Madden 20 Simulation Articles

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VirginiaCavs

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Madden 20 Simulation Predicts Patriots To Steamroll AFC East


Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Picks: Patriots To Win AFC East & Patriots 'Over' Wins


According to my Madden 20 simulation, the Pats easily won the AFC East. This result indicates that oddsmakers are correct to favor the Patriots to win the division and that bettors shouldn't overthink this future. Oddsmakers were also spot-on by setting New England's regular season win total at 11.5 wins. The Patriots exceeded the total by half a game.

The Patriots earned the NFL's best record at 12-4. They also prospered in one of the NFL's weakest divisions, going 5-1 against division rivals. The Bills finished second-place at 8-7-1 while the Dolphins and Jets each went 5-11.

Looking into the team, the offense revolved around Tom Brady. Despite his age, Brady proved to be one of the best. He finished fourth-best in the NFL in yards and threw 35 touchdowns to seven interceptions while completing 68 percent of his passes.

Brady was able to thrive without much run support. James White led the team with 891 yards, averaging 3.5 YPC. Brady's persistent arm strength and precision helped his team answer any questions at wide receiver. Benjamin Watson did a great job replacing the retired Gronk. He caught 91 passes for 959 yards. Julian Edelman, unsurprisingly, led the team with 1,032 yards.

New England's defense was also one of the best. It ranked first-place in the NFL in points allowed. Its star on defense was linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who produced 17 sacks, finishing third-best in the category behind L.A.'s Aaron Donald (17.5 sacks) and Cleveland's Myles Garrett (18 sacks). No other individuals really stand out in the Patriots' defense. It was mostly a great team effort.

Some notable results include New England stepping up against higher-profile opponents, on the one hand. It beat the Steelers 21-7 on opening day and blasted Philly 42-20 in Week 11.

On the other hand, the Pats suffered some surprising letdowns. They lost in Week 3 at home to the Jets, 34-40, in what was their worst defensive effort of the season. They also lost to the Giants at home in Week 6, 28-23. Their third loss was in Cincinnati in Week 16, 31-28. Their fourth loss came in a surprisingly low-scoring battle in Week 14 in Kansas City, 14-11.

The early-season loss is interesting because the Pats have grown notorious in recent years for struggling out of the gate. Last year, for instance, they started 2-2. Despite a couple late-season losses, they were never really in danger to lose the AFC's top seed.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Has Ravens Just Barely Winning AFC North

Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Picks: Ravens Win AFC North; Ravens "Over" Wins

According to my Madden 20 simulation, the AFC North proved to be one of the most competitive divisions. All four teams finished within two games of each other. Both Baltimore and Cleveland finished 9-7, but the Ravens won on a tiebreaker. Pittsburgh finished 8-8 and Cincinnati 7-9. Raven backers would have cashed in on the +300 odds offered by BetOnline. Baltimore also exceeded oddsmakers' regular season win total of eight by one game.

Looking into the squad, Baltimore's offense as a whole provided a big surprise. It ranked fifth in total yards gained, finishing ahead of higher-profile offenses like New England's, Atlanta's, and Green Bay's.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson was key. He developed into a prominent passer, although his throwing ability was a notable issue for him last year. Jackson threw for 4,181 yards and 36 touchdowns and completed 66 percent of his passes, compared to 58 percent last year. Apparently he forgot that he could scramble as even Tom Brady rushed for more yards!

Jackson enjoyed plenty of help from his pass catchers. As a rookie, Hollywood Brown proved to be a solid draft pick. He led the receiving crew in receptions, (87) yards, (1,041) and touchdowns (10). Willi Snead IV also exceeded the 1,000-yard mark.

Still, Baltimore was not without tremendous quality at running back. Former Saint Mark Ingram ran for 1,330 yards on 4.6 YPC. He broke 53 tackles and didn't fumble once. Ingram was truly a big addition because he had more than twice as many carries as Baltimore's second-leading rusher, who averaged only 3.1 YPC.

