A Look Back: 2006 Mock Draft

Before I begin my mock draft for 2009 I felt it would be appropriate to look back at some of my previous attempts at making a mock draft. The mock draft I am about to present is from the 2006 NFL Draft, a draft in which I only had two picks right, but I did have 7 other positions properly picked and a few needs properly diagnosed. The Texans not picking Reggie Bush with the 1^st overall pick ruined most of my draft. Also, a lot of first round trades hurt the mock considerably. This was my first attempt at Mock Drafting so please bear with me.

Houston Texans

Projected Pick: Reggie Bush HB USC

Actual Pick: Mario Williams DE NC State

The Texans offense was absolutely stagnant and Reggie Bush seemed to be a possible spark to jumpstart it. However, the Texans went with Mario Williams, a tough decision that has paid off for the Texans. Although I hated them at the time for messing up my mock draft I respect the Texans for choosing substance over flash. They made the tough decision and are a better team now because of it.

New Orleans Saints

Projected Pick: D’Brickshaw Ferguson OT Virgina

Actual Pick: Reggie Bush HB USC

Everybody knew the Saints needed major upgrades offensively. Drew Brees was by far the best pickup of that offseason. There were concerns about Deuce McCallister’s durability and the Saints needed to bring in fans after Katrina devastated the Superdome. To my chagrin it made perfect sense for the Saints to pick up Reggie Bush and although he has come on some hard times as of late, his value to that city at that time will forever be priceless.

Tennessee Titans

Projected Pick: Matt Leinert QB USC

Actual Pick: Vince Young QB Texas

McNair was on his way out and the Titans needed young blood. I thought they would want to change directions and have a pocket passer, but the Titans wanted to see a return of a mobile QB in Nashville. I can’t blame them; if Young is able to sort out his mental state he can still be very good for the Titans. I had the right position, just the wrong player.

New York Jets

Projected Pick: Mario Williams DE NC State

Actual Pick: D’Brickshaw Ferguson OT Virgina

I figured that with Abraham out of New York they would replace him with Super Mario. However, I did not realize that Mario would be going to Houston. Thus, the Jets shored up their offensive line by selecting the dynamic Ferguson. They would also later select Nick Mangold so it would seem that offensive line was a priority for the Jets in this draft.

Green Bay Packers

Projected Pick: AJ Hawk OLB Ohio State

Actual Pick: AJ Hawk OLB Ohio State

The Packers needed to revitalize their defense and AJ Hawk is a special talent. It seemed like an obvious pick and Green Bay must have thought so too. Thus, AJ Hawk became a Packer and I made my first ever successful projection.

San Francisco 49ers

Projected Pick: Vernon Davis TE Maryland

Actual Pick: Vernon Davis TE Maryland

What do you get to help a young QB? Quite simply a good TE. Davis was a phenomenal receiving tight end that also had great blocking potential. A tight end like Davis was supposed to help the run game and further Alex Smith’s development. This was my only other successful projection in this draft. While Smith never panned out and Davis has struggled, this was a solid idea.

Oakland Raiders

Projected Pick: Vince Young QB Texas

Actual Pick: Michael Huff SS Texas

I thought that if Young was available the Raiders would jump on him, after all Aaron Brooks was definitely not a long-term (not even a short term) solution. Given that the Raiders would draft Russell the next year it seemed I had the right idea. However, Young was not available and Davis clearly did not like Leinert so they upgraded their pass defense with Michael Huff. Huff was having a decent year, but it would seem the conversion to Free Safety did not benefit him. Otherwise upgrading the defense is never a bad idea.

Buffalo Bills

Projected Pick: Brodrick Bunkley DT Florida State

Actual Pick: Donte Whitner SS Ohio State

Buffalo needed to upgrade their defense that was for sure. I thought that they would want to do it on the ground as they would later in this draft with McCargo. However, they picked Whitner first who has benefited the Bills defense phenomenally.

Detroit Lions

Projected Pick: Michael Huff DB Texas

Actual Pick: Ernie Sims OLB Florida State

Once again I knew Detroit’s defense needed an upgrade, but they went with Sims. Hard to argue with that thought as Sims was one of the few bright spots in Detroit’s winless season.

