All Entries Tagged With: "NFL"

McNabb and Marshall’s abrupt departures and its effect on the NFL Draft

In the Last two weeks major movement has occurred in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles traded their franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb, who is their all time leader in every statistical category to the Washington Redskins for several picks in the upcoming and next year’s NFL Draft. Most recently the Miami Dolphins acquired Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos for two second round picks. (1 this year and another next year) These trades completely shake up the possibilities for the NFC East as well as the AFC East. However more notably, they completely alter the destinations of NFL hopefuls awaiting their fates next Thursday.

The McNabb to Washington deal almost completely rules out the possibility that at the #4 pick the Redskins will draft Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen at QB. Because of this deal it is likely the Redskins will draft Russell Okung from the University of Oklahoma State at offensive tackle, due to their lack of depth on the O-line. Although experts say to keep a close eye on Dez Bryant as well, because of the Redskins lack of offensive weapons. Some even say to keep an eye out for a dark horse, such as Eric Berry or Trent Williams. The Marshall trade has important draft ramifications as well.

The Brandon Marshall to Miami trade has dual ramifications. From Miami’s point of view, they no longer are likely to draft a Wideout such as Dez Bryant with their first round pick. Miami was one of the possible destinations for Bryant. From the Broncos perspective, with the loss of Brandon Marshall, an all pro Wideout, their now in need of a legitimate #1 receiver. This week they brought in Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Dez Bryant to their facilities and did a number of drills with him. Later during an interview with reporters, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said they loved hosting Dez Bryant and that he did very well in the drills he performed for his staff. McDaniels also said “He’s (Bryant) definitely on our draft board. This means that if Dez Bryant is still on the board when the Broncos pick, that they are likely to draft him. The Broncos strong interest in Bryant could also mean they could possibly trade up, to get Bryant. Endless possibilities in store for the NFL Draft next Thursday.

Popularity: 2% [?]

NFL New Overtime Rule

Personally I think it’s a great rule but I wonder how it will effect madden? I would really like to hear what you guys think. Leave your comments

Popularity: 2% [?]

The Madden Experiment

The NFL playoffs are in full swing so we decided to run an experiment with Madden. Its Madden vs. NFL playoffs with the latest Madden rosters. Now we know that there should have been some changes to the rosters and especially during the playoff run. Arizona was without Boldin was a major one and some of the players on all teams should have seen there ratings rise after there wins last week. What we did is to run those games in spectator mode three times to get what we figured would be the closest result. In other words Arizona vs. New Orleans was played three times and so on. Can Madden really predict games? Remember EA said the Patriots were going to take it all but I am sure they didn’t count for Welker blowing out his knee. We didn’t include stats just scores. Here are the results.

Arizona vs. New Orleans

* Boldin is still on the roster for these games and Warner should have probably been bumped after his wildcard game. We also think the Cardinals secondary and defense was suspect against the Packers and probably should have seen some decrease.

Game 1

New Orleans 51
Arizona 45

The game had insane numbers from both teams.

Game 2

New Orleans 20
Arizona 25

This game was close. Brees drove down the field in the final minute and hit his WR in the back of the end zone but was not in bounds.

Game 3

New Orleans 59
Arizona 38

This game was a complete blow out. I was shocked Arizona even got 38.

Actual Outcome

New Orleans 45
Arizona 14

Looks like Madden got this one right even with Boldin in the game. New Orleans took 2 out 3 games.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Cultural Sacking of Running Quarterbacks

Historically over the years we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the emergence of the scrambling quarterback in the NFL. Names such as Warren Moon, Steve Young, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young and most notably Michael Vick. A few years ago it seemed like “the runners” were carving a place for themselves in the NFL hierarchy. However, this refreshing new style seems to be going out just as fast as it came in. With the indictment and prison sentence of Michael Vick and the mental meltdown of Vince Young, the NFL has looked elsewhere to generate excitement. For example many NFL teams have abandoned running the ball and have elected to air it out most of the time.

Its crazy to see how the NFL has changed so much in just 2 year’s time. Seeing this immediate change in culture makes you wonder. What happened to the running quarterbacks? A few events, some related some unrelated all happening simultaneously. The biggest factor that led to the extinction of the running QB is injuries. After Carson Palmer, and most notably Tom Brady have suffered from season ending injuries. As a result players around the league seemed less willing to run for a first down and put their bodies at risk as a result. And the loss of Vick to jail hurt the popularity of the NFL to casual fans. other major factors helped contribute as well.

The media played a major role in the change of culture too. Analysts and announcers for years have helped generate much of the buzz that these QB’s received but also were highly critical of them in bad situations. (Interceptions, fumbles, etc.) Announcers imparticular would highly praise their speed and athleticism but would criticize their mechanics and compare them to the league’s best pocket passers. In doing this, they inadvertently would make fans pick sides. Most people I’ve met either like running QB’s or prefer pocket passers. What I’ve noticed is that many (not all) quarterbacks with great running skills don’t have great mechanics. However, in their defense many of them have mediocre offensive lines and receiving corps. Therefore their legs become the first (and usually best) option for scramblers.