B-more's defense was about as effective as one would expect, ranking fifth in yards allowed per game. Linebacker Matthew Judon led the team with 10 sacks and cornerback Brandon Carr led it with six interceptions. Judon was also the team's second-leading tackler behind middle linebacker Kenny Young. Carr had 60% of the team's interceptions, helping Baltimore rank sixth in interceptions and fifth in passing yards allowed.

In terms of schedule, Baltimore's game-by-game results were remarkable for being so unremarkable. The Ravens took care of business against lesser competition while pulling zero shockers against stronger opponents. They were 8-0 against teams with an equal or lower posted (by oddsmakers) regular season win total and 1-7 against teams with a higher one. The most uneven result was a 41-14 loss in Week 3 at Kansas City.
 
Madden 20 Sim Has Jacksonville Returning To AFC South Dominance

Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Picks: Jaguars Win AFC South; "Over" Wins


According to Madden 20, Jaguar backers will be handsomely rewarded. They'll cash in on the +500 odds being offered by BetOnline if the Jags win the AFC South. Also, the Jags exceeded by 1.5 games the regular season win total set by oddsmakers at 7.5 games

Winning the division did not come easy: the tight race ended in a tiebreaker that Jacksonville won with Houston. Like Jacksonville, Houston finished with a 9-7 record, a half-game ahead of Indianapolis (8-7-1).

As one would expect, Jacksonville didn't succeed so much thanks to its offense. It finished int he bottom half in the NFL in yards per game. Nick Foles did prove to be a competent addition at quarterback, while he wasn't spectacular. He ranked 14th in yards while throwing 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Foles was heavily reliant on DeDe Westbrook and tight end James O'Shaughnessy. Both caught 84 passes while Westbrook led the whole receiving crew with 1,164 yards. The next pass-catcher after these two caught 28 fewer passes for 634 yards.

After a hugely disappointing 2018, Fournette was still Jacksonville's workhorse on the ground. But he didn't even reach 1,000 yards. He missed three games due to injury and averaged four YPC.

Unsurprisingly, Jacksonville's defense was its strength. It ranked top-10 in both yards and points allowed. Its run game was especially superb, ranking third in opposing rush yards. Interestingly, the team known as "Sacksonville" failed to feature an individual with even five sacks on the season. In the secondary, only Jalen Ramsey had multiple interceptions. But Jacksonville's defense evidently didn't need to force many turnovers.

In terms of their schedule, the Jags finally beat rival Tennessee, which swept them last year. In fact, they went 5-1 against division opponents, accounting for more than half their wins. Looking at other notable results, six of their seven losses came as the home. One loss was in their "second home" in London.

Moreover, historically, Jacksonville has been awful in the West Coast. For example, in 2017, the year of its last playoff run, two of its worst defensive efforts came in Arizona and San Francisco, respectfully. But this year, the Jags beat the Raiders. They didn't pull off any really shocking wins. But they did fall victim at home to the Jets and were blown out in Jacksonville by the Bucs.
 
Madden 20 Sim Predicts Chargers To Shock AFC West


Madden 20 Sim


NFL Pick: Chargers Win AFC West; Chargers "Over" Wins


My Madden 20 simulation offers a stern warning not to lay chalk with super-hyped favorite Kansas City to win the AFC West. The Chargers cashed in at +175 (according to BetOnline) to win the division. They finished well ahead of the 8-7-1 Chiefs. At 11-5, L.A. also exceeded by 1.5 games the regular season win total of 10 posted by oddsmakers.

Looking at the stats, L.A.'s team offense ranked barely better than middle-of-the-road in terms of yards per game and 18th in points.

In the passing game, Philip Rivers achieved statistics very similar to last year. He threw for 4,220 yards and 32 touchdowns to nine interceptions and completed 67 percent of his passes. Keenan Allen was again the star of the receiving crew, catching 75 passes for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns. Travis Benjamin and tight end Hunter Henry, for whom it was crucial to remain healthy this year, each exceeded 800 yards.

Running back Melvin Gordon, too, was healthy this time and accrued 1,182 on the ground on 4.1 YPC. Austin Ekeler was modest as a backup, averaging four YPC.

