Results so far: Saints over Giants
(7) Falcons (Ptown) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
You would have to be insane to think Lil Alex won't make another run here, especially with how he built this team post the Lamar Jackson trade. Offensively, Lamar is just too much of a threat for a Falcons defense that isn't all that great beyond the defensive line. Although, if PTown plays smart with escape artist Russell Wilson he could have a shot but I think it’s a long shot due to Lil Alex’s playoff experience.
Prediction: WFT win 42-21
(5) Panthers (Morty) @ (4) Vikings (Dan)
This is the most intriguing playoff matchup I’ve seen in a minute. Two users that mean so much to BL & together bring forth the most historical success in BL playoffs. I’ll be completely honest, I have a hard time making a prediction on this game. I think it’s a complete toss up. If I had to lean one way, I lean in the direction of Dan taking this one in a one score game down the stretch. He has put some nice weapons around Kellen Mond. Looking at the last two cycles, if there is a user to breakout & go on a run it would be Dan. I mean look at all those SBs.
Prediction: Saints win 30-24
That’s set the divisional round up for…
(4) Vikings (Dan) @ (1) Rams (Cody)
To me, this is not the toss up that I predicted in the WC round. In the current state of Madden, QB abilities are simply stupid. I’ve disagreed with GS/PLE/SFL for a minute. *Inserts plug for high-council to incorporate an AP system like MUT for gameplay balance*. Anyways, very difficult to look past Tua with gunslinger & Cody’s streak of making the SB once or twice a cycle. This is a tad premature in this prediction post, but, Cody is my pick in the NFC. One or two mistakes from Kellen Mond will about seal Dan’s fate.
Prediction: Rams win 35-21
(3) Saints (Connor) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
It’s the classic Connor vs Lil Alex matchup that the league loves. These two are familiar with each other based on numerous matchups over the years & there always tends to be some friendly banter. In fact, this is a rematch of last years NFCCG. Connor nearly made the SB run last year & I think if he gets the run game established he has a great shot. Defensively though, I have concern as it pertains to the Saints talent. Blinkers aren’t as impactful this cycle but there really isn’t any true game changers on that Saints roster which contradicts Connor’s approach last cycle to going all-defense. For that reason, I can’t see Lamar getting shut down in the divisional round & it sets us up for the Cody vs Lil Alex round 89.
Prediction: WFT win 28-17
NFCCG (2) WFT (Lil Alex) vs (1) Rams (Cody)
Ideal NFCCG location for both users. No need to deal with some absurd snow storm/rain game in Washington. This sets up for perfect conditions to get a balanced attack going for both users where you have Tua/Cam Akers & Lamar/Gibson. Ultimately, Cody won the most recent matchup between these two users & I think matchup momentum is absolutely a thing. For example, Justin vs Cmass in the WC round this cycle. You would be hard pressed to convince me Cody & Gunslinger on Tua isn’t the favorite here. Jalen Ramsey makes a massive play down the stretch off & seals a SB birth. I’ll close this prediction with this though, it can legitimately go either way. Four straight SB appearances is a very difficult feat though. Love ya Lil Alex.
Prediction: Rams win 35-32
WC Results: (3) Saints over (6) Giants
(7) Falcons (Ptown) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
You would have to be insane to think Lil Alex won't make another run here, especially with how he built this team post the Lamar Jackson trade. Offensively, Lamar is just too much of a threat for a Falcons defense that isn't all that great beyond the defensive line. Although, if PTown plays smart with escape artist Russell Wilson he could have a shot but I think it’s a long shot due to Lil Alex’s playoff experience.
Prediction: WFT win 42-21
(5) Panthers (Morty) @ (4) Saints (Dan)
This is the most intriguing playoff matchup I’ve seen in a minute. Two users that mean so much to BL & together bring forth the most historical success in BL playoffs. I’ll be completely honest, I have a hard time making a prediction on this game. I think it’s a complete toss up. If I had to lean one way, I lean in the direction of Dan taking this one in a one score game down the stretch. He has put some nice weapons around Kellen Mond. Looking at the last two cycles, if there is a user to breakout & go on a run it would be Dan. I mean look at all those SBs.
