Keepers

• A team may only keep 1 “keeper” entering the M21 cycle. 

• To be keeper-eligible a player must be a madden created player(M19 Keepers do not count).

• Keeper-eligible players can be traded, but when we close the M20 cycle then you must pick a player from your M20 roster.

• There will be a keeper pool, but the catch with opting in to the keeper pool is that player will only have star dev(we want people to keep their own players)

• There will be no restrictions on OVR or any other attribute(same as last year)

• As far as development goes(SS and x factor mainly) this is something we will re-visit as we don’t know if/how Madden will implement abilities and such next Madden. But we presume that it will be similar and should be easy to translate from M20 to M21 but who knows

Real Rookie Draft

• We will once again be doing a Real Rookie Draft after a successful RRD during the M19 cycle

• It will include Real life 2020 draft prospects(this year)

• It will occur during this upcoming offseason(perhaps a little earlier) so we can keep up with the pace of the league

• It will be 2 rounds(snake) and you must pick 1 offensive player and 1 defensive player

• The order will be determined by a weighted lottery with the worst teams from S4 having the best chance at a top pick. Non-playoff teams will have the 1st 20 picks of each round. There will be a separate lottery for spots 21-32. The lottery will be streamed at a TBD date.

• The draft will be snake and be 2 rounds. 

• First round picks will be given an 2 year 6 mill contract

• 2nd round picks will be given a 1 year 3 mill contract

• These players will not be keeper eligible and can not be traded

• A google sheet containing the list of players and attributes will be made available prior to S5’s playoffs

Heya Folks,

We are aware that there has been much displeasure throughout out RML with the way that Panel has handled some issues. We admit we may not have done the best job in certain categories and are working hard on fixing them and giving the people what they want. So here are some things we are changing. And as always, we’d love to hear your opinions nicely in our inboxes :). 

Trades

We admit that we have not been consistent with approving/vetoing trades. This stems from a difference in philosophy from panel member to panel member. With that said, we are getting rid of the approval process. All trades must still be posted on Daddyleagues like usual, but now any trade can be appealed by contacting a panel member. This will open a poll in the Trading Chat, where all league members vote on the trade. If at least 10 votes are received and there is a majority in favor of reversing it, it must be reversed.

Playcalling

We feel for the most part playcalling rules are in a good spot from the offensive side of things, but admit that the defensive playcalling rules are very grey and easy to be subjective with them. With that said here are the new defensive playcalling rules we are implementing:

Defensive plays(same formation, same play) can only be called max 5 times per half

Concepts cannot be used 3 times in a row

Suspensions

We are also going to not count suspensions against users in factoring in dev/attribute upgrades for this first season. 

Sims/Forces will count as games served for a suspension from now on

Keeper Fix

If a keeper wins a rookie of the year award, we will review the upgrades they get including a potential dev upgrade. Those upgrades will be reversed and added to the true rookie who finishes highest for that award. We will require that all skill points are used, and strongly recommend that skill points earned previously be used before this time to avoid confusion. If multiple awards are won, or the keeper and rookie are different positions, panel will have to use their judgment on reallocating upgrades. (This is obviously not perfect and would love to hear more feedback if others have solutions).

Offensive Line Minimums

Just a reminder that it is mandatory to have 8 OL on your roster. 

Thanks,

The Panel

TL;DR: Don’t be a dick in the chat

Howdy Fellow RMLers, today I wanted to introduce to you something that we discussed at the previous panel meetings. RML has evolved throughout the past 2 or 3 years and that has caused some turmoil, but also has improved RML in various ways. We feel like the 32 voted in members have all contributed something and think they are good for RML, but we want to be proactive this year and speaking of that here’s what we discussed. Last madden we were strictly concerned on Madden gameplay rules(which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), but we neglected to deal with some issues within our Madden chat on GroupMe. Going forward we want to implement some guidelines for in-chat behavior. Things like personal attacks and general hostility is not the “RML Way” and something that we are going to try and combat this year. Specifically we don’t want screenshots of DMs that are seen to be private conversations in the main chat and more importantly any rule complaints about gameplay must be DM’ed to panel and not in the main chat. This has caused trouble in the past and something we want to fix. Now everyone loves rivalries and we believe rivalries are healthy for a league and trash talking is fine related to Madden, but there is a certain line that should not be crossed and if that line is crossed this year we will be quick to boot from chat and further punishment could follow(suspension in Madden, boot from league if need be). RML is a family, quite a dysfunctional family at times, but it is also a very unique community and even though it is 32+ internet strangers it is pretty damn cool that everyone is comfortable sharing stories and pictures of their personal lives(babies, moving places, new jobs, etc.) and it has become a daily part of my life to check in on the chat. Essentially we want to keep the chat thriving and also be a place where you don’t have to come in and worry about getting attacked for non-madden issues. Call us pussies, but we are just trying to make a great thing going even greater. Thanks and be on the lookout for further articles for M20 gameplay rules, etc.

