Any football fan can tell you all about the importance of protecting your QB, whether it’s in real life or in Madden 23. As the player that begins every single offensive play, and as one of the most specialized skillsets in the game, having a good QB is invaluable.
Sometimes, however, you’ll need to run the ball with your QB. And while there are a few QB options in the game that excel at running with the ball, there are also some extremely good QBs that are far more likely to fumble the ball or get hurt the second they get touched while trying to run it downfield. That’s why learning how to slide is so important.
In football, when a player performs a feet-first slide (or a “baseball slide,” as it’s sometimes called), they are officially down and the play is over. Players that slide feet-first do not need to be touched to be ruled down by contact, and players that hit a player that’s slid feet-first after they’ve touched the ground can be heavily penalized. Sliding is a way to protect some of your players that might not like to invite the full brunt of contact that might occur in the open field.
Don’t want your QB to get hurt, or scared they’ll fumble the ball if someone tackles them? It’s in your best interests to learn how to slide. Here’s how to perform the maneuver in Madden 23.
How to slide in Madden 23 (tips and tricks)
Sliding in Madden 23 is simple. When you have the ball, just double-tap the dive button (Square on a PlayStation controller, and X on an Xbox controller). Make sure to tap the button in quick succession, or else your player will perform a head-first dive. While the head-first dive will give your character a bit more distance, and will help you gain more yards, it’s a bit riskier if you’re performing it with a QB that has a bad Carrying rating, you’re more likely to fumble the ball.
While performing the slide, it’s important to remember that the proximity of the ball carrier to any defenders can affect the slide. If a defender is too close, you won’t be able to slide in time, and you’re player will be vulnerable to a tackle. It’s also vital to think of exactly where you’re sliding, as the ball will be spotted not at the point where your feet reach, but where the ball was when your knees first touch the ground. Most of the time, that means it’s tucked back by your waist. If it’s third or fourth down and you need a certain amount of yards, just make sure the ball is getting past that yellow line, and not just your feet.
