What every SIM league should have a "3 sec snap" rule (with video)

One of the unique rules to our community is the 3 SECOND SNAP RULE - When the offense comes to the line of scrimmage they must wait 3 seconds AFTER THE LINE IS SET before the snap the ball...

At first thought this rule seems silly - one of the fundamental advantages of the offense is being able to control when they snap.  So I concede that point.

However Madden does not have the sophistication in its defensive play calls to implement all reasonably possible defensive tactics - it would be insane for them to have every possible incarnation of defensive formation, scheme and tactics... Therefore to make defensive play calling more streamlined they have BASE STYLE plays available and if you wish for a specific tactic or scheme you find the closest base play and then use PRESNAP ADJUSTMENTS to have the play call that you desired... (I want to make it clear - these are plays that are decided BEFORE YOU EVEN SEE player positional alignment - these are plays decided on "in the huddle" or in a "if the offense does X, the Defense does Y" PHILOSOPHY

example you call a play that says if the TE lines up on the line next to tackle the OLB play 9 technique, if the TE lines up as an offset TE aka "wing back" then the OLB blitzes or if the TE lines up 3 yards from the tackle (in the slot) the OLB plays the flats - THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF "if the offense does X, the Defense does Y"

So having a 3 second rule is simply the LESSER OF TWO EVILS - sure the offense should have the advantage of snapping when they want to but this shouldn't come at the expense of the Defense not being able to call the base play they wanted!

Besides - What benefit is there to snapping ASAP to the offense? You cannot catch a CPU players "off guard" - that's done through "hard counts" so if you snap ASAP (without hard counting) the DL reacts the same as if you waited 20 seconds without hard counting!

The only benefit to snapping ASAP in madden is to:

1) stop the Defense from calling a play they intended to call in the huddle

2) to prevent the Defense from positioning players in proper alignment...

3) stop Defense from doing "if the offense does X, the Defense does Y" which should happen instantly but madden doesn't have sophistication to implement...

4) to prevent players from even getting in their BASIC POSITION - causing encroachment and sometime having players hugely out of position (see video)

* all four of these reasons are for snapping ASAP are questionable tactics and do not have a place in a SIM league!


I have a couple video below that clearly show the INSANE ADVANTAGE the offense has when he snaps ASAP (especially in no huddle) - in the play my DT is not even close to being in the right spot - I am desperately trying to PINCH my OLINE and JAM the middle but the adjustment cannot be made until the DT gets into assigned starting position (that makes the other 3 DL even less effective)

See videos yourself:

I want to be clear - I do not deny snapping ASAP happens in NFL! and when the ball is snapped is an inherent advantage the offense has over the defense!

But it's more important for the defense to be able to call there base play (they decided on in the huddle) then the offense being able to snap ASAP! So in that regard a  "3 second snap rule" is simply the lesser of two evils!

Only 1 reason to snap ASAP in madden - it's to limit the adjustments the defense can do! (And 95% of these adjustments are decided on in the huddle - players would come on the field, look at alignment and instantly up to 11 players could make individual adjustments to give themselves the best advantage to be successful)

Madden lacks the sophistication to call such a detailed defensive play - to overcome this lack of sophistication players are expected to make PRESNAP adjustments!

So in lobby games it has become common practice to snap ASAP just so the defense cannot call the play they wanted to in the huddle! Guys even take it to extremes and forgo doing offensive PRESNAP adjustments because they believe it's more beneficial for them to snap ASAP (and forgo their PRESNAP adjustments just so the defense cannot make their adjustments!) - THATS PURE INSANITY - what your left with is a DUMBED DOWN VERSION OF MADDEN - and that's a shame!

THERE IS ONLY REASON OFFENSE SNAPS ASAP IS TO PREVENT THE DEFENSE FROM CALLING THE PLAY THEY WANTED TO IN THE HUDDLE! (That's the only value - it's not like u can "catch CPU players off guard" they are a computer program! They react to the snap in the same way wether you snap ASAP or wait until the last possible second!)



Enjoyment in madden for me comes from STRATEGIZING and SCHEMING plays! I love the "chess match" aspect of madden!its fun to diagnosis plays - make pre-snap and post snap reads, then try to utilize scheme to most effectively influence the play" - I find this part if the game the most fun!

plus it's my number 1 skill - I don't have the stick skills you have - I rely on my experience and football  IQ for an advantage!

PLAYING IN A LEAGUE WITHOUT A 3 SECOND SNAP RULE WOULD BE THE SAME IF THE LEAGUE MADE A RULE WHERE THEY OUT-LAWED USER PICKS! Only difference is no 3 second rule discriminates against players with high football IQ - and a rule against USER PICKS discriminates against players with great USER SKILLS!

We would never discriminate against players who develop USER SKILLS - so why should the league discriminate someone who has developed superior scheme advantage (by having a high football IQ)?

Lmao. You act like people who quick snap have a low football IQ. That's just silly. Some people have stick skills and can make their adjustments in time before the snap. It is simply a handicap so YOU and others without stick skills can compete. Period.

Maddening isn't it? wrote:Lmao. You act like people who quick snap have a low football IQ. That's just silly. Some people have stick skills and can make their adjustments in time before the snap. It is simply a handicap so YOU and others without stick skills can compete. Period.

Ok that's fine - your adjustments do not require the 3 seconds but mine do - SO WHY SHOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SNAP ASAP JUST SO I CANNOT CALL THE PLAY I WANTED TO CALL FROM IN THE HUDDLE?

Just give up the lousy three seconds! Only reason you would snap ASAP is so we cannot do these VERY LEGIT changes that should be done instantly!

The truth is that guys who SNAP ASAP do this for one reason - and that's to prevent others from doing their adjustments that should be done instantly (but EA lacks sophistication to program that level of detail) - if you are SNAPPING ASAP - ITS WEAK