Getting sacks on the QB can be difficult but there is more to it than you should know. The main goal is to always put pressure on the QB and sacking him is just a big bonus.
However, if you have a specifically designed play, you can get sacks more often. It sacrifices another part of the field to go for a blitz so it all depends on how you read their play as well.
This guide will show you how to get sacks in Madden 22 more often.
These tips will help you perform better pass rush moves, call better plays, and learn more about the best defensive teams and play formations.
What is a Sack?
While it might be obvious, it is important to make things clear that sacking is different from a tackle for loss in terms of stats recording. Sacking is specific to a QB getting tackled in the backfield on a passing play.
When you start tackling WRs and RBs for a loss of yards, it is counted towards the tackle for loss statistic instead of sacks. The difference might be a little insignificant as both of them are good things on the defensive side.
Sacking is quite difficult to do and it revolves around making the correct play. It revolves around play-reading and having the best CBs or LBs for blitzing the opponent’s QB.
Since offensive plays often revolve around defending the QB until a pass is made, the middle linebacker needs to read and call the shots as well for the defensive side. Going for a sack can be a double-edged sword since it allows more holes in the defense.
Best Stats for Sacking the QB
Stats to look out for – Speed, Strength, Agility, Acceleration, Tackle, Hit Power, Power Moves, Finesse Moves, and Break Sack
These are the best stats you can look for when you are trying to sack the QB. It also depends on the break sack stat of the QB since if you do not hit him directly, he can easily wiggle his way out of it.
If you are blitzing or running a 3-4 play, your goal is to cover most of the zone while putting pressure on the QB. The 4 linebackers are the ones that are going to look out for potential leaks or are the ones going to blitz the QB.
Most linebackers have great stats on mobility such as acceleration, speed, and agility, making them a terror for any QB. These are the linebackers you would want to control and make a play for when you want to sack the QB.
Power moves and finesse moves stats help you get away from the defensive linemen as much as possible. When you start hitting strong defensive linemen, who will most likely have more strength than you, finessing them will be the only way to go past them.
Best Defensive Teams
There are only a few purely defensive teams in Madden 22. While most of them might be inconsistent when you compare them to the NFL, these teams have the most overpowered defenses in the game.
Playing these teams will help you familiarize yourself with making defensive plays as they usually have the best defensive players.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Chicago Bears
- New England Patriots
- Denver Broncos
Since these teams have the best defensive players, it does not necessarily mean they have the best defensive plays available. When it comes to making the right plays, stats might be insignificant if they made the right read to protect their QB from sacks or any pressure at all.
Playbooks
While this topic is covered more comprehensively in our Best Defensive Playbook article, you will need to have a good formation against specific plays. Running blitz all the time can be easily countered as it leaves more zones uncovered.
Covered in our defensive playbook guide, you can customize your own playbook to fit your team more. This can be essential to your defense’s success, especially when you are starting a fantasy draft franchise.
As you are starting a team from scratch, your team will still be running the same playbook built for the original players of the team.
If you want to learn how to sack the QB more often, you need to have a good mixture of 3-4, 4-3, 4-4, Nickels, and Dimes between your plays. You can easily take the defensive plays on your favorite teams that you are familiar with.
The Tamba Bay Buccaneers have a lot of great blitzes, QB spies, and 3-4 sets which are all great when you are going for a sack. Coincidentally, they are also the best defensive team in the game.
If you want a more versatile defensive playbook, you can also copy plays from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. They have a more consistent playbook in terms of pass defense and defending against runs.
You can easily mix a ton of set plays from all the teams mentioned and find out which suits your play the most.
How to Get Sacks in Madden 22
To sack the QB, you first need to go through the offensive linemen. The players you are going to use will be the linebackers with the right play call. It might be irrelevant to go control a linebacker who is directed to guard a specific zone so it all depends on the play call.
Once you are using the right player and the right play, you just need to spot the holes in their offense and slide past through the offensive lineman. You can use pass moves to get to the QB faster.
When you have a clear drive against the QB, make sure you hit him directly. A player like Patrick Mahomes, who has a high break sack rating, can easily avoid it if you do not hit him directly.
It is best to use the right analog stick to sack instead of pressing square or X. This might be easier said than done but, it all depends on how you read the play.
If your pass defense is good enough, you can easily prevent the QB from finding an open player immediately after the snap. This will give you more time to get to the QB and sack him.
Tips for Sacking the QB
When playing defense, you can change players by pressing circle or B, depending on which platform you play on. After choosing a defensive play, you have a few seconds to read the play before the snap.
You can take this time to change to the player that you think can blitz his way and sack the QB. The safest play is always choosing your team’s best linebacker and control him to go for the QB.
It is important to note that changing players after the snap can be a little risky. That split second of switching may cause you to lose acceleration or even move in the wrong direction.
I highly suggest avoiding play swaps after the snap and focus on your player’s zone coverage instead. You can use the LT or L2 button to see what your player’s job is on the specific play.
Now, when you are using the player going for the sack, it is best to always be ready with the right hit stick or the right analog stick. This is so that you can easily perform rush moves.
Madden 22 Pass rush moves are body movements to finesse or dodge the offensive linemen so you can get past the offensive linemen and get to the QB faster.
Each player has a different pass rush move so it is best to look out for the notification on what button to hit when you are against the offensive lineman. It may even be the speed pass rush move which does not require you to use the right analog stick but instead, use RT or R2.
You should always remember to stay in your line of play before the snap. A flag might be called if you go over the line and it will be a crucial penalty, especially if you are already on 3rd or 4th down.
Another great tip is to watch out for QB Generals like Tom Brady. They have an ability called “Protected” which boosts the entire offensive linemen’s ability to block and make space for the QB.
It will make things a lot harder, as you will not be able to use pass rush moves effectively.
Final Thoughts
With the addition of a lot of gameplay features such as momentum, abilities, and pass rush moves, there are a lot of variables that can come in Madden 22. It may look impossible in the NFL but, the core gameplay of American football is the same.
The mental aspect is crucial when trying to sack the QB. Are they going to run the ball? Will they go for a hail mary play? Is there a trap play? The list can go on and on.
The more you think about it, the easier you can get trapped and read. All you need to know is that going for the QB, even if you do not sack him, is a good play as it puts pressure on the throw while also preventing the QB to run the ball himself.
However, learning how to get sacks in Madden 22 will also be super useful in the right circumstances.