After much debate and brainstorming we have finally come up with a conclusion for what the keeper rules will be going into Madden 20:

1 offensive and 1 defensive player per team

Keepers must be a madden created player(No real rookies)

To be keeper eligible the player must have 2 RML seasons under his belt

There is NO cap on OVR

The keeper will keep the current stats, age, contract etc. as he is in our last season

Also, we will be introducing rewards for playing games this year in addition to the dev upgrades for half season:

A quarterly attribute upgrade for one player for playing every game in each "quarter" of the season(So if you play all 4 games you can upgrade Strength +1 for example)

Since there are 17 weeks quarters will be split in 4-4-4-5

You must upgrade different players in each quarter(Once you upgrade one player he can't be upgraded again)

The highest stat you can go to is 94 in each attribute (93 to 94 is acceptable) (94 to 95 is NOT)

Force Wins will count as a "game played"

Rule Violations, Suspensions, Force Losses, and Sims will rule you inelgiible for that quarter

Cody and I have combined forces to bring you the final power rankings of the season! We weighted these rankings based heavily off of record and strength of schedule. Also, if you took a lot of sims or force wins that is a knock on you and makes it hard to evaluate as we get into it below. Hope you guys enjoy and good luck to everyone in the playoffs!

1. Green Bay Packers(13-1)

Joe has quietly been dominating this season. His only loss coming in a simmed game vs. BLD. You’d be stupid to overlook Joe and no matter how much he downplays his skill level he deserves to be #1.

2. Oakland Raiders(12-2)

Danny has put up stupid numbers on the offensive side of the ball this year. He has taken care of business this year but 2 losses to Seth and Brad keep him from surpassing Joe for #1.

3. Detroit Lions(12-2)

We all know how good BLD is, but the thing holding him back from climbing higher in the rankings is he has taken a good amount of force wins this season making it hard to evaluate. But 3 is nothing to scoff at.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars(12-3)

Dough Boy has had a very impressive season and it becomes even more impressive when you look at his schedule. He is undefeated within that tough AFC South, but a big game vs Tillman waits ahead for week 17.

5. Indianapolis Colts(11-3)

Tillman has quietly been putting together yet another great season. Has a chance to really improve his playoff positioning week 17 vs Dough Boy.

6. Arizona Cardinals(10-4)

When he has a PS4 he is a top tier player and he very well could be 12-2 at this point instead of 10-4. Nonetheless I wouldn’t be overlooking Tanner heading into the playoffs.

7. Los Angeles Chargers(10-5)

Hon was able to lock up a playoff spot earlier today vs. Lope. Although he wont be a division winner he is just as dangerous and right now he would be playing Brad Wild Card Weekend (hippo eyes).

8. Los Angeles Rams(10-5)

Cody was able to lock up a playoff spot and is lined up to play Danno in the first round. His elite defense has been carrying him thus far and think he can finally win a playoff game.

9. Washington Redskins(10-5)

Everybody knows how bad Danno’s schedule has been this season, but he can prove that he deserves to be 10-5 if he is able to beat Cody in the first round of the playoffs.

10. New England Patriots(9-6)

Brad has been stalling lately, with bad losses coming to Jets and Dolphins, but he is into the playoffs with a win next week or a steve loss. Think he can hang with anyone in the AFC, should be interesting to see if he can repeat his playoff magic two years in a row.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers(9-6)

Sentra clinched the awful AFC North a while ago and just got beat by Kam, but Sentra can afford to take it easy unless he wants to fight for the 3 seed. He has been a little inconsistent this season, but his backfield have suffered a few injuries this year.

12. Denver Broncos(8-6)

Unfortunately this season is going to end week 17 for Seth, but he put up a solid year. I expect him to be a contender next year and he is going to be motivated with his pure hatred for Hon.

13. New Orleans Saints(8-6)

Although BDV just got his ass handed to him by BLD, he is in a pretty good spot to lock up a playoff spot. Unfortunately for him if the season ended today he’d be playing…..BLD. Sorry Vic.

14. New York Jets(8-7)

Steve has really shocked me this year in how much he has improved and some of the games he has won. But he also has some bad losses and he had a chance to all but win the AFC East with a win vs Chiefs today but he fell short in overtime. He has to win vs Rams next week and have Pats lose vs Cards next week to win the division now. If Steve were to make playoffs I’m not sure how far he could go.

15. Tennessee Titans(7-8)

We all know how tough the AFC South is, but Kunk still has some good wins this season. Unfortunately, he will fail to make playoffs this year, but can definitely see him making a run next season.

16. Kansas City Chiefs(8-7)

Maddening has actually rebounded very nicely from a slow start and he would have had a chance at the 6 seed if Lope didn’t tank vs Hon. Not a bad season overall for Maddening though.

17. San Francisco 49ers(7-7)

Snake has been pretty quiet lately, but will finish the season around .500. He is slowly getting back into Old Snake form, but still has some ways to go.

