If you want to become better in Madden 24, one important thing would, without a doubt, be to know the cover defensive. After all, the saying that defense wins championships has always been there. So in this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cover defense in Madden 24, like what they are and their pros and cons. Let’s dive into it!

Cover 1 Defense

What - Cover 1 is a Man-to-Man Defense that leaves one safety playing Zone coverage in the deep middle of the field. In general, the rest of the defenders are playing man.

Pros - This defense can be used in running situations. Because every player on offense is covered by a defender, it is less susceptible to being overrun in by the offense crowding an area. Cover 1 can also use an extra defender to Spy the Quarterback.

Cons- It is vulnerable to the deep pass because there is only one defender back. If the receiver is able to beat his defender, there is less help deep. Also, because it relies on man coverage, you need athletic corners to play it. For the same reason, you also need to get pressure on the QB quickly. With enough time to sit in the pocket, at least one receiver will get open against any defender.

Cover 2 Defense

What - Cover 2 is a zone defense where every defender is responsible for an area of the field and not a specific man. The two corners and three linebackers play the underneath fifths, and the two safeties play the deep halves.    

Pros - This is a good defense against short and medium passes, particularly if the offense is targeting a receiver in the flat. It also works well against screenplays for the same reason.

Cons - Cover 2 is more vulnerable to deep passes due to having only two defenders to cover the entire deep field. Overloading one side of the defense with deep routes is one way to exploit this. In addition, the area between the outside corners and the safeties is also vulnerable, although it requires good timing to hit a receiver in this area.

Cover 3 Defense

What - This is a zone defense with three defenders deep: two corners and one safety. The middle linebackers underneath are responsible for the middle of the field while the outside linebackers have the short flats.  

Pros - The three defenders with deep responsibility make it a better defense against the deep pass. Meanwhile, the four defenders across the middle give good run and short/medium pass support. This is a pretty balanced defense against all offenses.

Cons - Despite being a good balance, because fewer defenders are playing short, it is more susceptible to short passes and runs. A Cover 2 is designed to as well as the area behind the linebackers. Essentially, this is a balanced concept that is good against both short and long plays but not excellent against either.

Cover 4 Defense

What - Cover 4, also known as Quarters coverage, is a Zone defense with four deep Defensive Backs playing Zone and three underneath Defenders.

Pros - The Cover 4 is primarily used to counter the deep pass. With four guys back, it does a good job of blanketing deep routes.

Cons - With so many defenders deep, this defense is vulnerable to short/medium passes as well as the run. Also, slant and crossing routes are particularly effective against it due to the lack of defenders playing short. To make this work well you need good pressure from your defense on the QB. Without it, the receivers will eventually get open.

Cover 6 Defense

What - Cover 6 is a combo Zone Defense in which Cover 4 is played to one side of the field, and Cover 2 is played to the other side.

Pros - This can be used to confuse opponents. Before the ball is snapped, it is difficult to identify. Thus, the wrong read might be made, which can result in a bad offensive play. Also, the Cover 2 side is good against the run. So if you suspect your opponent will run to one side but also want to maintain some deep support on the other side, a Cover 6 would be a good call.

Cons - On the Cover 4 side, the deep coverage is good, but the short pass coverage and run support are problems. On the Cover 2 side, the short pass and run support are good, but the deep coverage is the problem.