Arizona Cardinals

Projected Pick: Winston Justice OT USC

Actual Pick: Matt Leinert QB USC

I definitely did not see the Cardinals taking a QB, but it was something they thought they needed. Bringing in Edge I thought they would go O-line and improve the run. Improving the run would have been great to help Kurt Warner along. However, it would appear I overvalued Justice considerably and Leinert was a steal. Hopefully he will pan out for the Cardinals down the road.

Denver Broncos

Projected Pick: St. Louis Jimmy Williams DB Virginia Tech

Actual Pick: Jay Cutler QB Vanderbilt

Shanahan clearly wanted his franchise QB and Cutler was definitely it. It is a shame Shanahan was fired and I hope it doesn’t hinder Cutler’s development. I felt that the Rams wanted to upgrade their secondary which they would do later in the draft, but it seems I overestimated Williams’ value.

Baltimore Ravens

Projected Pick: Cleveland Tamba Hali DE Penn State

Actual Pick: Haloti Ngata DT Oregon

Baltimore traded up to get Ngata, a smart move because he has been great for them. Ngata has been very special for the Ravens and only made its powerful defense more fearsome. With the next pick I had the Ravens taking Cutler. With McNair’s status unclear I thought the Ravens would want to bring in the brilliant Cutler.

Cleveland Browns

Projected Pick: Baltimore Ravens Jay Culter QB Vanderbilt

Actual Pick: Kamerion Wimbley OLB Florida State

I had Cleveland taking Tamba Hali, but that was a mistake. Hali is not suitable for a 3-4 DE. Wimbley is and has been a much better fit for the Browns than Hali would have been.

Philadelphia Eagles

Projected Pick: Nick Mangold C Ohio State

Actual Pick: Brodrick Bunkley DT Florida State

I thought that the offensive line would be a priority, but it was not as much as the defensive line. The Eagles would later draft Winston Justice, but Bunkley was their first decision. Bunkley was a good decision as he has started for them the past two seasons.

St. Louis Rams

Projected Pick: Denver Chad Jackson WR Florida

Actual Pick: Tye Hill CB Clemson

The Rams needed secondary help and Hill was the best secondary player available. As far as Jackson goes, I thought that the Broncos would want to revitalize their passing game and they did with Jay Cutler earlier in the draft.

Miami Dolphins

Projected Pick: Antonio Cromartie CB Florida State

Actual Pick: Jason Allen CB Tennessee

I had the right position, just the wrong player. I’m sure the Dolphins would have been happy with Cromartie as Allen has had difficulty holding onto the nickelback position.

Minnesota Vikings

Projected Pick: Ernie Sims OLB Florida State

Actual Pick: Chad Greenway OLB Ohio State

I had the right position. I just had the wrong player. It seems to be a common phenomenon.

Dallas Cowboys

Projected Pick: Kamerion Wimbley OLB Florida State

Actual Pick: Bobby Carpenter OLB Iowa

Once again I had the position right, but not the player. The Cowboys needed an OLB and they picked the best available. Parcells fought hard to bring Carpenter with him when he went to Miami, but there was no such luck and in Dallas Carpenter has made the starting lineup only once.

San Diego Chargers

Projected Pick: Jimmy Williams DB Virginia Tech

Actual Pick: Antonio Cromartie CB Florida State

I made a mistake. I put Jimmy Williams in my mock twice. I would not have gotten this pick right anyhow, but I still feel dumb. Oh well. Once again I had a position right, just not the player. It worked out well for the Chargers this way though.

Kansas City Chiefs

Projected Pick: Haloti Ngata DT

Actual Pick: Tamba Hali DE Penn State

Kansas City needed defensive line help and they went with the best available, Tamba Hali.

New England Patriots

Projected Pick: Bobby Carpenter OLB Iowa

Actual Pick: Laurence Maroney RB Minnesota

Maroney has flashes of talent, but he has thus far been unable to stay healthy and adapt to the pass heavy Patriots offense. I had them take a LB first round but they decided to hold off and would eventually add Junior Seau to the roster.

San Francisco 49ers

Projected Pick: Chad Greenway OLB Ohio State

Actual Pick: Manny Lawson OLB NC State

The Niners needed help in the pass rush and run defense. Both things that the speedy Manny Lawson can help with if he can stay healthy.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Projected Pick: Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State

Actual Pick: Davin Joseph G Oklahoma

Offensive line was a priority with the Bucs this draft with Joseph in the first round and Trueblood in the second. To my credit they did draft WR Maurice Stovall.

