Tweet
Heading to Vegas any time soon? Take notes, as EA Sports has been on a roll of late with sports simulations. Before the Stanley Cup playoffs, "NHL 10" predicted a Blackhawks victory. Before the World Cup, "2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa" simulated a win for Spain. So how does "Madden NFL 11" see the upcoming football season playing out?
EA Sports provided ESPN with an exclusive first look inside its simulation, and if you're a fan of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, get ready for a wild ride.
According to "Madden", Rodgers will win both the offensive player of the year and MVP awards after throwing for a league-high 4,639 yards and 36 touchdowns while leading the Packers to a division-best 12-4 record.
Matt Schaub of the Texans also has a huge season, not only leading the AFC in passing yards and touchdowns, but helping Houston finally make its way into the playoffs with a mark of 9-7.
Other season highlights include Brandon Marshall catching 105 passes in his first season with the Dolphins, Chris Johnson rushing for a league-high 1,784 yards, and the Ravens and Colts tying for most wins at 13.
And while EA Sports took Brett Favre off the Vikings for its sim, when I ran a simulation of my own using an advanced copy of the game, the Vikings actually finished with the same 9-7 record whether Favre played or not, as Favre led the NFL in interceptions in my sim, costing his team some big games down the stretch.
Another thing to note is that EA Sports sent over only the simulation for the season, meaning no prediction for a Super Bowl winner. But I went ahead and simulated the season and postseason three different times, and got the same result all three times (the first time this has happened for me). According to my sims, the Patriots and Packers end up in the Super Bowl with the Patriots coming out on top in a high-scoring thriller thanks to the late-game heroics of Tom Brady.
Sounds like another crazy season to look forward to in the NFL.
Here are all the league standings and stat leaders according to the official "Madden NFL 11" simulation.
NFC
NFC East W L
Dallas - z 12 4
New York - y 10 6
Washington 8 8
Philadelphia 5 11
NFC North W L
Green Bay - * 12 4
Minnesota - y 9 7
Chicago 7 9
Detroit 5 11
NFC South W L
New Orleans - z 11 5
Atlanta 9 7
Carolina 6 10
Tampa Bay 3 13
NFC West W L
San Francisco - z 10 6
Arizona 8 8
Seattle 7 9
St. Louis 2 14
* - clinched division and home field
z - clinched division
y - clinched wild card
AFC
AFC East W L
New England - z 12 4
New York - y 11 5
Miami 8 8
Buffalo 4 12
AFC North W L
Baltimore - * 13 3
Pittsburgh 9 7
Cincinnati 8 8
Cleveland 3 13
AFC South W L
Indianapolis - z 13 3
Houston - y 9 7
Tennessee 7 9
Jacksonville 6 10
AFC West W L
San Diego - z 9 7
Kansas City 8 8
Denver 7 9
Oakland 5 11
* - clinched division and home field
z - clinched division
y - clinched wild card
Season Awards
Award NFL AFC NFC
MVP Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
OPY Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
DPY Suggs Suggs Ware
ORY Gresham Gresham Best
DRY Haden Haden G. McCoy
QB Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
RB Johnson Johnson Peterson
WR A. Johnson A. Johnson Colston
OL Hutchinson Grubbs Hutchinson
DL Allen M. Williams Allen
LB Suggs Suggs Ware
DB Revis Revis Goldson
K Crosby Vinatieri Crosby
Coach Harbaugh Harbaugh McCarthy
Quarterback
Player Team Yards TD INT
Rodgers GB 4639 36 9
Schaub HOU 4592 35 16
Manning IND 4542 33 8
Brady NE 4471 32 14
Brees NO 4459 33 12
Romo DAL 4357 29 10
McNabb WAS 4309 28 13
Rivers SD 4303 29 12
Manning NYG 4248 25 14
Flacco BAL 4112 25 12
Running Back
Player Team Yards TD
Johnson TEN 1784 15
Jackson STL 1631 8
Peterson MIN 1558 17
Jones-Drew JAX 1459 13
Mendenhall PIT 1403 9
Gore SF 1380 10
Rice BAL 1311 9
McCoy PHI 1288 7
Harrison CLE 1235 8
Stewart CAR 1192 12
Wide Receiver
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Johnson HOU 104 1541 12
Jennings GB 102 1438 13
Colston NO 107 1372 11
Moss NE 91 1324 15
Austin DAL 88 1323 10
Marshall MIA 105 1290 11
White ATL 86 1257 8
Smith CAR 98 1213 7
Boldin BAL 96 1179 8
Moss WAS 85 1174 9
Tight End
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Gates SD 102 1179 11
Daniels HOU 93 1093 8
V. Davis SF 83 1032 6
Clark IND 90 992 8
Witten DAL 97 933 4
Gresham CIN 72 930 7
Finley GB 79 916 9
Gonzalez ATL 81 882 7
Celek PHI 79 881 6
Z. Miller OAK 75 841 3
Sacks
Player Team Sacks
Allen MIN 17
Tuck NYG 14.5
A. Brown NO 14.5
Suggs BAL 14
Peppers CHI 13
J. Parker PHI 12.5
Odom CIN 12
Kampman JAX 11.5
Ellis NYJ 11.5
Interceptions
Player Team INT
Revis NYJ 7
Powers IND 7
McFadden PIT 7
Goldson SF 6
Samuel PHI 7
Flowers KC 6
Hall CIN 6
Griffin MIN 6
Delmas DET 6
Wilson ARI 6
Whitner BUF 6
EA Sports provided ESPN with an exclusive first look inside its simulation, and if you're a fan of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, get ready for a wild ride.
