The untarget feature is the most powerful mechanic in all of Madden 26. It improves your run game, pass protection, screen game, and RPO blocking. Most players only know it for setting up protections against the mid blitz. But this mechanic goes far deeper. You can tell your screen blockers and offensive line exactly who to block in the front. This dynamically changes your run block scheme and your after-the-catch potential. If you want to practice this mechanic without grinding for hours, you can buy Madden nfl 26 coins to build a competitive team faster and focus on mastering advanced techniques. It opens up your offense to possibilities that most defenders cannot counter without specific adjustments.

What Is the Untarget Mechanic?

The untarget feature lets you select any player on defense and tell your offensive line, blocking tight ends, and running backs to ignore that player. You are essentially removing that defender from your blocking priority list.

You can activate it in two ways:

Quick method – Flick the right analog stick straight up.

Menu method – Press L1 (left bumper), then press Y (triangle on PlayStation).

Both methods achieve the same result. The right stick flick is faster and works well during live play.

Part 1: Blocking the Mid Blitz

The mid blitz is the number one blitz meta in Madden 26. You face it constantly online. Many players struggle to block it because opponents take their user linebacker and line him up anywhere between the offensive tackles. This confuses your pass protection. Simply blocking your running back often does not fix the problem. Your offensive line still targets the user instead of the actual blitzers.

The Core Problem

You block six rushers. They send six rushers. So why does someone still come free? The answer is targeting priority. Your offensive line locks onto the user defender who is hovering in a gap. Meanwhile, a different blitzer runs through untouched.

The Solution: Untarget the User

Use the untarget mechanic to tell your line to ignore the user linebacker entirely.

Stepbystep:

Identify the usercontrolled defender before the snap. He is usually moving around and hovering in an interior gap.

Flick the right analog stick straight up to open the untarget menu.

Select the user defender. A flame icon or highlight will appear over him.

The user is now completely untargeted in your protection.

With the user untargeted, your five offensive linemen block the five down linemen or blitzers. Your running back blocks the sixth rusher (often an Agap or Bgap blitzer). You now have six blockers for six rushers.

Adding the Running Back's Target (ID the Mike)

You can also choose exactly who the running back blocks. This works only when the running back is assigned to block.

How to do it:

Press L1.

Press A (X on PlayStation) for "ID the Mike."

Select the specific rusher you want the running back to block.

For example, you can tell LeGarrette Blount to block Julius Peppers off the edge. The remaining five offensive linemen will then block the other five rushers automatically.

A Note on Empty Protection

The untarget feature works differently in empty protection (five wide, no running back). Empty uses a zonebased, scanning blocking scheme. Untargeting does not always change targeting in empty sets.

To fix this:

Switch to base protection by pressing L1 and flicking the left analog stick down.

Now untarget the user as normal.

Your line will read properly. The left guard and center will double team then peel off to secondlevel blitzers.

Slides and the Untarget Mechanic

You can combine half slides with untargeting. A half slide left or right makes one side zonebased and the other side manbased. However, half slides can be dangerous if you slide away from a blitzer. In most cases, stick with base protection plus untargeting the user. This accounts for four down linemen plus any secondlevel blitzer who comes. If the linebacker does not blitz, you still have everyone covered.

Part 2: Using Untarget in the Screen Game and RPOs

The untarget mechanic truly shines in your screen game and RPOs. You can tell your screen blockers to ignore certain defenders in coverage so they block more important players instead.

The RPO Bubble Example

The RPO bubble out of bunch tight end is one of the best mid blitz beaters in the game. Even so, there are times when the safety makes the tackle and you leave yards on the field. The problem is that your blockers are targeting the wrong defenders.

Because mid blitz is a mantoman blitz, defenders play man coverage. They do not know your receiver is about to block. They simply follow their assignment.

The adjustment:

Let us say Richard Sherman lines up over Terrell Owens on the left. Sherman is playing man coverage. Tell T.O. to ignore Sherman entirely. Sherman will follow T.O. downfield while T.O. blocks down to the nickel corner instead. Meanwhile, your point receiver (Reggie Bush) blocks up to the safety.

