EA Sports’ Madden series is one of the most sophisticated sports simulators on the market today. The game rates every player individually using a list of attributes, ranks the teams using a variety of factors, and updates itself online with the most current rosters and stats available. So basically it is just like most of the football experts on TV, but it actually knows what it’s talking about.
Here at DT we like football. We also like video games. With Madden 25, it’s a bit like chocolate meeting peanut butter. With the NFL season underway this week, we decided to see just how smart Madden really was.
Madden 25 didn’t predict that Peyton Manning would throw seven touchdowns, but who did?
We’ll post our picks every Saturday, which means the Thursday game each week will be something of a control. This week, for example, Madden picked Denver to easily beat Baltimore, 34 to 20. The Broncos won that game 49 to 27. Madden 25 didn’t predict that Peyton Manning would throw seven touchdowns, but who did? It got the winner and called that it would be a big win. It even had Manning as the top QB of the week, so it was a respectable first outing for the game.
So go ahead and sleep in on Sunday, and be sure to set your Fantasy Football Lineups accordingly. Oh, and if you are a Vikings fan and Madden 25 is right, you’re in for a rough season (see the injury report below…).
Week 1 Results:
League Leaders
Quarterbacks
| Peyton Manning: 337 Passing Yards, 2TD |
| Andy Dalton: 316 Passing Yards, 3 TD 1 INT |
| Chad Henne: 284 Passing Yards, 3 TD 1 INT |
| Matt Ryan: 282 Passing Yards, 2TD |
| Drew Brees: 282 Passing Yards, 1TD |
Wide Receivers
| Wes Welker: 182 Receiving Yards, 2TD |
| AJ Green: 140 Receiving Yards, 1 TD |
| Torrey Smith: 128 Receiving Yards, 1 TD |
| Julio Jones: 124 Receiving Yards |
| Cecil Shorts: 116 Receiving Yards, 1 TD |
Running Backs
| LeSean McCoy: 174 Rushing Yards, 1TD |
| Frank Gore: 162 Rushing Yards, 1TD |
| Matt Forte: 114 Rushing Yards, 2TD |
| Reggie Bush: 113 Rushing Yards, 1 TD |
| Darren Sproles: 108 Rushing Yards, 1TD |
Injuries
| Carson Palmer: QB, 5 weeks with a Hamstring Tear |
| Ryan Matthews: HB, 4weeks torn knee cartilage |
| Ryan Tennehill: QB, 5 weeks dislocated ankle |
| James Jones: WR, 4 weeks pulled groin |
| Michael Jenkins: WR, 4 weeks broken hand |
| Christian Ponder: QB, 6 weeks dislocated hip |
| Kyle Randolph: TE, 4 weeks broken jaw |
Week 1 Game Results
Thursday Night Game
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| Denver – 34 | Baltimore – 20 | Denver – 49 | Baltimore – 27 |
Sunday Games
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| Buffalo – 24 | New England – 6 | Buffalo – 21 | New England – 23 |
| Pittsburgh – 23 | Tennessee – 15 | Pittsburgh – 9 | Tennessee – 16 |
| New Orleans – 36 | Atlanta – 33 | New Orleans – 23 | Atlanta – 17 |
| Tampa Bay – 26 | New York Jets – 16 | Tampa Bay – 17 | New York Jets – 18 |
| Kansas City – 24 | Jacksonville – 21 | Kansas City – 28 | Jacksonville – 2 |
| Seattle – 28 | Carolina – 6 | Seattle – 12 | Carolina – 7 |
| Chicago – 34 | Cincinnati – 21 | Chicago – 24 | Cincinnati – 21 |
| Cleveland – 16 | Miami – 10 | Cleveland – 10 | Miami – 23 |
| Detroit – 24 | Minnesota – 20 | Detroit – 34 | Minnesota – 24 |
| Indianapolis – 34 | Oakland – 12 | Indianapolis – 21 | Oakland – 17 |
| San Francisco – 34 | Green Bay – 10 | San Francisco – 34 | Green Bay – 28 |
| St. Louis – 24 | Arizona – 7 | St. Louis – 27 | Arizona – 24 |
| New York Giants – 25 | Dallas – 7 | New York Giants – 31 | Dallas – 36 |
Monday Night Games
| Madden Result | Actual Result | ||
| Philadelphia 31 | Washington 17 | Philadelphia – 33 | Washington – 27 |
| Houston 33 | San Diego 3 | Houston – 31 | San Diego – 28 |
Final Tally: Madden 25 correctly predicted 11 games, and was wrong 5 times.