L.A.'s defense presented an interesting statistical anomaly, finishing 21st in yards allowed per game but second in points allowed. It was very much bend-but-not-break. The defensive ends formed the strength of the unit. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III both reached double-digit sacks. For all the pressure that they applied, the team only amassed five interceptions collectively.

The team stats hardly seem exciting for a team that easily won its division with a solid 11-win season. The point is that they found ways to win games. Five of their wins came by four points or fewer. Their biggest win was an 18-point one in Week 8 in Chicago.

That win also formed the start of an eight-game win streak that included victories over Green Bay by four, Kansas City by three, fellow division winner Jacksonville by three, and Minnesota by 10. In other words, eight of L.A.'s wins came from Week 8 to Week 16. Some of those games were grinders, some were higher-scoring. In the two games against Kansas City, which resulted in a split, KC actually lost the game in which Mahomes performed very well.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Says Hail To The Redskins


Madden 20 Simulation


NFL Pick: Redskins Win NFC East; Redskins "Over" Wins


My Madden 20 simulation promises a major cash-out for the bold and brave. The Redskins are +800 at BetOnline to win the NFC East and it was close -- Dallas finished a half-game behind at 9-7 -- but they did it. They also easily hit the "over" in wins. BetOnline is offering "over" 6.5 wins at +130 and the Skins finished 9-6-1.

After being rather anemic last year, Washington's offense progressed to seventh in yards per game. The simulation was apparently optimistic about Alex Smith's ability to play despite suffering a gruesome leg injury last season (I double-checked-- pre-existing injuries is set to "on"). He completed 63% of his passes for 4,220 yards and 33 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

It's hard to judge that kind of season my simulation saw in store for rookie Dwayne Haskins. He only attempted four passes and completed two for 23 yards.

The pride of Washington's offense was arguably its receiving crew. While no pass-catcher reached 1,000 yards, five different ones exceeded 500. Paul Richardson led the bunch with 924 yards and nine touchdowns. He and Josh Doctson caught over 70 passes. The Skins were relatively dependent on their tight ends as two of those pass-catchers were Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis. Both tight ends caught nine touchdowns combined.

One of those pass-catchers was running back Chris Thompson. He provided relative balance with Adrian Peterson in the ground game. Peterson led the group with 1,038 yards on 3.9 YPC.

Defensively, Washington was rather subpar, ranking average at best in yards and points allowed per game. No individuals really stood out -- cornerback Quinton Dunbar led the team with three interceptions and linebacker Jon Bostic had five sacks.

Looking at the schedule, Washington set a strong tone early, winning its first four games, which were in Philadelphia then against Dallas and Chicago and at the Giants. The rest of the schedule is pretty perplexing. The Skins lost at home to the 49ers and Jets, but won in Minnesota, in Green Bay in Week 14, and in Dallas to conclude the season.

That final win in Dallas was huge because it allowed the Skins to clinch their division. It was a shootout with a 37-32 score and it featured an efficient, interception-free passing performance from their quarterback which constituted a common thread in many of Washington's victories.
 
I wish in hindsight that i'd have manually benched Smith for Haskins lol. Didn't even think any simulation could put Washington atop the division lol
 
Madden 20 Sim Has Packers Bouncing Back To Win NFC North


Madden 20 Sim


NFL Picks: Packers Win NFC North; Packers "Over" Wins


Currently, BetOnline has the Packers and Bears at +190 to win the division and Minnesota at +200. But Madden 20's simulation of the upcoming season suggests that the NFC North won't be so competitive. Green Bay wins the NFC North with a comfortable two-game margin ahead of Chicago. Detroit and Minnesota were never competitive. By winning six more games than last year to go 12-4, the Packers also exceeded by three games the regular season win total of nine posted by oddsmakers.

Green Bay's defense was surprisingly good. Not Chicago, but the Packers allowed the fewest points in the division. In the NFL, Green Bay ranked fourth in both yards and points allowed, thereby achieving a considerable turnaround from last year and also more than realizing last year's bit of preseason hype.

