KR  - Kick Returning Ability
INJ - Stands for injury, the lower the number, the more likely to be injured
STA - Stamina (how long the player can stay on the field without tiring out)
TGH - Toughness (affects the speed of recoveries from injuries)*


STATISTICS:
:Yds            - Yards
:TD             - Touchdown(s)
:AVG            - Average (yards on a pass/run)
:Rec            - Receptions (number of catches)
:YAC            - Yards After Catch (number of yards gained after the catch)
:Tack           - Number of Tackles
:Sack           - Number of sacks
:INT            - Number of Interceptions
:Pass Defl      - Passes Deflected
:FF             - Number of Forced Fumbles
:Fumble Rec     - Number of Fumbles Recovered
:FGM            - Field Goals Made
:FGA            - Field Goals Attempted
:FG%            - Field Goal Percentage (of a successful field goal)
:XP/XPA/XPM/XP% - XP stands for Extra Point(s). XPA is how many were attempted,
                  XPM is how many were made, XP% is the percentage of
                  successful extra point attempts.
:No.            - Number (of kicks/passes/attempts)
:TB             - Touchbacks
:Punt in 20     - Number of punts that ended inside the 20 yard line
:KR             - Kick Returns
:KR yds         - Number of total yards gained on Kick Returns.
:KR TD          - Number of total Touchdowns scored while returning kicks.
:Pancakes       - When an Offensive lineman pushes an opposing defensive
                  lineman off his feet.
:Sack           - Number of Sacks acquired by the player
:Rating         - The Quarterback Rating of the player (average)
:Pass INT       - The number of thrown Interceptions
:Pass Comp      - The total number of passes completed to an eligible receiver
:Pass Att       - The total number of thrown passes
:Completion     - When a quarterback passes the ball successfully to an
                  eligible receiver.
:Comp %         - The total percentage of successful pass attempts
:YPC            - Yards Per Carry. The average of all rushing attempt
                 distances. A general outlook on the ability of the team's
                 running game.

*I don't have the game right in front of me, so if I missed any, please tell
me.

------===================------------------------------------------------------
IIIB. Positions (Offense)
------===================------------------------------------------------------

Here is a section that shows a basic lineup of players on offense, and their
positions are listed below. In parentheses are the alternate names for the
position.

==========================================LINE OF SCRIMMAGE====================
9                1  2  3  4  5  10
   11                 6                  ((I-Form Twin WR Offense))

                      7
                      8

===============================================================================
1:  LT - Left Tackle   (Lineman)
2:  LG - Left Guard    (Lineman)
3:  C  - Center        (Lineman)
4:  RG - Right Guard   (Lineman)
5:  RT - Right Tackle  (Lineman)
6:  QB - Quarterback   (Passer)
7:  FB - Fullback      (Blocking back)
8:  HB - Halfback      (Running back)
9:  WR - Wide Receiver (Wide Receiver)
10: TE - Tight End     (Tight End)
11: WR - Wide Receiver (Slot Receiver)


------===================------------------------------------------------------
IIIC. Positions (Defense)
------===================------------------------------------------------------

Same as the last section, except for defensive players.

****
NOTE
****
I need some help for this section; I'm not entirely sure about the Left/Right
positions on defense, they might be incorrect... Also, the Sam/Will
Linebackers; which is which? Thanks, if someone can help me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks to [email protected] for clearing this up for me:

       "Sam stands for strong because of the s and will stands for
                        weak because of the w."

===============================================================================

         10                                ((4-3 Normal Defense))
                         11



           5     6      7
8             1  2  3  4            9
============================================LINE OF SCRIMMAGE==================
1:  RE -   Right Defensive End
2:  DT -   Defensive Tackle
3:  DT -   Defensive Tackle
4:  LE -   Left Defensive End
5:  ROLB - Right Outside Linebacker
6:  MLB -  Middle Linebacker
7:  LOLB - Left Outside Linebacker
8:  RCB -  Right Cornerback
9:  LCB -  Left Cornerback
10: FS -   Free Safety
11: SS -   Strong Safety




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------===================------------------------------------------------------
IVA.  General/Playcalling
------===================------------------------------------------------------

-Know your playbook well. I suggest trying the Dolphins or the generic
ones (Balanced, etc). Most of the playbooks are pretty good this year
(better than last year's game). Whichever you choose, try to stick to it and
learn all the plays; don't stick to only 5 or 6 "money plays". I use
different playbook all the time; Still finding the right one.
-Establish a good running game, no matter what your team. Be confident in it.
-You shouldn't be passing every first down.

Dolphins Playbook: Plays that usually succeed ("Money Plays")
-----------------------------
>>>I-Form Twin WR, HB Counter
If the defense comes out in man coverage, there will be two CBs lined up on
the left, covering your WRs, leaving the right side of the field wide open.
Playmaker to the right side using the C-Stick and make sure your TE picks up
the OLB. Then sprint to the sideline, and get as many yards as you can. Stiff
arm works well here.
-----------------------------
>>>I-Form Normal, HB Blast
Use playmaker to shift to the weak side of the defense. This play is most
commonly changed to an outside run because that's where the FB usually goes.
If it's too congested in the middle, just go outside (this will happen usually
about 80% of the time).
-----------------------------
>>>Singleback Normal, HB Release Mid
Look deep to the left-most WR by checking the Safety on his side. The slot
receiver will be open over the middle if LBs are not lurking in zone. I'd
hot route the right WR to do a curl, just in case the other 2 WRs are covered
well. If all else fails, find a couple more seconds and fling it to the HB
coming out of the backfield (he'll block for the first part of the play).

------================--------------------------------------------------------
IVB.  Running The Ball
------================--------------------------------------------------------

**Rushing is only successful when the RB has blockers in front of him. I know
it sounds stupid but think about it! You will have more success running with
more blockers than with less. An example of this is running from Singleback-
Normal compared to I-Form Big; the I-Formation will give you better results
than running with Singleback, because there are more blockers for you.**
-More Tight Ends and blocking Running backs (FB) will improve your rushing
game.

When running between the tackles:
It is much easier to have a lead blocking FB. Stick to him like glue. Copy his
exact movements. Wherever he goes, you should follow. Stay as close as possible
to him, even if you think the play will fail. How can anyone tackle you if you
have a 225-pound guy running right in front of you? If there is no hole, bust
it outside. I quite commonly do this in I-Form HB Slam; just run right off the
TE's right side and you have about 4 or 5 yards of open space there.

When running without a Fullback, between the tackles:
If an easy-to-see hole is not present, think about busting the play outside.
This is quite common when running from the Singleback formations, usually
because there is a lot of pressure in the middle and this leaves the outside
more open. When this happens, treat the play as an off-tackle play, and make
sure you use the WR blocks to your advantage. If the WR is successfully
controlling his blocking assignment, go around (outside) of him.

