Hint: Stats improvement: While you are fighting for your star spot in the preseason,
if you have solid practices you can boost your stats on Training
Camp Results Day. However, that means that you cannot manipulate
the depth charts like you could in Madden 07 and 08
to catch more passes if you are a HB. You can still take field
goals if you are a QB by making "field goals" an audible
and boost your kick power and kick accuracy before you start the
game, however you cannot throw passes if you are a punter or kicker.
Rocky Mak.
Hint: Brett Favre to Jets: Because Brett Favre is not in the game and the 2007
Packers cannot be edited, much like any teams you unlocked in
Fantasy Challenge (and also cannot be used for practicing situations),
edit QB #5 on the 1992 Packers.Copy his stats and create him accordingly.
Create him as a Dolphins player, then trade him for Chad Pennington
(Jets). However he will not have Brett Favre's picture. Rocky Mak.
Hint: Weapons: You do not automatically become a cannon arm QB. This
means a created Brett Favre will not be recognized as a Cannon
Arm QB with 99 arm strength or Franchise QB. Likewise, if you
drop Speed, Acceleration and Agility below 85 on Devin Hester
, he will not lose his speed icon. In order to gain, change, or
lose a weapon, it would be adjusted after the first season. For
a rookie HB on Superstar mode, you will not become a Power/Elusive/Franchise
Back until the second season (likewise for Franchise mode). You
will not gain weapons if you start with a man from the 2008 or
2009 class if he does not have one already or you have altered
his stats. A lot of players in your squad can lose weapons, but
that is not really consequential. You will not receive ticks for
fulfilling tasks on your Hall-of-Fame Resume or fulfilling contract
clauses in Madden 09. Information in this section was contributed by
Rocky Mak.
Hint: Kickers' special abilities: Kickers can be unlocked by winning the final game of
the Newbie League. Their strategy is to use a lot of special teams
plays such as the Buffalo Bills utilizing Brian Moorman. Watch
out for fake field goal pass or fake field goal run. If the pass
is good or if you smash the punter running, you will be called
for roughing the kicker. Thus, do not go for sacks. Deflect passes
or try intercepting them. If you are defending the run, just take
the penalty quickly. Also, No.17 has "Da Boot" built-in
when he is taking a field goal and kickoffs (you will not need
a card for it). He does not have it when you use him to punt.
The punter has no "Da Boot" for punting, either. Rocky Mak.
Hint: Manipulator's special abilities:
Manipulators can be unlocked by winning the final game
of the Power House League. Their trick strategy is called "Manipulated".
This changes your play without you having to call audibles. For
example, if you came out in I-form-Normal, HB dive, they can manipulate
you to Singleback-Normal, PA Boot, then force you to snap the
ball early. Know your playbook well. This also applies in Defensive
playbooks. Sometimes, they can force you to run a play, leaving
you no choice, such as a Superstar HB forced to run a play called
by the coaches. To counter, do not bother taking your time calling
audibles like Peyton Manning. If you can pick your play, come
out and snap the ball. Alternately, just play as a wide receiver
and break your own routes if you get manipulated into a passing
play. Defensively, after you get manipulated, you can call an
audible back to plays you are more comfortable with because they
cannot jump snaps. If that fails, just control the safeties and
hang on for pass deflections, or control anyone who has less chance
of being blocked and try for a tackle. They mostly force you into
two safeties deep, with everybody else in man coverage. If you
are playing as Manipulators, the special abilities are initiated
randomly and automatically. Rocky Mak.
Hint: Monster's special abilities (Intimidation):
Monsters can be unlocked by winning the final game
of the Black & Blue League. Their special abilities are called
"Intimidation". This affects the passing game more,
especially for players using QB Vision. Once it is activated,
your receiver's icons are turned into question marks. The result
is that the QB cannot hot route or smart route anybody, and locks
the primary receiver so your QB vision cannot lock on properly.
However it has no consequence in the actual throws. It may lose
accuracy. For example, if you are doing Singleback-Normal, PA
TE Corner, the primary receiver is the tight end, when you are
intimidated, his route is locked. You cannot move him, and you
are stuck with him as a primary target. Your QB will fixate on
him when you snap the ball (unless you swivel your head by moving
the Right Analog-stick, but you cannot lock on anyone else
for an accurate throw). Despite the receiving icons being spooked,
when you press X for this play, it will head towards your
correct receiver. To counter, use the following strategies.
Control your wide receivers and run your own routes. If you do
like the preset primary receiver, control him, but change your
routes.
Turn QB Avoidance on. It lowers its effectiveness somewhat.
Make shorter passes where you can make accurately without QB Vision.
Use a running play. Blocking is not affected by it much.
Change formation or change play, but it will not change the primary
receiver.
Defensively, this merely messes up coverages. If yopu are playing
as Monsters, the special abilities are initiated randomly and
automatically. Rocky Mak.
Hint: QB Avoidance and QB Vision: Both of these are mutually exclusive. Because they
both utilize the Right Analog-stick, you cannot have both
of them on. Go to the game settings to change them. Rocky Mak.
Hint: Superstar mode: Playbooks: In Superstar mode, when you practice, you will be learning
your team's default playbook with default audibles and not the
one you desired on your profile. For example, if your Superstar
HB's team is the Dallas Cowboys, but your desired offensive playbook
is the New England Patriots, you will be stuck with your team's
playbook. The main problem with this is when you are a defender
learning in a 4-3 team when you are more comfortable with the
3-4 (or vice versa). Kickers and punters are mostly unaffected
because they only have to punt and kick field goals, and those
do not change in any playbook. Rocky Mak.
