Having Trouble Putting Touch on the Ball When Passing

[Valdarez]

I'm about 6 games into Madden now, and I have a pretty good feel for the passing game, and the defensive movement. I've started trying to throw over guys in lanes, and putting touch on the ball to extend routes and throw over the shoulder. This is how I would play in APF2K8, and something that truly made the passing game enjoyable to me (beyond route based passing, which is somewhat in Madden, but more on that later).
Realize I have only played with the Cowboys thus far, so Romo is the QB.

Throwing Over Defensive Players in Lanes
When I'm making a 20 yard throw, and there's a LB sitting 10 yards deep, I should be able to put the ball over the LB and hit my receiver, yet the LB is constantly able to jump up and knock it down or make an INT. When I watch the replays it looks like the ball is not thrown high enough for some reason, and I'm not firing it in there. I'm trying to hold it just long enough to be an average pass, if that makes sense.

Is it even possible to throw over defensive players in lanes like I'm trying? Or am I just banging my head against a proverbial brick wall?

Throwing Over the Shoulder Passes
QB's in APF2K8 had different abilities, there were Laser Arm QBs (highly accurate throws), and Rocket Arm QBs (deep / hard throws). With any QB but the Rocket Arm QBs, you could put a good deal of touch on the ball. Such that if I saw a player running corner slant or post slant (corner was usually safer heh) you could throw the ball just a little softer. This would cause the ball to be lofted higher and extend the route such that the receiver had to run further to get it, and the defender had more trouble getting to due to the location and trajectory of the pass.

In Madden, when I put touch on the ball it doesn't look like the route is extended at all. In fact, what I'm constantly seeing is the receiver slowing down for the shorter thrown pass giving the defender time to catch up and knock it down or make the interception. Most of these are on 10 to 15 yard passes on slant / ins / outs where I want to lead my receiver.

Is leading a receiver with a softly thrown pass in this manner even possible in Madden? Does it work on all routes, only long ones? Does it require a unique QB and Romo just doesn't cut it?

Appreciate the help guys, hopefully you can save me a few hours of trying to figure out what's going on.

[The Autumn Wind]

Val,

On the first point, yes you can get it over. You HAVE to max pass, though; just hitting the throw button will not work. They key is to max pass up, and to the side if necessary. You also want to take a little bit off the throw, but not much.

I've seen complaints that you can't throw long with zip, but I labbed in practice mode, and you can. If you want to squeeze a post route between the CB and S in a cover 3, you max pass as high as you can and rifle the ball. It will get in there.

On the second point, you have to lead your deep throws as well. I've seen plenty of overthrows on deep passes, and plenty of throws that are just short like your examples.

The trick is that you can't count on the same result every time from using the same control mechanics. Some people decry this as a game flaw, calling it "random bad passes," but it seems to me that it replicates pretty well the fact that in game conditions, it's hard to put it just where you want every play.

[sportyguyfl31]

took me over 200 games to figure out how to take a little off of the football.

I smidge less pressure on the B-button goes a long way.

[Valdarez]

Didn't realize there was max passing in Madden. Does it work just like it did in APF2K8?

[The Autumn Wind]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

Didn't realize there was max passing in Madden. Does it work just like it did in APF2K8?

Yup, it's left stick, and it registers varying degrees of pressure and extension. The throw button also registers varying degrees of pressure.

Figuring this out opens up your offense big time. I think lots of the "passing is broken" stuff comes from a lack of knowledge about how to manipulate throw height, direction, and speed.

[huskerwr38]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Autumn Wind

Yup, it's left stick, and it registers varying degrees of pressure and extension. The throw button also registers varying degrees of pressure. Figuring this out opens up your offense big time. I think lots of the "passing is broken" stuff comes from a lack of knowledge about how to manipulate throw height, direction, and speed.

I didn't even know this was possible. Can you enlighten everyone how to perform this "max passing"? What happens when you use the left stick when you throw? Please explain...is it in the game manual?

[TombSong]

Not being able to throw the ball the way you want is pure crap. Its also not realistic. Having a QB throw a ball one way then throw it a total different way the next time despite you putting the same amount of lead and pressure on the stick is not the ideal way to emulate how good or bad a QB throws.

They should have given each QB a skill set that reflects their real life skill set and you the user would have to adjust to that QB's skill set.

Some QBs release should be faster than others, the speeds at which the balls would get down field when throwing deep should have been different depending on QB skill. The placement of the ball should have been such where depending on how accurate they are would determine if the ball is thrown behind a WR or more out in front of the WR(how well they lead a WR) etc

You would have to learn how to play with that QB. Thats the ideal way to distinguish good QB's from bad ones. Having Dree Brees just throw a bad pass with NO pressure on him to a wide open WR just for the sake of "trying to emulate mistakes" is just stupid. Let me make the mistake based on the QB's skills, not some random uncontrolled cpu generated event.

[dfos81]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Autumn Wind

Yup, it's left stick, and it registers varying degrees of pressure and extension. The throw button also registers varying degrees of pressure. Figuring this out opens up your offense big time. I think lots of the "passing is broken" stuff comes from a lack of knowledge about how to manipulate throw height, direction, and speed.

It takes practice but it does work. Even w/ my qb Jason Campbell I can do it now. Pressure sensitivity is the key and once you figure out the right amount to put touch, it really helps a ton.
Really its a combo of the L-Stick and the right button pressure to pull it off.
If I just pressed the Button w/ J.C. I would be lucky to throw 50%. I always use a combo of the L-Stick and button pressure.

[d3athb4dishonor]

Its really all about how hard you hit the button

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by TombSong

Not being able to throw the ball the way you want is pure crap. Its also not realistic. Having a QB throw a ball one way then throw it a total different way the next time despite you putting the same amount of lead and pressure on the stick is not the ideal way to emulate how good or bad a QB throws. They should have given each QB a skill set that reflects their real life skill set and you the user would have to adjust to that QB's skill set. Some QBs release should be faster than others, the speeds at which the balls would get down field when throwing deep should have been different depending on QB skill. The placement of the ball should have been such where depending on how accurate they are would determine if the ball is thrown behind a WR or more out in front of the WR(how well they lead a WR) etc You would have to learn how to play with that QB. Thats the ideal way to distinguish good QB's from bad ones. Having Dree Brees just throw a bad pass with NO pressure on him to a wide open WR just for the sake of "trying to emulate mistakes" is just stupid. Let me make the mistake based on the QB's skills, not some random uncontrolled cpu generated event.

Agreed. Well said.