Multiple Blitz Setups: Dominate with the Mike Sim 2 Defense Madden 26
Multiple Blitz Setups: Bring the Arizona Heat and Confuse Opponents
The 3-3-5 Penny Three High Mike Sim 2 is a deceptive defensive scheme that disguises pressure by showing a blitz look while dropping defenders into coverage, or conversely, sending heat when the offense expects coverage.
Introduction
Hey Madden gamers, it’s Kobra here. Today we are looking at a defense that is going to absolutely frustrate your opponents because they won’t know who is coming and who is dropping. We are breaking down the 3-3-5 Penny Three High Mike Sim 2. This is strictly out of the Arizona Cardinals playbook.
What makes this play special is the “Sim” or simulated pressure aspect. We show heat, but we might only send four. Or, we might send six when they expect four. It is all about the mind game. We want the QB holding onto the ball just a second too long, waiting for routes to develop that we have blanketed, while our hogs in the trenches go to work.
Tips or Play Info
The Default Look
Before we start adjusting, look at the base play. It is a Cover 2 shell. You have two deep safeties splitting the field and a defender in the middle reading the QB. The corners are in Cloud Flats. The key here is the simulation. We have a LB showing blitz in the A-gap, but by default, he drops back. It looks like a six-man pressure, but it is actually a four-man rush with seven in coverage. This confuses the blocking scheme immediately.
Setup 1: The Six-Man Overload
Sometimes you just have to send the house. For this setup, we slant the DL to the outside and call QB Contain. This turns that “fake” blitzer into a real threat. He shoots the gap while the edge rushers contain the pocket.
- Risk Factor: This leaves the short middle of the field wide open. If you run this, you better be ready to user that middle defender and clean up quick slants. Use this on 3rd and long situations where they need deep routes.
Setup 2: The Five-Man Exchange
Here is a safer way to bring pressure. We slant the DL outside and QB Contain again. However, take control of that blitzing LB. Instead of sending him, manually drop him into the short middle hole.
- The Result: You still get a solid four-man rush with aggressive angles, but you have an extra body in coverage to help with drags and crossers. It is a nice middle ground between max coverage and max pressure.
Setup 3: The A-Gap Loop
This is where we get fancy with the stick skills. Slant your DL to the left. Shift your LB to the left. If you time this right, that LB loops around the nose tackle and shoots right through the A-gap between the center and guard. It is a nasty angle that is very hard for the center to pick up without shifting protection.
Setup 4: The Bluff Blitz Coverage
We can slant the DL left and shift the LB left again. But this time, put that LB in a Bluff Blitz. Then, switch your user control to the safety playing the mid-read.
- The Strategy: The LB steps up, drawing attention, then drops. Meanwhile, you can rob the underneath routes with your safety. It creates a five-man rush feel with the coverage stability of a standard zone defense.
Setup 5: Show Blitz Disguise
This is my favorite for the Red Zone. Use the “Show Blitz” adjustment. This brings your safeties down into the box. It looks terrifying, like a Cover 0 or Cover 3 heavy blitz.
- Execution: Even though they are pressed up, those safeties will bail into their deep halves at the snap. It baits the QB into thinking he has a quick deep shot, only to find a safety waiting for the pick. Combine this with a Bluff Blitz on the LB to keep the OL guessing.
Playbooks Found In
- Cardinals
Five Tips for Success
- Mix Your Rushes: Do not let the offense get comfortable. Alternate between the four-man sim pressure and the six-man overload to keep the OL protection slide honest.
- User the Mid-Read: That middle safety or LB is your wild card. If you send heat, bring him down to cover slants. If you drop back, use him to patrol the deep middle.
- Watch the Red Zone: The Show Blitz setup is deadly inside the 20. The field is shorter, so the safeties don’t have as far to bail, making the disguise even more effective.
- Contain the Edge: Always use QB Contain when you slant outside. It prevents mobile QBs from rolling out and buying time, forcing them to step up into your interior pressure.
- Bluff is Your Friend: The Bluff Blitz assignment is underused. It occupies an offensive lineman for a split second before the defender drops, effectively wasting a blocker.
Recommended Player Skills
- Linebacker (Speed/Accel): The blitzing LB needs high acceleration to shoot the A-gap on the loop blitz before the center can recover.
- Defensive End (Finesse Move): Since we are slanting outside, a high finesse move helps your edges swim past tackles who are trying to kick step out.
- Safety (Zone Coverage): Your deep safeties need high Zone coverage ratings to recover quickly when you use the Show Blitz adjustment.
- Defensive Tackle (Block Shed): The nose tackle needs to eat up blocks to let the looping LB get free. High strength and block shed are vital here.
Five Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Can I run this against a running formation?
- A: It is risky. The Penny formation is lighter. However, using the Show Blitz setup brings safeties into the box, which helps with run support, but you are still susceptible to heavy power runs.
- Q: Why slant the line outside?
- A: Slanting outside widens the B-gaps. This creates natural lanes for your blitzing LB to loop through or simply isolates your edge rushers 1-on-1.
- Q: What if my opponent max protects?
- A: If they block 7, the four-man rush won’t get home. You must switch to the coverage variation (Setup 4) and rely on your 7 defenders to blanket their 3 route runners.
- Q: Who should I user control?
- A: I recommend usering the safety in the mid-read assignment or the blitzing LB if you plan to drop him into coverage manually. This gives you the most freedom to react.
- Q: Is this a base defense?
- A: No, this is a situational defense. It excels on 3rd and medium to long. Running it every down will get you gashed by the run game inside.
Final Thoughts
The 3-3-5 Penny Three High Mike Sim 2 is a chess match in a single play. By mastering these setups, you dictate the pace of the game. You force the QB to speed up his clock, and that is when mistakes happen. Remember, the threat of the blitz is often just as powerful as the blitz itself. Mix it up, keep them guessing, and watch your interception count rise.
Madden NFL 26 allows for complex defensive schemes, and this play is a prime example. Get in the lab, practice that loop blitz timing, and take it to the field. See you in the next video.
