Lateraling the football can be an extremely effective tactic in Madden 24 for keeping a play alive or catching the defense off guard. However, it is also a high-risk maneuver that must be executed properly to avoid turnovers. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to effectively lateral the ball in Madden 24.
Key Takeaways
- A lateral is executed by pressing the L1/LB button and can be directed to a specific teammate with the right stick.
- Only lateral when a teammate is open and beware of lateralling near the sidelines or endzone.
- Using players with high carrying ratings and covering the ball with two hands reduces fumbling risk.
- Lateralling can help extend plays and get the ball to players in scoring position when done properly.
- Don’t lateral against good human opponents or when playing from behind in a close game.
What is a Lateral in Madden?
A lateral in Madden 24 refers to a backwards pass to a teammate. It is not considered a forward pass, so it cannot be intercepted by the defense. However, if the lateral is dropped, it can be recovered as a fumble by either team.
Laterals are useful for keeping a play alive by getting the ball to trailing teammates when the ball carrier is about to be tackled. They can also catch the defense off guard to spark big plays.
Successfully executing laterals requires timing, precision, and awareness to avoid costly turnovers. But when done right, laterals can be game-changing plays.
How to Lateral in Madden
To execute a lateral in Madden 24, press the L1 button on Playstation or LB button on Xbox while on offense with the ball. This will make the player with the ball toss it backwards to the nearest eligible teammate behind them.
You can also use the lateral icon on the right stick to lateral to a specific player instead of whoever is closest. While holding L1/LB, flick the right stick in the direction of the intended receiver.
When attempting a lateral, it is crucial that the receiving player is ready and aware that the ball is coming to them. Blind laterals without signaling your teammate will often result in dropped balls and fumbles.
Only lateral when you see that the teammate has space from nearby defenders to field the pass cleanly. Never lateral when boxed in by the sidelines or end zone, as an errant toss can go out of bounds and result in a turnover.
Lateral Controls
Here are the specific control schemes for lateraling on each platform:
PlayStation: Press L1 while on offense to lateral to nearest teammate. Hold L1 and use right stick icon to lateral to specific teammate.
Xbox: Press LB while on offense to lateral to nearest teammate. Hold LB and use right stick icon to lateral to specific teammate.
PC: Press P while on offense to lateral to nearest teammate. Hold P and use right stick icon to lateral to specific teammate.
Risks of Lateralling
While laterals can lead to exciting, game-breaking plays, they do come with inherent risks:
- Fumbles– If the lateral is not handled cleanly, it can be easily fumbled and recovered by the defense. Always lateral to players with high carrying ratings.
- Out of bounds– Lateralling too close to the sidelines can lead to the ball going out of bounds and a turnover on downs.
- Interceptions– Errant laterals can be picked off by nearby defensive players, especially if the intended receiver is covered.
- Inopportune laterals– Lateralling when not necessary can lead to unnecessary turnovers and poor field position.
To help mitigate these risks, only attempt laterals when the receiving player has open space and time to secure the ball. Carrying the ball with two hands also reduces fumbles.
When to Lateral in Madden 24
Knowing when to attempt a lateral is critical to proper execution. Here are some of the best times to try lateralling:
- Running back about to be tackled– Quick pitch to trailing player to continue play.
- Trying to score near end zone– Lateral to teammate in better position.
- Extending a play– Get the ball to an open player downfield.
- Avoiding a tackle– Redirect the ball to an open teammate.
- Catching defense off guard– Surprise lateral can lead to big gains.
Conversely, avoid lateralling in the following situations:
- Near the sidelines or end zone – Increased risk of going out of bounds.
- In poor field position – Turnover could give opponent good field position.
- When trailing late in game – Need to conserve time and avoid turnovers.
- When defense expects it – More likely to jump the route and force a turnover.
Lateralling to a Specific Teammate
For more precision, you can lateral to a specific teammate rather than the closest eligible receiver.
To do this, hold down the lateral button (L1/LB) and use the right stick to flick towards the intended target. Check that they have space from nearby defenders before releasing the button to initiate the lateral.
Try lateralling to fast receivers streaking downfield behind the play. But avoid passing to heavily covered targets or into traffic.
Avoiding Fumbles on Laterals
Since laterals have a high risk of fumbles if not executed properly, it’s important to take measures to reduce turnovers:
- Use players with high carrying ratings– This directly impacts their chance of fumbling.
- Cover ball with two hands– Makes it harder for defenders to knock ball loose.
- Don’t lateral near sidelines/endzones– Increased risk of ball going out of bounds.
- Avoid lateralling into traffic– Higher chance ball gets tipped or disrupted.
- Lateral to open teammates– Clean receptions are less likely to be fumbled.
- Don’t lateral too hard– Soft tosses are easier to handle.
Lateralling for Touchdowns and First Downs
Laterals can be extremely effective when trying to pick up key first downs or even score touchdowns:
- Look for fast receivers downfield who can outrun defense.
- Target players already in or near scoring position when possible.
- Only lateral when teammate has space to operate.
- Be aggressive when you need a score to tie/win game.
- Try trick laterals to catch opponent off guard near goal line.
But also exercise caution in close games or bad field position to avoid costly turnovers. Laterals are always high risk/high reward.
Advanced Lateral Strategies and Tips
With practice, you can become an expert at integrating lateral passes into your Madden 24 offense:
- Use lateral plays in practice mode to get timing and handling down.
- Lateraling backwards while scrambling with your QB can pick up extra yards.
- Play as the defense in practice and learn to stop laterals to improve your offense.
- Try lateralling to offensive linemen in open space to surprise opponent.
- Flick lateral to RB just before getting tackled to avoid losing yards.
- Fake lateral by pump faking to freeze defenders.
- Lateralling on punt and kick returns can lead to huge gains if executed properly.
Conclusion
Lateralling the ball in Madden 24 is a high risk/high reward maneuver that can drastically impact a game when done correctly. But reckless lateralling will also lead to back-breaking turnovers.
By mastering the techniques in this guide, you’ll be able to integrate lateral passes into your offense to keep plays alive and take advantage of misdirection. With proper timing, awareness and ball handling, laterals can help you pull off thrilling comebacks and last-second victories.
Just be sure to exercise discretion and lateral only when you have a clear tactical advantage. Your on-field decision making will determine whether laterals ultimately help or hurt your team.
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