Individually, a few different defenders stood out. Linebacker Za'Darius Smith and defensive end Dean Lowry achieved eight and seven sacks, respectively. Cornerback Josh Jackson led the team with three interceptions.

It was the defense, not the offense, that carried Green Bay. The latter ranked rather middle-of-the-road in terms of yards and points per game. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers contributed to this surprise, failing to reach 4,000 yards passing despite playing in every game. He was super efficient, though, throwing 37 touchdowns to nine interceptions and completing 67 percent of his passes.

Davante Adams' dominance was expected. He led Green Bay with 89 receptions. He nearly doubled Green Bay's second-most productive receiver in yardage, amassing 1,226, and he almost doubled Green Bay's second-best touchdown catcher by accruing 13 touchdowns.

On the ground, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams split the load, each carrying it 176 times. Neither reached even 700 yards nor four yards per carry. Their fantasy football performance was very touchdown-dependent with Jones rushing for 10 touchdowns and Williams seven.

Looking at the schedule, Green Bay suffered a rough opener, losing 38-22 in Chicago. But it went uphill from there as the Packers won their next seven games. During this span, they beat Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Kansas City. They held both the Eagles and Chiefs to fewer than 20 points. Most notably, Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes only managed 140 yards and threw zero touchdowns and one interception.

Its one surprising loss came in Week 14 to NFC East winner Washington. But otherwise, Green Bay took care of business against weaker opponents, while losing to respectable opponents like the Panthers and Chargers. It finished the season strong by avenging its earlier loss to Chicago, and beating both Minnesota and Detroit on the road.
 
Madden 20 Sim Has Saints Marching To Top Of NFC South


Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Picks: Saints Win NFC South; Saints "Over" Wins


According to my Madden 20 simulation, you should go ahead and lay the chalk with the Saints to win their division. It was close, though, with Carolina finishing one game behind. Despite winning the division, the Saints did not hit the "over" on the regular season win total of 10 posted by oddsmakers. They pushed at 10 wins. But with BetOnline offering the "over" at plus money, it's worth taking a shot on.

Offense was the key separating factor for New Orleans in the division. They amassed 424 points while second-place Carolina only scored 342 points. Compared to the rest of the NFL, New Orleans' offense ranked fifth in yards and seventh in points.

Passing formed the strength of the Saints' offense. They ranked first in passing yards but 12th-to-last in rushing. Ageless quarterback Drew Brees was spectacular with 4,729 yards. He threw 37 touchdowns to eight interceptions and completed 68 percent of his throws.

Crucial for Brees this year was to depend on a receiver besides Michael Thomas. Last year, New Orleans' second-leading receiver mustered only 427 yards. This year, Cameron Meredith caught 78 passes for 853 yards. Ted Ginn was also a strong third receiver, accruing 782 yards on 69 receptions. Michael Thomas, of course, led the receiving crew with 102 receptions for 1,372 yards and a ridiculous 16 touchdowns.

The Saints' offense thrived despite its rush attack. Alvin Kamara only played in seven games due to injury and ran for 460 yards. Latavius Murray led the bunch, despite rushing for 589 yards on 3.7 YPC.

Defense was New Orleans' weak spot. The Saints ranked eighth-to-last in most yards allowed per game and 14th in points. One individual did stand out: linebacker Demario Davis led the team with 92 tackles and seven pass deflections.

Looking at the schedule, it was crucial for New Orleans to go 5-1 in its division. The one loss came in a Week 13 nail-biter in Atlanta. The Saints didn't really suffer any losses that one could consider "bad," with the one exception being to San Francisco at home. That loss was part of a three-game losing streak from Weeks 13 through 15 that formed New Orleans' worst stretch in the season and a worrying one that could have reminded fans of the way in which New Orleans limped into the playoffs last year before losing to the Rams. The Saints also needed overtime to beat Arizona.

The Saints were 5-3 both at home and on the road. Their most impressive wins came versus Houston and in Seattle and Carolina. They didn't beat their toughest opponents, losing to the Rams, Bears, Colts in sum every team that made the playoffs last year besides Houston. But New Orleans took care of business against almost all weaker opponents, the ones with a lower posted regular season win total.
 