18. Seattle Seahawks(7-7)

Snorts has really surprised me with how much he has improved this year. He almost beat me this year in a tight game and he has a very quality win vs Cody. I think he could make a push for a playoff spot next season if he just sticks with it.

19. New York Giants(6-8)

This has been a pretty disappointing season for a team that made the playoffs 2 years in a row.  

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers(7-7)

Matt could have made a legit run for the division(and still might be able to), but a trip to Vegas has clearly shown where his priorities are. But a very good season for Matt all things considered.

21. Minnesota Vikings(5-9)

After lighting the RML world on fire in his return the first couple seasons, he has seemed to level off. Surely the tough NFC North is to blame, but still a pretty disappointing record for Vikings.

22. Atlanta Falcons(6-8)

One of the victims of the robbery, Jon probably could have gotten this team to .500, but the team’s fate is in the hands of Josh now so hard to get a proper read.

23. Houston Texans(6-8)

Kam has returned to RML and the rust has been clear, but he seems to finally be shaking that rust off. I expect him to fill the void Dope has left and make the AFC South even more hell for Kunk.

24. Baltimore Ravens(4-10)

Now we start getting in the territory of teams who havent played many games. We all know Bruce would have a much better record if he was around all season. Hope we get a full season out of Brucey next

season.

25. Miami Dolphins(4-11)

I still haven’t figured out why Motherload hasnt been able to turn that corner. There are some games where he looks like a legit team and then others where he indeed looks like a 4-11 team. He always gives me a good fight.

26. Chicago Bears(4-10)

Mike hasn’t played many of his games this season unfortunately. Hopefully like Bruce he is able to play a full slate next season and return to old Mike.

27. Carolina Panthers(2-12)

The 3rd victim of the robbery is here, we all know Barn would be much better, but here we are.

28. Cincinnati Bengals(5-10)

Lope jumps up to here just on the fact he’s played the most of his games out of the next 5 besides Andy.

29. Buffalo Bills(2-12)

Hope Tendy is enjoying his cruise!

30. Philadelphia Eagles(3-11)

Shane has taken a fair amount of sims and the games he has played havent been very impressive.

31. Dallas Cowboys(2-12)

At least you’re not last Andy.

32. Cleveland Browns(2-12)

Force Loss Frankie is back in town!

The season is winding down and the AFC playoff race is getting spicy! Here we go. 

AFC West:

Oakland Raiders clinched the AFC West title

AFC East:

Patriots clinch the AFC East with win vs NYJ Wk 15

Jets clinch the AFC East with a win vs NE and one win vs KC/LAR AND NE loses to NYJ AND loss to MIA. (Jets would own tiebreaker then) 

AFC South:

Too many scenarios to list here since Jacksonville and Indianapolis are tied at 10-3. They face each other Week 17. As of now, Jaguars hold the tiebreaker. 

AFC North:

Steelers have clinched the division

#1 seed: Oakland Raiders clinch #1 seed with win vs CAR or PIT AND JAC loss Week 15, 16 or 17 AND IND loss Week 15, 16 or 17

Way too many teams in contention and too close to each other to map it out right now. Should have a clearer picture next week. 

Like last week's power rankings these are based off heavily on record and strength of schedule. Enjoy!

1) Raiders(6-1)  Previous Rank: 1

Danny hasn't done anything to lose top spot since last power rankings. He took care of business against Vic and Matt.

2) Lions(6-0) Previous Rank: 2

BLD beat the Redskins and Panthers, but has a big divisional game vs Joe tonight.

3) Jaguars(6-1) Previous Rank: 8

DoughBoy has had some impressive wins the last couple of weeks vs. Tillman and Kunk. He's showing that he belongs in this AFC South.

4) Chargers(6-1) Previous Rank: 4

Hon finally lost a game, to Danny, in week 5, but got back on the winning side against Chiefs and Titans.

5) Colts(6-2) Previous Rank: 5

Tillman hasn't looked as dominant as previous seasons, but don't let your guard down. 

6) Packers(5-1) Previous Rank: 7

Joe beat Mike's Bears in back to back games and has a big showdown with BLD tonight.

7) Broncos(5-2) Previous Rank: 6

Seth had a close call against Steve in Week 6 and then beat Maddening Week 7, but Falcons was able to take him down 30-20 this weekend. 

8) Texans(6-1) Previous Rank 3

Always tough to rank teams after a new owner is in place, but Kam can most definitely hold his own and when he starts playing the games I expect the Texans to be back in top 5 or at the very least stay top 10.

9) Steelers(5-3) Previous Rank: 13

Sentra absolutely dominated Lope's Bengals in Week 7 and beat a solid Giants team Week 8. 

10) Cardinals(6-2) Previous Rank: 20

Tanner has shown that he may well be better than Monkey was, although he has had a very easy schedule thus far. I'm excited to see him against better competition

11) Falcons(4-3) Previous Rank: 19

Currey has had a a crazy 3 week run, beating Vikings, Bears, and Broncos three weeks in a row. He's starting to wake up.