When running outside the tackles:
If a play is designed to go outside the tackles on a run, unless it is an Off-
Tackle play, you should NOT treat it as described in the previous paragraph.
These types of plays are possibly the most difficult to execute, as it mostly
depends on what the defense does and how fast they react. Do not sprint until
you see most of the players on the left/right side of the field blocked. Be
patient. If a defender crosses the Line of Scrimmage, then you should panic and
sprint as fast as you can somewhere so you don't lose yards. Otherwise, stay
calm and if you can stay alive long enough, you will be able to see a lane to
run through and pick up a good chunk of yardage. Personally, I don't like any
Toss or Sweep plays because I rarely get success with them, but try for
yourself.

------=====================----------------------------------------------------
IVC.  Running Play Tutorial
------=====================----------------------------------------------------

This is a step-by-step guide for executing a running play, telling you what to
look for and how to react to almost every situation. The play I will be using
is SF 49'ers playbook (also in almost every single one in the game), I-Form
Normal, HB Blast.

               10
                              11
                                                 ((4-3 NORMAL - PRE-SNAP))


               5      6       7
_8________________1___2__3____4___________9___________________LINE_OF_SCRIMMAGE
9               1  2  3  4  5  10       11
                      6                          ((I-FORM NORMAL - PRE-SNAP))

                      7
                      8





-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          |          I-Form Normal, HB Blast
                                          |
         10                               |          If everything goes
                         11               |          according to how
                                          |          the play was designed,
                    Run.                  |S         this is what should
                    Lane                  |I         happen. (Offense 7 would
           5     6  \   /   7             |D         block defense 6 or 7)
8             1  2  3|  /4   10       9    |E
9           1  2  3 4|  |5           11    |L
                 6   ^                    |I
                     |                    |N
                 7   /                    |E
                 8--/                     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As your players are setting up, take a look and identify the defense. Look for
any shifts or audibles that might be going on; the most common is a LB or DL
shift left or right.

IF THE DEFENSE shifts both the LBs and DL to the strong (right) side, use
Playmaker (C-Stick) and change the play so it runs to the left. If all goes
well, the LT should take on the OLB, leaving you and your fullback to take on
the secondary.

IF THE DEFENSE shifts the LBs one way and the DL a different way, go to the
side where the LBs are strong and the DL is weak using Playmaker. If you don't
feel comfortable with this, then shift to the side where you have more
blockers. Your RT/LT should block the OLB on that side, and your FB should pick
up anyone who slips through the offensive line (MLB or a DE).

At the snap, watch the linemen and the LBs. If you see a LB or DL coming
through the line in the middle, be prepared to run to the right, around the
blocking TE. If the middle looks fairly solid in terms of blocking, make sure
you stay close to your FB as he leads you through the hole. If you can easily
see the hole open up, wait until your FB crosses the LOS or blocks a LB, then
hold the A button to sprint through, hopefully picking up a good chunk of
yardage.

If all goes according to plan, all the LBs and Linemen would be blocked and
your HB will have a clear running lane for at least 5 yards.

------================---------------------------------------------------------
IVD.  Passing The Ball
------================---------------------------------------------------------

First thing: I've heard a number of people on the GameFAQs Message Board
(Madden 2005) that say you should step up as soon as you snap the ball, for one
step, then drop back normally. They said it sets up your blocks better. I've
tried it and now I use it every time I have a pass play; it does set up your
blocks better for some reason, probably because the Defensive Line is rushing
towards the QB, who is centered a little more so they run straight at the O-
line... something like that. But if you don't have enough time in the pocket,
consistently, try this tip. The only problem I've had with it was that
sometimes, the quarterback's foot gets caught on the Center's or Guard's ankle,
causing him to be sacked easily.

Passing Basics:
When you're picking your play, the Orange colored receiver is your Primary
receiver, meaning the play is designed to get that guy open. Think about where
he will be and try to get him the ball. But don't be stupid; if he's triple
covered, go to another guy. Also, don't feel that you absolutely MUST pass to
the Primary receiver; if you feel more comfortable passing to another player,
go for it. You may even decide who you'll throw to before the play starts.

A very important note:

LEARN HOW TO USE HOT ROUTES:
1) Press the Y button before the snap, bringing up the banner saying HOT ROUTE.
2) Press the receiver's passing icon that you want to change his route.
3) Press one of the following to change the receiver's route:
    Left/Right on the control pad/stick: 7-yard In or Out route.
    Up         on the control pad/stick: Fly or Streak route (Go Deep).
    Down       on the control pad/stick: 7-yard Curl In route.
    Z + R  or  Z + L                   : Quick Slant left or right. For Tight
                                         Ends and anyone in the backfield,
                                         it makes them Pass Block instead.

How To Pass:
There are three different ways to throw the football in Madden 2005, and many
other factors that affect where your pass will go and how it will get there.
The three different types of passes are:

TOUCH PASS - This is the basic pass. Timing is perfect here for In routes and
sometimes quick slants. Basically any route that requires good timing, usually
complicated routes like Zig-Ins and Outs. Execute this pass by pressing the
receiver's button for an average amount of time (about 0.5-0.75 seconds but
this is a total guess).

LOB PASS - Sometimes called the "lame duck" or "floater" by Madden. This is the
pass you want to get the most height to drop the ball in over defenders. The
pass has very low velocity. It is usually used when throwing deep. It is good
for deep passes but terrible for short passes because it has the potential to
become an easy interception. Execute this type of pass by tapping the
receiver's button (once) quickly.

BULLET PASS - This is the "laser" or "rifle" pass, as Madden sometimes calls
it. It has the most velocity and is very straight, and low to the ground. This
pass is crucial for Curl and Out routes, and sometimes slant routes. I use this
pass most of the time, but I shouldn't. Do not use this when throwing deep,
unless your WR is wide open. Use this pass to get the ball to the intended
receiver as quickly as possible (usually when the defense is in zone coverage
and your WR is temporarily in a hole in the zone). Execute this pass by holding
down the receiver's button until the ball is released from the QB's hands.

Leading The Receiver:
There are other factors that affect your pass, too. Leading the receiver is an
important example of this. To lead the receiver, move the control stick in the
direction that the receiver is running. You only need to hold it for a split-
second before you press the receiver's button. They are almost pressed at the
same time, actually. If you hold it down too long, an easy way to tell is if
your QB takes one or more steps before he throws. You want the time to be less
than that; if it's any more, you will have many, many sacks because you
couldn't get rid of the ball in time.