Madden 20 Sim Has 49ers Stunning The NFC West


Madden 20 Simulation


NFL Picks: 49ers Win NFC West; 49ers "Over" Wins


Per my Madden 20 simulation, San Francisco handsomely rewards its backers who had the courage to invest in the NFC West's second-least favored team. BetOnline has the 49ers at +500 to win their division and they finished 9-7, a game ahead of second-place Seattle. San Francisco also exceeded by half a game the win total of 8.5 set by oddsmakers.

Offensively, the 49ers weren't so much powerful as opportunistic. They ranked 20th in yards per game, but 10th in points.

Passing-wise, Jimmy Garoppolo enjoyed a healthy season. He eclipsed 4,000 yards and accrued 32 touchdowns, while also throwing 13 interceptions and completing 60 percent of his passes. He didn't have a receiver eclipse 1,000 yards. Dante Pettis led pass-catchers with 862 yards on 84 receptions. Tight end George Kittle was right behind him in both stats. But, given his size, he was a superior red zone target and caught nine touchdowns. No other 49er receiver caught even 50 passes or reached 600 yards.

The ground attack featured Tevin Coleman, who rushed 282 times, 234 more times than San Fran's second-most frequent rusher. Coleman reached 1,000 yards, but averaged only 3.6 YPC. Jerick McKinnon was a force on the goal-line, achieving five touchdowns on only 48 carries.

Defensively, the 49ers were stout, ranking fourth in yards allowed per game. Their strength was pass defense, which ranked first in opposing yards and tied for first in interceptions. Cornerback Richard Sherman bounced back from his being a non-factor last season to easily lead the team with seven interceptions, nearly half of the team total. He also produced 11 pass deflections, five more than any other teammate. San Fran's secondary was supported by a powerful pass rush anchored by left end Dee Ford. The former Chief accrued 12.5 sacks, 5.5 more than defensive tackle Arik Armstead.

Looking at the schedule, San Francisco did most of its damage away from home. It finished 6-2 on the road, most impressively winning in New Orleans and in Seattle. At home, its best wins came against Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Those two wins also capped a 4-0 start to the season. Half-way through the season, San Francisco was sitting pretty at 7-1.

The second half of the season was a different story with the 49ers going 2-6. They lost four games in a row from Week 10 to Week 13, somehow losing to Arizona (at home, no less) and getting blown out 42-14 in Baltimore.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Sees Huge Disappointment In Minnesota


Madden 20 Simulation


NFL Picks: Vikings "Under" Wins; Vikings Finish Fourth Place In Division


After finishing 8-7-1 last year and with oddsmakers posting an over/under regular season win total of nine games, expectations could be high in Minnesota. But according to my Madden 20 simulation, the Vikings underwhelmed enormously. They finished 4-12, easily hitting the "under" in wins. Also, they ended the season four games behind Detroit in the division, thus cashing the +650 posted at BetOnline for them to place last in the division.

One Viking who took a step back was quarterback Kirk Cousins. He failed to reach 4,000 yards for the first time in his career as starter. He threw 28 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and completed a career-worst 58 percent of his passes.

Pass protection is one place where Cousins could point his finger. Two Viking offensive linemen ranked in the top-four in sacks allowed. Overall, he was sacked 41 times, which approximately corresponds to last season's league average.

Otherwise, his receiving crew looked steady with Laquon Treadwell stepping up to have a career -best year and Stefon Diggs leading the team with 68 receptions, 885 yards, and nine touchdowns. Dalvin Cook was the core of Minnesota's running game, rushing 228 more times than Minnesota's next running back and accruing 1,159 yards on 4.1 YPC.

Cousins, though, was simply very bad. More than his offensive line and the lack of a second running back to replace Latavius Murray, he does the most to explain why the Vikings ranked eighth-to-last in both yards gained and points scored.