12) Buccaneers(5-3) Previous Rank: 10

Matt lost to Danny which should be expected, but lost to Vikings. He is in first place in the South, but Falcons is right on his heel.

13) Redskins(5-2) Previous Rank: 11

Danno is actually leading the league in rushing with 141 yds per game, but he lost to Vic and BLD within the last 3 weeks. He still holds onto first place in the NFCE.

14) Jets(5-3) Previous Rank: 16

Steve has really impressed me this year. He beat Motherload Week 7 and took care of the new Bills in Week 8. But his most impressive display came in a loss, where he only lost to Seth's Broncos by 1 point. He is tied for the division lead in the AFC East

15) Giants(4-3) Previous Rank: 17

Bundy has pretty much won the games he should have and lost the games you would expect him to.

16) Patriots(4-3) Previous Rank: 12

Brad got a force win vs. Cody and then lost a heartbreaker vs. Snake. I wouldn't bet on myself winning my next 4 games which all come against the AFC West. 

17) Saints(3-4) Previous Rank: 15

Vic has cooled down from his hot start, but got a big rivalry win vs. Danno.

18) 49ers(3-4) Previous Rank: 26

Snake is starting to look like his old self again and his explosive offense ranks 2nd in most categories. He could make a run for a wild card spot.

19) Chiefs(3-4) Previous Rank: 19

Maddening has a couple solid wins, but is 0-3 in the division. Doesn't bode well for playoff hopes.

20) Rams(3-3) Previous Rank: 9

Cody would probably be higher if he had internet the past week. 

21) Titans(2-4) Previous Rank: 25

Kunk's only wins are vs. Lope and Tendy, but he has hung tight with all the other top dogs he has played. The wins will come eventually.

22)  Bears(2-5) Previous Rank: 14

Think we all know Mike has the talent to be higher, but hard to rank a 2-5 team higher. He has had a pretty tough schedule and I think he will start putting some W's on the board.

23) Vikings(2-4) Previous Rank: 28

Vikings finally got in the win column since the last power rankings, but he has a very steep hill to climb.

24) Panthers(2-4) Previous Rank: 22

Barn has had a couple tough games lately and I'm sure the QB suspension isn't helping. Think the Old Barn should come soon. 

25) Seahawks(3-3) Previous Rank: 21

Snorts has managed to win 3 games despite ranking last in almost all offensive categories. 

26) Miami Dolphins(1-7) Previous Rank: 24

It's been a rough year for Motherload, but thankfully there's a ton of shitty teams this season so he comes in at 26th this week.

27) Eagles(2-6) Previous Rank: 23

Shane only has 1 actual win this year coming week 1, but hasn't been able to find a win elsewhere. 

28) Bengals(1-6) Previous Rank: 27

Lope's 1 win has come against the 0-7 Browns.

29) Bills(1-7) Previous Rank: 29

Tendy is taking a hiatus so should be interesting how the new owner does.

30) Browns(0-7) Previous Rank: 30

There's not much separating Frankie and Andy, but Frankie has played his games a little bit closer than Andy and hasn't got blown out as much.

31) Andy(0-7) Previous Rank: 31

One day Andy will make the playoffs, and I don't know if I'll be alive to see it, but one year it will happen. Just not this year.

32) Bruce(1-5) Previous Rank: 32

I still don't think Bruce has actually played a game. 

These power rankings are based off of all games played from week 1-week 4 and does not factor in any games that have been played this current advance period(week 5). I heavily based these rankings on W/L record and strength of schedule and how close the games were. DIdn't really factor in previous season's history too much(unlike Monkey's rankings). Hope you guys enjoy and I know they're not perfect, but still fun. 

1) Oakland Raiders(3-1)

Danny's league leading offense has come out firing out of the gate and the only hiccup coming vs Broncos in week 3, but right now I have the Raiders at the top of the league

2) Detroit Lions(4-0)

BLD has a quality win from week 1 vs the 3-1 Jaguars, but unfortunately two of the victories came via force wins so a little tricky to accurately place him

3) Houston Texans(4-0)

The defending Super Bowl champion has steamrolled through the opponents he has played, but much like BLD 2 of his games have been force wins so hard to get a gauge. 

4) Los Angeles Chargers(4-0)

Despite being a topic of controversey with suspensions and such through these first 4 weeks, the Chargers have kept their head down and have played good football. Only really have faced 1 quality team through the first 4 weeks, but will be interesting to see if he can keep it up vs. top opponents.

5) Indianapolis Colts(3-1)

Tillman has played 3 NFC North teams in the first 4 weeks and beat everyone he physically played. Unfortunately the S1 SB rematch could not happen and that turned into a sim. TIllman is a machine and will continue to churn opponents out like butter all year.