-----=====================-----------------------------------------------------
IVE. Passing Play Tutorial
-----=====================-----------------------------------------------------

This is a step-by-step guide on what to do on a passing play. The play I will
use here will be 49ers Playbook, Singleback 4WR, Posts.


               6
                              7
                                                    ((DIME NORMAL - PRE-SNAP))


                      5
_8_____9________1___2___3____4_______10___11__________________LINE_OF_SCRIMMAGE
8               1  2  3  4  5            11
      9               6             10
                                                 ((SINGLEBACK 4WR - PRE-SNAP))

                      7


In this formation, the defense will probably line up in the Dime defense with 4
CBs to keep up with your 4 WRs. WRs 8 and 11 do streak routes, going straight
downfield. WR 10 does a post route over the middle. WR 9 is your primary
receiver, who does a post that is a little deeper than 10's.

As your players are setting up, look at the defense. One sign that would change
your play's plan would be if the safeties (6 and/or 7) ran up to the line of
scrimmage to cover one of your WRs in man coverage. If this is the case, look
for your widest receiver on that side doing a streak route because he should
have one-on-one coverage with the opposing CB.

If you see no change in the defense, then get ready to snap the ball. At the
snap of the ball, the first thing you should look for would be any blitzing
CBs. This should take only a second. If there are blitzing CBs or the MLB
blitzes, then prepare to step up early in the pocket. If not, look downfield to
the safeties. If one of the safeties does not drop back into coverage, but
instead runs towards the line, look deep to the widest receiver on that side
because, like before, he should have one-on-one coverage.

If there are no blitzing CBs and the safeties are both in deep zone coverage,
then you would look towards the middle of the field to WR 9 or 10 doing post
routes. If you can, throw to the one that looks like he has the most separation
from the CB covering him. Be wary of the MLB (make sure you don't throw it at
him or he will intercept the pass); if he seems to be favoring one side of the
field, throw away from him.

As with every pass play, make sure you step up in the pocket (or at least stop
dropping back). This is my worst flaw in this game; I know I should step up,
but I just keep dropping back and dropping back, which KILLS my passing game.
Learn from MY mistakes!

-----=================================-----------------------------------------
IVF. Formation Matchups and Advantages
-----=================================-----------------------------------------

There are many matchups that favor the offense. For example:

>>>Singleback Normal Offense  vs.  4-3 Normal Defense
In this situation, the offense has a huge advantage because one of the WRs (the
slot) is covered either by the closest OLB or the Safety (far away). The OLB
usually will get royally burned by the WR. What I do in this situation is hot
route the widest receiver (next to the slot) to do a fly/streak route. Then I
hot route my slot receiver to do an Out route. Now, when my widest receiver
goes deep, he will take the opposing CB with him. My slot receiver will come
underneath (behind him) and run to the sideline, the slower OLB trying to catch
up. I lead my receiver and bullet-pass him the ball; my receiver catches it and
sprints up the sideline for an easy first down.

>>>I-Form Big Offense vs.  Dime Defense
Here, the offense again has the advantage, but not through the air. The defense
has 4 CBs and the offense has only 1 WR. On the other hand, the offense has a
line of 7 blockers plus a lead blocking FB. Runs up the middle will rip dime
apart, if done correctly and if the HB doesn't rush (sprint as soon as he gets
the ball). Be patient and let your blocks develop until you find a way to get
up-field. Don't go outside on this because they have fast players outside to
catch up to you.

>>>Shotgun 4WR Offense  vs.  Quarter Defense
The defense has the advantage here. They have 7 guys in the secondary, and the
offense has four WRs. They also only have one blocking back, and the rest of
the players are pass blocking. If the defense decides to blitz the MLB or some
of the CBs, the offense will be pressured, but all the receivers will still be
covered. The Quarter defense is the best pass-defending formation in the game.

>>>Singleback Big  vs.  46 Bear Defense
The defense will most likely have the advantage here. If the offense is in
Singleback big, they usually are looking to run because of only 2 WRs. Any runs
in the middle will be stuffed by the mass amount of players in the box, and
anything outside will be crushed by the LBs. If the offense does a play-action
deep pass, they might get a guy open; other than that, the defense will
dominate anything here.

-----============================----------------------------------------------
IVG. Specific Offensive Playcalls
-----============================----------------------------------------------

::Stopping a defense that uses Quarter every play::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
If the defense is always using quarter, then try runs in the middle. Sometimes,
for some strange reason, this also fails... Now we need to get out the heavy
artillery. Try using a HB Dive from Goal Line offense. If this fails then
something is wrong.

Another thing you could try would be to get a whole lot of WRs and make most of
them go one way, and have one do something different, like do an In. Most of
the other players will be covering deep so the one man should have at least
single coverage.



EXAMPLE:

              6
                              7
                                                    ((DIME NORMAL - PRE-SNAP))


                      5
_8_____9________1___2___3____4_______10___11__________________LINE_OF_SCRIMMAGE
8               1  2  3  4  5            11
      9               6             10
                                                 ((SINGLEBACK 4WR - PRE-SNAP))

                      7



OK, we are Offense. If you have WRs 8, 9, and 11 do a Fly/Deep Post route,
hot-route WR 10 to do an In, Out or quick slant. You may also want to make the
HB (7) do an in/out to the right, pulling the LB (5) over to that side, leaving
the middle of the field COMPLETELY wide open for #10 to get an easy catch or in
loose single coverage.




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[                          V. Defensive Strategy                              ]
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----===================--------------------------------------------------------
VA. General/Playcalling
----===================--------------------------------------------------------

-Decide if you will run a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 defense. If you have two good
MLBs, run a 3-4. If you have better DTs, run a 4-3.
-NEVER choose your play before your opponent. Look for the indicator after they
choose their play to find out how many WRs, RBs, and TEs they are lining up
with. If they have 0-1 WR, line up in 4-3 or Goal Line. If they have 2 WRs,
line up in 4-3 or 3-4. If they have 3-4 WRs, line up with the Nickel or Dime
formation. If they have 5 WRs, go to Quarter Defense. You do this because you
want to have a number of speedy players (CBs) equal to the number of opposing
WRs. If you want to pressure the QB/Line, get one more CB than opposing WRs and
blitz that extra CB.
-Pressure the QB on pretty much every play. A good plan is to line up with one
more CB than the number of receivers, and blitz the one who's not covering a
WR. Also blitz OLBs. MLB blitzes don't work unless you have a 3-4 defense and
blitz two of them.

----=================----------------------------------------------------------
VB. Defending the Run
----=================----------------------------------------------------------

Success of the run depends on the opposing players in "the box", which is
within a couple yards of the LOS, between the tackles. Many players in the box
is very intimidating to the offense. It also crushes any type of run (unless
the offense gets lucky).