Cincinnati Bengals

Projected Pick: Mercedes Lewis TE UCLA

Actual Pick: Jonathan Joseph CB South Carolina

I thought the Bengals would benefit from the addition of a tight end taking safeties off of their elite wide receivers. However, they felt that they had to help their pass defense and rightfully so. The Bengals would eventually add Ben Utecht in an attempt to accomplish just that.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Projected Pick: New York Giants Eric Winston T Miami

Actual Pick: Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State

I can’t say I was unhappy with this pick. Holmes has been great for the Steelers. I felt that the Giants would want to upgrade the o-line, but I was wrong.

Buffalo Bills

Projected Pick: Chicago Bears Sinorice Moss WR Miami

Actual Pick: John McCargo DT NC State

I thought that the Bears would want a WR in the first round, but they appeared happy with their current corps. As I had thought the Bills needed to upgrade their defensive line in this draft.

Carolina Panthers

Projected Pick: Laurence Maroney HB Minnesota

Actual Pick: Deangelo Williams HB Memphis

Deshaun Foster was not enough to help the Panthers into the Super Bowl. Thus, they needed to draft a RB and although I had the player wrong, I had the position need properly diagnosed.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Projected Pick: Demeco Ryans OLB Alabama

Actual Pick: Mercedes Lewis TE UCLA

I thought the Jaguars would help out their linebacker corps, but they decided to upgrade their tight end squad. Tight End was a need and the Jaguars added a solid player with this pick.

New York Jets

Projected Pick: Deangelo Williams RB Memphis

Actual Pick: Nick Mangold C Ohio State

I thought the Jets would want to bring in an HB to replace Curtis Martin, but they chose to continue their offensive line upgrades. Mangold was a solid choice though and is playing well to this day.

Indianapolis Colts

Projected Pick: Lendale White HB USC

Actual Pick: Joseph Addai HB Louisiana State

The Colts needed a RB in the wake of Edge’s departure and it seemed like a no-brainer that they would use their first round pick on one. Addai was that running back for the Colts, not White who went quickly in the second round.

Seattle Seahawks

Projected Pick: Donte Whitner SS Ohio State

Actual Pick: Kelly Jennings CB Miami

Seeing as Whitner was taken much, much earlier Jennings was the best available defensive back. The Seahawks had a need, which they addressed with Jennings.

New York Giants

Projected Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers Mathais Kiwanuka DE Boston College

Actual Pick: Mathais Kiwanuka DE Boston College

I thought that the Steelers would want a versatile DE like Kiwanuka who could also play LB. The Giants had the same idea and have tried to move Kiwanuka all over the front seven.

Where Does Larry Johnson Belong?

Larry Johnson wants out of Kansas City; however there are a few obstacles in leaving Kansas City. LJ has a massive contract which will cost any team who has him $8.2 million off of their cap. He also is facing two trials which, if he is found guilty could lead to suspension. LJ will also be 30 in November. All of this should be familiar to anyone with a slight interest in Larry Johnson. However, some may not know the positives about LJ. For instance, LT is a few months older than LJ and has had in 8 years 2,657 carries, not to mention an extensive college career. Larry in six years has had 1,243 carries and only received substantial carries his senior year at Penn State. At Penn State he also achieved the 2,000 yard in one season with fewer carries than any other back to achieve such a feat. Larry has had a relatively light load and so concerns over his age are not as critical. Also, behind a porous offensive line in Kansas City, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry. Most of the time LJ seemed to run into a brick wall, an unavoidable consequence of defenses stacking the box against a young QB. However, when a hole is opened up for LJ, he hits it at full speed. Larry is still as elusive as ever, still making people miss. The point is that Larry is still a dominant running back in the league in search of a home.

Johnson has never felt at home with Kansas City. Dick Vermeil once told him to take off the diapers and he was resented for his holdout. Then this season was a rough one with the quarterback carousel and the changing offense. Larry wants out and perhaps rightly so. People are discussing Detroit, Arizona, and Cincinnati as possible locations for LJ. Detroit and Arizona have shaky o-lines and inexperienced QB’s in the foreseeable future and LJ has had difficulties with these situations. Cincinnati may be willing to bring on LJ, but with Benson having a training camp under his belt and Palmer returning, they may be unwilling to use a draft pick to trade for LJ. So where should LJ go?