Prediction: Saints win 30-24
That’s set the divisional round up for…
(4) Saints (Dan) @ (1) Rams (Cody)
To me, this is not the toss up that I predicted in the WC round. In the current state of Madden, QB abilities are simply stupid. I’ve disagreed with GS/PLE/SFL for a minute. *Inserts plug for high-council to incorporate an AP system like MUT for gameplay balance*. Anyways, very difficult to look past Tua with gunslinger & Cody’s streak of making the SB once or twice a cycle. This is a tad premature in this prediction post, but, Cody is my pick in the NFC. One or two mistakes from Kellen Mond will about seal Dan’s fate.
Prediction: Rams win 35-21
(3) Saints (Connor) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
It’s the classic Connor vs Lil Alex matchup that the league loves. These two are familiar with each other based on numerous matchups over the years & there always tends to be some friendly banter. In fact, this is a rematch of last years NFCCG. Connor nearly made the SB run last year & I think if he gets the run game established he has a great shot. Defensively though, I have concern as it pertains to the Saints talent. Blinkers aren’t as impactful this cycle but there really isn’t any true game changers on that Saints roster which contradicts Connor’s approach last cycle to going all-defense. For that reason, I can’t see Lamar getting shut down in the divisional round & it sets us up for the Cody vs Lil Alex round 89.
Prediction: WFT win 28-17
NFCCG (2) WFT (Lil Alex) vs (1) Rams (Cody)
Ideal NFCCG location for both users. No need to deal with some absurd snow storm/rain game in Washington. This sets up for perfect conditions to get a balanced attack going for both users where you have Tua/Cam Akers & Lamar/Gibson. Ultimately, Cody won the most recent matchup between these two users & I think matchup momentum is absolutely a thing. For example, Justin vs Cmass in the WC round this cycle. You would be hard pressed to convince me Cody & Gunslinger on Tua isn’t the favorite here. Jalen Ramsey makes a massive play down the stretch off & seals a SB birth. I’ll close this prediction with this though, it can legitimately go either way. Four straight SB appearances is a very difficult feat though. Love ya Lil Alex.
Prediction: Rams win 35-32 on a game winning FG as time expires of course.
Rams represent the NFC & face the potential defending Champs, GOAT Austin, THE steeltownkilla, or perhaps Justin? As an AFC competitor, I will not make a prediction but of course... Browns vs Rams would be spicy!
WC Results: (3) Saints over (6) Giants
(7) Falcons (Ptown) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
You would have to be insane to think Lil Alex won't make another run here, especially with how he built this team post the Lamar Jackson trade. Offensively, Lamar is just too much of a threat for a Falcons defense that isn't all that great beyond the defensive line. Although, if PTown plays smart with escape artist Russell Wilson he could have a shot but I think it’s a long shot due to Lil Alex’s playoff experience.
Prediction: WFT win 42-21
(5) Panthers (Morty) @ (4) Saints (Dan)
This is the most intriguing playoff matchup I’ve seen in a minute. Two users that mean so much to BL & together bring forth the most historical success in BL playoffs. I’ll be completely honest, I have a hard time making a prediction on this game. I think it’s a complete toss up. If I had to lean one way, I lean in the direction of Dan taking this one in a one score game down the stretch. He has put some nice weapons around Kellen Mond. Looking at the last two cycles, if there is a user to breakout & go on a run it would be Dan. I mean look at all those SBs.