4-3: Basic Run Stopping Formation
The 4-3 is your basic defense for stuffing the RB. With 4 linemen, they get
adequate pressure at the line, and the 3 LBs can sniff out any run. Be wary of
TEs; their primary job on running plays is to block your OLBs, opening up the
outside for the runner.

>>>Whip Man (I think that's what it's called)
The ROLB and the MLB blitz with the D-linemen. It gives great pressure to the
Left side of the offensive line. The right of the offensive line will be weakly
defended because of the surge going to the left. Only one LB blocks the right.

>>>4-3 Man Cover (Two Safeties in Deep zone, everyone else in Man Coverage)
With the three LBs in Man Coverage, they will react quickly to any type of run.
I call this play quite often (too often than I should) because it covers both
the run and the pass quite well (if there are two or less WRs, of course).

>>>4-3 Engage Eight
This is the Mother of all Blitzes. Everyone on the defense blitzes, besides one
Safety and two CBs, who go into Deep Zone. Play Action will royally own this
play deep. Any run will be stuffed on this play, though I've had a Goal Line
Off-Tackle to the Right run get a TD off Engage Eight before...

3-4
The 3-4 is better at stopping outside runs because of the versatile LBs (there
are 4), but runs in the middle usually get past the three defensive linemen.

>>>MLB Blitz (Two MLBs blitz the middle)
This is a good run-stopping play because the middle is stormed by two rushing
LBs. There are still two OLBs to cover outside runs, and can even follow the
MLBs through the middle if necessary. This play is excellent.

46 or 46-Bear
This is the Mother of all Run-Stopping Formations (even better than Goal Line,
in some situations). With four linemen and a whopping SIX LBs, any run will be
demolished by the huge amount of guys in the box (10!!). Passes scorch the 46,
especially deep. If you know they will run, use this formation!

Nickel
The Nickel is surprisingly a good run-stopping formation, even though there are
only four Linemen and Two LBs. There are 5 guys in the secondary, giving the
defense speed to shut down the play as soon as possible.

Dime
The Dime formation will get beat on any run except sweeps, and sometimes off-
tackle plays. Five guys in the box is not enough to stop anything. If you can
stop the I-Form or any of its variations with the Dime, your defensive line has
to be at least 90+ overall each.

Quarter
Don't even go there.

----==================---------------------------------------------------------
VC. Defending the Pass
----==================---------------------------------------------------------

This is probably the most difficult part of this game. The computer defense
sometimes "cheats", as it seems, and completes any pass thrown until they
score... But it's all in your head, right?

4-3 Normal
Only use this if they have 2 or less WRs. Even so, it's not very good at
stopping the pass. Anything deep can easily be exploited on a poor play-call by
the defense.

>>>4-3 Cover 2
Three LBs drop into Hook Zone (yellow), two CBs bump the receivers at the line
to give the LBs time to get into covering position. The remaining Safeties go
into Deep Zone, making sure nothing gets behind them. The problem is the CBs
don't go any further than the Line of Scrimmage, so corner routes to the
sideline are very easy completions (huge hole in this zone). Anything over the
middle is usually picked off (with enough pressure from the D-Line).

3-4
This is better for stopping the pass because there is an extra LB. Don't use
this if the offense has more than two (maybe three) WRs.

>>>Drop Zone
Two CBs go into deep zone with the safeties, and the four LBs go into a yellow
zone. Similar to the 4-3 cover 2, anything short and to the sideline will be
open. This is good for defending deep passes if you're not sure if it will be a
run or a pass.

>>>OLB Blitz
The two OLBs blitz, forcing the QB to throw early. Good blitz on 3rd down if
they have a low amount of WRs.

Nickel
This is the best formation for defending the 1-2-3WR passes.

>>>Man Cover (Both LBs go in Man Coverage)
Stops a lot of passes. Use Playmaker to blitz an extra CB (if there is one).

>>>Middle Blitz (Both LBs Blitz the middle)
Good pressure in the middle. Forces the QB to throw early if you get through
the line, and possibly force an INT.

Dime
This is what you use to stop the deep passes. With six guys in the secondary,
there is a lot of speed on the field. Four linemen usually give adequate
pressure to make sure the QB doesn't have all day.

>>>DB Blitz
Give EXCELLENT pressure if there are only 3 WRs.

>>>Prevent
Stops any pass more than 10-15 yards downfield, guaranteed... Almost.

Quarter
This is what you use when the offense is doing a two-minute drill, trying to
score as quickly as possible. With SEVEN (!!) guys in the secondary, this is
the formation with the most speed. It will stop about 85% of all passes. Most
plays in this formation are based on stopping passes. Mostly any run between
the tackles will succeed; only use this if you know they are passing. I don't
need to list any plays for this because, unless you blitz, you should have an
OK time with their passing game. Make sure you have at least 2 guys deep
(Safeties, usually).

----==================---------------------------------------------------------
VD. Defensive Tutorial
----==================---------------------------------------------------------

This is very hard because I don't know what the offense will be running. For
this, I'll make the offense run a pass play.

Nickel Normal Defense (Man Cover)  vs.  Singleback Normal Offense (Pass)

Your job on this play is to be a LB on the weak side. We are blitzing (hot
route or just do it at the snap). We know the offense is going to pass, so we
are putting some pressure on him.

Move your LB up to the line of scrimmage before the snap, about 1.5-2 player
lengths away to the left. At the snap, use the X button and sprint straight
down. Watch the LT. After he engages a block with someone else besides you,
sprint straight right. At this point, you should be behind the QB. When you
have a clear path to the QB, sprint UP to get a nice sack.

If there is a blocking FB/HB/RB, then we have a problem. Try to angle him out.
If he is blocking left, run right, if he is blocking right, run left,
obviously. If you want, you can take him on one on one, you can just push him
over if there is a big enough STR difference. If you are pressed for time and
you think the QB mite throw, use the B button to dive and get the sack. If
you're feeling risky, use the Z button to try to strip the ball from the QB and
force a fumble!

===============================================================================
                                   You shouldn't need a Key for this one...
     ---X     X                    Make sure you don't get blocked by the LT
    /  X  X  X  X                  by shifting your D-Line Left. Move your LB
   /  O O  O  O  O  TE             to the Line of Scrimmage, then blitz at the
   |      ^Q                       snap. If the LT takes on your DE, you're
   |     /                         clear to take on the QB. Good luck!
   |____/  RB

===============================================================================

Good luck... Sorry it wasn't as good as the offensive one, but it's harder to
do... You understand right? Right. On with the FAQ!