6) Denver Broncos(2-1)

The Broncos have had a pretty tough schedule to begin the year and had a bye week 4 so only 3 games played. Has a quality 3 point loss to the Chargers and was able to beat the #1 ranked Raiders. 

7) Green Bay Packers(3-1)

The only loss has come to the #2 team(Lions) in a sim and the 3 wins are against quality opponents who all have sniffed or at least come close to the playoffs this madden. 

8) Jacksonville Jaguars(3-1)

It is always an uphill battle in that absurdly good AFC South for Dough Man, but he has won the games he is supposed to win so far. Only blemish coming from a week 1 loss to BLD. 

9) Los Angeles Rams(3-1)

Cody has had a very good start to the 2020 season, the only loss so far coming against BLD(this seems like a common theme). His defense is carrying the load for him and with the exit of Monkey, the NFC West is wide open for Cody to avenge his playoff beating from last year.

10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers(3-1)

Matt has done a very respectable job for his first season back in RML. His only loss coming from the Falcons. It should be a tight race for this division alongside Big Dick Vic. 

11) Washington Redskins(4-0)

You may be wondering how does an undefeated team fall this far, but when you look deeper Danno has had a laughably bad schedule to begin the year. Opponents have a combined 5-12 record so far this season. BLD in week 5 should put a stop to Danno's undefeated season. 

12) New England Patriots(2-2)

I'm going to try and be as little biased as I possibly can be. New England's 2 losses have been to the defending Super Bowl champion and a very close game vs. Miami. The 2 wins have come vs Sentra's Steelers and NarcoSteve's Jets.

13) Pittsburgh Steelers(2-2)

Sentra got the force win week 1 vs Baltimore and then loss to New England week 2. His other victory came vs the 0-4 Browns and then lost to a good Jaguars team. I would expect him to climb up the power rankings further into this season.

14) Chicago Bears(2-2)

Mike is back in RML and gave Tillman a fight in week 1 and beat a good Vikings team. Unfortunately a real test vs Dope's Texans was simmed.

15) New Orleans Saints(2-2)

Big Dick Vic has had a very tough schedule to begin the year and has done a very good job with it all things considered. With quality wins vs the Chiefs and the Panthers, the Saints are a team to watch this season. 

16) New York Jets(2-2)

NarcoSteve had a very great, unexpected win to begin the season vs the old Monkey-led Cardinals and shutout Tendy in week 2. Since then things have gone a little south for the Jets, losing to the Seahawks and the Pats, but Steve showed what he is capable of this year.

17) New York Giants(2-2)

You could argue Bundy could be a little higher, but much like Danno is ease of schedule so far is what is keeping him back. I would expect him to climb up the rankings

18) Atlanta Falcons(1-3)

At first glance you may wonder what a 1-3 team is doing above some 2-2 teams, but when looking at the Falcons schedule he has had a very tough schedule to begin the year. He opened the year vs #1 Raiders and has had 2 games vs Matt's Buccos(splitting those). The other loss coming vs the Monkey-led Cardinals. I definitely expect him to rebound and make another playoff push.

19) Kansas City Chiefs(2-2)

Despite the record, looking at Maddening's schedule played so far leave a lot to be desired. The 2 opponents he beat have combined for a whopping 1-7 record to begin the year and he has lost to the Saints and the Raiders. 

20) Arizona Cardinals(2-2)

To be honest I have no clue where to put Cardinals since Monkey is gone, but think they fit well in 20th right now

21) Seattle Seahawks(2-2)

Despite literally being the worst passing team in the league, Snorts has managed to pull out 2 wins vs Jets and the Cowboys. A loss to Danno hurt this week's rankings however.

22) Carolina Panthers(1-2)

Barn might as well be 2-2 if you count getting the NYC girl preggo as a win, but that doesnt count towards his madden record so here he sits at 1-2. The one win came week 1 vs Snake in a tight one and the 2 losses were intradivisional against Buccos and Saints. I would expect him to launch up these rankings, but gonna be difficult with the QB suspension.

23) Philadelphia Eagles(2-2)

Despite serving his hefty suspension Shane has kept his own...beating NYG week 1 and hanging with Mike in week 3. Unfortunately the 2nd win in week 4 was via FW. 

24) Miami Dolphins(1-3)

Motherload's schedule has actually been really tough and you can argue he deserves to be higher, but we'll put him here for now. His one win comes vs the Patriots in a close contest. He has faced the Raiders and Chargers(both ranked top 10) and the game week 1 vs BUF was a sim. Watch out for him.

25) Tennessee Titans(1-3) 

Kunk has probably had the toughest schedule in the league so far. He has beat the one team he should have beat(Lope's Bengals). His other opponents have combined for a 12-1 record so far to start the year so I think Kunk can easily crack the top 15 ROS. '

26) San Francisco 49ers(0-3)

It's actually kind of amazing how far low Snake is and how different his record could be, but here we are. A 3 point loss in week 1 and a 6 point loss in week 2 got him to 0-2. Then a relatively bad loss to Bundy has him down here. We all know Snake has the talent to get back to the top half of the rankings and he ranks pretty high in all categories in the league. 