Defensively, Minnesota was also a disappointment, ranking bottom-10 in both yards and points allowed. Cornerbacks Holton Hill and Xavier Rhodes each mustered two interceptions and left end Danielle Hunter led the team with five sacks.

Looking at the schedule, it didn't take long for trouble to brew. The Vikings lost their first three games. After winning in Chicago, they lost their next four to move to 1-7. Their most disappointing losses came at home to Oakland, in Detroit, and at home to Washington. From Weeks 8 through 13, they enjoyed their best stretch of the season, winning in Kansas City, Dallas, and Seattle. But they lost their last four games including at home to Detroit, at the Chargers, and at home to Green Bay and each time by double digits.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Has Rams Laying A Dud


Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Picks: Rams "Under" Wins & Rams Finish Fourth Place In Division


After finishing 13-3 and making it to the Super Bowl last year, the Rams will take a huge step back this season, according my Madden 20 simulation. L.A. wins only six games and finishes last in its division, a game below last year's worst team, Arizona. As a result, the "under" in the Rams' regular season win total cashes easily because oddsmakers posted an over/under of 10 games. The big jackpot that cashes is in the +2500 odds for L.A. to finish last in the NFC West.

L.A.'s offense is largely responsible for its regression. Last year, the Rams scored 527 points, more than any other team in the NFC. This year, the Rams score 384 points, second-fewest in its division behind San Francisco and Seattle. Interestingly, the Rams finished among league leaders in total yards and red zone efficiency. But they were middle-of-the-road in third down and ninth-worst in fourth down conversion percentages.

Quarterback Jared Goff regressed majorly, failing to reach 4,000 yards after throwing for 4,688 last year. He threw 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions and completed 62 percent of his passes. Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods were his most reliable receivers with each one exceeding 75 receptions, 800 yards, and catching six touchdowns. Todd Gurley was great in the ground attack, rushing for 1,438 yards on 5.2 YPC and rushing for 14 touchdowns.

Defensively, the Rams finished around average in yards allowed, but sixth-worst in points allowed. Their biggest weakness was the pass rush, which ranked eighth-to-last in sacks. Left end Michael Brockers led the team with eight sacks but no other Ram had five.

Looking at the schedule, inconsistency in scoring helps explain why the Rams could amass so many yards but struggle in overall scoring. For example, they opened with a 24-13 loss in Carolina before scoring 31 points in a win versus New Orleans. L.A. tended to score a lot in its victories, but there weren't many of them.

L.A. alternated wins and losses until Week 7, when it beat Atlanta after beating the 49ers. After Week 7, the team falls apart, losing six of its next seven games, including a 31-13 debacle versus Chicago in Week 11 and a nail-biting defeat in Week 13 in Arizona. The Rams cemented their last-place finish in the division by losing again to Arizona in its season finale at home. In that game, Kyler Murray exceeded Goff in yardage, 294 to 214.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Has Chucky's Raiders Killing Expectations

Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Pick: Raiders "Over" Wins; Raiders Finish Third In Division


According to my Madden 20 simulation, the Raiders quickly put their 4-12 season behind them. By finishing 7-8-1, they improved so strongly as to exceed the regular season win total of six games set by NFL oddsmakers. At BetOnline, you can get the "over" six wins at + money. In finishing 7-8-1, they finished in third place in their division, one game behind the Chiefs, thus cashing in the +200 offered at BetOnline.

Vastly more efficient quarterback play forms a big part of Oakland's improvement. Last season, Derek Carr failed to achieve a two-to-one ratio in touchdowns to interceptions. In my simulation, he throws 32 touchdowns to only five interceptions.

Having Antonio Brown obviously helped. He leads Oakland receivers with 1,008 yards. While he displayed his big-play ability, Carr still spread the wealth to guys like former Charger Tyrell Williams, who led Raider receivers with 72 reception. Former Colt Ryan Grant is the other Raider receiver who exceeded 50 receptions and 800 yards.

Interestingly, Carr thrived despite having very little support from the ground attack. Jalen Richard led Oakland running backs with 205 yards on 3.1 YPC. Another weird statistic is that the Raiders do not kick a single field goal. Instead, they attempted the third-most fourth down attempts.

