|
This week and every week for the remainder of the NFL season, we will bring you weekly game predictions courtesy of EA Sports’ Madden NFL 25. Our methodology: Each week we will update the rosters using the game’s roster download feature to make sure the game lineups reflect the real teams, then we’ll simulate the week’s match-ups using the Franchise Owner mode. We’ll record the simulation’s scores, its best players of the week, and the injury reports, then post these results each Saturday. This makes the Thursday game something of a litmus test (Madden 25 is 3-0 so far this season on Thursday games) – you can use this info for fantasy or gambling purposes. Or you can ignore it entirely. What does Madden know about football, anyway? |
If Madden ever becomes self-aware, we may be in trouble. Last week was the game’s best yet in terms of accuracy, scoring an 11-4 record. In several instances it even managed to predict whether a game would be close or a blowout – it was a wee bit off on the simulated 96 combined points in a Patriots blowout over the Falcons, but if it wasn’t for a late 10-point rally by Atlanta, the real game would have been only 5 points off from the predicted 22 point deficit. If Madden could take itself to Vegas and place bets, with a 73-percent success rate we’d all be working for it in no time.
This week’s picks don’t feature any record shattering performances like the Patriots/Falcons prediction, but Madden 25 is apparently feeling a little bit saucy. Nine games are predicted to be decided by more than 10 points, and six of those are picked to be won by 20 points or more. Perhaps in its newfound predicting glory, Madden has lost the taste for sympathy.
Regardless of the blowout predictions, Madden has quietly managed to accurately predict some of the biggest NFL stories of the year. It has consistently picked Denver’s offense to do well thanks to an incredible season from Peyton Manning, it has predicted the resurgent Chiefs to win week after week, and it saw the holes in the New York Giants that have left them winless so far.
Week 5 League Leaders:
Quarterbacks
| Aaron Rodgers: 408 yards 4 TD |
| Peyton Manning: 319 yards 2 TD |
| Philip Rivers: 327 yards 2 TD |
| Michael Vick: 318 yards 2 TD |
| Alex Smith: 285 yards 3 TD |
Wide Receivers
| Wes Welker: 131 yards 2 TD |
| Larry Fitzgerald: 128 yards 1 TD |
| Dez Bryant: 115 yards 1 TD |
| Anquan Boldin: 109 yards 2 TD |
| Marques Colston: 105 yards 1 TD |
Running Backs
|
Arian Foster: 138 yards 2 TD |
| Ray Rice: 132 yards 3 TD |
| Steven Jackson: 129 yards 2 TD |
| Marshawn Lynch: 121 yards 1 TD |
| Maurice Jones-Drew: 108 yards 2 TD |
Injuries
| Matt Forte (HB): 4 weeks Dislocated Hip |
| LeSean McCoy (HB): 4 weels Dislocated ankle |
| Jermichael Finley (TE): 7 weeks Upper arm fracture |
| Plaxico Burress (WR): 6 weeks Broken wrist |
Week 5 Game Results
Thursday Night Game
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| Buffalo: 20 | Cleveland: 13 | Buffalo: 24 | Cleveland: 37 |
Sunday Games
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| New England: 19 | Cincinnati: 9 | New England: 6 | Cincinnati: 13 |
| Green Bay: 42 | Detroit: 10 | Green Bay: 22 | Detroit: 9 |
| Seattle: 36 | Indianapolis: 13 | Seattle: 28 | Indianapolis: 34 |
| Baltimore: 45 | Miami: 14 | Baltimore: 26 | Miami: 23 |
| New Orleans: 26 | Chicago: 20 | New Orleans: 26 | Chicago: 18 |
| Philadelphia: 37 | NY Giants: 7 | Philadelphia: 36 | NY Giants: 21 |
| Kansas City: 34 | Tennessee: 23 | Kansas City: 26 | Tennessee: 17 |
| St. Louis: 22 | Jacksonville: 16 | St. Louis: 34 | Jacksonville: 20 |
| Arizona: 23 | Carolina: 20 | Arizona: 22 | Carolina: 6 |
| Denver: 34 | Dallas: 17 | Denver: 51 | Dallas: 48 |
| San Diego: 38 | Oakland: 7 | San Diego: 17 | Oakland: 27 |
| Houston: 29 | San Francisco: 26 | Houston: 3 | San Francisco: 34 |
Monday Night Game
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| Atlanta: 30 | NY Jets: 3 | Atlanta: 28 | NY Jets: 30 |