If LJ wants to enjoy success in his career, he needs to bite the bullet and play in Kansas City. Thigpen has been developing satisfactorily and will command more attention from the secondary in the years to come taking men out of the box. Also, Thigpen comes into next season as the starter, which means no QB carousel. Effective QB play from the beginning of the season will go a long way towards helping the running game. The o-line will have another season to mature and will be able to get acquainted with Johnson and Thigpen.

The two problems Kansas City has are hurting Larry and the Chiefs by extension. Kansas City’s defense was atrocious and lost many games for the Chiefs. When you allow 158 rushing yards per game it is almost impossible to win. Another off-season should help the Chiefs improve their defense. The second problem with the Chiefs is that they do not have a commitment to the run. Larry had ten carries against Cincinnati for 18 yards. In the first quarter Larry ran three times compared to 8 passes 4 of which were completed including second and third down incompletions on one drive leading to a three and out. A commitment to the run would go a long way towards helping Larry put up better numbers and help keep Kansas City’s defense off of the field. If Kansas City can improve their defense and run more and earlier the Chiefs could once again become a contender. Larry has already put in a considerable amount of time in at Kansas City. Although the offense left Larry behind this season, they are giving him a large payday to put up with their rebuilding. I doubt very much that LJ’s importance is and ability is lost on the coaching staff. They will make adjustments to incorporate Larry into the offense as their key playmaker. If no such adjustments are made, Kansas City has wasted Larry’s, the fans, and quite frankly everybody’s time. So, if LJ wants to have a valuable career, he needs to grit his teeth and look no further than Kansas City.

These are the Favres of Our Lives

First off, let me say Favre is one of my all time favorite football players. He is a great blue collar player who I have admired for years. However, he should have retired. He had a great year, made a conference championship appearance, and looked as great as he ever did. He retired with most of the passing records and the most consecutive starts. There was a good indication that Favre was not quite done when he agreed to be on the Madden cover. However, most put it aside and assumed he would be the one to break the Madden curse.

Then the curse struck and Favre got the itch. He wanted to comeback, but Green Bay had moved on. Green Bay was right to move on after Favre retired. They have other plans for their future and Favre was no longer among them. However, the Green Bay front office made the horrible decision of trying to hold on and get as much value as they could from him. Favre should have been released and allowed to pursue his career elsewhere. Now this whole mess has become a soap opera and most of America is burnt out on Favre. I think the worst casualty in all of this was the man who started it, Brett Favre. Favre seems to have lost his spirit and love of the game. Its that spirit that has carried Favre through 17 seasons. Maybe Favre does need a new environment to foster that love of the game. I hate to say this, but maybe the Deity of Wisconsin needs to move on.

In that spirit, I viewed an article EA did a few days ago in which the simulated how different teams would do with and without Brett Favre at the helm. I was fascinated by the article and decided to do my own analysis of how some teams would fare with Brett Favre at the helm. If you are curious how the simulation went here is the link to the article:
Favre Simulation

New York Jets

From Favre's standpoint this is not the worst place to end up. The Jets have a good offensive line weighed down by recently added Alan Faneca. Thomas Jones would certainly benefit from having Favre. Favre presence would take eight players out of the box and open up running lanes for the Jets. However, the receiver corp is nothing terribly spectacular. Although Coles can get open at will, the rest of the receiver corp is young. Before anyone frets though people were saying the same thing about the Packer's receivers last year. Given that the Jets are a year removed from a playoff run, New York would be an ideal place for Brett Favre to land and make a playoff run.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jon Gruden collects QBs so it is no surprise that Tampa Bay is in the running for Favre. Tampa Bay would be a nice fit for Favre. Having Joey Galloway to bomb the ball to all day would not be a bad thing in the least. Having Graham and Dunn running the ball, Tampa will go pass first and use the running game as a tool to keep the defense honest. Tampa Bay however does not seem to be terribly enthusiastic to acquire Favre given that they have a veteran in Garcia who helped them earn a playoff berth.

