Hello fellow football gamers! First off, I (Kobra) want to apologize to everyone for everything that has happen over the last 3 months. I didn’t expect it and it really knocked me for a loop mentally and emotionally. Madden Guides.com has meant a lot to me as it was a site I started back in September of 2001 breaking down Madden Tips, Madden Cheats, Madden Strategies, and everything else Madden related for the game that I have loved over the last 20 years. Madden Guides helped open up a lot of other opportunities including working on the official Madden and NCAA strategy guides, doing contractual work for EA Sports, and of course working for VG Sports with Bert, Phillyron, Big B, and LBzrules.

What is Xs Os Football is all about?

X’s O’s Football is exactly what title says it is… all about the X’s and O’s of football. Whether it is real football or video game football, we cover it at X’s O’s Football.com. Right now there are several videos that have been posted on the site and they are ready for your viewing pleasure! For those of you who like the way I broke down Madden and NCAA plays with my in-depth analysis and the use of the telestrator, you will feel right at home.

There are several free sections on the site that you may interest you. Below is a brief description of each.

• Virtual Playbook – This section is all about breaking down real football plays that will translate over to football video games. Plays include ones that I have seen while reading books, found on the net, plays from video games, or watching real football games that I saw during the season. Each breakdown down has video and text.  In addition a good amount of the breakdowns also include images.
• Football Strategies – This section contains strategies, schemes, tips and other X’s and O’s football related material that I have written or have found on the web. Many of these football strategies can be applied to football video games.
• Football Video Games – In this section, you will find X’s and O’s for Madden, NCAA, 2K Football, Backbreaker, NFL Blitz, ect. Some of the videos will feature me breaking down plays, and others will be from various guests and community contributors. I have always said that getting different perspectives from all sorts of players is the best way to learn how to play.
• X’s O’s Football Forum – For those familiar with the Madden Guides forum, you should be right at home. Not only do we have a place to post about video game football, we now have an forum to talk about real football. In addition, anyone who wants to talk about other topics that are not related to football, can go to our section called the “Sports Bar” Please note: if  you want a forum to host leagues for  Madden, NCAA, or other games, feel to contact Kobra at kobra@xsosfootbal.com. to get it set up.
• Locker Room – The Locker Room consist of all kinds of football related tools such play call sheets, play finder, and play diagramer. For those of you who liked the Madden Guides Locker Room, you should fill right at home here in the X’s O’s Locker Room.

My hope with X’s O’s Football is to bring real football fans and video football game fans together. I can’t think of any other site on the net that has attempted to do this. Maybe some of those real football fans out there will see how great of game Madden is and buy it based on the breakdowns I am doing. For those video game football fans out there, I am hoping the site will give them some more insight on how actual plays work in real football.

Custom Made Football Play Designer Application

Over the last few months I have been working on a custom made football play designer application that allows me to be able to breakdown the X’s and O’s like I was doing for Madden and NCAA. To be honest, it’s been a lot of work, but well worth it. From creating the field, the players, drawing up the pass routes for the receivers to run, and the defenders coverage assignments, it took a good amount of patients on my part.  I made the application pretty flexible so that I can pretty much animate any play I see whether it is from a real football game or a football video game.

X’s O’s Football Example: 46 Bear – Buzz Weak 3 Flip

Here is an example of a play that I broke down on the X’s O’s Football.com site that should give you a pretty good idea of what I can do with custom made football play designer application.

A zone blitz concept we like to run out the 46 Bear that brings B gap pressure from the strong safety is the Buzz Weak 3 Flip. In this breakdown, we show how to achieve this pressure by making two pre-snap adjustments.

Playbooks Found In

• 46
• Broncos
• Titans

By default the 46 Bear Buzz Weak 3 Flip drops three defenders in 3 deep coverage, while having 3 defenders play underneath zones. One of those defenders is the left end, who drops into the right (as you look at the screen) curl to flats area of the field.

There are five defenders rushing the quarterback. The primary defender we look to get pressure with is the strong safety, who shoots through the B-Gap between the left guard and left tackle.

The offensive play used for this breakdowns, sends 4 eligible receivers out on pass routes. Notice the fullback stays in to block to the right.

To set the defense up, we first flip the defense at the play call screen. Next, we re-hot route the strong side defensive tackle to blitz. Notice his blitz angle now shoots straight at the center.

We then hot route the left end into QB Spy.

We do this to keep the right tackle occupied once the ball is snapped.

After the ball is snapped, the strong safety shoots through the B gap between the left guard and left tackle.

While in control of the left tackle, we hold him at the line of scrimmage by pressing the RT (PS3 R2). Once the strong safety gets to the line of scrimmage, we can drop the left end back in pass coverage.

Notice the fullback is also looking to towards the left end.

In the image above, the strong safety is about to sack the quarterback.

Video Breakdown

Final Thoughts

Another option would be to hot route the left end into QB Contain and then go control another defender. Downside of this is there is one less defender in pass coverage.

For more football video game tip breakdowns like this one,  check out the X’s O’s Filmroom.

Future Plans For X’s O’s Football

Right now the plans for X’s O’s Football is keep adding plenty of X’s and O’s Football breakdowns whether it be free content or paid content. Much like the Madden Guides I produced for Madden and NCAA, I will be producing the same type of high quality content (as shown in the example above) featuring the same voice overs,  telestrations, in-depth breakdowns, etc.  For many of the play breakdowns, I will be using the custom made program I have created over the last few months to illustrate and animate the X’s and O’s behind the football play.

I plan on releasing several football guides that can easily be applied to video game football. While the graphics might not be not as good as video foototball games, the quality of the content is still the same as before. I think you will agree with me once you watch and read the breakdowns. My goal was to make those that have followed me over years right at home by using the same type of format that they have grown accustomed to. For those of you who haven’t checked out my breakdowns, I am sure you will find them very informative and professionally done.

Current List of Football Guides

• X’s O’s Filmroom – A weekly breakdown of plays, strategies, and schemes to help make you a better video game football player.

Madden Guides Members

For those of you who have bought products from me in the past, I want to make sure you are taken care of. One of the things I take pride in is customer service. If you have any questions about any of the video football game guides you have bought in the past, feel free to contact me at kobra@xsosfootball.com . I will personally take care of you to show my appreciation for your support.

In closing, I hope you will check out the X’s O’s Football site because I have put the same amount of work and effort into it as I did into Madden Guides. I love breaking down the X’s and O’s of football, regardless if it’s real football or video game football.

Sincerely,
Kobra