Prediction: Saints win 30-24
That’s set the divisional round up for…
(4) Saints (Dan) @ (1) Rams (Cody)
To me, this is not the toss up that I predicted in the WC round. In the current state of Madden, QB abilities are simply stupid. I’ve disagreed with GS/PLE/SFL for a minute. *Inserts plug for high-council to incorporate an AP system like MUT for gameplay balance*. Anyways, very difficult to look past Tua with gunslinger & Cody’s streak of making the SB once or twice a cycle. This is a tad premature in this prediction post, but, Cody is my pick in the NFC. One or two mistakes from Kellen Mond will about seal Dan’s fate.
Prediction: Rams win 35-21
(3) Saints (Connor) @ (2) WFT (Lil Alex)
It’s the classic Connor vs Lil Alex matchup that the league loves. These two are familiar with each other based on numerous matchups over the years & there always tends to be some friendly banter. In fact, this is a rematch of last years NFCCG. Connor nearly made the SB run last year & I think if he gets the run game established he has a great shot. Defensively though, I have concern as it pertains to the Saints talent. Blinkers aren’t as impactful this cycle but there really isn’t any true game changers on that Saints roster which contradicts Connor’s approach last cycle to going all-defense. For that reason, I can’t see Lamar getting shut down in the divisional round & it sets us up for the Cody vs Lil Alex round 89.
Prediction: WFT win 28-17
NFCCG (2) WFT (Lil Alex) vs (1) Rams (Cody)
Ideal NFCCG location for both users. No need to deal with some absurd snow storm/rain game in Washington. This sets up for perfect conditions to get a balanced attack going for both users where you have Tua/Cam Akers & Lamar/Gibson. Ultimately, Cody won the most recent matchup between these two users & I think matchup momentum is absolutely a thing. For example, Justin vs Cmass in the WC round this cycle. You would be hard pressed to convince me Cody & Gunslinger on Tua isn’t the favorite here. Jalen Ramsey makes a massive play down the stretch off & seals a SB birth. I’ll close this prediction with this though, it can legitimately go either way. Four straight SB appearances is a very difficult feat though. Love ya Lil Alex.
Prediction: Rams win 35-32 on a game winning FG as time expires of course.
Better League!
As is tradition when Imani Boothe & the Giants flame out in the Wildcard Round, here is your "Hero Content" to hold you over for the next couple of days. This is more of a data pull than anything else but offers some good insight into what you will have at your disposal in terms of rookie talent, cap space, draft picks, and potentially a early look at what teams will be rated in Madden 22. I will caveat that with some of them will certainly change drastically. Big time moves have included JJ Watt, Julio Jones, Brees retiring, etc. I can't see a version of Madden 22 that has the New Orleans Saints or Houston Texans anywhere near where they closed out M21, not to mention there is a lot of risk involved with riding the Texans train... trust me I've been burned by them before when they traded multiple firsts for Tunsil. What I found especially interesting is how bad of shape some of the teams are in terms of draft picks & salary cap space. We might need our annual "Ben" salary cap explanation video to save the likes of Ryan from making franchise crippling trades. Shoutout Carson Wentz... Who ended up being a total journeyman. For example, the 49ers mortgaged their future on Trey Lance & won't have any 1st round picks for the first two offseasons. That will take some work to say the least in terms of team building.
Before we get to the actual data, I'd like to point out there are absolutely some dark horse teams that could be very solid a year or two into this CM based on the mixture of impact rookies, draft picks in 2022, and salary cap at their disposal. Couple teams that have some bright futures to me personallly, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Football Team, & the Miami Dolphins. The Colts already have one of the elite OL's in the league & mix that with young DE's to develop coupled with cap space... could be a recipe for a power house. The Washington Football Team in terms of a Madden squad are actually pretty darn solid. The speed is all over the field. Curtis Sameul, Scary Terry, Sweat, Chase Young, Apke, etc. Might be a fun build once there is an answer at QB. The Dolphins are YOUNG, but who doesn't love the idea of developing 3 promising early round picks & having some cap space to eat some bad contracts/make a splash in Free Agency. Anyways, hope this content is a good read for you all. I know this will certainly help me solidify where I want some of the teams in that 10-20 range. That at least for me tends to be where the tougher decisions have to be made.
