Time is a commodity that you cannot spare in Madden 26. With the clock running down and players scrambling in desperation for a new play, sometimes you need a breather to recollect and restrategise. But that doesn’t work if you’re out of timeouts.
However, there is one mechanic in Madden 26 that can buy you some time. It’s called spiking the ball, and today we’ll explain how to perform it in Madden 26.
What Is Spiking The Ball?
Spiking the ball is a mechanic used to stop the clock momentarily, giving the offensive side a chance to reorganise. It’s usually performed if you’re out of timeouts and willing to spare a down for some extra seconds. Players in the NFL often use this tactic by throwing the ball straight to the ground intentionally to stop the game clock.
Do note that this should only be done towards the end of the game, where time becomes more precious than downs, since this tactic does count as a down. When a player spikes the ball, it basically counts as an incomplete pass, giving you a moment to think about your play. Now that you know what it means to spike the ball, here’s how to go about it in Madden 26.
How Do I Spike The Ball In Madden 26?
EA fortunately made it pretty easy to spike the ball in Madden 26. There are two methods you can use to perform this mechanic:
- Press and hold Circle/B immediately after the play ends. In this method, all you need to do is press and hold Circle (for PlayStation) and B (for Xbox) as soon as the previous play finishes. This causes the game to skip the entire play selection screen and go directly to the next play. Your QB will have the ball sooner, so he can spike it immediately, saving you some time.
- The ‘Spike Ball’ option in the Playbook. The other method is a bit longer and required if you didn’t press Circle/B. Go to ‘Play Type’ in your playbook menu, select ‘Special’, then ‘Clock Management’, and finally choose the ‘Spike Ball’ option. Your team will line up to spike the ball and stop the game clock.
Keep in mind that spiking the ball eliminates a down, since it counts as an incomplete pass. This means you’ll have fewer chances for yard gain. Spiking the ball is only useful in scenarios where you’re near the touchdown line or want a Hail Mary play.
Is There A Fake Spike Option In Madden 26?
Surprisingly, yes. You can also commit to a Fake Spike in Madden 26. You can find this option in the ‘Clock Management’ section, where you went for the ‘Spike Ball’ option. However, we do not recommend this since it’s not a great deception tactic.
Spikes are done at the line of scrimmage, so unless the defense is really careless, it’s tough to catch them off-guard with a fake spike. You’re better off trying a normal run or pass play in those scenarios.
