The coming of August means two things to football fans: the start of preseason football and the release of this year's Madden NFL video game. EA Sports, the publisher of the Madden series, has begun to release the team by team ratings for each division. Fans and the players themselves take great pride in how their teams stack up in terms of ratings. This week, the AFC and NFC North ratings were revealed, and Green Bay is the highest rated NFC North team at 88 Overall. For the gamers, here are some of the things I noticed about the preliminary ratings, and who could see a boost by seasons end.
- Aaron Rodgers is the second highest rated QB in Madden NFL 15, sitting at 98 overall. His accuracy ratings (92 short, 88 medium, 90 deep) put him just below Peyton Manning (99/96/88), but his mobility (80 speed) and arm strength (94 throw power) should make Rodgers a more popular choice among players.
- Eddie Lacy will be devastating if used correctly in this year's Madden. His trademark power (96 trucking) and spin move (97 spin) will be very well simulated by his digital persona. However, trying to use elusive moves (75 elusiveness) or juke moves (83 juke) may not prove to be as effective. Lacy can also stay on the field for third down pass plays with a 74 pass blocking rating.
- John Kuhn is the highest rated fullback in Madden 15, boasting a 93 overall rating. His pass blocking (74) is best in the league at his position, and his run blocking (77) will leave Eddie Lacy with room to run. What makes Kuhn the most well-rounded fullbackis how he handles the rock himself. His catching (69), carrying (82) and trucking (85) make him a threat with the ball in his hands.
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John Kuhn is Madden 15's highest rated fullback, giving the Packers one more weapon in their offense. Photo Courtesy of EA Sports.[/caption] - Julius Peppers will be able to generate some pass rush for the Packers this year, but judging by his ratings, should not be relied upon for much else. The 82 overall veteran's finesse moves (86) and pursuit (84) will help in containing mobile quarterbacks. However, his run support (65 block shedding, 78 tackle) and pass coverage ability (40 man coverage, 68 zone coverage) make him a liability in certain situations. It may be more beneficial to move Peppers to a defensive end position where he would not be expected to drop back in coverage under most circumstances.
- Packers fans will enjoy the ball-hawking options they will have available to them at safety in Madden 15. Morgan Burnett and rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix have 73 and 75 catching ratings respectively, and Clinton-Dix's coverage skills in particular (74 man, 84 zone) are impressive. A dark horse to see his rating improve however is Micah Hyde, whose overall rating is only 75. He is listed as a cornerback for the game's release, but his real-life counterpart has had an impressive training camp playing primarily at safety. Expect that to be corrected with an early roster update, and to see Hyde's ratings adjusted to reflect him winning a starting job, which appears likely at this point.
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Clinton-Dix has all the tools to develop into a top safety for Green Bay. Photo courtesy of EA Sports.[/caption]
The Packers have the offensive and defensive weapons to remain a fan favorite to use in Madden. A virtual Super Bowl is little consolation for the real-life Packers falling short, but Green Bay fans will be contending for both in 2014.
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