PS: I considered doing a key players column but knowing how all of us watch football, that to me was pretty obvious who the key contributors are on each team. Anyways, Stay tuned for the bottom five article in the coming days! It just might include the highest ranked team in M21... the New Orleans Saints who have an interesting QB situation/cap space problem to work through.
Better League!
We are 10 days away from team submissions & depending on who you ask arguably the best part of being in BL is the team lottery! Today I plan on discussing/predicting which teams will end up accruing the most “Top 5” pick selections across the league & why. In the coming days, I also intend to write a “Bottom 5” article so be on the lookout for that one.
My “Top 5” prediction includes the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, & Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In no particular order, I can see this varying based on the user but based on the chat I’ve heard many of these teams mentioned already. I’ll say this though the Jaguars will require some development but have a very enticing young core to build around.
Chiefs: I think this one is a pretty clear cut “Top 5” team candidate. Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Kelce, Edwards-Helaire, Hardman along with some nice defensive pieces make them a Day 1 contender for the entire cycle. Essentially all you have to do is draft defense, sign solid defensive free agents, and let the offense go to work. Without saying much about the beta, QB mobility from my viewpoint will be very cheesy.
Browns: Odell Beckham Jr, Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Grant Delpit, Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Baker Mayfield & quality impact players elsewhere make this an EASY “Top 5”. That’s the sort of Madden CFM team you dream about. I think this really goes without saying but given their recent success making it into the divisional round of the playoffs it should bode well for them to see some ratings boosts. You can go a lot of different directions with this squad & have a multitude of trade pieces that can improve your preferred side of the ball. Use the Connor Rice model for example, trade Nick Chubb & Kareem Hunt for additional draft capital or perhaps you don’t value a QB immensely & move on from Baker Mayfield.
Cardinals: Kyler Murray. Need I say more? Franchise QB from Day 1with blazing fast speed (91 in M21) & weapons on both sides of the ball. If you like to sling the rock, this is the perfect team. You have a core that includes Hopkins, Isabella, Kirk, Moore, & A.J. Green. You probably don’t even need all of that talent at WR & end up having trade capital from the jump… shout out Ben. Defensively you have several pieces that would be great to build around which includes Watt, Murphy, Baker, Simmons, Collins, Jones, & young safeties to develop. This roster has the perfect blend of speed and elite talent all over the field. Not to mention, you have some nice uniform combos to bring to the field on a weekly basis.
Jaguars: This is the one that I can see being closer to a “Top 10” selection as opposed to “Top 5” but I’ll make my case for the latter. You start off with probably the highest rated QB in Madden since Andrew Luck. He will without a doubt start off with either superstar or X-factor. In a league that is predominately pass first users this is a very enticing option. Not to mention, there are young players elsewhere to build around. Etienne Jr, James Robinson, DJ Chark Jr., Shenault Jr., TIM TEBOW, Myles Jack, Chaisson, CJ Henderson, & Shaquill Griffin is a great core. The underrated aspect of taking this team is you have a lot of cheap contracts relatively speaking that you won’t have to worry about for 3-4 seasons. Jersey combos are elite, stadium/weather is relatively consistent throughout the entire season as well. This is more of a work in progress team but after a couple seasons they will be an absolute threat. You could realistically compete with this roster from Day 1, shoutout Cody with the Bengals in Season 1.
Buccaneers: Chances are the Buccaneers are the best rated team in M22. Coming off of a Super Bowl victory & the cover athlete being Tom Brady you know he will come with a slew of solid abilities. The big question will be the QB position after the second full season of the cycle. Regression will surely hit your biggest asset. Then again, we saw Brady last what seemed to be 5 seasons in M21. You have threats all over the field & can compete without making a single signing/trade for a while. You start off with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Ronald Jones, Gronk, Brown & a solid OL. The more enticing side of the ball to build around core wise includes Vita Vea, Barrett, White, Winfield, Davis, Murphy-Bunting, and Jamel Dean. That’s quite the assembly of talent. Once again, underrated aspect of getting the Bucs is a solid uniform/stadium combo.
