Madden 23 Best Playbooks: Top Offensive & Defensive Plays for MUT and Franchise Mode (2024)

We might be in Madden 23’s infancy, but several Madden playbooks across offense and defense already stand apart as the game’s best to unravel teams across the range of game modes.

Whether it be through a well-set formation, or the exotic and elaborate routes and assignments run, there is something for the regimented player and the trickster alike.

Having reviewed all 32 teams, here are the franchises that have quality schemes in abundance at launch.

Madden Playbooks: Best Offensive Playbooks in Madden 23

Need to stamp your authority by picking apart intense defensive schemes or by scoring an ungodly number of touchdowns? These are the best Madden playbooks for offense for you to use in MUT and Franchise Mode.

Best Passing Playbook: Kansas City Chiefs

Best plays:

• Escape (Shotgun Normal Y Off Close)
• Drive Trail (Shotgun Snugs Flip)
• Deep Stick (Shotgun Y Off Trips)

When your quarterback is not only the best in the game, but a generational talent, it’s hard to not place Kansas City – led by Patrick Mahomes – as the top passing playbook in Madden 23. Sure, Tyreke Hill may now be in Miami, but the receiving corps is still formidable around Mahomes. With Travis Kelce, newly acquired JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Mecole Hardman, not to mention running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mahomes has plenty of receivers to make use of his arm talent.

There are a plethora of packages out of the Shotgun formation to fill all of your passing needs. Having a quarterback who has a bit of movement ability will also help to create more time for receivers to get open and to evade would-be tacklers.

Each of the three featured plays gives you a mix of short, mid, and deep routes. Regardless of the situation, this should give you enough options to move the chains and eventually, reach the endzone.

Best Running Playbook: Baltimore Ravens

Best plays:

• Tr Option Slip (Pistol Strong)
• Mtn Zone Weak (I Form Twin TE)
• QB Blast (Shotgun Empty Quads)

Baltimore takes the best running playbook in Madden 23 mostly because of Lamar Jackson, just like Kansas City with Mahomes. Jackson’s ability to run effectively with the ball sets him apart not just from nearly every other quarterback in the league, but also places him among the best ball carriers regardless of position.

The playbook is setup to take advantage of both Jackson’s ability and the offensive line personnel to open up gaps for the ball carrier to gain chunks of yardage. There are many option plays for Jackson to run – like Tr Option Strong – and as the best runner on the team, it makes sense to liberally use the various option plays. With the power of the line, halfback runs are also more likely to gain than lose yards.

Best Balanced Playbook: Miami Dolphins

Best plays:

• Read Option (Shotgun Split Close)
• Mesh Spot (Shotgun Tight Y Off)
• Dolphins Y Corner (Shotgun Y Trips Wk)

Miami takes the title for most balanced offensive playbook thanks in part to the offensive personnel. Led by burgeoning quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Miami – with new head coach Mike McDaniel – has a playbook that both maximizes Tagovailoa’s best attributes while providing him with plenty of talented receivers and backs to deliver the football.

Another mobile quarterback (sensing a theme?), Tagovailoa is helped by a number of option plays (like Jackson). The Read Option out of the Split Close package in the Shotgun formation is a good default option play. Further, with a deep running back crew led by Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert and an even deeper receiving corps with Hill and Jaylen Waddle, you’ll be well positioned to gain yards regardless of a run or pass play.

READ MORE: Madden 23: Best Offensive Playbooks

Best Defensive Playbooks in Madden 23

They say that “defense wins championships,” so make sure that you incorporate one of the best Madden 23 defensive playbooks into your team. Since defensive Madden playbooks generally have the same plays, personnel plays as big a role in selection as it was with the offensive playbooks.

Best 4-3 Playbook: Buffalo Bills

Best plays:

• Cover 1 MLB Blitz (4-3 Even 6-1)
• Cover 2 Hard Flat (4-3 Over)
• 1 Contain Press (4-3 Under)

Buffalo is a defense that year in and year out under Sean McDermott has been among the best in the league. Beyond his scheme, the personnel and a key addition during the offseason helps make Buffalo the best 4-3 defense playbook in Madden 23.

Von Miller joined the Bills over the offseason, adding to an already potent defense. He’ll look to wreak havoc in the backfields of opposing teams while coming off of the edge. Add him to a defense led by Tre’Davious White in the secondary and Tremaine Edmunds in the middle and the Bills’ 4-3 defense is sure to keep your opponent’s offense off of the field and out of the endzone. The personnel allows you to run zone (Cover 2 Hard Flat), man, or blitz (Cover 1 MLB Blitz) with ease and little fear of being bested.

Best 3-4 Playbook: New England Patriots

Best plays:

• Cover 1 QB Contain (3-4 Bear)
• Cover 2 Man (3-4 Odd)
• Fire Zone Bluff (3-4 Odd)

Any longtime fans of professional football know that choosing the New England Patriots as the best 3-4 defense is just another one of those consistency marks that Bill Belichick-led teams seem to achieve. His New England team tend to rank highly in defense every year, and 2022 should be no different, reflected in Madden 23.

Also, very much in Belichick fashion, the defense isn’t filled with “superstars,” but with a solid group of players that create a stout defense. Led by Matthew Judon and Devin McCourty, the New England defense is experienced and disciplined. Belichick defenses are all about taking away the quarterback’s abilities, and plays like Cover 1 QB Contain do just that, particularly against those who may tuck and run with the ball. Zone blitzes, like Fire Zone Bluff, should work to confuse opposing quarterbacks.

Best Versatile Defensive Playbook: Los Angeles Rams

Best plays:

• Cover 2 Invert (4-4 Split)
• Tampa 2 (Dime 1-4-6)
• Blitz LB Lurk 1 (Nickel 3-3 Club)

The defending Super Bowl champions won that title yes, because of a tremendous late completion, but mostly thanks to a defense that kept Cincinnati and quarterback Joe Burrow from developing a rhythm. They re-signed their most important player on defense and will once again look to dominate en route to back-to-back titles.

Future Hall of Famer and one of the best linemen ever Aaron Donald re-signed after flirting with retirement. He leads a unit comprised of Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey, and others that, while built mainly to compete and win the NFC West, also set Los Angeles as one of the best defenses in the game. Whether it’s with the zone (Tampa 2) or the blitz (Blitz LB Lurk 1), the Rams have very few weak spots in their defense and should help lead to a dominant outing.

READ MORE: Madden 23: Best Defensive Playbooks

Best offensive and defensive playbooks: Kansas City Chiefs (OFF) & Los Angeles Rams (DEF)

Kansas City Chiefs have the best overall offensive playbookin Madden 23 and the Los Angeles Rams have the best overall defensive playbook.

With these playbooks, you’re sure to achieve more victories than defeat in Madden 23. Which playbooks will you choose for your teams?

Looking for more Madden 23 guides?

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Madden 23: Best Playbooks for 4-3 Defenses

Madden 23: Best Playbooks for 3-4 Defenses

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