For this Madden 22 Tips and Plays breakdown we look at a defense called the Nickel 3-3-5 Wide – Cover 1 Contain. In the breakdown we show how to get edge pressure from the right outside linebacker with only making one pre-snap adjustment.

Play Diagram:

Nickel 3-3-5 Wide - Cover 1 Contain 1

Playbooks Found In:

  • Bears
  • Broncos
  • Buccaneers
  • Chargers
  • Dolphins
  • Falcons
  • Giants
  • Jaguars
  • Lions
  • Packers
  • Rams
  • Ravens
  • Redskins
  • Titans

Note: based on Madden 22 default playbooks.

Default Assignments:

Nickel 3-3-5 Wide - Cover 1 Contain 2

Position Assignment
LE Pass Rush Straight
NT Pass Rush Straight
RE Pass Rush Straight
LOLB QB Contain
MLB Man
ROLB QB Contain
NB Man
LCB Man
SS Man
FS Deep Middle
RCB Man

Note: assignments are from the offensive side view of the ball.

Quick Set-Up:

Nickel 3-3-5 Wide - Cover 1 Contain 3

  1.  Take control of the MLB and move him at 3 yards from the line of scrimmage between the center and left or right guard.
  2. Once the ball is snapped, release him or go cover the receiver (most times, the runningback) manually.

Coaching Points:

Nickel 3-3-5 Wide - Cover 1 Contain 4

  1. The pressure is designed to come from the right outside linebacker.
  2.  By putting the middle linebacker in between the center and the left guard, it might give your opponent the illusion that the defender is not covering the running back, who is lined up on the opposite side. Once the ball is snapped, release the middle linebacker so that he goes and covers the running back.
  3. A suggestion that we make is to hot route the left outside linebacker to Blitz. The reason we do this is that it gives him a better chance, especially if he has an X Factor rating to get to the quarterback.
  4. Another way to set up the Nickel 3-3-5 Wide – Cover 1 Contain is to take control of the free safety and bring him down near the line of scrimmage between the center and left guard or the center and the Right Guard. Once the ball is snapped, you can release him into coverage or you can manually control him independent short middle of the field order deeper middle of the field.

Video Breakdown:

Final Thoughts:

The Nickel 3-3-5 Wide – Cover 1 Contain is a simple defense to set up to get pressure on the quarterback by making just one pre-snap adjustment. It provides man coverage while having one defender: the free safety playing the Deep middle of the field in the video breakdown we show several setups you can use with this defense to apply pressure on the quarterback.

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