Honorable Mentions: Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, & San Francisco 49ers.
I can see this mixture of teams making a jump into the “Top 5” for a multitude of reasons. Chargers have the ROY Justin Herbert & the best uniforms in the league. The Cowboys are always seeming to get solid ratings in Madden, mixed with breakout opportunities (America’s team, gotta keep the fans happy). The Packers will have some OP QB abilities, 99 overall WR, elite DT, and elite DB. So I can see it where they make a jump based on that core alone. This is league that is predominately influenced by Patriots fans, surely a good portion of the league will want to build around Mac Jones & company. The Seahawks have Russell Wilson, that’s enough alone but couple that with DK Metcalf and you have fun offense on Day 1. I also think there momentum within the stadium will be a nice bonus to have. Based on the beta, the Titans have one of the best home field advantages & they have some elite talent all over the field. Lastly, the 49ers start off with a rookie QB, solid young core in the WR room, & Nick Bosa!
I know this was a lengthy article, hopefully you made it here. Let me know what you think!
Hero's Mock Draft
1. Los Angeles Rams
Needs : QB, TE, OL, DT
The Pick: Colton Pascoe, QB, San Diego State
Explanation: Trades away SS QB to get a more mobile QB that will have a good shot of either development trait or a season of pass heavy offense to get a dynamic dev. Kiing has done it before. Question really is? White or blue jerseys in the WC round.
Predicted Overall: 75 overall, SS dev
2. Washington Football Team
Needs :QB, OL, S, OLB
The Pick: Kenny McMillian, QB, Florida
Explanation: Kook likes a QB with a bit of mobility. McMillan offers that with a 4.51 40 time. It'll be a reach as he is considered a late 1st round talent but sometimes you just have to get your guy that you like.
Predicted Overall: 74, Normal Dev
3. Dallas Cowboys
Needs :DE, S, RB
The Pick: Dee Russell, WR, Missouri
Explanation: Taint said he will be going in for some reaches. Russell ran a 4.29 and makes the Cowboys passing attack even more lethal.
Predicted Overall: 71 overall, Normal Dev
4. Baltimore Ravens
Needs: LB, DT, G, CB
The Pick: Nazir Knight, DT, Michigan
Explanation: Ravens were reaching out to teams about DT's over the course of the offseason and get their guy at pick #4. Early 1st round talent, this seems like a no brainer.
Predicted Overall: 77, Star dev
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Needs: RB, LB, OL
The Pick: Ben Stoudemire, RB, Oklahoma
Explanation: Myles Sanders was shipped out of town, but is replaced with a better player. Stoudemire has the makings of a BL HOF if used correctly in philly. I agree with King here. 4.39 40 yard dash means Stoudemire could be one of the next 93/94+ speed running backs we have seen this cycle. Banyard and Boothe had 40 yard dash times much like his.
Predicted Overall: 78 overall, Star Dev
6. Minnesota Vikings
Needs :QB, LB, OL
The Pick: FS, Antonio Edwards, Boston College
Explanation: I think Bos takes the best DB available. He is known to user his safeties and Edwards comes out of college as an early first round talent who can immediately fulfill his itch to get another beast DB. I think he will be tempted to take one of the speedy WR's here or take the OLB that skipped the combine.
7. Los Angeles Rams
Needs: TE, OL, DT
The Pick: Jonathan Kirkpatrick, DT, Penn State
Explanation: As King stated, "Defensive Tackle is the last big need on this defense". This is the best DT available at pick 7. Makes sense to me for King.
Predicted Overall: 77, Normal Dev
8. Dallas Cowboys
Needs: DE, S, RB
The Pick: Jaron Stringer, DE, UCF
Explanation: Jason Stringer had the best combine of any DE. I think this pick makes a lot of sense for the Cowboys here but I wouldn't be shocked if they take Steven Halen or Dwayne Allen here.