According to "Madden", Rodgers will win both the offensive player of the year and MVP awards after throwing for a league-high 4,639 yards and 36 touchdowns while leading the Packers to a division-best 12-4 record.
Matt Schaub of the Texans also has a huge season, not only leading the AFC in passing yards and touchdowns, but helping Houston finally make its way into the playoffs with a mark of 9-7.
Other season highlights include Brandon Marshall catching 105 passes in his first season with the Dolphins, Chris Johnson rushing for a league-high 1,784 yards, and the Ravens and Colts tying for most wins at 13.
And while EA Sports took Brett Favre off the Vikings for its sim, when I ran a simulation of my own using an advanced copy of the game, the Vikings actually finished with the same 9-7 record whether Favre played or not, as Favre led the NFL in interceptions in my sim, costing his team some big games down the stretch.
Another thing to note is that EA Sports sent over only the simulation for the season, meaning no prediction for a Super Bowl winner. But I went ahead and simulated the season and postseason three different times, and got the same result all three times (the first time this has happened for me). According to my sims, the Patriots and Packers end up in the Super Bowl with the Patriots coming out on top in a high-scoring thriller thanks to the late-game heroics of Tom Brady.
Sounds like another crazy season to look forward to in the NFL.
Here are all the league standings and stat leaders according to the official "Madden NFL 11" simulation.
NFC
NFC East W L
Dallas - z 12 4
New York - y 10 6
Washington 8 8
Philadelphia 5 11
NFC North W L
Green Bay - * 12 4
Minnesota - y 9 7
Chicago 7 9
Detroit 5 11
NFC South W L
New Orleans - z 11 5
Atlanta 9 7
Carolina 6 10
Tampa Bay 3 13
NFC West W L
San Francisco - z 10 6
Arizona 8 8
Seattle 7 9
St. Louis 2 14
* - clinched division and home field
z - clinched division
y - clinched wild card
AFC
AFC East W L
New England - z 12 4
New York - y 11 5
Miami 8 8
Buffalo 4 12
AFC North W L
Baltimore - * 13 3
Pittsburgh 9 7
Cincinnati 8 8
Cleveland 3 13
AFC South W L
Indianapolis - z 13 3
Houston - y 9 7
Tennessee 7 9
Jacksonville 6 10
AFC West W L
San Diego - z 9 7
Kansas City 8 8
Denver 7 9
Oakland 5 11
* - clinched division and home field
z - clinched division
y - clinched wild card
Season Awards
Award NFL AFC NFC
MVP Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
OPY Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
DPY Suggs Suggs Ware
ORY Gresham Gresham Best
DRY Haden Haden G. McCoy
QB Rodgers Schaub Rodgers
RB Johnson Johnson Peterson
WR A. Johnson A. Johnson Colston
OL Hutchinson Grubbs Hutchinson
DL Allen M. Williams Allen
LB Suggs Suggs Ware
DB Revis Revis Goldson
K Crosby Vinatieri Crosby
Coach Harbaugh Harbaugh McCarthy
Quarterback
Player Team Yards TD INT
Rodgers GB 4639 36 9
Schaub HOU 4592 35 16
Manning IND 4542 33 8
Brady NE 4471 32 14
Brees NO 4459 33 12
Romo DAL 4357 29 10
McNabb WAS 4309 28 13
Rivers SD 4303 29 12
Manning NYG 4248 25 14
Flacco BAL 4112 25 12
Running Back
Player Team Yards TD
Johnson TEN 1784 15
Jackson STL 1631 8
Peterson MIN 1558 17
Jones-Drew JAX 1459 13
Mendenhall PIT 1403 9
Gore SF 1380 10
Rice BAL 1311 9
McCoy PHI 1288 7
Harrison CLE 1235 8
Stewart CAR 1192 12
Wide Receiver
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Johnson HOU 104 1541 12
Jennings GB 102 1438 13
Colston NO 107 1372 11
Moss NE 91 1324 15
Austin DAL 88 1323 10
Marshall MIA 105 1290 11
White ATL 86 1257 8
Smith CAR 98 1213 7
Boldin BAL 96 1179 8
Moss WAS 85 1174 9
Tight End
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Gates SD 102 1179 11
Daniels HOU 93 1093 8
V. Davis SF 83 1032 6
Clark IND 90 992 8
Witten DAL 97 933 4
Gresham CIN 72 930 7
Finley GB 79 916 9
Gonzalez ATL 81 882 7
Celek PHI 79 881 6
Z. Miller OAK 75 841 3
Sacks
Player Team Sacks
Allen MIN 17
Tuck NYG 14.5
A. Brown NO 14.5
Suggs BAL 14
Peppers CHI 13
J. Parker PHI 12.5
Odom CIN 12
Kampman JAX 11.5
Ellis NYJ 11.5
Interceptions
Player Team INT
Revis NYJ 7
Powers IND 7
McFadden PIT 7
Goldson SF 6
Samuel PHI 7
Flowers KC 6
Hall CIN 6
Griffin MIN 6
Delmas DET 6
Wilson ARI 6
Whitner BUF 6
Comment