Video-game passing connoisseurs have a tough task ahead of them Tuesday, August 23 whenMadden 17hits store shelves. Unlike Madden 16 before it, Tuesday's offering takes a defensive-minded approach with upgrades to things such as zone coverage and the way defensive backs react to the ball.Not that passing will be impossible. As usual, the best gunslingers in the game will have an easier time than most, but that's no fun if a fan's favorite team is say, the Los Angeles Rams.Below, let's take a look at some tips and strategies a player can use to find success in the passing game using his or her favorite team. Passing Game Tips and StrategiesMadden 16 made it easier than ever for the game's quarterbacks to slice up defenses.That was the release featuring notable improvements such as throwing on the run and hitting a variety of passes such as back shoulder, low, touch and high point. Understandably, defenses, both A.I. and human, had a hard time keeping pace.Madden 17 addresses the issue in a big way. EA Sports completely overhauled its zone-coverage system to get all of the defenders on the same page. The developer detailed the change in a blog post:Prior to Madden NFL 17, our zone coverage logic was written independent of the play. Simply put, our zone assignments didnt work together and therefore had no concept of a global scheme. It was a priority based system that evaluated the coverage level of each receiver in order to determine who to pick up.Scrolling down that post can be quite daunting for anyone who wants to pass the ball in Madden 17 because of the plethora of new zone-coverage looks, not to mention the defenders reacting to the situation and ball better than before.To make things feel even more different for would-be passers, EA Sports detailed changes to the ball physics that will make things more realistic, but also more difficult for would-be passers because the consequences of a bad decision or poorly placed ball could be more devastating than usual.The biggest tip to combat the changes is quite simple: know the situation. Exploit those different types of passes. If a corner trails the receiver, lead him. If the receiver has a step on the defender, put touch on it to allow the receiver to get under it and position himself. If a corner hugs the receiver and they're playing slapsies, execute the back-shoulder throw.Staying in the pocket is another big key. It's fun to run with faster guys like Marcus Mariota and Colin Kaepernick, but with offensive line play more realistic than ever, it's more beneficial to stay in the pocket and time out passing patterns before executing the right type of throw.Along those same lines, knowing the quarterback is another major point. Don't plod around outside of the pocket with a Tom Brady, but use the little extra leeway provided by guys like Andy Dalton. Just do so with the understanding Madden quarterbacks are just as susceptible to injuries as the real guys.Prioritizing targets is another major point. In Madden 16, anyone and everyone was going up and making wild catches with the new highlight catch system. EA Sports has addressed this in this year's game:First off, we received many complaints that all players were capable of making spectacular catches. We got it loud and clear that you were getting tired of seeing all the one-handers by a litany of different players with vastly different catching abilities. We now restrict those extremely athletic, high degree of difficulty catches to the more elite ball in air receivers only.Meaning, only players like A.J. Green, Odell Beckham Jr. and others will make the SportsCenter grabs, making it more important than ever to focus primarily on the best players on the field and build the attack around them.By far the top strategy in the passing game this year sounds almost jokingly simple, but it is what it is. Emulate real life is the name of the game this year.The biggest upgrade on the offensive side of the ball in Madden 17 comes on the ground, with running backs getting new moves and linemen interacting more realistically than ever before, meaning holes on the ground open organically like they do on television.In the past, Madden passers could ignore conventional wisdom and just wing it three downs in a row. Now, though, defense has tightened and running is more impactful, meaning running on first down just like real coaches do in order to set up the play action isn't outlandishit's a great idea.By now, passers in Madden have a year under their belt with the new system. Improvements on defense add a new challenge, but it's one offset by improved backfield play. More than ever, the game mimics real life, and Madden passers can as well through smart timing and decision-making.Just like the real thing, which is exactly what EA Sports has been striving for.
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