For example, during Michael Vick’s tenor with the Atlanta Falcons they led the league in drops during the 2004 and 2005 seasons and their offensive line was a run blocking line. Therefore he transformed himself into the most exciting athlete the NFL had ever seen. Most notably in 2006 Vick set an NFL Milestone by rushing for over 1,000 yards in a season.Many have criticized Vick for being a great runner. Called him such things as a “Running Back playing QB”, a gimmick, etc. Other contributions deserve their acknowledgment as well.

Popularity: 2% [?]

A Decade of Madden innovations, acknowledgement and reflection

A decade of dominance some call it. The pinnacle of sports gaming. The name in entertainment most synonymous with Football, Madden. Over this past decade Madden football has become the most popular sports game in the U.S. Over the decade its received annual graphics and gameplay overhauls. Brilliant innovations, such as the Playmaker, Franchise Mode, Hit Stick, and QB Vision. The games have majorly boomed on a consistent basis due in large part to their now “Built In” audience of dedicated fans. Over the years many of the technical innovations have been left on the cutting room floor and some editions of the game have suffered as a result (2006, 2007,2008). However the marketing giant EA Sports has managed to establish Madden NFL 10 as its best seller this decade, and added new features such as Online Draft Leagues, original AFL Uniforms, etc.

The real credit I give to EA is their excellent marketing skills. I’ve seen more Madden 10 commercials in the last 6 months than in the last 6 years. Celebrity football games, website ads, and TV spots equal marketing giant. To step away from marketing for a moment, the game in my opinion dosent get enough recognition for its great (but not perfect) gameplay. As I said before, over the years the EA Sports team, has slashed many of their own alterations to the game. Suprisingly Madden 10’s gameplay has been balanced because of the scale back. now the preplay offensive and defensive options are no longer overcrowded with tools, only hardcore players would use. Now due to the balance and easy accessability, many new casual Madden players have emerged as a result. Granted, no sports game will ever sell a freakish number of units like Uncharted 2, or Modern Warfare 2, but in a struggling economy with layoffs all around you have to respect EA for the great product they’ve managed to create.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Congratulations to Chris Johnson

This past Sunday Chris Johnson made his way into the 2,000 yard club in the NFL. Only his second year in the NFL he joins the likes of Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and OJ Simpson. Johnson finished the season with 2,006 yards rushing on the season. Johnson also set the NFL single-season record for yards from scrimmage in Tennessee’s season finale Sunday at Seattle, breaking Marshall Faulk’s 1999 record of 2,429. Johnson finished with 2,509 yards from scrimmage.

Chris Johnson had only four games the entire season where he didn’t rush for over 100 yards. It was his 11th consecutive 100-yard game, the second-longest streak in league history. We here at MaddenFans.com congratulate Chris Johnson for this amazing feat cannot way to see if he can do this yet again. Thanks for the great highlights this season, this is why we love the NFL.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Not Again Brett!

Talk has increased over the last week about the possibility of Brett Favre returning once again to the NFL and this time to the Minnesota Vikings. Gives football fans something to talk about and it won’t stop until Brett himself comes out and says otherwise. Do we really need to go through this again? I mean if Brett wants to play he should but lets make this decision now Brett. Latest word is Childress would be interested in Brett and Brett still has an itch to play in Minnesota. Share your thoughts and comments.

Discuss it in our forums here

Popularity: 1% [?]

Who Are the Tennessee Titans?

This is probably one of biggest untold stories in the NFL right now. Can anyone even name five people on this team without looking it up? I have been thinking about this team as I watch them dismantle team after team on there schedule. I ask the people I talk football too, why is this story not bigger? This is a team that is 8-0 and no one is talking about them.

There are no flashy names like Tom Brady, Terrell Owens, or Randy Moss. There are no stories of temper tantrums or an owner with his hand in everything. This is just a team doing what they get paid for and that is to play football and win. The Titans don’t have flashy numbers unless you consider Lendale White’s 10 touchdowns or maybe rookie Chris Johnson’s 715 rushing yards. You can’t really mention the offense without saying Vince Young who is currently benched after suffering what most saw as a mental breakdown. This has been the only turmoil this year for the team and they took it in stride. Kerry Collins stepped up and despite not having great numbers he has ‘managed’ this team well enough to get to 8-0. The running game without a doubt has been the big savior for this team. The mix of Chris Johnson’s speed and Lendale ‘hamburger’ White’s power has worked to perfection. If Chris Johnson continues he will be without a doubt Rookie of the Year. The only fall back here has been the lack of a passing game. I am still waiting for a team who can make this work to there advantage but its not stopping the Titans.

