We've all been there. You get greedy on 2nd-and-6 and go 4-vert, narrowly avoiding an interception. Now you're staring down 3rd-and-long on a key drive playing Madden 19 online against someone who has been trash talking you all game. If only there were a few high-percentage Madden 19 money plays good for around 6-yards every time.
Well, friend, we're here to tell you that you're in luck. Here are our favorite low-risk high-reward Madden 19 money plays for when you really need that first down.
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Money Play #1: The Stick Concept
We've talked about the stick concept as a Madden money play before, and for good reason. This passing play is good for a quick 4-5 yards pretty much every time, as long as your read is on point. There are a ton of variations on this play, but we'll try and keep it general so that you can run this play successfully out of any formation.
In the play diagram above, your first read will be the slot receiver on the right running the short curl route. Look there first, noting if there's a linebacker looking to jump the route. If your receiver is open, pitch him the ball (making sure to hold the trigger to perform a low pass) for a quick 5 yard gain.
If they're not open, and we can't emphasize this enough, look elsewhere -- as an interception on a jumped route here will almost always result in a pick-6. The good news is that if the curl route isn't open, the receiver running the out route almost always will be, so throw there.
If that's not open, proceed even further right to the seam route for a home run ball.
The stick play is a great play to practice in order to drill your skills in sequential reads. You'll be proceeding in a natural left-to-right fashion, and it's relatively simple to see whether or not your receiver is covered. So not only is this a high-percentage play, running it will make you a whole lot better at the game!
Source: Coach Hoover Football
Money Play #2: Levels
More than just a pretty catchy Avicii song, the Levels concept in Madden 19 is a set of high-percentage plays that can often net a vigilant player 10 or more yards at a time.
Look to the top of the diagram above. Your first two reads will be the two receivers running those dig routes over the middle of the field. Yes, it is inherently a little more dangerous to throw over the middle. No, you shouldn't freak out about this.
The first thing to pay attention to here is the defensive scheme. Above, it appears as if the receiver running the shallower route is being marked in man-to-man coverage, given how close the defender is to the line. This means that, more than likely, when the receiver cuts to the middle of the field, he'll be wide open.
The other two defenders on that side of the field look to be in zone coverage, so when the receiver running the deeper dig route makes his cut, the defender will have a decision to make. That's when you make the throw.
The timing here is key. Ideally, you want to get the receiver the ball right as he crosses past the quarterback, but that's not always feasible. It's much more important to make sure you're throwing the ball at a time (and to a place) where a defender can't get a hand up and disrupt the play.
It can be stressful to throw when there's a lot of traffic nearby, but be patient, survey the scene, and 90% of the time, you'll be taking 7-15 yards to the bank on this play.
Source: Coach Hoover Football
Money Play #3: Texas Concept
Now that you're comfortable throwing over the middle, it's time to introduce you to my favorite Madden 19 money play, one that they still haven't figured out how to program competent defensive A.I. for.
As it states above, the Texas concept involves the running back tracing an angled route around the offensive line and over the middle, while a receiver or tight end runs either a seam route or a deep dig route.
This causes defensive backs in zone coverage to be overloaded, forcing them to cover one receiver or another. At the same time, if a defender is marking the running back in man coverage, when the running back makes the cut back across the middle, they'll have the speed to shake their defender.
Again, you'll want to deliver the ball to the running back as they're crossing past your QB, but keep an eye out for defenders in shallow zones or particularly tall linemen who could bat the ball away. If you're looking to complete this pass, try to aim it high rather than low.
If you complete it, you'll be looking at a 7-yard gain with the opportunity to tack on a whole lot more if your running back can shed a tackle or two.
Source: Smart Football
Money Play #4: The Curl Flat Concept
The diagram here actually does a pretty good job of depicting how the curl flat concept can absolutely flummox defenses. Your first reads will be the two receivers running the curl routes. Keep an eye on the defenders here -- if they're too close to your receiver, they'll jump the route.
For all of the advancements made in Madden 19, the franchise still hasn't figured out how to make receivers break toward the ball on curl routes, so be careful. Much like with the stick concept, an interception here can be absolutely crushing, so if there's anyone even close to your intended receiver, move on.
Luckily, if they're covered, your other two receivers will likely be wide open for a modest gain of 3 or 4 yards. The difficulty in running this play is that these are necessarily quick reads. The play takes very little time to develop; you'll have to gauge whether the receiver on the curling route is open as soon as they turn around. At that point, you'll have to glance at your check-down on the flat and make a decision.
The good news is that if you've practiced the stick concept, the reads are very similar here. If you can run that play, you can absolutely run this one.
Source: Annoyed Football Nerd
Money Play #5: Slants
Given the updates to physics in Madden 19, crossing and rub routes work a whole lot better now than they ever have in the past. The crossing slant concept takes full advantage of that for a high-percentage money play that is generally good for 4 to 6 yards every time.
Where the over-the-middle routes we've talked about are timed so that the read happens as the receiver passes across the QB, the read here is a little earlier. As you might expect, the key moment happens when the slot and outside receivers cross.
In most zone coverages, this moment is when defenders have to switch from one receiver to another, giving you a window to throw to the open man. In man coverage, the crossing action will usually cause defenders to change their paths so that they don't collide, giving your receiver a step on them.
The safest read here is the receiver streaking toward the outside, though depending on when you throw the ball, that completion may only be good for 3 or so yards. A high throw over the line to the receiver crossing over the middle is a bit more dangerous, but offers your receiver the chance to turn upfield for a larger gain.
Source: Smart Football
Money Play #6: The Off Tackle Run
Usually, it's easier to recommend passing plays as Madden 19 money plays, but given the new one-cut speed boost mechanic, running plays have become much more potent against any defense.
Now, of course, if your opponent is stacking the box with eight or more defenders, you'll want to audible to a passing play unless you're really confident in your stick skills. Otherwise, run the play as usual and be sure to do a quick hat count and run the play to the side of the line that has the least amount of defenders.
If you let the blocking develop and break through the line, you'll have a tidy little 3 or 4 yard gain right there. That said, if you take advantage of the one-cut mechanic and turn on the jets as you cut back across the field, you'll have a chance to break something huge after putting the defense on their heels.
Did we miss your go-to play? Let us know in the comments! Either way, we'll see you on the gridiron. Make sure to check out our full list of Madden 19 guides while you're here!
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Source: Goal Line Blitz
Published: Aug 17, 2018 12:37 am