----============================-----------------------------------------------
VE. Specific Defensive Playcalls
----============================-----------------------------------------------

I have had many people write me emails or AIM me about some specific things and
how to stop them on Defense.

::Stopping Corner Routes to the sideline::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::Stopping Post-Corner Routes to the sideline:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This seems to be the most difficult thing to stop in Madden 2005. I have found
one defensive assignment that will shut down this play like no other. This is
the Purple Zone or Pink Zone assignment that some LBs or CBs have in certain
plays. If you have someone in a Purple/Pink zone assignment, the offense's
Corner route to the sideline won't work.

::Stopping the Long Pass::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::Stopping the Hail Mary Pass:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This is another problem that may or may not be fixed easily. If you are up
against Randy Moss and you have no player on defense with Speed > 85, then
you are going to get burned all day. You can do your best to stop the bomb by
picking certain plays, however.

You could choose plays like Cover 3, or any other plays from Quarter or Dime
that have more than two deep zone assignments. Then press the Y button and
then the button of the speedy receiver, and then Right on the control stick.
This will put double coverage (usually) on the WR.

You could also use blitzes to put serious pressure on the QB and sack him or
make him throw to someone else by hurrying him. Just make sure it doesn't fail
because then his WR will get wide open and you will be down seven more points.






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The mini-camp and training camp drills are:
QB Pocket Presence
LB Chase and Tackle
DB Swat Ball
DL Trench Fight
K  Clutch Kicking
P  Coffin Corner Punt
QB Precision Passing
RB Ground Attack
WR Catch (only in Training Camp)

-----===============-----------------------------------------------------------
    Pocket Presence
-----===============-----------------------------------------------------------
Say the button name in your head before you throw, or better yet, out loud
(sounds stupid but it makes sure you don't throw to the wrong receiver).
Accuracy doesn't count, so throwing on the run doesn't make any difference.
Don't be afraid to scramble and throw at the same time. Try to start every
"play" in the middle of the QB circle. The most important thing here is to say
the button name of the receiver in your head or even out loud. Trust me, it
helps you, especially when you get to All-Madden.

-----==========----------------------------------------------------------------
    Catch Ball
-----==========----------------------------------------------------------------
Try to stand on the edge of the yellow circle where the ball will land. There
are 4 crosshairs, one on each of the four main directions: 12, 3, 6, and 9
o'clock. Try to get your player's feet so they are just in front of the yellow
circle. Make an imaginary line from the center of the yellow circle to the ball
projection machine. Stand your player on that line, using the previously
mentioned tip. Do not let your player automatically catch the ball. Make sure
you press Y as the ball starts to fall from its highest point. Don't just tap
the Y button; make sure you hold it down. Tapping the Y button makes the
receiver jump for the ball, but holding it down makes the receiver attempt to
catch the ball and not jump into the air like an idiot when the ball is right
next to him (gets me very mad!!!). You might also want to hold Y a little
before you think, it makes a cleaner/easier catch. Remember my words...


The most important note here: Right after you're done catching a pass,
IMMEDIATELY start SPRINTING towards the area of the field that is far away from
the area that you just caught a pass. That way, you won't be caught off-guard
if it's too far away, and you will be able to get to any other target with ease
too.

-----=============-------------------------------------------------------------
    Ground Attack
-----=============-------------------------------------------------------------
The most important thing here is to go all the way OUTSIDE on EVERY PLAY. Even
if it is a HB Dive right up the middle, cut straight left or right, depending
which way the play is designed to go. Make sure you're behind the blue
"blocking" dummies before cutting upfield. (Figure 1) The second most important
thing here is to go OUT OF BOUNDS on EVERY PLAY. This stops valuable time on
the clock. Stiff Arm (Z) works very well here because the players are advancing
on you from the side. If you are in the open field, one on one with a defender,
use the X button to do a spin move. Make sure you are at an angle to him or
else it won't work. (Figure 2: How to do a Spin Move effectively) When you're
going straight towards a defender, use the Juke (L or R)

===============================================================================
((Figure 1))                 |
                            |KEY: O         Blue Blocking Bags (Linemen) or FB
                            |     MLB       Middle LineBacker
                            |     T         Represents a Run Block by the FB
FS          SS--             |     --- or |  Arrows or Lines
               \            |S          |
                ------>   ->|I          |
      MLB                /  |D
       T                /   |E
     O | O             /    |L
   O   FB             /     |I
O O     |  ---->------^      |N
       / /                  |E
      / |                   |
     O  |                   |
       /                    |
     HB                     |
     (you)                  |
                            |

===============================================================================
((Figure 2: Spin Move))
                                 KEY:
                                 X    Defender
                                 O    You (RB)
                                 ...  Represents the spin move
                   (in conjunction with pushing the control stick to the left)
                                 --- or |  Arrows or Lines
                                        |
                                        |
X---
   \
    \
  ^  \
  \   \
   \   \
   .   |
   . .  \
     /  |
    /   |
----    V
O

===============================================================================

-----=========-----------------------------------------------------------------
    Swat Ball
-----=========-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is one of my best drills in training camp. I can usually get 7 points
easily with a quick CB. Just make sure you press X to sprint to the receiver
dummies, then when you get there, hold the R button to strafe the line of
scrimmage. Press the L button to swat down the pass. For deep passes, you'll
need to press the L button sooner than you would have to for a closer dummy.
For the closer dummies, it's actually easier to just catch the ball using the Y
button. Make sure you use the same strategy with the Y button as the WR Catch
drill. Tapping Y makes your defender jump, while holding it down makes him try
to catch the ball (although it is a little harder to time an Interception than
it is to catch a pass) Holding the Y button a little earlier than expected
might help you. Run to EACH AND EVERY DUMMY using the X button to sprint. On
passes that you can't get to in time, don't give up; sprint straight in front
of the dummy and press L; it would surprise you how far away you can be, and
still knock down the pass.

On passes to the deepest dummies, closest to the end zone, it is very risky to
try to intercept the pass; it is much easier to just knock it down with L
instead. Make sure you are holding R to strafe the line and are as close as you
can to the dummy (backed up). Press L to safely knock it down. It is difficult
to intercept the ball because the pass has a lot of height.

The most important note here: Right after you're done knocking
down/intercepting a pass, IMMEDIATELY start SPRINTING towards the target that
is the farthest away from the one you just defended. That way, you won't be
caught off-guard if it's too far away, and you will be able to get to any other
target with ease too.

-----================----------------------------------------------------------
    Chase and Tackle
-----================----------------------------------------------------------
This is one of my worst drills for me. The first two levels of this mini-camp
drill are so ridiculously easy that I don't even need to explain them. Make
sure you sprint to beat the RB around the corner. Hit Stick sometimes causes a
fumble bonus, but it's not worth it usually.