Minnesota Vikings

Although it is increasingly unlikely that Favre will be playing in the NFC North lets pretend shall we. Think about the headache defensive coordinators would have trying to stop the Minnesota offense. They could try and put people in the secondary to hold back Favre, but what about the young phenom Adrian Peterson? It would be a double edged sword no defense could hold back. The Vikings would be a nice landing spot for Favre, but it is highly unlikely.

Chicago Bears

Once again let's pretend that Favre would go to a NFC North team. The Bears would be an awful fit for any QB, much less Brett Favre. Hester is fast, but unproven as a receiver. The only other reciever worth mentioning is Brandon Lloyd who may be in for a career rebound, but is not the best go-to receiver. They have an old offensive line and a lackluster running game. Favre may not be enough for the Bears to pull themselves out of ruin.

So, if Favre and the Packers are really through where would I like to see him the most? Honestly, nothing would make me happier than to see Favre play the Patriots twice a year. For too long the Patriots have had a blank check to run the AFC East. With Favre behind the helm the Jets can stand a chance against the Patriots. With Buffalo's defense building up and Miami in repair mode, avre and the Jets can contend long enough to make the AFC an open competition as opposed to a one man show.

Madden 09: A Few Things to Change

Players are traded and added to rosters at the tail end of the off-season, but Madden is finalized before these moves occur. Thus, there are always minor adjustments to be made on Madden rosters to make the gae true to life, that is unless you didn't agree to that move. I've decided to address some of the moves that Madden will not have made adjustments for. These are not going to be all of them, but these will be the most prominent and significant moves to be made.

Jason Taylor
Madden location: ROLB Miami Dolphins
Actual location: DE Washington Redskins

If Madden has not brought back position changing a lot of Redskins fans will be upset. However, if he can be changed Redskins fans will definitely make the roster change as soon as the game is out of the box. Jason Taylor will provide the Skins with a phenom pass rusher. I have friends that played with the Skins and one of the comforts I had was that as long as I avoided Andre Carter I'd have al day to throw. Now the Skins will be pass rushing from both sides and I already feel Roethlisberger's pain...

Jeremy Shockey
Madden Location: TE New York Giants
Actual Location: TE New Orleans Saints

Giants fans may not be quick to make a roster update, but Saints fans will definitely welcome this change. Saints fans will now have a big target over the middle of the offense that will demand attention. The attention he will command will open up lanes for Reggie Bush and Deuce helping Saints fans establish a much smoother running game.

Kevin Jones
Madden Location: Free Agency
Actual Location: RB Chicago Bears

Given that his signing was a month ago there is a high probability that he will actually be on the Bears roster on Madden 09. Jones will provide the Bears with a decent caliber running back. However, as far as Madden goes, it will be a matter of preference as to whether Jones is properly utilized. If users pass to HB's a lot, Jones will be valuable, but otherwise they have a power back in Forte and a speed back in Wolfe. Jones will provide depth, but nothing game altering.

Brett Favre
Madden Location: NFL Greats List
Actual Location: New York Jets

Favre will be a topic of hot contention for online franchise modes. Die hard Packer fans will not want to let him go and Jets fans will insist on having him. How Favre is dealt out is not a concern of mine. However, or those of you curious on how to activate Favre I can tell you how. EA states that Favre is on their NFL Greats List. All that is required is that you activate Favre and he becomes available in the free agent pool. Once their assign him to the team you and yours have decided upon.

Chad Pennington
Madden location: New York Jets
Actual Location: Miami Dolphins

Pennington will be welcome to Dolphins fans. The other options at QB for iamiwere not nearely as promising. Pennington will provide stability until the user can pump up one of the younger QBs or Pennington can be trading bait used to get a better QB. Either way, Pennington has considerable value in Miami.

Daunte Culpepper & Byron Leftwich
Madden Location: Free Agency
Actual Location: Pittsbrugh Steelers
Many Steelers owners will not want these two with a healthy Charlie Batch on roster, but the shrewd owners will take on the two veterans and trade two of the four Steeler quarterbacks for picks and/or offensive lineman. Pending the ratings of all the QBs I plan on keeping Culpepper in reserve. Culpepper's strong arm and mobility will mean in the event Roethlisberger gets hurt, I won't have to change my offense very much. Culpepper can be a reliable backup to Reothlisberger and a welcome addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Free Agency: Real World and Madden

The Preseason has started and there are still some decent free agents out there. Its unfortunate for these players that they don't have a place to play football. However, the silver lining is that there is a wealth of players to choose from in Madden 09. Free agents can help bolster depth in a needy area, fill in for an injured player, be a stopgap to hold you over until the next off season, or provide your team with a valuable steal. I always try and add a free agent or two to my franchise at the beginning of the season. Here are a few that I will be interested to look at in this year's version of Madden.

