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Madden NFL 25 – Top 5 Defensive Formations

Defense wins games. Bring the pressure and win!
This article is over 11 years old and may contain outdated information

Defense wins championships, and in this Top 5 list we show you the formations that you need to use in Madden NFL 25 to start winning more online. You must be able to stop the run, play lockdown coverage, and bring pressure that bursts pipes, and that’s exactly what we show you.

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HONORABLE MENTION: NICKEL 1-5-5 PROWL, 5-2 NORMAL
5 4-3 OVER PLUS
4 DOLLAR 3-2-6
3 4-4 SPLIT
2 4-3 STACK
1 NICKEL 3-3-5

5 4-3 OVER PLUS

Defense

THIS FORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE 4-3 DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK.

The 4-3 Over Plus can be an intimidating formation to run against. This is a great way to play an aggressive defense that will force your opponent to start throwing. If you are looking to play a more laid-back defense then we recommend using the 4-3 Under formation, as it will allow you to play a lot of soft zone coverages. This defensive mind-set is all about forcing your opponent to make the first mistake.

4 DOLLAR 3-2-6

Defense

THIS FORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE 4-3 DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK.

We love the personnel that the Dollar 3-2-6 brings to the field. It has three big defensive linemen, two agile linebackers, and five cover secondary players on the field. This formation is designed to be used all game and to stop whatever formation your opponent might use offensively. If you are facing a faster team consider subbing in linebackers at DE. If you are facing a running team consider putting DTs at DE.

3 4-4 SPLIT

Defense

THIS FORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE 4-3 DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK.

The 4-4 Split is the ultimate formation if your team has a lot of depth at linebacker. This formation makes a return to Madden NFL 25 and should help to combat the read option game. We like this formation so much because it places so many defenders in the box, which makes it difficult for offenses to run the ball. However, if you don’t have the correct personnel you will struggle to stop both the run and the pass. The 4-4 Split is an advanced defense that is used by the best players in the country.

2 4-3 STACK

Defense

THIS FORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE 4-3 DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK.

Our favorite formation to bring pressure from is the 4-3 Stack. We like this formation because we can bring pressure easily by using global linebacker commands. This is a huge reason why this is the most used formation by professional tournament players. You are also able to bring pressure from multiple looks, which is vital to the success of blitzing. If you are serious about improving your defense you will learn more about how to dominate defensively with the 4-3 Stack. .

1 NICKEL 3-3-5

Defense

THIS FORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE 4-3 DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK.

Defensively, 2 Man Under is the best base coverage in the game. The best specific 2 Man Under play in the game is from the Nickel 3-3-5. The blitzing ROLB has a unique blitzing angle that gives him a boost at the snap of the ball. This one blitz angle allows us to put extra pressure on opposing QBs without altering the coverage on the field. Typically, we like to user-control the MLB who is covering the HB on this play to enhance coverage over the middle of the field. Change up between 2 Man Under and zone coverages so your opponent can’t key in on coverage tendencies.

Check out the Top 10 Offensive Formations and get even more free Madden NFL 25 strategies!


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