Predicted Overall: 77, normal dev
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Needs: OL, OLB, S
The Pick: Steven Halen, MLB, Tennessee
Explanation: The Bucs were looking for another user LB prospect this offseason. Steven Halen dropped far but not outside of the top 10. Hard to pass on a MLB with a 4.50 40 yard dash.
Predicted overall: 75 overall, star dev
10. Dallas Cowboys
Needs: DE, S, RB
The Pick: Dwayne Allen, RB, UCF
Explanation: An aging Phillip Lindsay is the only thing the Dallas Cowboys have left in their back field. Being able to take Dwayne Allen will provide the Cowboys with a workhorse in the backfield, setting up deep shots to their explosive Wrs. Agree with King here.
11. Houston Texans
Needs: TE, DE, CB, S
The Pick: Martin Bigby, CB, Nevada
Explanation: Chap has a very old DB core and basically all normal dev's at that. I think taking the best CB in this draft makes a lot of sense. 7.2 combine grade ensures he is at a minimum 74/75 overall.
12. Detroit Lions
Needs: WR, DE, OLB
The Pick: Harold Lewis, DE, Tennessee
Explanation: The Lions man. They need help on the DL very very badly. They need a lot of things to be quite honest. I think this is step in the right direction for them without a doubt.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
Needs: QB, OL, DE
The Pick: Stanley Cohen, DE, Oregon State
Explanation: Stanley Cohen fits perfectly into the Pittsburgh 3-4 Defense and provides youth and upside to this dominant front 7. Agree with King here.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars
Needs: TE, S, OL
The Pick: Connor Hicks, TE, Notre Dame
Explanation: I think the Jaguars go with the best TE available in this draft right here. Makes a lot of sense given its one of their top 3 needs. Cam has a lot of picks to throw at this draft class and starts off with a bold move.
Overall Prediction: 75 overall, SS dev
15. Miami Dolphins
Needs: LB, CB, WR, OL
The Pick: Delvin Johns, WR, Boise State
Prediction: The first "Reach" in this draft but I beleive it is worth making for the Dolphins as it provides them with an unique weapon. Doom is a user that many respect and pairing his user with a fast receiver that needs development, in my mind, is the perfect fit. Agree with King here.
Overall Prediciton: 72 overall, normal dev
With the offseason around the corner, why not get the trade talk juices flowing. I think there are a few teams that will get very proactive this season both due to trying to get over the hump or because they joined the league with rosters that needed drastic changes/improvements. Also, I didn't really spell check/grammar check... so spare me.
Predicted Most Active Franchises This Offseason
1.) New York Jets
2.) Carolina Panthers
3.) Dallas Cowboys
Jets: This may come as no surprise as there has been continuous talk of the New York Jets needing a starting caliber running back and overall roster improvement in a lot of areas. Potential trade targets include Ezekiel Elliot, Derrius Guice, Philip Lindsay, Derrick Henry, and Edwards-Heliare. My prediction is a deal is struck for Elliot or Guice. Both 91+ speed HB’s with some legs left in their careers. Question becomes what is the market on some starting running backs with SS/XF development. I'd expect their first round pick to also be on the block to get a proven player to at least compete for the final seasons of M21.
Panthers: The ownership in Carolina has never been shy to make some bold moves. With their trade block being posted before the Wild Card round even really got going I believe this is a great indicator. My belief is they will be heavy in the market for a QB, HB, SS/XF WR. The defense in Carolina has stars all over and thus after two underwhelming finishes to the past two seasons they will make a bold move to get back in playoff contention. Completely capable of doing so may I add. Potential trade targets include Russell Wilson (shocker), Justin Herbert, and perhaps the comeback of Cole McDonald? My guarantee of the offseason is Jerry Jeudy will be in Carolina shortly after the SB. Steel has the defensive pieces to acquire a WR who had an underwhelming season and these two franchises have history working together.
