As every football fan has heard time and time again, defense wins championships. While that saying doesn’t always translate in Madden 25, having a strong defense is a major key to success in any facet of the game. This applies to both the players you put on the defensive side of the ball and the playbook that you run your defense out of. You can have the best defensive players in the world on your team, but if you use the wrong formations or don’t have access to plays to best utilize those players, your defense will be carved up by good opponents.
So, to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, we have put together a list of the best overall defensive playbooks in Madden 25. These playbooks encompass every type of defense that you might want to run and offer a mix of passive and aggressive styles that should fit any defensive strategy you have in mind.
Best Defensive Playbooks In Madden 25
We’ll list our picks for the best defensive playbooks below, but we’ll break them down by specific categories. This way, you’ll be able to easily pick the playbook that best suits the type of defense you’re trying to run in Madden 25.
Baltimore Ravens (Best 3-4 Defensive Playbook)
The most basic defensive formation that you can run in any Madden game is the 3-4 Defense. This defense sees three defensive linemen line up on the line of scrimmage while four linebackers line up behind them in a standing position.
If you want to run an effective 3-4 Defense in Madden 25, then you should go with the Baltimore Ravens defensive playbook. It offers a ton of variety with the 3-4 Defense, giving you tons to work with when running that formation. The Ravens also boast a solid Nickel package defense in their playbook, so you have plenty of variety to choose from.
Dallas Cowboys (Best 4-3 Defensive Playbook)
On the flip side, if you’re more of a fan of the 4-3 defensive scheme in Madden 25, then go with the Dallas Cowboys’ playbook. The 4-3 defense is the direct opposite of the 3-4, comprising four linemen and three linebackers in the middle of the defense. This type of defense offers great flexibility, as it allows for rushing the quarterback and stopping the run, thanks to having an extra lineman on the line of scrimmage.
When you run a 4-3, you often want to control your sole middle linebacker, who’s often the anchor of the defense. With you controlling the MLB, let your defensive line take care of the running back or the quarterback in the pocket.
Kansas City Chiefs (Best Passing Defensive Playbook)
If you’re always getting beaten by the pass on defense in Madden 25, then you need a playbook that emphasizes formations to stop opposing quarterbacks. While there are a few good candidates for this type of playbook, the Kansas City Chiefs have arguably the best formations to stop the pass in its tracks.
The Chiefs’ defensive playbook is primarily centered around stopping medium to long passes by utilizing strong zone coverages and man coverages with help over the top. Of course, these types of coverages do give up some easy short yardage, but that’s far easier to stop than the longer passes that often lead to touchdowns.
Cleveland Browns (Best Blitzing Defensive Playbook)
While you never want to get beat the pass, it’s hard for a quarterback to actually throw the ball when they’re being constantly pressured by your defense. So, if you feel your passing defense skills are up to par, consider a defensive playbook that emphasizes getting after the quarterback with blitz packages and aggressive formations.
The best playbook for that mindset is the Cleveland Browns, which features numerous high-risk, high-reward formations and packages that aim to sack the quarterback or stop a running back before they can even reach the line of scrimmage. You can use a variety of 3-4/4-3 defenses to make that happen, but the playbook also features plenty of man coverage formations that throw in a blitz from the defensive line, making it even more paramount that you have good passing defense skills.
Arizona Cardinals (Best Beginner Defensive Playbook)
Our final defensive playbook aims to help out players who are new to playing defense in Madden 25. For basic formations that can still get the job done, go with the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive playbook.
The Cardinals’ playbook offers a variety of formations and schemes that aren’t overly complicated. However, they allow you to get accustomed to how defense works in Madden and don’t throw too much on your plate while you’re still in the learning phase of the game.
And that does it for our picks for the best defensive playbooks in Madden 25. Did we leave off one of your favorite playbooks? Let us know down in the comments below. You can also check out our picks for the best offensive playbooks in Madden 25 so you can truly master all facets of the game.
Published: May 28, 2025 06:35 pm