Cover 4
You might be calling a match based Cover 4 D while having zone drop settings on. This deactivate the match coverage, which also messes with the integrity of the D since it was designed as a Match D. If you have your zone drops set, and use any Match D, audible and reset the play as you come out of the huddle, this will now cancel the zone drops and keep the Match rules.
If you have your zone drops on, you won't be able to "Audible INTO" a Match D from another play and retain the Match attributes, since resetting play will only get you back to the initial play called. IMO this is most common mistake my online opponent makes. If you plan on putting Match Coverage plays into your preset audibles, then make sure you have the zone drops OFF. Of course you'll now have to go change the zone drops when you are calling your normal non match zone plays.
Like others have said, what version of Cover 4 are you running? Idk why EA doesn't make it more clear that most of them are match coverages. I think, but don't quote me on it, anything that doesn't have "Drop" in the title is a match. Quarters, Palms, Show 2 (which is technically still Quarters I believe) look like zones, and can be depending on what the offense does, but in all reality are more of a complicated man coverage system. Each individual defender has specific reads they make dictated by the offensive formation and then the first 5-8ish steps each receiver takes after the snap.
IE. I'm a big fan of running Quarters and Palms, but you need to have the personnel (you will have a bad time if your safeties have low MC) and spend some time learning all the rules so you know how to leverage them against whoever you're playing against. Some great YouTube videos out there that break things down like a coach with his whiteboard.
FWIW: I would strongly recommend avoiding running those until you have a full understanding of what each player is looking at and will do on any given snap.
On the play call screen the zones with the Pink color are Match, Purples are the normal ones.
Strictly for Cover 4 - yes and no. If memory serves, Quarters, Show 2, and Palms all do have pink Quarter Flat zones where Drop does not. But, as far as which zones technically match, looking for pink isn't going to help much with understanding the playcall. In Quarters (so also Show 2) specifically, those pink Quarter Flats are actually the least likely to match up into man coverage instead of playing their zone as indicated in the play art.
Other match coverages like Cover 3 match I guess do have pinkish-purple zones, but to the best of my knowledge every 3-deep match play at least has "Match" in the title. So I suppose moot point there.
Cover 4 is broken. Do not use until zone fixes come. From what I seen, all the small blue deep zones are awful
Cover 4 Quarters and Cover 4 Palms can be good defenses to sprinkle into your scheme but if you spam these, it is only a matter of time before you face a guy who knows how to throw a 1-play TD against them. Even Cover 4 Drop can be bombed right now in M22 and it will only get worse once Hot Route Master QBs are in the game.
My entire offense is built around identifying your tendencies on defense and then hitting you with a variety of 1-play bombs. My advice is to always mix up your coverages from play to play to keep your opponent guessing. Nothing gives me more trouble than an opponent who mixes things up.
Edited by Ducati0307
This is my strategy 100%. There are so many counters to every defensive play. If you only have 1-2 plays to run against me you are toast.
Do you play squads by chance?
Loooooooooool protect sticks when you run match. That being said, match can get roasted with certain combos. I personally love the the wheel/deep post combo
Edited by nicksr84
I wouldn't protect sticks because deep corners will get open since zones stop at the first down line. I would just set zone drops, and reset the play before the hike if you want to run match
Below covers it pretty well. Experienced passers will run route combinations to pull down one of your outside corners and then will bomb you over the top.
what kind of cover 4 are you running? If it's quarters or palms, you can get beat rarely easily because that's a match defense. If it's cover 4 drop then maybe there's just a huge speed discrepancy. Are you pressing?
I never press when in cover 4. I usually only use that when it’s like 3rd and 20 and I’m trying to protect deep. Then I get beat deep lol. I’m no great madden player by any means but I definitely think I can recognize when I think something is broken.
I’ll run cover 4 in dime or nickel, and a receiver will just burn my DB or safety for a wide open TD. Why does this happen? My defender will just sit there not guarding anybody and just let them go past like they didn’t know they were there…