Madden 20: How to break tackles and opponents hearts - Stiff Arms, X-Factor Abilities & more

Published: Dec 03, 2019, 8:00 pm Updated: Sep 28, 2020, 11:50 am

Running the ball plays a huge role in the outcome of football games. It allows you to control the clock, mix up play calling and keeps the defence guessing.

Breaking tackles is a huge part of the running game. There are plenty of players in the league right now known for destroying defenders, from Ezequiel Elliott (OVR 92) and Todd Gurley (OVR 87).

Keep reading for RealSport’s top tips on how to break tackles.

Who do you have at RB?

To make the most of breaking tackles you need to have good positional Strength (80+), Trucking (83+), Stiff Arm (84+) and Break Tackle (84+).

Based on the above parameters only 13 players fit the criteria;

Name	Team	OVR	STR	TRK	SFA	BTK
E. Elliott	DAL	92	81	85	89	88
S. Barkley	NYG	89	81	83	86	92
K. Hunt	CLE	89	81	89	86	94
N. Chubb	CLE	88	85	89	85	95
M. Ingram II	BAL	87	82	89	85	90
D. Henry	TEN	86	85	87	96	84
C. Carson	SEA	86	83	97	91	93
J. Jacobs	OAK	85	80	88	86	89
L. Fournette	JAX	84	84	90	84	84
K. Johnson	DET	82	82	86	89	87

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Chris Carson (OVR 86) of the Seattle Seahawks and Nick Chubb (OVR 88) of the Cleveland Browns are the stand outs in this list. If you want a tough running game, running over and through defenders then these are guys you should look to acquire.

Key Superstar Abilities

Superstar abilities are new to Madden 20 and there is a widely held view that they are currently overpowered due to being a headline for this years game release.

The most important for breaking tackles is;

OP: Arm Bar is considered to be stupidly effective if well timed

Arm Bar – Ball carriers with this ability have more powerful stiff arm animations

Players who have this ability: Nick Chubb, Ezekiel Elliott, Le’veon Bell, Todd Gurley

With good performances you can unlock Superstar abilities and develop players to attain Superstar status. But from the start there are 4 players, with the most dangerous all rounder actually being Nick Chubb.

Timing of Precision Skills

Using the precision skills is a key skill for those looking to improve their running game to being above average. There are two key elements with regards to breaking tackles;

Stiff Arm - A/X
Trucking - Up on RS

The key for success on these is the timing. Both of these buttons slow your runner down, so doing this in open field will lead to you being caught by defenders.

However, a well timed stiff arm can force a tackler off you and break the tackle. Likewise, a well timed truck will run over the defender, particularly with the players in the list above.