27) Cincinatti Bengals(1-3)

Lope's Bengals are averaging 7 points a game on offense(last in league), but managed to win one game vs the Browns. Don't expect him to jump that much further up ROS.

28) Minnesota Vikings(0-3)

Despite not winning a game so far I think Vikings can easily make their way back up. Jumpman has had a tough first 3 weeks facing Joe, Mike, and Tillman...a tough task for anyone.

29) Buffalo Bills(1-3)

Tendy has struggled so far and the one win came via FW week 1. He had a bad loss vs NarcoSteve and the other 2 losses came vs Chargers and Chiefs. Don't think this ranking will vary too much ROS.

30) Cleveland Browns(0-4)

Frankie has actually had a pretty hard schedule to begin the year, but a bad loss to Lope put him to 0-4. Think he will be able to climb a little bit rest of season, but not by much.

31) Dallas Cowboys(0-4)

King Andy has found his madden woes again. His schedule has been pretty damn easy and he has not one win to show for it. Sorry Andy, but don't see this Cowboys team going that much higher this season.

32) Baltimore Ravens(0-4)

The only reason Bruce is here is because he doesn't have internet yet in his new house.l

NFC East

Washington Redskins 9-6

New York Giants 9-6

Philadelphia Eagles 4-10

Dallas Cowboys 3-11

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals 12-3

Los Angeles Rams 8-6

Seattle Seahawks 4-10

San Francisco 49ers 4-11

NFC North

Green Bay Packers 14-0

Detroit Lions 12-2

Minnesota Vikings 8-6

Chicago Bears 5-10

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons 9-5  

New Orleans Saints 5-10

Carolina Panthers 4-10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-10

Division Scenarios

NFC East:

NYG clinches NFCE Title with Win Week 17 OR WAS Loss Week 17

WAS clinches NFCE Title with Win Week 17 AND NYG Loss Week 17

Giants owns tiebreaker because H2H is split and division record is tied. 3rd tiebreakers in division tiebreak is common games record which is owned by NYG. 

NFC West:

ARI has clinched the NFC West

NFC North:

GB clinches NFCN Title with Win Wk 16 OR Win Wk 17 OR DET Loss Wk 16 

DET cliches NFCN Title with win Wk 16 AND Wk 17 AND GB Loss Wk 16

NFC South:

ATL has clinched the NFC South

Seedings: 

1- Winner of the NFC North(GB or DET)

2-ARI/GB/DET

3-ATL/NYG/WAS

4-ATL/NYG/WAS

5-2nd place of NFC North(GB or DET)

6- NYG/MIN/WAS/LAR

Wild Card Scenarios:

4 teams will battle for the 6th seed. One of NYG and WAS will end up winning the division so that leaves us with 3.

If they all end up with the same record, MIN owns tiebreaker over all other 3 teams due to H2H records. Too many other scenarios to write out here, but should get some clarity after this week. MIN plays GB this week so definitely a tough game for him. Hope you enjoyed the article!

The Indianapolis Colts beat the Detroit Lions by a score of 20-13 in Atlanta tonight. The Colts finished 15-1 during the regular season and tonight's victory over the Lions ended Detroit's dreams of a 19-0 season. It is the Colts' third Super Bowl victory in franchise history. For everyone at RML News, we hope to see you guys again next year! 

Coach Baby Little Dick first caught nationwide fame as a locker room picture from his playing days spread around the internet displaying his micropenis for all to see. He was given the moniker Baby Little Dick by his teammates and the nickname stuck, now 77 years old, Baby Little Dick or BLD for short led the Detroit Lions' to their first ever undefeated regular season and is looking for that elusive 19-0 season. We discuss with Coach BLD how the Lions' have gotten to this point, injuries that they have suffered, and their postseason expectations.

Q: Hello Coach Baby Little Dick….you have been one of the stories of the year, bringing this Lions team to a 16-0 season. What has been the key to your phenomenal success this season?

A: Really just taking one game at a time, never looking ahead and just really focusing on the task that is in front of us for that week. Our defense has stepped up big time, ranking 2nd only behind the Houston Texans in both Total Defense and Passing Defense.

Q: For those who haven’t followed the Lions closely as some Detroit fans...who has been the key contributors on the field for this team? Who has stepped up big this season and helped you get to this point?

A: Can’t say one player has contributed more than any other player this season. We have had a lot of injuries and it’s really just been the next man up. It’s been a true team effort every single week.

Q: Speaking of injuries I know your star LB Eric Kendricks picked up an injury during the season. What is his status for the playoffs? Will he be available?

A: Taking it week by week right now but yes, Eric did suffer an upper arm fracture but is expected to make a return this season. I talked to him yesterday and of course he is ready to go but we are trusting our doctors on this one.

Q: Ah yes, Kendricks will definitely be a big factor if he does indeed return for the divisional round….speaking of the divisional round. You will be facing the Packers. What is your gameplan for this game going to be?

