Madden NFL 15 publisher Electronic Arts released the first gameplay trailer for the upcoming football title today, focusing on the defensive side of the sport in an effort to highlight the improvements in that area this year.

The trailer features Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, and is a continuation of the teaser trailer EA released when it announced Madden 15 in April. In the trailer's main clip of gameplay, Kuechly comes around the corner to take down Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.

According to Madden 15's official website, this year the game will offer players more tools and tactics on defense, including an expanded set of pass-rush moves, intuitive tackling controls, new camera angles that lock the view to one player and revamped logic for man-to-man and zone defense. The pass rush options are the focus of two brief gameplay clips at the end of the trailer, with a bull rush and a swim move used to get past offensive linemen.

The website also lists a few other headlining features for Madden 15. Developer EA Tiburon is taking cues from NFL Films for the game's presentation, with six new pre-snap camera angles available to players. In addition, the playcalling AI will benefit from data based on millions of online Madden games, and the game will offer a new training mode called The Gauntlet.

Madden NFL 15 is set for release Aug. 26 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. More gameplay details are coming next week during EA's E3 2014 press briefing. Yesterday, EA released the game's first screenshot, which highlighted the return of a long-gone feature: authentic tattoos, although only for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.