All-Pro and All-Madden difficulty are very hard. On All-Pro, a lead blocking FB
is introduced to you. He will take you out of the play with ease if you go
straight for the RB. The easiest plays here are outside tosses because the RB
usually outruns the FB so you can tackle him without any problems. On any other
run up the middle or off-tackle, you need to maneuver around the FB somehow to
get to the RB.

Another strategy is to control your MLB and at the snap, hold the control stick
down and hold the X button. If you put a little bit of an angle on your control
stick down, you should go right through the middle of the blue blocking dummies
and maybe even tackle the QB! This is the strategy I use now. If you get stuck
on the blue blocking dummies, your safety should be able to save the play.

-----=================---------------------------------------------------------
    Precision Passing
-----=================---------------------------------------------------------
This is another difficult mini-camp. The rings your QB is required to throw
through get smaller as the difficulty increases. Bullet passes work well here
and lobs do not. On streak routes, move your QB left or right so he is lined up
with the route downfield, and the ring, then time it right and bullet the pass.
The rest of them you can get pretty easily by just trying again and again, and
practicing. Using lob passes are a bad idea, by the way, unless you can use
them to throw deep, because I can't. Touch passes work well on post/post
corner/slant routes. Just keep trying on this one, there's not much else to
say.

-----============--------------------------------------------------------------
    Trench Fight
-----============--------------------------------------------------------------
This mini-camp has a high percentage of luck. Sometimes you can hold the X
button and sprint/shove over all the players in one try, easily getting the
flags and a gold trophy. Sometimes, the blockers just turn on what seems like
'invincibility mode' and you can't get past them no matter what you do. If you
fall over in this, give up all hope because you won't win anything, you lose
way too much time. Try to judge which direction the blocker is favoring, then
use L or R to exploit his weak side. When you are running from one "station" to
the next, use the X button to sprint, and it also shoves the next lineman, too.
As I said, you can do a lot but this has a lot of luck for success.

-----==================--------------------------------------------------------
    Coffin Corner Punt
-----==================--------------------------------------------------------
This is quite easy. You have to get a feel for how far over you move the arrow
and how much wind affects the ball. I don't suggest changing the height of the
arrow because it will change/mess up all of your reads. If there's no wind, I
suggest moving the control stick over all the way, for about half a second, to
get a bull's-eye every time. You'll see; if you just practice a couple times,
you can easily find the sweet spot so you'll get a bull's eye. Don't forget
that balls that soar out of bounds still count if they are before the goal
line. When wind becomes a factor, adjust it a little to each side depending on
the strength of the wind and its direction, obviously. You'll get a good feel
for it if you just try it out.

-----==============-----------------------------------------------------------
    Clutch Kicking
-----==============-----------------------------------------------------------
Move the arrow down on every kick. By down I mean lower the trajectory. Move
the arrow left or right slightly when you're moving it down to maximize the
number of kicks before time runs out. By making the arrow lower, you make the
ball go in the air for less time, and it also negates the affect of wind on it.
Other than that, don't waste time looking at the speed of the wind. Looking at
the direction of the wind, moving the arrow down, and moving the arrow
left/right should all be in one movement. This is relatively easy.





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This is a section that will help you manage your Franchise team, including
Salary Cap problems, Contract Negotiations, managing money, Team Morale, and
anything else that has to do with Franchise.

GENERAL:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Don't ever forget the #1 priority in Franchise mode, and that is winning
football games. You could easily get caught up in the other stuff, but that is
all just decor to distract you. Win games.

>>Progression is very important. If you WIN GAMES your starters and
2nd-stringers alike will progress. I've had progression of 10 OVR in one
session before!

>>Preseason is only wasting your time. The amount of progression you get in
preseason, you can easily get if you simulate the games. Just simulate this.

TRADING DRAFT PICKS:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I took this from the Madden 2005 boards in September... It works, mostly.
If you can't do exactly this, experiment, because I think there's a bug that
that CPU reads, if you are a good team then your draft picks are better. It's
supposed to be that if you're a BAD team, your picks are better... oh well.
I usually trade for more picks each season (right now I have two 1st rounders
and 2,3,4,5,6,7 just by using this strategy).

If you can't understand it, I added a little table thingy at the bottom.

--< From: Effulgent | Posted: 9/18/2004 12:40:16 PM >--
Every year the week before the trading deadline

i trade my first round pick for the worst team in the league's first and second
round pick and they whole heartedly agree,

then i trade my second round pick and the worst teams second round pick to the
second worst team for their first round pick and third round pick.

Then i trade my 3rd and 4th round pick to any team for their second,

then i trade my 5th, 6th and the second i just got to the third worst team for
their first.

I almost always have 3 picks in the first 5. Is this considered cheating?

1     > 1/2/5
2     > 1/3
3/4/5 > 2
2/5/6 > 1 (need a player or something; CPU refuses usually)


------=============------------------------------------------------------------
VIIA. Fantasy Draft
------=============------------------------------------------------------------
The Fantasy Draft consists of 49 rounds. All of the players in the game are put
into a single draft pool. Then each team takes turns picking one player at a
time for 49 rounds until they have a completely new team. It takes place in
Snake Order, which means the team who chooses first in Round 1 will choose last
in Round 2, and so on.

First thing you do is choose a team. It doesn't really matter what team you
choose because you will be drafting a whole new team in a moment so choose a
team with uniforms that you like.

GENERAL DRAFTING STRATEGIES:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Decide what kind of team you want. For example, a strong Offensive team or a
team with a great D-Line. Maybe a totally rockin' running game? Whatever you
want, find out what positions need to be strong. Those are the players you'll
be drafting first.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF FANTASY DRAFTING:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRAFT YOUNG!! Do not draft any player over 30 unless he's going to make a big
impact in this season. Young players will stay with you longer and have more
time to progress. Drafting young players (30 or younger) usually makes your
Salary Cap stay low, too.

TIP FROM: Christopher Short <[email protected]>:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full credit for this e-mail sent to me is given to Chris Short on Fantasy
Drafting. Thanks a lot Chris!

Hey fenix, I appreciate the work you put into that FAQ and
just wanted to offer you a couple helpful hints with your
drafting.

