While you may have heard of the term “in the zone” when watching sports games, Madden 22 has a special feature that gives game-changing abilities.
These are the X-Factor abilities. Each player has one unique X-Factor ability and entering the zone will activate it.
While it is unclear what triggers a player to enter the zone, this guide will show you how to enter the zone in Madden 22 and what knocks you out of it. This includes a full list of all the X-Factor abilities available in the game.
What is the Zone?
The zone could mean a lot of things in sports. In this case, it means that the player enters a special place where he is performing beyond his capabilities. In the game, players get increased stats depending on the X-Factor ability they are using.
There are a ton of unique X-Factor abilities to choose from. Each comes with a different trigger and buff for your player. Some of the triggers to enter the zone might be hard to complete and you can easily get knocked out of the zone as soon as you enter it.
It is best to learn these triggers and how you get knocked out of the zone so you can be aware of what to do and not do during the game.
There will be a lot of grinding to unlock these abilities but, you will only need one X-Factor ability.
Make sure you choose the right one from the list below so you can be efficient. You can also level up class rep fast by playing efficient games and unlock these abilities faster.
Full List of X-Factor Abilities and Triggers to Enter the Zone
| X-Factor Ability – Zone | Zone Buff | Trigger | Knockout of Zone |
| Ankle Breaker | Increased fakeout rates on skill moves following the catch. | Three 10+ yard receptions | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| Bazooka | Max throwing distance increased (83 yards total) when in the zone. | One completed pass of 30+ yards in the air. | One sack |
| Blitz Radar | Highlights extra blitzers. | Three scrambles of 10+ yards | Two sacks |
| Double Me | Wins aggressive catches versus single coverage. | Two receptions of 20+ yards in the air. | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| First One Free | High fake-out rate on next juke, spin, or hurdle. | Three rushes of 10+ yards | One tackle for loss |
| Freight Train | Increased chance to break the next tackle attempt. | Three rushes for 10+ yards | One tackle for loss |
| Gambler | Faster passes that can’t be picked off by AI defenders. | Three consecutive completions of 5+ yards | Two incompletions |
| Max Security | High success rate on possession catches. | Four consecutive receptions | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| Pro Reads | Highlights the first open target and ignores pressure. | Three consecutive completions of 5+ yards | One sack |
| RAC ‘Em Up | Wins RAC catches versus single coverage. | Three receptions of 20+ yards | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| Satellite | Wins RAC & possession catches vs. single coverage. | Make three 10+ yard receptions | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| Truzz | Can’t fumble when in the zone | Five 1+ yard runs | One tackle for loss |
| Wrecking Ball | High success rate on next three trucks or stiff-arms. | Three rushes of 10+ yards | One Tackle for loss |
| YAC ‘Em Up | Increased chance to break the first post-catch tackle. | Three 20+ yard receptions | One drop, incompletion, or three consecutive non-targets |
| Avalanche | Downhill hit-sticks force fumbles. | Three hit-stick tackles | 30 offensive yards allowed |
| Blitz | On-field blockers have their resistance bars wiped. | Two defensive line sacks | One down played |
| Bottleneck | Dominantly win man press attempts. | Two forced incompletions | 30 offensive yards allowed |
| Fearmonger | Chance to pressure the QB while engaged with a blocker. | Two defensive line sacks | 20 offensive yards allowed |
| Momentum Shift | On-field opponents have Zone progress wiped. | Two defensive line sacks | One down played |
| Reinforcement | Higher chance to defeat run blocks and disrupt catches. | Two tackles for loss, or two incompletions | 10 offensive yards allowed |
| Run Stuffer | Block shedding becomes more effective versus run plays. | Two tackles for loss | 30 offensive yards allowed |
| Shutdown | Tighter coverage and more interceptions on contested catches. | Two forced incompletions | 30 offensive yards allowed |
| Unstoppable Force | Pass rush wins lead to quicker block shedding. | Two defensive line sacks | 10 offensive yards allowed |
| Zone Hawk | More interceptions in zone coverage. | Two forced incompletions | 30 offensive yards allowed |
How to Enter the Zone
First, you should be aware of which X-Factor ability you have equipped. After that, check the table above and find the trigger and enter the zone by doing them.
It makes it a lot easier if you are aware of the triggers. Trust me. You might even change some of the play calls to make this happen during the game.
Just do not be heavily influenced by it and treat it as a bonus. Entering the zone gives you a big boost to certain attributes but, they are also too specific. Your whole play should not revolve around these players entering the zone.
Another thing to take note of would be how you get knocked out of the zone. For example, if you run a QB with the Bazooka X-Factor ability, you can easily get knocked out of the zone by getting sacked.
Now, if you are aware of that, you can easily throw the ball out of bounds when things get a little dicey. Interceptions, incompletes, and drops do not knock you out of the zone.
It is easy to avoid getting sacked if you are just aware of the mechanics of the game. Stopping short passes is quite common but with the Bazooka, you do not have to worry about getting knocked out of the zone from your passes.
