EA Sports – Not Too High On Vikes
Okay, so I know the Madden video game has basically zero to do with the real game of football, but a lot of you out there have just as much fun playing the game as the purple and gold as you do actualy watching them play. ESPN recently released Madden’s individual player rankings for the NFC North.
Honestly, I’m not too sure what to think of these ratings, but I wasn’t pleased when I first saw them. Now I’m not a huge gaming buff, and maybe some of you out there could shed some light on this, but it appears Madden may have done an overhaul on their ratings system because most of the ratings seem quite low (and, no, I’m not just being a homer about it) especially when you compare the same players to last years ratings. Also, there are a few head scratchers, like these:
1. Chester Taylor has a ranking of only 78. A player that would be the starter on both the Lions and the Packers is somehow rated behind their current starters of Kevin Smith (80) and Ryan Grant (85). Even Tahi was able to get a 78.
2. Jim Kliensasser may not be a touchdown machine, but he’s a sure handed possession guy and one of the best blocking tight ends ever. Actually, in my opinion he should get most of the credit for any success that Bryant McKinnie has had at left tackle. However, Jimmy K’s rating of 75 and Big Mac’s rating of 90 shows how little credit is given to our most experienced tight end. Madden rates Kliensasser behind Visanthe Shiancoe, Greg Olson, Desmond Clark, and rookie Brandon Pettigrew.
3. The Vikings linebackers get no love. Greenway is rated at 83, Henderson rated at 80, and Leber rated at an astonishingly low 66. I don’t even know what to say about this.
4. How does Ryan Longwell only get a rating of 81 when Robbie Gould gets a 94 and Jason Hanson a 95. Longwell may not be as good as those two guys, but he’s closer than that.
Anyways, check out the ratings by clicking the link above and come back here to let me know what you think. Maybe I’m way off base, but I think the Vikings were stiffed a bit on these ratings. Though, the game is named after John Madden, so once Favre signs with the team then I bet every Viking will see their ratings go up to a 99.
This post has 4 comments
June 13th, 2009 at 11:51 am
That is so fucked up that Ben Leber is only a 66
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
They have overthrown the ratings system so that ‘elite’ players have more of an advantage rather then average players still being in the high 80s. So the ratings look harsher then they are. But yeah Lever at 66 is pretty nuts. But it does mean that running with Peterson against the new ‘weaker rated’ defences will be a blast.
September 12th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
I always play with the Vikings and am a huge fan.
But i always quit online and am currently 0-8.
I can’t get the ball past the 28 on a kickoff, Peterson fumbles about every 12 carries
Rush defense (set the single season record 3 years ago, and have been the #1 team against the rush past 3 years) has 2 out of 3 bars.
Even though Favre has one of the best deep throwing accuracy he is picked off about every 3-4 deep passes.
The worst of all though. I had it at the 14 yard line and was going to kick a FG. I made it but there was a holding penalty. This happened 3 more times until i finally missed a 50 something yarder (the penalty still occured but he declined it)
I always end up quitting before the game is over because the Vikes are the most underrated team on the game
September 12th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Tahi is great to do FB runs with though