The defense doesn’t have big numbers but I will tell you what they do have. They are ranked 7th overall in the NFL for defense and 1st for interceptions tied with Green Bay. The unsung heroes of a great secondary with names like Michael Griffin, Cortland Finnegan, Chris Hope, and Nick Harper. Overall the Titans have one of the most dominant defenses in the league and they make minimal mistakes on both sides of the ball. They are ranked 4th against the pass and 1st in total points allowed. Albert Haynesworth anchors this team and is a beast. Currently only with 3.5 sacks but still they find a way to win. The Titans beat there opponents into submission unlike the Patriots of last year who just simply outscored there opponents. There is no zip, just great grind it out football.

Jeff Fisher is currently the longest active tenured head coach in the NFL with 13 years. Considering the way NFL teams go through coaches this is quite an accomplishment. Bud Adams who owns the Titans and also owned the Houston Oilers doesn’t seem to micromanage or get so involved as he use to and its paid off.

With numbers like these why isn’t this team getting more recognition? Defenses win championships right? Its offense though that wins ratings and with the NFL we know it’s about the almighty dollar. So when are people going to start paying attention?

Popularity: 1% [?]

EA SPORTS Experts NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

By Will “Raczilla” Kinsler

Each week we post an official ranking of all of the NFL teams based on an average of how several EA SPORTS producers and designers individually rate all of the teams in the league. Our team is made up of Madden roster guru Jon Crankshaw, designers Anthony White, Donny Moore, & Larry Richart, and community manager Will Kinsler.

There was quite a bit of movement in our EA Experts rankings this week. Click here to see last week’s rankings and compare them to this week.

1. Tennessee Titans (7-0) Another week passes and the Titans are still the only undefeated team in the league.

2. New York Giants (6-1) Proved once again they can win games against tough teams.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) Fell short against the Giants but looked like they could play at their level.

4. Washington Redskins (6-2) Another close win, but the Skins need to finish stronger if they want to stay in the top 5.

5. Dallas Cowboys (5-3) Beating a highly ranked Bucs team pushes Dallas back in the top 10.

5. Carolina Panthers (6-2) Did just enough to hold off a competitive Cards team.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3) Bucs drop one spot after their loss to the Cowboys.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) A great win over the Falcons proves they are still quietly in the playoff hunt.

9. Buffalo Bills (5-2) A loss to the Dolphins is more than enough to push them out of the top 5.

10. New England Patriots (5-2) Tom Brady who? The Pats aren’t dominating but they are still racking up wins.

11. Green Bay Packers (4-3) Hope to knock off the undefeated Titans after their bye week.

12. Chicago Bears (4-3) It’s hard to see them losing at home to the winless Lions.

13. Arizona Cardinals (4-3) Couldn’t quite hang with the Panthers, but nobody is close to catching them in the NFC West.

14. Denver Broncos (4-3) Hoping to bounce back with a win this week at home vs. Miami.

15. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) Couldn’t knock off the Eagles, but have a chance to get back on track vs. the Raiders.

15. New Orleans Saints (4-4) Came out on top in London where both teams needed a win to get to .500.

17. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) Beat the Raiders like they were supposed to. The Steelers loss puts them back in the division title hunt.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) Their loss to the Browns puts them below .500.

19. Indianapolis Colts (3-4) One of three 3-4 teams in their division. Desperately need to start winning games or risk missing the playoffs.

20. San Diego Chargers (3-5) Head into the bye having missed a good opportunity to get to .500 against the Saints.

21. New York Jets (4-3) Lowest ranked team with a winning record. A win on the road against the Bills could give them a big boost.

22. Minnesota Vikings (3-4) It’s hard to imagine them winning their division, but they are still only a game behind the Pack and Bears.

23. Miami Dolphins (3-4) Surprisingly, their win against the Bills doesn’t move them in the rankings.

24. Houston Texans (3-4) Playing at the same level of most of the AFC South teams.

25. Cleveland Browns (3-4) Browns do beat the Jags this week but didn’t do enough to impress out panel.

26. St. Louis Rams (2-5) Were on the bye after two straight wins. A win this week against the Cards might get some attention.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-5) Finally got another win, but it was against the lowly 49ers.

27. Oakland Raiders (2-5) In a pretty decent hole in their division. Better start digging out now while they still can.

29. San Francisco 49ers (2-6) Their new coach might ignite a spark, but it won’t be enough to save the season.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) A little Favre magic keeps them from winning their second game of the season.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-8) No light at the end of the tunnel in Cinci

32. Detroit Lions (0-7) The Bengals technically have a worse record, but it hasn’t helped the Lions get out of last place.

Source: EA Sports

Popularity: 1% [?]