Cowboys: This should come as no surprise, Taint/DealingDebts/Mateo is always making moves on the trade market. Season one run heavy Taint is long gone and for good reason after putting together an offense with THREE 95+ speed WR’s. I believe there has been some solid results from defensive minded teams this cycle and the Cowboys will look to improve even more on that side of the ball with a trade package that includes SS WR Gallup and Ezekiel Elliot. Perhaps this is enough to swing an impact player on the defensive line where the Cowboys have not ONE blinker. Shame.
Separate bonus content… First and foremost, let me start out with saying what a pleasure it is to be apart of the Better League. A group of guys with a passion for playing some virtual football. Big props to the admin team & content creators for keeping this league moving in the right direction continuously. This is by no means meant to take that away. All love.
Now, cue the Sanders Show Ryan remark. These sliders are DOG _ _ _ _! I kind of just wanted to put together a well thought out explanation for why we should move towards a slider adjustment sooner rather than later. Why wait until Madden 22 as previously? This article was sparked by just another absurdly 10-15 yard inaccurate pass by an 80+ overall QB.
We incorporated Reddit sliders after season one I believe and I think from the jump there was a good amount of opposition to the move mixed with a good amount of “Well let’s just give it a shot”. Few seasons have gone by and the chat is sporadically filled with slider talk. Quite honestly, I think most of us are tired of talking about it which made me second-guess writing this. But I felt it was necessary.
Here’s where I have a very passionate stance on why stock sliders are better suited for an already “sim mode” league. We incorporated sliders that way back when were tested by some analytic fella that may have achieved a better “real life/sim version of Madden”. If my research is correct, this set of sliders we started to utilize have since been adjusted with multiple versions based on patches, etc. That is truly where the problem lies. The analysis and research for this set of sliders was done at least 3 seasons ago and a number of EA/Madden patches ago. What does that imply? Well, our sliders were not necessarily built for adjustments that the devs were making but rather for the gameplay they disseminated with the game back in season one. Now of course, not everyone will agree with a change mid cycle… but I pose the question “Why the hell not?.
A hill I would be willing to die on every single time sliders are discussed, no video game is perfect. There is never going to be a perfect balance. There will always be the cheese plays/issues within gameplay. BUT, at the very least we could be playing on sliders that the developers are making adjustments to and move in the right direction as opposed to backwards because we aren’t making significant adjustments to our sliders. Even if we were to do so, we probably would just be taking a shot in the dark.
Here is what we get moving back to stock sliders SEASON FIVE… (my opinion at least)
1.) Consistent gameplay with H2H, other leagues, etc. (Sim may have some variation in animation, got it.)
2.) Gameplay updates in keeping with developer’s adjustments/patches.
3.) Ability to lab more effectively as opposed to playing an unique version of gameplay for just Better League.
4.) Records will be broken. This is natural in a CFM, because as much as you want to create SIM stats historical data would suggest records are consistently broken.
WE ARE BACK!
Upset of Week 8 goes to the... Los Angeles Rams. The second year Quarterback Levi Cason for the Los Angeles Rams had arguably one of his worst games in his career up to this point. He was 12/33 on pass attempts with 3 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. These costly mistakes let the Arizona Cardinals to finally get back into the win colum after a shocking 1-5 start. The Los Angeles Rams went into this game undefeated but proven time and time again turning the ball over can be extremely detrimental to success in the Better League. Oddly enough, Cam Akers once again performed at a Pro Bowl level which tends to lead to success but his 161 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns was simply not enought to make up for his QB's mistakes. Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Zach Bean was able to throw for 404 yards and 4 touchdowns on the day to provide more proof that he is the real deal after being taken number one overall. Maybe this is the turning point for the Cardinals as they push forward but it won't be easy at all as they face off against the Seahawks, Saints, Chiefs, and 49ers twice. It may be another season that proves to be disappointing after being the Season 1 NFC West Divisonal Champions.