1. Terrell Suggs (OLB) can be drafted in the 9th rund and converts
to Defensive End as a 97 overall, this is true of many OLBs
but Suggs is one of the few legit guys as he played here at
Arizona State. Suggs is 23 years old.
2. Tommy Harris (DT Bears) can be drafted in the 25th round
and converts to Defensive End as an 86 overall.  Harris is
only 21 years old and along with Suggs creates great bookends
for years to come.
3. Jon Vilma (MLB Jets) can be drafted in the 15th round and
switched to OLB as an 88overall.  Vilma has been Defensive
Rookie of the Year for me many times, and is another guy who
when placed on your defense will be a pro bowl caliber player
for years.
4. You mentioned something about Tight Ends in the 14th Round,
I have found waiting to the 16th pick gaurantees me Jeremy
Shockey and sometimes Todd Heap.  Also Kellen Winslow Jr. is
available in the 20th round and is a great option as tight
end, wide receiver, or even full back.
5. Ed Reed, always available at the 7th pick and obviously is
a hall of fame type player at either safety position.  But I
have found Reed is also a 93 when edited as cornerback.  As
cornerbacks are difficult to find a 93 in the 7th round is
certainly intriguing.....


------================---------------------------------------------------------
VIIB. Salary Cap Guide
------================---------------------------------------------------------

Signing players, negotiating contracts, etc.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any player you sign, unless you are just filling a spot on the Roster
Breakdown, you should sign them to a 7-year contract. The advantages of signing
a player to a longer contract are important to keeping your team's salary
under the cap. The longer the contract, the less Cap space the player eats up.

Signing a player cheap (obtaining Maximum Cap Room):

>>>>BEFORE DOING ANYTHING, check your Cap Room. Remember that value.<<<<<<<<<<
Now go to the player's contract.

1) After selecting the 7 years, go to the Signing Bonus part.
2) Start increasing this. Yes INCREASING. Your bank account is not important
    here.
3) Make sure you watch the part that shows the Salary Cap after signing the
    player. Once it STOPS INCREASING, adjust so you get the highest possible
    value for Salary Cap. Cap room is good.
4) Now go down up to the part where you adjust the price of the contract. Start
    decreasing this. The Cap Room should go up while you do this.
5) Keep decreasing his salary value until you get the lowest possible value
    with the player still accepting the contract (bar in the green).
6) LOOK AT THE CURRENT CAP ROOM. If it is not higher than when you started,
    then it is surely a lot more than what you would have ended up with.

Trust me it works.

Don't forget, you can't sign everyone. That's why the Salary Cap exists. You
have to set your priorities and decide who to cut and who to keep sometimes.

Franchise Mode: Cap Room: Sign YOUNG players. They usually demand less money
and will progress into 90's OVR players with a bit of work. If you know your
player will be starting sign him to a seven year contract and suck out as
much cap room as you can from his contract. Try not to sign too many 1 or
2-year deals; they kill a lot of cap room.

If you are REALLY limited on your cap room, take a look at the View Roster
screen and sort the list by "Total (TOT)" (or maybe "Salary" (SAL)? Not
sure.. one of them shows how much Cap they are taking up). Find some old
players, or players that are not starting. Decide who to cut. (Cap penalties
are a waste; when viewing the PDA just press O and they will be cleared,
if you want). Sometimes you will have to cut someone; if you cut someone
expensive you could free up almost $20M.

If you are looking for more information on who to sign, see part D of this
section.

TEAM MORALE:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Win games and your Team Morale, as well as player morale, will go up.
Lose games and your Team Morale, as well as player morale, will do down.

It's simple.

Other things affect Morale; however, your players will eventually forgive you
for your mistake (trade an Icon, etc.) in time. As long as you win games.

For me, I could care less about my Team Morale. It doesn't REALLY affect the
players' skill on the field. A minor distraction for getting your PLAYING
SKILL better. Work harder on winning games.

PRO BOWL:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pro Bowl Players are selected ONLY BY STATISTICS IN THE SEASON. If your QB
has a QB rating of 112 then he will go to the Pro Bowl even if he had 8921390
Incomplete passes. If your RB runs for 3000 yards he will go to the Pro Bowl
even if his average is 0.3 yds. Just the Big Numbers are important here.

I'll look into which stats "guarantee" a spot in the Pro Bowl (which stats the
game looks at when deciding who goes to the Pro Bowl), and tell you what the
statistic is for each position. COMING SOON!

------=================--------------------------------------------------------
VIIC. Owner's Box Guide
------=================--------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Concessions, Parking, food, anything you can set in the Set Prices part of
   Owner's Box should be set to the highest possible value while keeping the
   bar green. Don't be afraid to put one or two of them in the red, if you're
   short on money.
>>Press X on the Owner's Box main menu to see your Balance Sheet for this year.
   The only things that matter here are the big value on top and the value on
   the bottom that says "Year 2XXX Income". The bottom one is how much you are
   making/losing this year. If it's negative, don't despair especially if it's
   early in the year. If you WIN GAMES, you'll gain money.

ADVISORS' COMMENTS:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>If they are saying your coaches are over/underpaid, there's nothing you can
   do about it now. You'll have to wait until the offseason to re-sign or sign
   a new coach.
>>If they say you have a lot of Cap Room to make an important hire, consider
   signing a free agent if you have a very weak position.
>>The rest of the comments are mostly self-explainatory.

If you have any more questions or suggestions about this just email me or AIM
me.

------================---------------------------------------------------------
VIID. Off-Season Guide
------================---------------------------------------------------------
This. This is the part of the season where you make your team BETTER. Always.
Always better. There is no reason that your team should get any worse in any
way; if an important player retires, you can at least give that position some
good potential.

After the Pro Bowl, choose "Advance to Owner Mode Off-Season". You'll have a
menu that includes choices that you didn't have during the regular season:

                       Off-Season Menu
                      Storyline Central
                           My Team
                          Staffing
                         Set Prices
                          Stadium
                        Information
                         My Madden

>>>>>>>>>>>
>>STAFFING:
>>>>>>>>>>> This is where you sign coaches (Head Coach, Offensive
Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and Special Teams Coordinator).
If you have a little red stop sign over the coach's name (HC, OC, DC,
ST) in the "Sign Coach" screen, then this means you need to sign a
coach to this position.

You should probably know what the coach stats mean.

MOT: Motivation, how much the coach affects your players.
KWL: Knowledge, how much the coach knows about the game (similar to players'
    AWR)
OFF: Offensive Skill, self-explainatory.
DEF: Defensive Skill, self-explainatory.
There are other skills for most positions, these will not affect your choice.

75% of the time, you will just sign a coach you like anyways. If you're
looking for a coach to improve your players' stats during the next
season (yellow stats when viewing the rosters), look for high Motivation.

>>>>>>>>>>
>>STADIUM:
>>>>>>>>>> You can rename, Renovate, rebuild, relocate, and upgrade your
stadium in this menu. You can only renovate if you created the stadium
yourself at an earlier time, though. Personally, I think upgrades are
totally worthless. They don't really affect your stadium at all, and
you don't even get to see the things on the field (Holographic Goal posts,
for example). I say don't waste your money.