A: It’s really hard gameplaning for Coach Blizzard and his team, can’t say enough about them and the incredible season they have had. We have to play our game for sixty minutes and stay true to ourselves. Everyone has to do their job every play in order for us to execute.

Q: Yes Blizzard’s Packers were always a force to be reckoned with when he was a player and it’s not different with him as a coach. So beyond the upcoming Packers matchup how far do you think this team is capable of going. What are your expectations for this S1 postseason?

A: Well of course our expectations are high and we want to be the last team standing but we have to take it one game at a time and like we did all season focus on the task at hand, and for this week it’s Coach Blizzard and his team.

Q: Thank you for your time and best of luck Baby Little Dick.

A: My pleasure

BOLD AND ITALICS=Clinched Division

BOLD= Clinched Playoff Spot

Strikethrough= Eliminated from playoffs

NFC East

New York Giants 10-4

Washington Redskins 3-11

Dallas Cowboys 3-11

Philadelphia Eagles 1-10

Friendship Division

Arizona Cardinals 9-6

Los Angeles Rams 7-8

Seattle Seahawks 4-10

San Francisco 49ers 1-13

NFC North

Detroit Lions 14-0

Minnesota Vikings 10-4

Green Bay Packers 9-4-1

Chicago Bears 3-10-1

NFC South

Carolina Panthers 13-2

New Orleans Saints 8-6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-7

Atlanta Falcons 7-8

NFC Wild Card

5. Minnesota Vikings 10-4

6. Green Bay Packers 9-4-1

7. New Orleans Saints 8-6

GB clinches playoff spot with Win Week 16 OR Win Week 17 OR Saints Loss Week 16 OR Saints Loss Week 17

NO clinches playoff spot with Win Week 16 AND Win Week 17 AND GB Loss Week 16 AND GB Loss Week 17

Seeding

1. Detroit Lions (Clinched 1 Seed And a Bye)

2. Carolina Panthers (Clinched 2 Seed And a Bye)

3. New York Giants clinch 3 seed with Win Week 16 OR Win Week 17 OR ARI Loss Week 17

    Arizona Cardinals clinch 3 seed with Win Week 17 AND NYG Loss Week 16 AND NYG Loss Week 17(ARI would have tiebreaker due to having better record with common opponents(not sure how Madden can handle it though))

4. Arizona Cardinals or New York Giants(See Above)

5. Vikings clinch 5 seed with Win Week 16 AND Win Week 17 OR Win Week 16 or 17 AND GB Loss Week 16 AND Loss Week 17 

6. Whoever gets last Wild Card

BOLD AND ITALICS=Clinched Division

BOLD= Clinched Playoff Spot

Strikethrough= Eliminated from playoffs

AFC East

Buffalo Bills 8-7

New England Patriots 5-10 

Miami Dolphins 4-10  

New York Jets 3-11 

AFC West

Oakland Raiders 12-2 

Los Angeles Chargers 9-5

Denver Broncos 9-5

Kansas City Chiefs 7-7

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens 10-4

Cincinatti Bengals 4-10  

Cleveland Browns 3-11  

Pittsburgh Steelers 2-12  

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts 13-1

Houston Texans 13-2

Jacksonville Jaguars 9-5

Tennessee Titans 7-7

AFC Wild Card

5. Houston Texans 13-2

6. Jacksonville Jaguars 9-5

7. Los Angeles Chargers 9-5

8. Denver Broncos 9-5

9. Tennessee Titans 7-7

I won't go through every single scenario here since the WC is a bit hectic but here's a couple:

IND clinches division with WIN Week 16 AND WIN Week 17 OR WIN Week 16 AND HOU loss Week 17

HOU clinches division with WIN Week 17 AND IND Loss Week 16 AND IND Loss Week 17

TEN eliminated with Loss Week 16 OR Loss Week 17 OR JAC Win Week 16 OR JAC Win Week 17 OR LAC Win Week 16 OR Week 17 OR DEN Win Week 16 OR DEN Win Week 17 (You get the idea)

JAC clinches playoff spot with Win Week 16 AND Win Week 17(Denver and Los Angeles Chargers would be eliminated)

LAC clinches playoff spot with Win Week 16 AND Win Week 17 AND Jac Loss Week 16 or Week 17

DEN clinches playoff spot with Win Week 16 AND Win Week 17 AND JAC Loss Week 16 OR Week 17

Those are just some of the simple AFC Wild Card scenarios...there's a lot more that will come down to 4th or 5th tiebreakers(common opponents or strength of victory) so God knows what Madden will do with that. Denver seems to lose most of the tiebreakers between both Jags and Chargers. 

