With time ticking away until the release of Madden 09, many football gamers are ready to attack the latest version of Madden. Some are playing the Madden 09 demo; others are trying to finish off that last season in their franchise in Madden 08; then there are many more looking through their favorite team’s roster anticipating what trades they’ll make when they get the game; and there are even some others trying to figure out who they should run their Madden franchise with in 09. Today, I’m going to run down the list of five teams that need to be considered if you’re looking for a team to run with in your franchise.

...so if you’re one of the people that is looking for a challenge then Miami is the place for you.

Dolphins: If you’re making a list like this you have to have Miami on it. The idea of taking a team from worst to first appeals to many people, so if you’re one of the people that is looking for a challenge then Miami is the place for you. This is a team that has holes that need to be filled at nearly every position -- especially after an off-season where Zack Thomas and Jason “twinkle toes” Taylor were banished from the roster. My guess is it would be tough for most non-Dolphin fans to even name a member of the team. The most obvious name is Bill Parcells, and he’ll be the biggest reason for any sort of turn around the Dolphins make, but in Madden 09 he’s not going to be able to help you get any more wins. I’m sure that with the Tuna at the helm, next year the Dolphins will be much improved, so this could be the year to try to make a run with them before he starts to work his magic and gives you an improved roster.

More often than not if you’re a Madden fan, what you enjoy most about the game is offense, and this team is ready to score some points for you

Cardinals: It seems like for the last three years the Cardinals have been the sexy pick in the NFL to be the breakout team, yet they still haven’t managed to work their way into the playoffs. Maybe you could give them the helpful nudge they need. More often than not if you’re a Madden fan, what you enjoy most about the game is offense, and this team is ready to score some points for you with Leinart as a young solid QB, Boldin and Fitzgerald at the receiving positions, and James giving you one-or-two years of production before you need to look for a new HB in free agency or the draft. The defense isn’t horrible, but there is certainly need for improvement, so if you’re looking for a team to rebuild, but don’t want as big of a mess as the Dolphins then the Cardinals might be a good choice.

The Bears are one of the most unique teams in the NFL because they seem to have decided that special teams and defense are enough to win.

Bears: The Bears are one of the most unique teams in the NFL because they seem to have decided that special teams and defense are enough to win. This has led them to spend their money to keep certain talent while not doing much of anything on offense. The Bears are almost the complete opposite of the Cardinals. A team that you can take over if you’re looking for a not-quite-rebuilding-project, but instead of the ready-made offense you’ll have a stellar defense and have to struggle for points in the years while you search for some playmakers on offense -- or you could just trade for Brett Favre and everything will be fine.

However, this is a video game so you don’t actually have to worry about the wrath, or lack of logical thinking of Al Davis...

Raiders: Sure, if you were out looking for a real NFL-coaching job this would be a place that you want to stay as far away as possible from. However, this is a video game so you don’t actually have to worry about the wrath, or lack of logical thinking of Al Davis, so the Raiders might be an appealing place to land. They’ve had the worst record in the NFL since the time of their Super Bowl appearance in 2003; but with the young nucleus of talent of Russell and McFadden on offense, and a defense sporting some of the best corner and linebacking groups in the game, they are team poised for a possible breakout -- at least if you’re controlling them in Madden.

If you’re looking for a team that doesn’t have to go through a rebuilding process the Cowboys are your team

Cowboys: The Cowboys are loaded with talent and ready to win now. If you’re looking for a team that doesn’t have to go through a rebuilding process the Cowboys are your team. They’re not the Patriots, but they're also not a team that has to go undefeated in order to improve upon last season. The bizarre fact that the Cowboys have not won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl win in 1996 has helped them to be the talented team to make this list. Someone has to find a way to get this team a win in the playoffs; loaded with talent on both offense and defense this team should be entertaining to play with, so get your popcorn ready.

Anyway, who are you picking for your franchise and why?