Defensively, controversial linebacker Vontaze Burfict turns out to be a tremendous addition. He stays healthy and leads the team with 9.5 sacks, three-and-a-half more than any other teammate. Fellow linebacker Brandon Marshall was arguably the defensive MVP, accruing 111 solo tackles, at least 28 more than any other teammate.

From the schedule, it becomes apparent why the team's defensive statistics are so misleading. When the Raiders lost, like in Week 2 to Kansas City and Weeks 7 and 8 to Green Bay and Houston, they tended to give up a ridiculous amount of points -- over 35 to all three aforementioned opponents.

In other words, their defense was inconsistent in an overall statistical sense. But looking at the quality of offenses faced, the pattern becomes obvious. In wins against teams like Denver and Tennessee that ranked bottom-10 in points scored per game last season, they gave up 20 points or fewer.

Those two losses to Green Bay and Houston formed part of a four-game losing streak, easily Oakland's worst stretch of play in the year. But the Raiders proceeded to enjoy a 3-0-1 run, tying the Chiefs and taking care of business against the Bengals, Jets, and Titans. They then lost a nail-biter against the rival Chargers before shutting down Denver once again.
 
Hehe I literally only did the Raiders so that I could let Chucky make some new friends. I wonder how this will be received.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Has Baker Mayfield Emerging As MVP


Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Pick: Baker Mayfield MVP


Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has been the subject of talk as a realistic MVP candidate. At BetOnline, he's currently listed at +1200 to win the award, tied with Aaron Rodgers, below Carson Wentz and last year's winner Patrick Mahomes, and ahead of both Drew Brees and Tom Brady.

Given the proven ability of Brees and Brady, listing Mayfield ahead of them seems flattering. But my Madden 20 simulation agrees with the hype and has Mayfield rewarding his backers by winning the MVP award.

Twice Mayfield finished as the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 6 against Seattle, he went 23 of 32 (71.8%) with 208 yards and five touchdowns. In Week 15 in Arizona, he's 25-for-38 (65.7%) for 354 yards and three touchdowns. I consider his most impressive performances to have come against Baltimore's top-notch secondary that ranked second in opposing passer rating last year and added safety Earl Thomas. He led Cleveland to two wins against Baltimore. The Browns scored over 40 points in each game with Mayfield amassing seven touchdowns to one interception.

On the season, Mayfield finished 364 for 516 (70%) with 4,266 yards and a ridiculous 46 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Compared to last season, he threw for 500 more yards and 17 more touchdowns while getting picked off five fewer times. The 46 touchdowns is a league-best and ties Drew Brees for sixth-most in a season.

Newcomer Odell Beckham proves helpful to Mayfield. He led all receivers with 961 yards and accrued 78 receptions. Jarvis Landry was right behind him with 968 yards and he led the team with 88 receptions. Mayfield also spread the wealth with Antonio Callaway and tight end David Njoku eclipsing 60 receptions and 700 yards. Callaway led the team with 12 touchdowns. Landry had eight and Beckham nine.
 
Yea I think an ounce of realism is needed for humor. Like Raiders having zero field goals is just absurd lol
 
Madden 20 Simulation Has Tampa Bay As The Worst Team


Madden 20 Simulation

NFL Pick: Buccaneers "Under" Wins


According to Madden 20 on my PS4, Tampa Bay finishes the regular season as the team with the league's worst record -- 1-15. The Bucs finish six games behind Atlanta for third place in the NFC South, thus cashing the -150 odds for them to finish last in their division. Also, the "under" in regular season wins hits easily as oddsmakers have posted an over/under of 6.5 wins.

On offense, the Bucs finished last in the division and third-to-last in the NFL in scoring 18.4 points per game. In terms of yards per game, they were second-to-last in the NFL. After finishing second in yards last year, this change represents a huge regression that probably has Tampa Bay fans calling for the head of new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

This year, quarterback Jameis Winston played in every game. But this continuity didn't help him become any more efficient. He completed only 57 percent of his passes, accumulating 3,840 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Wide receiver Mike Evans was a rare bright spot. He led Tampa Bay pass-catchers with 935 yards, 280 more than any of his teammates, and with six touchdowns. Chris Godwin added 65 receptions, six fewer than Evans, but averaged 9.7 YPC. Little support came from the ground game with Peyton Barber producing 387 yards on 3.3 YPC.