Ty Law CB
Legendary shutdown corner Ty Law is surprisingly still on the free agent market. Law is notorious for asking for way too much money. However, at this point in the year and being at the tail end of his career Law might have to settle for a smaller pay check if he wants to play. The last time Ty Law was mentioned in the news it was Browns GM Phil Savage saying Ty Law's asking price was too high. Kansas City fired him, the Browns think he's not worth the high price, and the Patriots have made little effort to bring back their star corner. Unfortunately for Ty Law, if he doesn't act and soon, his career will be over.

Madden Analysis:
Ty Law's speed will probably be too low to be of great value to a team. However, if Madden has brought back position changes, Ty Law will be a great Safety. His abilities will help provide stability at the safety position or a year while another player is groomed or traded for.

Kendrell Bell LB
Kendrell Bell had a great career in Pittsburgh and then joined Kansas City and did very poorly. He did not fit in at all with the 4-3 defensive structure. What is surprising is that no 3-4 team has wanted to sign him as a veteran voice . He may get a look if injuries occur, but he should have been tried out on many different squads. Kendrell Bell still has some years left in him and could become very valuable to a 3-4 team.

Madden Analysis:
Kendrell Bell will not have a very high rating after an 8 tackle season. However, he can provide depth on linebacker needy teams.

LeCharles Bentley C/G
Bentley suffered a substantial knee injury on the first day of Browns training camp in 2006. Then, he got a staph infection which took him out another year. Finally the Browns released Bentley and he now reportedly has many different offers to join squads. However, most squads are concerned about his ability to come back and play after two years. If he can indeed comeback and play at a level he used to play at, Bentley could be a veritable steal for some franchise.

Madden Analysis:
Bentley's ratings will be hindered by him not being in the NFL for two years. Depending on how kind EA is towards Bentley, he will be a free agent steal or nothing more than a backup.

Daunte Culpepper
I have said enough about Culpepper in this blog for people to know I think he could be great for some team. However, no team seems to be interested in him. It's not surprising considering that most teams solved their QB problems in the draft. However, if an injury occurs and Brett Favre isn't available Culpepper could get looked at.

Madden Analysis:
Culpepper will have a strong arm in Madden. So for those of you in need of a Strong Armed QB, Culpepper could be a cheap solution.

Madden 09 Player Ratings: NFC East

The NFC East is the most competitive division in football. It seems that you can't see an NFC playoff picture without two teams from that division. Whenever I play a Madden Franchise, there are three NFC east teams in the playoff run. So, I have chosen this division to evaluate second.

Washington Redskins















I like that Todd Collins is better than Jason Campbell. Campbell has more upside, but Collins definitely has a better grasp of the game. Collins' awareness will be higher than Campbell, but Campbell will have the better passing stats. I think Portis deserves more especially considering he ran very well behind a second string line. If the Skins O-line is healthy they will be one of the better ones in Madden. Chris Cooley looks about right and I think Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El look right if they are in the Skins system. However, with the addition of Thomas and Kelly, Randle El and Moss will greatly improve...as will Campbell. Everything on the defense looks pretty good. They will have to add Erasmus James and Stuart Schweigert, but other than that I would say the Skins' defense is pretty true to reality.

Philadelphia Eagles















I think that Mcnabb is justified at 92. I like him, but he does have trouble playing when hurt. I think he will come out and be a fantasy superstar and a great QB for Madden. Westbrook looks as if he will dominate, his receiver stats will dominate. Sadly enough the receiver corps looks true to life. Reggie Brown needs to step up and be a #1 for Mcnabb. That oline looks great considering they allowed 12 sacks in one game. The Philly front seven looks pretty rough, but their secondary with three corners over 90 and Dawkins will be tough to play against.

