1) You can tinker with a defensive play. When you call it, and your guys take the field, whichever you're clicked on .. pressing your analogue buttons and such (playmaker Defense) will switch what it is that they do. Meaning, drop a linebacker over the middle into zone .. vs his normal blitz up the middle on a middle blitz play.

2) It's up to you to figure out WHAT you're looking for, and what your Defense should be looking for. Example. You as the coach, the D Coordinator .. think a playaction is coming? Drop your linebackers into zone coverage, that way if they bite, they'll still be backed up and able to defend the route over the middle. Lock your men on your opponents RBs and such. Whether it's playaction or not, they'll be stuck to like glue to avoid either a long run, or a dump off pass of sorts.

3) Pay attention to your players. Their attributes -- they are there for a reason. Rookies and guys with no awareness will bite on playaction no matter what. Whether you know it's coming, they know it's coming, it depends on the playfake, the guy they're playing (how well he conceals the ball, if you notice guys like Manning and Brady when they fake hand off, the icon to indicate who has the ball, stays non-existent LONGER because these players are superior in real life at playfakes .. hence the game's interpretation of their skill by keeping the possession icon invisible for longer) and of course the runningback's ability to conceal it too. Better awareness is the key to linebackers and safeties not biting on the playfakes.

Examples .. I have never seen Ed Reed bite on playaction. Against Dallas, my Falcons playaction was completely useless on Roy Williams. Also, Ed Hartwell on my Falcons squad, a MLB, RARELY bites on playaction while almost all my rookies are sold and burnt every single time. Hartwell's awareness is like 90+ while the rookies are sub 70s.

.. the game leaves the option to figure out what's coming entirely up to you. It's how in depth with the game you are that'll make all the difference. Just like Madden intends. Lotsa depth and options.