Madden School: Free Tips Tuesday Episode #5 -- The Scripted 15
I've had several requests to post my three sets of scripted plays (balanced, pass heavy, and run heavy) from Green Bay's playbook but unless I ever got around to posting my full scheme, I probably would never get around to posting the list so I thought I'd give scripting your opening drive or your first 15 plays a post that explains how utilizing a script during the early game can pay dividends later in the game.
There have been several different methods for scripting plays in the NFL over the years. Some teams script their opening drives of each half, some script a set number of plays (most common is 15 [Bill Walsh was known to up it to 25 on occasion]), and some teams may script the entire first quarter (this is mostly during the preseason). However, one must ask why are they doing this?
The answer is quite simple if you think about it. If you go into a game knowing exactly what you are going to do beforehand, it allows offensive players and coordinators to focus on what the defense is doing in response to your personnel groupings, formations and concepts. This allows offense to key in on the defense's tendencies to defend in various situations, which leads to game-breaking adjustments.
In Madden, especially in the shorter quarters that affect most online games, this is a rare practice. Personally, I've been scripting my opening drive, and sometimes two of my drives, for well over three years now and I feel it lets me really get a feel for the other player, which leads to getting into the right play call in important situations. Many Madden players use different methods for doing this, but when you are running a scheme as multiple as mine, I feel its best to at least script your first possession of the game. Lately, I've been playing full 60-minute games against the CPU and, because of that, my scripts have been fleshed out to a full 15, so I thought I'd share them:
Balanced
Single Back Flex HB Slash
I-Form Slot Flex PA Wheel
Gun Double Flex Wing HB Power
I-Form Slot Flex HB Blast
Gun Y-Trips Wk HB Off Tackle
I-Form Slot Flex Packer Comebacks
Gun Y-Trips Wk Packers Stick
Weak Slot Strong Stretch
Gun Doubles On Y-Shallow Cross
Single Back Flex HB Cut Back
Gun Doubles Flex Wing HB Dive
Single Back Flex Packer Ins
Gun Doubles On FL Screen
Gun Double Flex Wing Drive
Gun Double Flex Wing PA Dig
Pass Heavy
Gun Pack Trips Stick
Gun Doubles Flex FL Screen
Single Back Flex Packer Ins
Gun Normal Y-Flex Tight Y-Sail
Gun Pack Trips PA WR In
Gun Doubles Flex Wing HB Dive
Single Back Flex WR Screen
Gun Pack Trips Packers Smash
Single Back Flex Flanker Drive
Gun Pack Trips Packer Drive
Single Back Flex Z-Spot
Gun Y-Trips Wk Packer Stick
Gun Flex Trey Packer Drive
Gun Pack Trips HB Sweep
Gun Flex Trey WR Screens
Run Heavy
Single Back Ace HB Stretch
Single Back Ace Pair HB Smash
I-Form Pro Z-Spot
Single Back Ace Twins HB Stretch
Gun Double Flex Wing PA Pack Seams
Single Back Ace Pair H Zone Str
I-Form Pro Flanker Drive
Gun Double Flex Wing HB Dive
Full House Wide PA Packer Posts
I-Form Pro Stretch
I-Form Tight Pair Stretch
I-Form Slot Flex HB Blast
Single Back Ace Twins PA FL Stretch
Gun Double Flex Wing HB Power
Single Back Ace Pair H Misdirection Wk
These aren't concrete by any means and they don't take into account any checks I may do at the line but I go into each and every game planning on running one of these scripts.
Where this type of planning can be especially useful is in online leagues where you are going to be playing certain opponents multiple times in a single season and hopefully over many years. In these situations its expected to adjust the script to fit your opponent based on what you have had success in the past with as well as what you think will make him show his hand early to allow you to win in this violent game of chess.
This article was researched and written by Madden-School.com forum member Baller7435 and can be discussed in our Madden Offensive Strategy Section.