There are a plethora of mechanics in Madden 23 players use in every single game they play. From juking opponents to trucking them, there are certain mechanics that players will simply use more than others.
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But, just because players might not use a certain mechanic, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t know how to perform it in-game. This is the case with the “lateral,” as it’s not something players will hardly ever use—but it does come in handy in certain situations.
A lateral is essentially a backward pass in Madden.
In the NFL, viewers will often see teams use a lateral when they need to extend a play at the end of a game. Or, in rare situations, players will lateral to another player when they’re being tackled so the other player can run with the football.
In Madden 23, players could use a lateral for either of those situations. Most of the time, though, players will really only ever use a lateral if one of their teammates has a better shot at running father with the ball than they do.
In order to perform a lateral in Madden 23, players need to remember a couple of things. The first is that a lateral must go behind the player who is lateraling the ball. This only applies to plays beyond the line of scrimmage. Players can still complete a forward pass if they’re behind the line of scrimmage.
Once the line gets crossed, players can attempt to throw a lateral by pressing L1/LB on their controller. If players visit the Controls menu in Madden 23, the lateral will be referred to as a “pitch.” The lateral will go to the player that is closest to you at the time you press the button.
So if you see that a player is running alongside you and doesn’t have a defender in front of them, you can lateral to them to give them a shot at running the ball into the endzone.
Laterals carry a ton of risk, however. If not done correctly, they will often lead to a turnover. Players need to be extremely close to their teammates to perform a successful lateral. If they aren’t, then the ball will likely go to an undesired spot on the field, allowing for the opposing team to scoop it up and run it in for a touchdown.
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