Madden NFL 10 Ratings: Who Got Hosed, Who Lucked Out
Submitted on: 08/03/2009 by
Richard Chavez
Madden ratings are not an exact science. For that simple reason, they will be disputed every year until the next version of the game comes out. So with that in mind, it’s time to play the ratings game.
Shaun Hill - 69
Shaun Hill is an undrafted 29-year-old QB out of Maryland that has played in fewer games during his career than last season’s flock of rookies. Yet surprisingly enough, he had great numbers in about half a season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2008. This year he still has the ageless Isaac Bruce and the steal of the 2009 draft, Michael Crabtree.
He’s not on the level of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but Shaun Hill is more than serviceable at this point in his career. That 69 overall rating he received will be bumped up after a few weeks of action.
Matt Leinart - 62
Vince Young - 68
Remember these two? They went from being in the 2006 Rose Bowl to being the future faces of the NFL a year later. Their careers have interesting symmetry, Leinart in Arizona and Young in Tennessee. After all the college hype, both of them are now sitting on the pine watching Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins succeed -- those two aged-wonders are now also locked into contracts for the next two years. By the time Collins and Warner go by the wayside, Leinart and Young will be 28, essentially in the physical prime of careers that have hardly begun.
Barring injury or complete collapse, each of these young quarterbacks will be holding clipboards through at least this season. But they are still quality quarterbacks that I’m sure a QB-starved team would take a chance on in a heartbeat. They’re certainly no worse off behind the helm than the current crop of rookies.
Jason Campbell - 77
Jason Campbell deserves better than this. Campbell really came into his own in his first complete season as starting QB for the Washington Redskins. He didn’t throw that many touchdowns (13), but he didn’t throw that many to the other team either (6). He’s not Drew Brees, but he’s also not Brett Favre circa 2008 either. Jason Campbell is better than the above-average backup QB rating he received. He’s a solid young quarterback with loads of potential and an improving team around him.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 91
T.J. Houshmandzadeh recently said he would boycott Madden until his rating was bumped up, blaming the offense in Cincinnati for his woes. But I don't really know what he's complaining about, because he should thank his lucky stars he’s even close to that overall number.
He can point the finger at whomever he wants, but he is only an above-average receiver -- certainly not sixth best in the league. The Bengals have been relatively weak during his career, but he’s leaving the comfort of a Chad Johnson double team to join a Seattle Seahawks squad that’s not so great either.
Ray Lewis - 97
Ray Lewis is a Super Bowl champion, a future Hall of Famer and a current leader in the locker room, but it is also not the year 2000 anymore. Lewis is still a great player, but he is not close to being the best linebacker in football anymore. Patrick Willis is only rated a point higher, and he’s 10 years younger and has room to improve after a beastly 2008. Ray Lewis deserves all the respect he gets from everyone involved in the league, but the ratings in Madden 2010 should not be based on career efforts.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 94
LaDainian Tomlinson is done. You can blame injury or anything else you want, but this is not the same running back we saw in 2006. Look at how San Diego was quick to re-sign Darren Sproles -- it’s obvious that they know where their future lies. Tomlinson can still be a solid NFL running back, but the days of 1,800 yards from scrimmage are over. Only a crazed Charger fan would take him over DeAngelo Williams or Frank Gore at this point in their careers. He may not fall off a cliff like Shaun Alexander, but we have already seen the best of LaDainian Tomlinson.
Am I wrong about LaDainian Tomlinson? Is Shaun Hill getting too much credit? Are Vince Young and Matt Leinart as done as their coaches think they are? Sound off in the comment box below!
Who Got Burned?
Shaun Hill - 69
Shaun Hill is an undrafted 29-year-old QB out of Maryland that has played in fewer games during his career than last season’s flock of rookies. Yet surprisingly enough, he had great numbers in about half a season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2008. This year he still has the ageless Isaac Bruce and the steal of the 2009 draft, Michael Crabtree.
He’s not on the level of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but Shaun Hill is more than serviceable at this point in his career. That 69 overall rating he received will be bumped up after a few weeks of action.
Matt Leinart - 62
Vince Young - 68
Remember these two? They went from being in the 2006 Rose Bowl to being the future faces of the NFL a year later. Their careers have interesting symmetry, Leinart in Arizona and Young in Tennessee. After all the college hype, both of them are now sitting on the pine watching Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins succeed -- those two aged-wonders are now also locked into contracts for the next two years. By the time Collins and Warner go by the wayside, Leinart and Young will be 28, essentially in the physical prime of careers that have hardly begun.
Barring injury or complete collapse, each of these young quarterbacks will be holding clipboards through at least this season. But they are still quality quarterbacks that I’m sure a QB-starved team would take a chance on in a heartbeat. They’re certainly no worse off behind the helm than the current crop of rookies.
Jason Campbell - 77
Jason Campbell deserves better than this. Campbell really came into his own in his first complete season as starting QB for the Washington Redskins. He didn’t throw that many touchdowns (13), but he didn’t throw that many to the other team either (6). He’s not Drew Brees, but he’s also not Brett Favre circa 2008 either. Jason Campbell is better than the above-average backup QB rating he received. He’s a solid young quarterback with loads of potential and an improving team around him.
Who Lucked Out?
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 91
T.J. Houshmandzadeh recently said he would boycott Madden until his rating was bumped up, blaming the offense in Cincinnati for his woes. But I don't really know what he's complaining about, because he should thank his lucky stars he’s even close to that overall number.
He can point the finger at whomever he wants, but he is only an above-average receiver -- certainly not sixth best in the league. The Bengals have been relatively weak during his career, but he’s leaving the comfort of a Chad Johnson double team to join a Seattle Seahawks squad that’s not so great either.
Ray Lewis - 97
Ray Lewis is a Super Bowl champion, a future Hall of Famer and a current leader in the locker room, but it is also not the year 2000 anymore. Lewis is still a great player, but he is not close to being the best linebacker in football anymore. Patrick Willis is only rated a point higher, and he’s 10 years younger and has room to improve after a beastly 2008. Ray Lewis deserves all the respect he gets from everyone involved in the league, but the ratings in Madden 2010 should not be based on career efforts.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 94
LaDainian Tomlinson is done. You can blame injury or anything else you want, but this is not the same running back we saw in 2006. Look at how San Diego was quick to re-sign Darren Sproles -- it’s obvious that they know where their future lies. Tomlinson can still be a solid NFL running back, but the days of 1,800 yards from scrimmage are over. Only a crazed Charger fan would take him over DeAngelo Williams or Frank Gore at this point in their careers. He may not fall off a cliff like Shaun Alexander, but we have already seen the best of LaDainian Tomlinson.
Am I wrong about LaDainian Tomlinson? Is Shaun Hill getting too much credit? Are Vince Young and Matt Leinart as done as their coaches think they are? Sound off in the comment box below!
Working...