There have been a few QB's over the years that have started to revolutionise the position by being quick on their feet and picking up yards by rushing. Michael Vick, Randall Cunningham and Cam Newton all come to mind. But none of these players have a Superbowl.
Last season, Lamar Jackson burst onto the scene and took it a step further. In 2018, his 147 rushing attempts is the most in a season by any QB ever. And this season it seems to be working even more effectively, but alongside a strong passing game. He is one of the current MVP favourites.
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Madden 20 has been quick to jump on this trend and this years game has changed the dynamic of how a scrambling QB works. So how can you leverage this?
Keep reading for RealSport’s top tips on how to scramble with your QB.
Who do you have at QB?
First things first, know your QB and understand whether he has the ability you will need. To utilise a QB for scrambling he needs to have good Speed (84+), Acceleration (87+) and Agility (85+).
Clearly the higher the better, and the gold standard is Lamar Jackson with Speed (94), Acceleration (95) and Agility (95). Based on the above parameters only 12 players fit the criteria, all with varying abilities of passing to go along side it;
Name | Team | OVR | SPD | ACC | AGI | CAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R. Wilson | SEA | 96 | 86 | 90 | 93 | 65 |
L. Jackson | BAL | 87 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 69 |
D. Watson | HOU | 84 | 84 | 88 | 88 | 63 |
C. Newton | CAR | 80 | 85 | 88 | 86 | 70 |
J. Allen | BUF | 77 | 84 | 87 | 85 | 56 |
K. Murray | ARI | 75 | 91 | 92 | 90 | 66 |
M. Trubisky | CHI | 72 | 84 | 87 | 87 | 65 |
M. Mariota | TEN | 71 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 66 |
T. Taylor | LAC | 70 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 66 |
J. Dobbs | JAX | 62 | 84 | 88 | 86 | 56 |
E. Stick | LAC | 61 | 85 | 88 | 91 | 65 |
J. Webb III | HOU | 53 | 87 | 90 | 91 | 72 |
The ability to throw the ball alongside is important as it sets up the scramble. The problem with the players lower down this list is that opponents know your passing is not that good and so can guard themselves against the run knowing you won't be able to beat them a different way
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. Two of the most important for Mobile QBs are;
- Escape Artist - Improved scrambling speed behind the line of scrimmage
Players who have this ability: Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes
- Fastbreak - Improved ballcarrier control on designed QB runs
Players who have this ability: Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson
FREAK: Cam Newton is one of the best due to this X-Factor ability
You don't have to do anything to trigger the Superstar abilities, they are always present.
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This means that a player like Cam Newton is way more valuable that his stats suggest as his Speed and Acceleration behind the line of scrimmage is dramatically increased. If you want to win games scrambling, get a player that has these abilities.
Playmaker Ability
This is your safety valve incase scrambling doesn't work out. We say time and again you need options to win these games!
When you are scrambling and looking for gaps, you also need a short to medium route that you can take advantage. A 10 yard pass is a lot easier than a 10 yard QB rush.
In Madden 20, you can 'Playmaker' a receiver by using the RS directionally to tell the nearest player a direction to run. They will abandon their route and try and get open in the direction you press.
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This can often be your get out of jail free if you are running and quickly realising you will be caught, or there isn't open space downfield. Remember you can't pass after you go past the line of scrimmage or this will be a penalty - so think quickly.
Timing
This is true of nearly every good play in Madden 20. When it comes to scrambling, its better to go through your reads first and see if there is an easy pass.
Its important to read the defense, and then take what they give. If they are in man coverage, there is a high chance there isn't anyone allocated to the QB which usually spells big yards for a scrambling QB.
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As with anything, if you continually spam the same moves, a good opponent will neutralise it. In this case, QB contains and QB spy zones will mitigate what you can do if they know you are going to run it every play.
A playbook like the Arizona Cardinals offense is perfectly made for this kind of QB performance, as it is modelled around a fit for Kyler Murray who is on the list above.