Defensively, the Bucs weren't any better. They ranked dead-last in the league in yards allowed and fourth-to-last in points allowed. Individually, linebacker Carl Nassib led the team with four sacks. In the secondary, Vernon Hargreaves III led Tampa with four interceptions. But no other Buccaneer had more than one interception.

Looking at the schedule, it seemed for a while as if Tampa Bay were to spare Cleveland the historic misery of being the most recent team to go 0-16. The Bucs lost their first 14 games. Initially the offense suffered. In their first two losses, against San Francisco and Carolina, they failed to exceed 10 points. Then, when they managed to score some points, their bad defense was on display as they somehow allowed the Giants to score 37 points in a six-point in defeat. Next, in Week 4, both bad offense and bad defense led to a 31-6 loss against the Rams.

After a mix of blowouts and seven-point losses, Tampa Bay enjoyed its "best" stretch of the year from Weeks 12 through 16. They lost to Atlanta, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and Detroit by four points or fewer. Then, they shocked Houston by two touchdowns for their first win of the season. To conclude the season, Atlanta pummeled them 42-20.
 
Madden 20 Simulation Expects Surprisingly Little From Kansas City


Madden 20 Simulation


NFL Picks: Chiefs "Under" 10.5 Wins; Chiefs Finish Second In Division


After making it to the AFC Championship last year and being so close to beating New England, expectations were high for the Chiefs, for whom oddsmakers posted a regular season win total of 10.5. According to my Madden 20 simulation, the Chiefs finish well under this total with eight wins. They were 8-7-1 and finished second in their division ahead of Denver and Oakland, thus cashing in the +200 odds for them to finish second in the AFC West.

Patrick Mahomes was the centerpiece of Kansas City's offense last year. He went off the charts, exceeding 5,000 yards in passing while throwing 50 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. This year, he falls back down to Earth, accumulating 4,278 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was slightly less efficient with a 65 percent completion rate and threw three fewer interceptions.

Mahomes can hardly blame his wide receivers for his regression. Tyreek Hill tied for the team lead with 78 receptions and lead Chief pass-catchers with 1,018 yards. Tight end Travis Kelce tied Hill in receptions and utilized his size to be Mahomes' favorite red zone target. He led the team with nine receiving touchdowns. Former gator Demarcus Robinson has a career year, finishing second in both receptions and yards, right behind Hill.

Moreover, Damien Williams was effective for Kansas City's ground attack. He was its centerpiece with 251 rush attempts, 238 more than any other Chief running back. He exceeded 1,000 yards on 4.1 YPC. So, Mahomes had a strong support crew. But he simply was a bit more human.

Looking at the defense, the Chiefs continued to be known for having a strong pass rush. Former Saint Alex Okafor proved to be a huge addition at defensive end, leading the team with eight sacks. Defensive tackle Chris Jones was right behind Okafor with 7.5 sacks. In the secondary, safety Tyrann Mathieu was the only Chief with multiple interceptions -- he had three.

Considering the schedule, the Chiefs enjoyed a strong start to the season with a 5-1 record. In those five wins, the defense held its opponent to fewer than 20 points. But KC's defensive inconsistency held the team back. In Week 7, for example, KC lost to Denver, which scored 35 points.

That Week 7 defeat began a rough stretch for Kansas City, a three-game losing streak that sent it to 5-4 after losing by more than a touchdown to Denver, Green Bay, and Minnesota. In the latter two losses, the Chiefs' offense sputtered with 24 points combined. Division rivals gave Kansas City a lot of trouble in the last stretch of the season. The Chargers won in Week 11, the Raiders managed a tie in Week 13, and Denver beat KC a second time in Week 15.
 
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