You may want to relocate the team if your team sucks and has been for a
number of years; new fans will be totally oblivious to your past failures,
so feel free to move the team for a clean slate. Don't forget you'll have
to make a new uniform.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>Off-Season Schedule: (e-mail me if the order is off a little)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
                           Retired Players
                        Restricted Free Agents
                           Re-Sign Players
                           Rookie Scouting
                              NFL Draft
                          Sign Draft Picks
                         Free Agent Signing
                        Re-Order Depth Charts
                           Start New Season
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retired Players:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just look to see who retired. I just check my team. This will
affect your rookie signing; you'll need to fill empty roster
positions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restricted Free Agents:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here, check your own team. If there are any players that you'd
like to keep, make sure you re-sign them now. The rest of this
is pretty pointless; viewing other teams just gives you an idea of who will be
available during the FA Signing Period (later).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re-Sign Players:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The roster list is automatically sorted according to players
with one year left on their contract. These players will be
cut from your team if you don't re-sign them now. Don't
forget to check your Cap Room. Most times, you'll have about
ten players to re-sign. Start signing starters first, then
to young players with good potential. Crappy rookies (65 or
less) you should just cut.

When you're done signing players you want to keep, press Start and then select
"release".
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rookie Scouting:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is where you get a feel for the big names of the upcoming
NFL Draft. Players you scout will now have Scouting Notes on
them. Personally, I totally skip this part because all the
information you'll need while drafting will already be given
to you. The only useful part this offers is that you can tell
who some draft busts and underrated players are.

<<< For More information, check out Rangitamoe's Rookie Scouting FAQ >>>
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/madden_nfl_2004_scouting.txt
     <<< It is EXTREMELY informative, more than this guide! >>>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFL Draft:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The draft. Don't worry, you're not "on the clock"; it's not really timed.
It just sounds cool. I usually move the draft speed to Fast. You should
have some idea who you're going to draft first (which position) depending
on your retired players, and players you didn't re-sign. Basically you're
filling roster positions. Move the little board in the upper left to "Draft
Board" to see the players the CPU would draft if they were you. You may
also see the Advice part, this is sometimes useful in the later rounds.

Make sure you press Z+A to view details on the players in the position
you're interested in. Press up and down in this screen to cycle through
players.

Here is a list of all the rookie stats:

Going from best to worst, comments on stats are as follows:
Amazing, Great, Good, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Bad, Terrible

Arm Power:     THP
Arm Accuracy:  THA
40 Time:       SPD
Cone Drill:    ACC
Bench Reps:    STR
Shuttle Drill: AGI
Vertical:      JMP
Interview:     AWR
Run Power:     BTK
Kick Return:   ...duh


There are a couple things you need to know first when drafting:
1) Strength, Speed, Throw Power, and Kick Power WILL NEVER IMPROVE!!!!!!
  These stats are PERMANENT from the moment the player is drafted.
2) Most other stats, especially AWR, will improve through Player
  Progression during and after the season.
3) As a rule of thumb, players with a better Projected Round will have
  higher OVR at first; however, you may want to draft a player with a
  worse projected round if he has better un-improvable stats, like SPD.

<<< For More information, check out Rangitamoe's Rookie Scouting FAQ >>>
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/madden_nfl_2004_scouting.txt
     <<< It is EXTREMELY informative, more than this guide! >>>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rookie Signing:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign all your draftees. They won't take up more than $2M of cap, and it's
well worth it to see their stats. The later-rounders don't even take up $1M.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free Agent Signing Period:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After every year, some super-amazing players will be released from their teams
for one reason or another, usually because they are too old and/or expensive
to keep. If you want a quick boost-up improvement on a certain position, sign
one of the top players available.

STRATEGY FOR SIGNING FREE AGENTS:
---------------------------------
Offer them the default contract. Then advance one day. Check the Best Offer for
this player, and check the length of the contract. Click on this player again,
and increase the length to one more year than the best offer. (Also use the
strategy I used in the Salary Cap Guide to sign players cheaply; just make sure
the length is one more year than the competing teams'.) He will automatically
put your offer at the top of his list because you offered him the longest
contract. Advance one day at a time until you get that message that says the
player has signed with your team. This won't work if your team really sucks,
though. =)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re-Order Depth Charts:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I usually just push X (O for PS2) and let the CPU re-order them first for me.
Then, I look at every position and see if I want to make any adjustments
myself. For example, I drafted a QB Oliver McPherson, he was 71 OVR, I wanted
him to start instead of Bledsoe. So, I started him because Bledsoe sucks and
is really old and slow.

Don't forget, starting a rookie means they will usually progress their stats
very rapidly because they are on the field so much. Backups also progress, even
if they don't play, because they are learning from the veterans. Once the player
gets more than about four years of NFL Experience, stats stop increasing unless
they actually play.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start New Season:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
..Umm... This starts the next season. Hopefully you didn't need my help for
that one. The next screen you'll see is the Preseason menu, Year [whatever].





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[                             VIII. Legal                                     ]
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[                        XI. Special Thanks                                   ]
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-To CJayC for running my favorite website on the Internet, www.gamefaqs.com
and for accepting my FAQ!

-To the list of GameFAQs usernames listed below, for helping me with the
Chase and Tackle Mini-Camp Drill (This section was removed in Version 1.2
of this guide, but I'll keep their names here anyway):

Dazza4114          generalghost
Wonderjoe          hooney
StubbyTheTrojan    sublime4624
shugRray11         WildBillKickoff
LADragon66         tomahawk2472
coolguy676767

-Kevin Flagg <[email protected]> for telling me the difference between
the Sam and Will Linebackers

-Victor Twu <[email protected]> for telling me what the Toughness stat did.

-You, for reading this FAQ that I wrote for you!

-Effulgent from the GameFAQs message boards, I used his post on Trading Draft
Picks. Thanks!



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Thanks again for reading this FAQ. I had a lot of fun writing it, actually. If
you want me to change/edit/add something to it that isn't already here, post
it on the message boards (even though I have the GCN version, I visit the PS2
boards) and I'll probably check it out. Or, you can email/AIM me (below).

Anything else that you'd like to help me with, or have any
comments/questions/suggestions, contact me at:

E-mail:                [email protected]
AOL Instant Messenger: Aurabolt12

Basically if you're not a total jerk talking to me, and you don't send me mail
that I don't want or flood me on AIM, then I'd be glad to help you out (if I
can).

See ya dude.
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  / ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _ _____     /
 / | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0_|   | |_   _|   /
{{  |_|_|___|_\_|_|_|_0_|___|___|_|     \
 \                                     /
  \____________________________________\


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