Every year, it’s the same old story. Jump into the latest release of Madden, play through the various game modes, before ending up in the wild frontier known as Head-to-Head online exhibition. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that in all my years of playing against online opponents, I have had one, maybe two seasons in which my record was above .500. One argument could be that my record is a testament to my skill level. However, I would argue that my record is a direct reflection of my over usage of trick plays and trying to get cute while playing against other online competitors who (probably) take their online exhibition matches more serious than I do.
Trick plays have been around in Madden for forever. They are tough to pull off correctly, but when it happens, it’s a pretty sweet feeling. As such, here are TheGamer’s favorite trick plays from Madden NFL 20 for you to use to take your opponents by surprise.
I Form Tight: HB Pass
The halfback pass play has been around for a while, but has withstood the test of time. Other non-quarterback pass plays (such as the WR Pass) seem to have faded from every playbook, but your halfback can certainly get the job done when his number is called, assuming the defense provides you with a decent matchup.
A blitzing defense with the secondary dropping into soft coverage will allow your running back to connect on a perfectly thrown pass to the receiver crossing over the middle of the field. Single man coverage will also work well, but you’ll likely need to have a strong wide receiver to make the play.
I Form Pro: HB Pass
Nearly identical to the previously mentioned play, this formation needs to come with a warning. Every time I attempted to run the default play, my fullback would block the toss from the quarterback to the running back, effectively causing a fumble. To prevent this, offset the fullback to the opposite side of the direction of the play, as seen in the video above. You might lose a blocker if the defensive end breaks free, but at least you’ll mitigate the risk of a turnover.
Pistol Doubles: Jet Touch Pass
Not only is the Jet Touch Pass one of the more effective sweep plays in the game, but it’s also one of the most fun, as long as your offensive line does its job. A speedy wide receiver is also a plus since they’ll essentially be running the entire width of the field to avoid the defense. While you’re running, stay patient, follow your blocks, and you’ll be rewarded with a decent gain, if not a score.
Pistol Full Panther: Triple Option
Of all the option plays, Triple Options are the ones with the highest risk and highest reward. If the Mike linebacker stays focused on the quarterback after hiking the ball, hand it off to the fullback who can hopefully power his way through an open hole up the middle, as seen in the first video above. Otherwise, pitch it to the running back who can take it to the outside and juke his way into the endzone, shown in the second video. Running with the quarterback is also an option, though you’ll want to consider who that quarterback is before taking off into a wall of defenders.
Pistol Philly: Philly Special & Fake Philly
We know why you’re really here. You want to know if you can run the iconic "Philly Special" play that was a part of the Philadelphia Eagles exciting Super Bowl LII victory. The Madden developers provided this perfectly by adding in the play (shown in the first video above), as well as a fake version that is essentially a direct snap run play (second video).
For the normal play, just be sure your quarterback is open before throwing to him. He probably won’t be very successful trying to making a catch in traffic.
Shotgun Bunch: Reverse & Fake Reverse
Similar to the Jet Sweep, the Reverse and Fake Reverse offers fun ways to get your receivers involved in the run game. The video above showcases the Fake Reverse working well against an inside safety blitz. These plays to the outside will be swallowed up by any sort of outside or cornerback blitz, so be wary.
Shotgun Eagle H Tight: Touch Pass FK Jet
The Touch Pass FK Jet is a sleight of hand play that will require opposing players to keep an eye on which player actually gets the ball. Luckily, you already know that it’s going to the running back, who will run around the chaos en route to a score. The faster the running back, the better in this situation.
Shotgun Split Shot: Shovel Option
The Shovel Option isn’t necessarily a sleight of hand play, but it does happen quick enough to leave your opponent wondering, “What the hell just happened?” After hiking the ball, you’ll move forward with the quarterback. Keep an eye out for any holes opening up in the offensive line. Once you see one forming, quickly toss the ball to your running back and let him work his magic after snaking his way through the crowd.
Bonus - Shotgun Doubles: Shark HB Wheel
While it’s not really considered to be a trick play, the Shark HB Wheel play (really, any Wheel-route play) can be elevated if you can manipulate the defense well enough. After hiking the ball, move your quarterback out of the pocket to the same side as the wheel route. Inch your way to the line of scrimmage, causing the coverage to creep up in anticipation of you taking off to run. Once that happens, your running back should be wide open enough to toss the ball up and over the defender into the hands of your player, hopefully for a touchdown.
One final note is that as of this writing, there doesn’t seem to be a Flea Flicker play in Madden 20, which is a shame. Hopefully, enough teams run the play in real life this season to make the Madden developers bring back one of football’s greatest trick plays.