Seeding

1. Indianapolis Colts 13-1/Houston Texans 13-2(Whoever wins this division gets 1 seed)

2. Oakland Raiders clinches 2 seed with WIN Week 17 OR BAL Loss Week 16 or Week 17

    Baltimore Ravens clinch 2 seed with WIN Week 16 AND Win Week 17 AND OAK Loss Week 17

3. Oakland Raiders or Baltimore Ravens depending on above ^

4. Buffalo Bills clinched 4 seed

5. Whoever comes in 2nd AFC South(HOU or IND)

6. Whoever comes out of the clusterfuck of the AFC Wild Card 2

Today we sat down with Coach Barnabas Hughes, who has led his Panthers to an 8-0 start to the season. The Panthers are one of the frontrunners in the NFC and is a sure Super Bowl contender. We discuss with Coach Hughes how he has gotten here, the quest for an undefeated season, and the now-crowded backfield. 

Q: Hello Coach Barnabas, your Panthers have kept pounding to the tune of an 8-0 record to start this 2018 season. What has been the key to this success thus far?

A: Well, to be quite honest, I don’t feel like any single player is to be recognized for exemplary play leading to my impressive start, in fact my offense is sitting at number 13 in the league, and my defense is slightly more impressive at number 6. If I had to choose the one key element that has been fueling my success, I would have to say it would be our turnover difference, we are currently ranked number 1 in the league in the aforementioned category, with a whopping 18 as our turnover difference.

Q: Seems like you are just a solid team all-around, but obviously the turnover difference is a big thing. How have you been able to achieve such a big turnover difference? Any big playmakers on defense? A certain gameplan to limit turnovers on offense?

A: My key to forcing turnovers is making sure I have the right guys in the right spot. I lost my starting strong safety, for multiple weeks, and immediately made a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to acquire Ron Parker to fill the gaping hole, his first game as a Panther, resulted in him intercepting a pass, ultimately sealing the game. As far as any “big” playmakers, I would have to say that our middle linebacker, C.J Mosley, shows up every game ready to play, he currently has 5 interceptions, and 2 sacks. I look forward to seeing him progress throughout the year.

Q: Makes sense, it definitely is a team sport and you need everyone to step up week in and week out. So now you are sitting pretty at 8-0 atop the NFC South with a 3 game lead over 2nd place. I know we are only halfway through the season but are there thoughts of a undefeated season brewing in Carolina?

A: Our focus is to win games. I would be lying if I said that the idea of eventually having 16 wins in the “win” column is not tucked in the back of my mind. I’ve, of course, reviewed my schedule a plethora of times, and only see one real threat to ensuring that very idea becomes a reality. Baby Little Dick, and his Lions are playing good football, and we meet up in two weeks. I know it’s quite atypical to look forward to games, but when you have as much as we do riding on the line, it’s almost impossible not to.

Q: That game vs. BLD(Lions) is shaping up to be the Game of the Year and could be the battle of the undefeateds if you guys both take care of business beforehand. I know it’s a couple weeks out, but do you have a certain gameplan in mind for that Lions game? It will be a great test for your Panthers as you push towards the playoffs and we can potentially be looking at a NFC Championship Preview that week.

A: To be honest, I have a bit of a decision to make in my running back department. I originally drafted Jordan Howard, with the intent for him to be my go to man, someone I can rely on, and two games into the season, he has a severe injury that sidelined him for five weeks. I wasn’t willing to give up any of my players to replace him and my picks are too valuable, so I took to free agency. After scouring over the available half-backs, I decided to sign Jeremy Langford, who has been nothing short of amazing. He totes the rock at least 20 times a game, a natural workhorse, he averages 2.5 touchdowns a game, and a little over 100 yards a game. We are talking about a man I simply pulled out of free agency. From waiting for a call, to starting for arguably the best team in the league, in a weeks time. I know BLD is a passing team, and he knows I’m a running team, but that is not going to stop me from pounding the rock with… Jeremy Langford. Who I have named my starting running back for weeks to come, despite Howard returning.

Q: I am so glad you brought up your running back situation, was one of the topics I wanted to cover. Glad you went over that situation thoroughly. Must be a tough situation for Jordan Howard to be going through, getting Wally Pipp’ed, but depth is never a bad thing. So now we’ve talked about undefeated aspirations and what not, but do you think that this Carolina Panthers team is a Super Bowl caliber team? What are your expectations for this team?

A: My pleasure, always like to give credit where credit is due. Any coach, any real coach, will always say he believes his team has what it takes to hoist that infamous Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year, but what people won’t tell you is, not all coaches mean it. I fully, 100% believe, my team has what it takes to make it to The Big Game. We are clicking on all levels right now, as you mentioned, leading the division, which I believe we will take. I don’t think a wildcard game will be in play for us, as we will have a bye that week. It’s important not to get too ahead of ourselves though, one week at a time. One week at a time.

Q: Well you’ve definitely been playing like a Super Bowl team in the first half, if you perform similarly rest of season you are one of the frontrunners for the SB. I thank you for your time and participation, Coach Barn.

A: I appreciate the chance to get to sit down and talk about my success this season, and thanks for the kind words.