Madden 21 Defense: How to Hit Stick, Strip the Ball, and Force a Fumble in Madden 21
When it comes to using the Madden 21 defense controls, there are plenty of ways to cause turnovers. We previously showed how to intercept the ball if you’ve got a defender in the right place at the right time. Another way to get a turnover is by forcing a fumble. In this guide, learn how to use the hitstick or strip the ball in Madden 21 to possibly cause fumbles.
How to hit stick in Madden 21 defense
A hit stick in Madden 21 defense involves lining up in front of the opposing player on offense and then delivering a huge tackle once they have the ball. It first arrived in the Madden NFL 2005 game, and has continued to be a helpful part of defense in the new versions.
Here’s how to hit stick in Madden 21:
- Cycle through to the defender you need to cover the offensive player you want to try to hit stick. Generally, it’ll be the expected ball carrier. Press the Circle button on the PS4 or B button on the Xbox One controller to get to the defender, then line them up in front of the ball carrier.
- After the snap, move quickly towards the ball carrier. Flick the Right Stick up or down to perform the hit stick on the ball carrier.
This can produce a hard hit on the ball carrier. In some instances, it may even cause them to cough up the ball. From there, you can retrieve the fumble if pounce quick enough on the ball. That’s some helpful Madden 21 defense as it can lead to a huge play to seal a game, turn things around, or add more insult to injury.
How to strip the ball to force a fumble
Another way to force a fumble in Madden 21 defense is by stripping the ball. This is a move that involves precision just like the hit stick, but doesn’t require positioning ahead of the play. It’s basically an aggressive tackling move combined with a swipe of the ball.
Here’s how to strip the ball in Madden 21:
- Once the ball has been snapped, you’ll need to get a defender to the ball carrier. Either rush over with your defender if possible, or select a closer one to the ball carrier. Do that by pressing Circle button on PS4 or B on the Xbox One controller.
- Once you’re close to the ball carrier, press the Right Bumper or R1 button on your controller. If done properly, it will make the defender swipe at the ball as they go for the tackle.
Keep in mind both of these Madden 21 defense plays can help force fumbles, but they can also backfire. In some instances, they could lead to a major gain for your opponent if you don’t perform a hit stick or strip the ball properly.
See our guide for how to intercept or swat the ball in Madden 21 to defend receivers.
Also check out our guide for how to assign man-to-man for a defender.
Check out more how-to guides for the game at our Madden page here.