Returning kickoffs “to the house” is a great way to turn the tide of a game. It can really demoralize your opponent and help rack up the points on offense. Even if you just get the ball out to midfield, you can really change the momentum of a game.
I always choose kick return middle and prefer the players in front of one another rather than having the two players lined up deep. As the kick comes down, I always go on whatever half of the field the ball lands on, to the short side. I take the lead blocker and drag him out to that side. When my returner catches the ball, I get control and start towards the middle, and at the last possible second I try and cut to the wide side where my blocker was and get around to the edge. If I can get a seal on the edge, I get to the corner and try to tightrope the sideline.
This was effective in Madden NFL 11, especially with players like Jacoby Ford. The new kickoff rules in Madden NFL 12 made for more touchbacks, but in Madden NFL 13, it looks like there is a chance for success. Brandon Banks of the Redskins seems like a great player to use.
Look for players with 95+ Speed and hopefully 97+ in Agility and Acceleration so you can really make that sharp cut outside! Don’t use a starter your team relies on since you will increase his chance for injury!
-Z