SportsGamer's Top 10 Tips

GameSpot's new sister site, SportsGamer.com, has written up these top 10 things to know about Madden 08. Be sure to keep them in mind while you play!

Tip 1: Choose a team that suits your play style. If you prefer pounding the ball up the middle, find a back with a good trucking attribute. If instead you prefer stretch plays, you might prefer a dominant stiff arm or elusiveness. Minding the strengths of your personnel when choosing your team will ensure that you have the playmakers to execute your game.

Choose a team that suits your play style.

Tip 2: Choose a playbook early and stick with it. Every playbook has its own nuances that take time to learn. If you switch playbooks too often you will not only be wasting time practicing plays that you will never use again, you may also find it difficult to adapt your playcalling on-the-fly when necessary.

Tip 3: Offensively, start off using just one or two formations within a playbook. Ideally, you should find 8-10 plays that you like using. Limiting yourself to just these plays will improve your execution and improve your overall skill very quickly. Once you have mastered those, then dig deeper into the playbook to expand your offense.

Tip 4: Make sure you have plays to beat man, zone, and bump n' run coverages. Learn how to recognize the different coverages and include plays into your offensive repertoire to attack them all. Go into practice mode to work on checking down reads and beating bump n' run coverage.

Tip 5: Play bend but don't break defense at the beginning of every game. This simply means don't take too many chances and avoid giving up a long touchdowns at all costs. While surrendering yardage underneath may be annoying, picking up on your opponent's tendencies early will pay dividends later on.

Tip 6: Always pick up the pressure that your opponent is bringing on defense. There will be plenty of heat coming this season, so be sure to keep extra players back to block when pressure seems likely. When in doubt, err to the side of caution; the worst thing that can happen is discovering that your opponent isn't blitzing and throwing the ball away. Losing significant yardage via a sack is never acceptable.

Always pick up the pressure that your opponent is bringing on defense.

Tip 7: Study what your opponent is doing. For instance, if you start feeling significant pressure, take the time to figure out why. Once you realize what your opponent is doing, it will be easier to find the appropriate counter. This will also give you a good indication on what plays or adjustments you need to practice before playing your next opponent.

Tip 8: When you are on defense NEVER pick your play before the offense. Always wait to see what personnel package the offense has chosen before selecting your defense. This will disguise your coverage and will minimize coverage breakdowns and mismatches.

Tip 9: Learn the strengths and weaknesses of your entire roster. For example, receivers with great height and/or speed are valuable no matter what their overall rating is. Find ways to utilize hidden strengths within you team's roster.

Tip 10: Learn how to manage the game clock. When facing an opponent more skilled than yourself, slow the tempo of the game down to limit the number of possessions. This will increase the influence an element of chance (such as a fumble) will have on the overall outcome of the game. You could get lucky…