The result: You snap the ball, throw the bubble, and the safety is pinned inside. You have one defender to beat. With a speed boost, juke move, or spin move, this becomes a house call.

The Chess Match

Smart defensive players will adjust. They may change that outside corner into a flat zone instead of man coverage. If you untarget that corner and he is now in a flat zone, he will sit in the flat and tackle you for a loss.

How to counter: Recognize the adjustment. If they show cover zero but actually play zone, stop untargeting the corner. Instead, identify the new zone defender. Untarget the deep zone defender or a different player. You can also abandon the untarget entirely and check down to a different route. The goal is to force them out of their comfort zone. Once they stop sitting in mid blitz, your offense opens up.

Part 3: Using Untarget in the Run Game

The untarget mechanic also improves your run game, especially against common user defenses.

The Hover Defense (Butt Sniffer Defense)

Many players take their user linebacker and hover directly behind a defensive tackle. When you run inside zone, they shoot the gap for an easy tackle for loss. Inside zone becomes nearly useless.

The Solution: Halfback Draw

The halfback draw is phenomenal against the hover defense because it uses pass protection coding. Your offensive line picks up the hovering linebacker naturally. However, you may still see other defenders making plays because your receivers are needlessly blocking flat defenders who are not impacting the run.

How to optimize the draw:

Identify nonimpactful defenders. These are usually outside corners playing flat zones and safeties who are aligned wide.

Set your protection to base (L1 + left stick down).

Untarget any defender you believe is not part of the primary run fit. Multiple players can be untargeted.

Snap the ball.

Your receivers will now ignore the flame logo defenders and look for more important targets inside. Instead of blocking a flat corner, they will wedge inside and pick off secondlevel linebackers and safeties. With a patient running back, this becomes a house call.

Real data: One player recorded 630 draw calls out of bunch tight end against the hover defense, averaging 7 yards per carry.

Applying Untarget to Inside Zone

Inside zone is trickier because flat defenders can come off the edge and make the play. However, you can still use untarget selectively.

If a flat defender is aligned very far off the ball, ignore him. Your receiver will prioritize any other defender who flashes in front of him. If nobody flashes, he will eventually block the flat defender anyway. But the priority shifts to more dangerous run defenders first.

Moving Defenders and Run Fits

Opponents will move players around to overload one side. They may shift a slot corner inside and a safety outside. They may bring safeties down into the box with pinch and close adjustments.

Use untarget to tell your blockers to ignore the decoy players. Your line and receivers will focus on the actual run fit defenders instead. Even if they eventually block the decoy, the priority goes to stopping the players who can actually tackle your running back.

Summary of Untarget Uses

Against mid blitz – Untarget the user linebacker. Use base protection. Block six for six.

Against gap pressures (Agap or Bgap blitzes) – Untarget the blitzing linebacker. Switch to base protection if you are in empty.

In the screen game and RPOs – Untarget the defender covering your screen blocker. Your blocker will ignore him and pick up a more dangerous defender instead.

Against the hover defense in the run game – Untarget flat defenders and widealigned safeties. Your blockers will wedge inside and pick off secondlevel run fits.

Against disguised zones – Recognize when cover zero is actually a zone shell. Adjust your untarget targets accordingly or abandon the mechanic entirely.

Final Tips

The right stick flick is your fastest tool. Use it live.

Base protection is almost always better than empty protection for untargeting.

Observe your opponent. If they adjust their defense after two or three untargeted plays, adapt.

Do not rely on untarget for every play. It is a tool, not a crutch.

Share this guide with a friend who struggles against mid blitz or wants to understand Madden 26 mechanics at a deeper level.

The untarget feature benefits every offense. It does not matter what playbook you run. Use it in pass protection, draws, inside zone, screens, and RPOs. If you need to quickly upgrade your lineup to practice these techniques, you can buy cheap Mut 26 coins from MMOEXP to save time and focus on mastering the game. Master this mechanic, and you will beat most players online simply by understanding how blocking truly works. Good luck.