New York Giants















The Super Bowl Champions deserve this high a rating. They did what many other teams had failed to do...beat the Patriots. Some would say Eli Manning does not deserve that high a rating just based on his finish, but I think he does. Watching his games at the end almost all of his passes hit the target, but a ridiculous amount of them we dropped. Despite that Burress has a 96 rating...maybe a little high, but I feel he can live up to that rating. The Running Back corp looks pretty good and Shockey and Boss are justified at 94 and 80. We'll see if Strahan returns and Umenyoria looks as dominate as he is in real life. The rest of the defense isn't anything to ecstatic about, but they will get the job done. Overall the Super Bowl Champs look like they could do very well in Madden.

Dallas Cowboys















The Cowboys had more Pro Bowlers than the Patriots and it looks like they could be the dominant team in Madden this year. Romo is very good at throwing to TO...and vacationing before career defining games. Does he deserve a 94 after a poor playoff showing and five picks against a sub par Buffalo secondary? He did throw a lot of touchdowns in the regular season though so I'll begrudge the rating. TO, Witten, and Barber are justifiably awesome. The O-line looks good. The defense doesn't look to bad either. The addition of Zach Thomas makes the linebacker corps fierce. I'll be interested to see what ratings Pacman will receive (if he is even in the game). Overall the Cowboys will cap off a very competitive division with fierce talent.

Overall the NFC east looks very competitive, as it is in real-life. On-line franchise mode will only add to the fierce competition of this division. Redskins fans will be able to take on the role of GM and develop their own image of the Redskins ...one that will wreak havoc on division rivals. However, if the GMs decide to keep things as is, they will have very good teams. From the looks of it, the NFC east will dominate Madden franchise modes in Madden 09.

Madden 09 Player Ratings: AFC North

A link to the new Madden 09 Rankings have come out and I am intrigued by many of the ratings. Many are spot on and others are just...well not so on the spot. Here is a breakdown of some of the ratings. http://www.pastapadre.com/2645/madden-09-player-and-team-ratings

Pittsburgh Steelers














This may not be final, but I do like what I see here. Roethlisberger has a 95 overall and as long as he has good Throwing Power I will be happy. Considering that Willie Parker was the leading rusher until he got hurt I think he deserves a little better than a 93 overall. Ward and Holmes deserve higher ratings. Unfortunately the O-line looks about right, but so does Miller. I like that people are giving Aaron Smith the respect he deserves. Anthony Smith should be higher. He got picked on in the Pats game, but played well on many other occasions. He is largely responsible for the Bengals aerial attack not dominating the Steelers. Lamar Woodley looks about right, but he may get upgraded in an update. PS: Where is Lawrence Timmons?

Cleveland Browns















Derek Anderson may deserve a higher rating, not much higher, but still better than 88. Jamal Lewis is a 90 overall and while that seems low, his power running will be higher than most RBs. Stallworth deserves a higher rating, but Braylon Edwards is perfect. I think Winslow is right. The Offensive Line for Cleveland is phenomenal, as it is in real life. I will be interested to see in the next few days whether Bentley will deserve a higher rating. The defense looks about right. The safety corps could use some improvement, but overall the Cleveland Defense looks about right.

Baltimore Ravens















Troy Smith got screwed over in this projection. Troy Smith put on a decent showing at the end of the season that was a hell of a lot better than Kyle Boller. Also, he has proven he can play in the NFL unlike Brady Quinn who hasn't but has an 82 overall rating! Smith, who bested Quinn for the Heisman, deserves better. The rest of the offense looks about right. We'll see if Ogden stays around another year however. The Ravens Defense looks fearsome as ever, but justifiably so. Overall Baltimore looks about right, minus Troy Smith who got egregiously wronged.

Cincinnati Bengals















Carson Palmer is a good QB. He leaves his receivers out to dry and I, and statistics, say that Roethlisberger is a better QB. I don't think Palmer deserves that high a rating. Rudi Johnson had a bad year and did not deserve to drop that much in his overall rating. The receiver corp is just right. Utecht might deserve a higher rating and the oline looks about right. Unfortunately the Bengal defense is pretty close to reality. Leon Hall may deserve a little higher rating, but overall I think EA got it right.

The AFC North is going to have a rough season with their ridiculously difficult schedules. I think that they can handle it, I only hope that the difficulty of the year does not hurt their ratings in Madden 10. However, in Madden things will be interesting. User skills can make up for poor rankings. Any player can make any team dominant, it is just a matter of will power...and careful use of the precision passing.