By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
I’ve been playing EA Sports’ Madden for most of my life. It’s probably one of my favourite games. With each new edition, the graphics are enhanced and the speed increases. The game is so iconic, I can’t imagine gaming without Madden. Madden has been the go-to, two player game for most gamers; especially ones who love the NFL.
Several years ago, to make Madden more of a challenge, a friend, who I always played Madden with, thought it would be fun if we eliminated the option to QB Kneel. We kept losing close games to each other by using the QB Kneel offensive play when one of us was slightly ahead. It got kind of boring. And Madden is a lot of things, but boring shouldn’t be one of them.
source: EA Sports
When we removed the play option from our games, it made Madden even harder. When you got a comfortable lead, you couldn’t just sit on it and stop thinking about strategy. Fumbles and interceptions became more prevalent in the final minutes of a contest without the QB Kneel.
I started to not use the QB Kneel when I played single player Madden. It seems simple to just run the ball until the clock runs out, but when you’re playing a solid team on the most difficult setting, a fumble always seems to transpire. You quickly realise how important the QB Kneel is. I even tried throwing it. That was a mistake. The defences are too good to let a pass sail by, and if you miss your man, the clock stops.
Adding an extra bit of difficulty to a game that can already be a struggle isn’t wise, but if you want to get better at Madden, try it once. Even if your play with the Patriots or the Eagles, a fumble seems to always happen when you’re trying to run out the clock. I’ve even had easy field goals blocked with seconds left in the game. Playing without QB Kneels makes the urgency to score early even greater.