Madden 22: The 5 tips you need to know for The Yard

The Yard is a completely different animal in Madden 22, at least compared to tradition football. In The Yard, players will head into 6-on-6 action. The Yard includes more differences than your typical NFL game than that, thanks to classes, double passes, and a smaller football field.

If you’re new to The Yard and having some trouble, we have you covered. Let’s go over five tips that you need to know for The Yard.

Pick the right class

Before anything else, make sure that you go over all of the available classes. Each class is different, as every one has a unique Superstar X-Factor and certain ones come with built-in attribute boosts and downgrades.

There are a couple of ways to look at these classes. For one, you could pick a skill that suits how you want to play. For example, if you want to set your character as a quarterback that throws deep passes, considering picking the Bazooka-focused The General.

Alternatively, you might want to pick a class that helps with certain deficiencies that you have in Madden. If you tend to struggle with the defensive user (i.e. the player that you control on defense), perhaps you might be better off choosing a defensive-focused class like Hitman.

It’s up to you with regards to which class you pick. The goal, though, is to pick one that adds something to your game. Whether it boosts a strength or masks a deficiency, picking the right class in The Yard is critical.

Make sure to upgrade your character

Once you pick a class, it will be important to upgrade the character and class once you get experience and the all-important Class Rep. You will need to move up in class levels in order to upgrade your character. If you need help with this, we’ve got a guide that details this process.

Related: Madden 22: How to get skill points and upgrade ratings in The Yard

Don’t run with the QB

This might seem like a small tip, but it’s very important. In The Yard, you are not allowed to run past the line of scrimmage with the quarterback. You can run forward with the player that is set to the QB position on a multi-pass (we’ll get to those in a minute) play, but if you go past it on a straight run play, the result will be a loss of downs. We should note that you can scramble away from potential pass rushers, but going over the line of scrimmage is a no-no.

Choose the right defender to user

If you are comfortable with user controlling a defender such as a linebacker or safety in Madden, you probably won’t have too much trouble with this part. But if you struggle with in regular 11-on-11 player, choosing the right defender to user can be daunting.

Based upon our experience, we recommend controlling a safety in The Yard. For one, safety users seem to make the AI struggle a lot in terms of throwing the ball upfield. This can be quite helpful, but make sure to keep an eye out for potential open receivers, and don’t be afraid to use Y/Triangle to intercept the ball.

For online play, which player you user with is up to you. Keep in mind, though, that you will need to wait a couple of seconds to rush the QB, so if you plan on controlling a linebacker, keep close to the line of scrimmage and look out for any open receiver threats. Cover those players, and you should be on your way.

Multi-pass TDs can make a difference

Looking to get cute on the field? Multi-pass plays can test your creativity out on The Yard, but also yield some big returns if the play ends in the end zone. An extra two points, on top of the traditional six awarded for a TD, will be given if the play is a multi-pass touchdown. In order to perform a multi-pass play, you will need to throw the ball to an eligible receiver who is behind the line of scrimmage. Then, throw it again and move the ball upfield.

These plays are generally risky, as you could easily lose yards or fumble the football. But if you know how to quickly press buttons and find open targets, don’t sleep on double pass plays.