Okay, so, I’ve been digging deep into Madden 23 lately, trying to figure out the best running playbooks. You know, the ones that really let you dominate on the ground. I messed around with a bunch of different teams and formations, and let me tell you, it was a journey.
First, I started out just messing around with custom playbooks, you know, trying to create my own ultimate running scheme. I threw in all sorts of I-Formations, Singleback sets, and a ton of different run plays. Power runs, counters, stretches, the whole nine yards. I spent hours tweaking and testing, trying to find that perfect balance.
After a while, I moved on to testing out the existing team playbooks. I figured, “Hey, the developers must know something, right?” So I played a bunch of games with teams known for their running games, like the Titans, the Ravens, and the 49ers. I carefully studied each playbook, trying to see what made them tick. I took notes on the formations they used, the types of run plays they favored, and how they set up their passing game to complement the run.
- Titans: Their playbook was heavily focused on power running, with lots of I-Formation and Singleback sets. I noticed they had a good mix of inside zone and power plays.
- Ravens: Obviously, their playbook was built around the quarterback run, with a ton of option plays and designed QB runs. It was super effective, but you need a mobile quarterback to make it work.
- 49ers: They had a more balanced approach, with a good mix of zone and power runs. I liked how they used motion and shifts to create mismatches. Their outside zone runs were particularly deadly.
I also tried out some of the alternative playbooks, like the Run Balanced and Run Heavy ones. The Run Balanced playbook had some interesting formations and a decent variety of run plays, it might be a good option if you like to mix things up. The Run Heavy playbook was a bit too one-dimensional for my taste. It was all power runs, all the time, which can be predictable.
After all that testing, I started to see some patterns. The best running playbooks in Madden 23 have a few key things in common:
- A variety of formations: You need to be able to run the ball from different looks to keep the defense guessing. I-Formations, Singleback, Pistol, even some Shotgun sets can be effective.
- A good mix of run plays: Don’t just spam the same play over and over. Mix in power runs, zone runs, counters, and even some option plays if you have a mobile quarterback.
- Plays that fit your personnel: If you have a power back, focus on power runs. If you have a speedy back, use more outside zone and stretch plays.
My Conclusion
Ultimately, I found that the Ravens playbook was the most fun to use, especially with a mobile quarterback. The 49ers playbook felt the most effective overall for a traditional running game. For custom playbooks, the most effective formations I built were a mix of I-Form, Pistol, and Singleback sets, with a focus on inside zone, power, and counter plays.
But hey, that’s just my experience. You might find that a different playbook works better for you. The important thing is to experiment, find what you like, and have fun dominating the ground game!