Interestly enough, this game provides more data that would suggest divisional games can often times be far more difficult to win than those outside of the division. This season has proven time and time again the threat of playing someone familiar with your style of gameplay. Examples of losses/near losses are adding up and include players at all skill levels. Previous Super Bowl champs losing to the Browns two times, Giants losing to the Eagles for the first time this cycle, Saints falling down by 21 against the Falcons, and even the stacked Bears getting beat by the Vikings who had minimal success in previous seasons. Beware folks, those divisional foes are getting far more familiar with your go to plays and cover 3 beaters.
GM's/Owner's,
We are happy to announce our newest content... the upset of the week which we will recap each and every week for the rest of S3!
Upset of the Week: Philadelphia Eagles over the Jacksonville Jaguars, 33-23 road victory!
-Coming into this game most in the Better League would call the Eagles an automatic win including Jags owner on BL twitter but with two wins against current playoff teams seeding wise perhaps Coach Ryan has figured out the keys to success (not turning the ball over (7) times a game). The Eagles turned in their best season back in S1 with a 5-11 record and with several division games left in the NFC East they may be on the road to their best season yet. In a game with minimal turnovers compared to previous efforts by the QB1 in Philly they were able to go into Jacksonville and put the pressure on the Jags. A matchup that on paper would've suggested a load of interceptions to come turned into the truck stick/hit stick extravaganza as the Philadelphia Eagles had (3) forced fumbles with (1) additional turnover via the rooke QB Trent Kerr.
-Surely this will be a difficult loss for the Jags as they look to get back into the playoff race after a dissapointing S2 effort. The great news is they have matched their win total of S2 in (7) weeks already. Discussed on the BL Happy Hour, can this team win the AFC South and knock off the Colts? This is going to be a tough task if they drop winnable games moving forward. On a positive note, lots of criticism was thrown towards the QB1 decisions in Jacksonville but the rookie QB Trent Kerr did put forth a great effort. 300 passing yards and THREE touchdowns ain't too shabby!
Future Matchups:
-PHI: Bye Week. Full steam ahead to make some deadline deals perhaps? Sorry guys, Fletcher Cox has signed a 3 year extension so he's off the block most likely. After the bye week, Coach Ryan has a matchup with the Dallas Cowboys which could be the Eagles first chance at being .500 this cycle?
-JAX: Washington Football Team (4-2) are next up on the schedule. Big time bounce back game opportunity for Coach Cam and his Jaguars squad. Two playoff hopefuls will meet in Week 8 with their division leaders looking to pull away.
Vance. FW Alex the Great.
Behind an offense that has largely taken care of the ball with Daniel Jones at the QB1 position the New York Giants have started off 8-3. Notably only losing a lag fest and subsequently losing the other two games by only one score. It certainly has been a great help for them to have Saquon Barkley playing extremely well. Barkley sitting around 1,800 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns has made them a force to be reckoned with. But is that rushing attack enough? Perhaps Danny Dimes will need to stretch the field more come playoff time.
Which leads us to will this team compete come playoff time and make some noise? Currently in a 3 way tie with the other NFC powers for the #1 seed it will be mighty interesting to see who comes out with that bye.
With all of this on our minds going into the final 5 games of the season, we caught up with Coach/GM Austin Scott. In response to "How do you feel about your teams chances this year especially after some of what was send in the media before the season?"
“We believe in our gameplan. We believe in our personnel on both sides of the ball. We will lose the occasional regular season as you've seen. But when it comes playoff time we feel that we have the tools to be successful. They say a good rushing game and good defense will achieve success and I think we have that. I also think this final stretch of the season will be a good test. With a 4 game advantage in the division (thank you Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott) it will give us the opportunity to play a bit more loose and try some new things. Teams like the Seahawks, Browns, Cardinals certainly pose a legitimate but we are excited for the competition as stated".