Madden NFL 10 Ratings: Top 10 by Position (ESPN Videogames)

[Jackstar5]

Patrick Willis ran a 4.3 something in the 40 yard dash of course he deserve 90 speed same as Thomas Howard who ran a 4.39 as an outside linebacker

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jackstar5

Patrick Willis ran a 4.3 something in the 40 yard dash of course he deserve 90 speed same as Thomas Howard who ran a 4.39 as an outside linebacker

That can just be players training for the combine. It's one thing to run a 4.3 at the combine, it's another to do it in pads with a ball in hand, while making jukes and cuts (and not getting obliterated).

[steelers1]

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgun styles

I don't hate the players, or the game. I just hate the cheezy passing rules. As to your point about Brady succeeding and others not succeeding. Brady plays for a very good coach, and a great organization. Most of the QBs in the NFL do not. They suffer through bad coaches, bad systems, weak supporting casts, crappy drafts, and oh yeah, more bad coaches. Poor coaching and scouting ruins more teams than anything. The most important attribute an NFL QB can have under the current rules is accuracy. Can he hit what he's shooting at. Matt Ryan is not a gifted athlete. But the scouts could see that he had good mechanics and usually hit what he was shooting at. Very few teams put a premium on accuracy and thus wind up with guys like Jamarcus Russell and Alex Smith.

I agree about coaching and accuracy being important, but people are way too hard on Jamarcus Russell. Last year was his first full year as a starter and he did pretty decent. He had some horrible games, but he also had several really strong games and really played better toward the end of the year.

Also, I didn't want to quote that big reply to me earlier, but I wanted to answer back. You said

"I NEVER said that anyone could replace Brady. What I said was that Drew Brees was marginally talented, but also very prolific. I then asked the pointed question: what is it that Brady can do that Brees cannot?"

And I agree with your point that learning a set of skills and learning to execute an offensive system is what makes a QB successful. I would also say that Drew Brees is probably the most accurate QB in the game, and calling him marginally talented is wrong to say the least. I definitely think that if Drew Brees had been in Brady's spot he could have had a lot of success. But I was referring to when you said 'about 10 other NFL starters, 20 backups, and hundreds of ex-high school QBs bagging groceries' could have been successful in Brady's situation. I think that was going WAY overboard.

As for refs making judgment calls on a throwaway at a receivers feet... it could never happen. It's in the area of a receiver and the ref could have no proof that the QB wasn't trying to complete the pass. That wouldn't even have been a penalty in the 70's. How many times have we seen McNabb miss low? It would be dumb to call somebody for PI on a bad throw.

Again you say Brady rarely takes chances because throwing to wide open guys downfield isn't taking chances. But again, I'm saying he threw to Moss last year in heavy coverage several times. He doesn't take as many chances as a lot of other QBs, but in '07 he still took his fair share.

I, and any reasonable fan, would agree that teams win championships and Brady was only a piece of the puzzle. But it's important to point out that the QB is in most cases the most important position on a team.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgun styles

I don't hate the players, or the game. I just hate the cheezy passing rules. As to your point about Brady succeeding and others not succeeding. Brady plays for a very good coach, and a great organization. Most of the QBs in the NFL do not. They suffer through bad coaches, bad systems, weak supporting casts, crappy drafts, and oh yeah, more bad coaches. Poor coaching and scouting ruins more teams than anything. The most important attribute an NFL QB can have under the current rules is accuracy. Can he hit what he's shooting at. Matt Ryan is not a gifted athlete. But the scouts could see that he had good mechanics and usually hit what he was shooting at. Very few teams put a premium on accuracy and thus wind up with guys like Jamarcus Russell and Alex Smith.

Scouting is still a crapshoot. Alex Smith actually had a legendary workout for pro scouts. The quote that came out was that "it was the best workout since Troy Aikman's". Smith hit just about everything that moved. Meant nothing in the end. Jamarcus Russell did well, too. The quote that came out of Russell's was "one of the best workout's ever". Meant nothing. For the record, I was never sold on either of them.

Matt Ryan's workouts were good, but he still could've sucked come real gametime. Nobody knows for sure.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by steelers1

I definitely think that if Drew Brees had been in Brady's spot he could have had a lot of success.

Based on what? I disagree there.

Drew Brees' collection of offensive skill talent at one point in San Diego consisted of: LaDanian Tomlinson, Keenan McCardell, and Antonio Gates.

Prior to 2 years ago (and this is after he'd led a team to 3 SB wins) there isn't a single offensive skill player that could match the level of those 3 players Brees had. Brees came around eventually, but he was never as money as Brady. Not even close. It's not just about stats, it's also about game context.

Quote: Originally Posted by steelers1

Again you say Brady rarely takes chances because throwing to wide open guys downfield isn't taking chances. But again, I'm saying he threw to Moss last year in heavy coverage several times. He doesn't take as many chances as a lot of other QBs, but in '07 he still took his fair share.

This is a myth that was born out of how he played during the first half of his first-year starting season, but that's been long gone. Brady has always taken chances when they were called for (which is what a smart QB is supposed to) and that's what you want your QB to do; to make the plays that are expected, not to take unnecessary shots. Gunslinging was not his original style, but because he's versatile he was able to adapt to that and be successful there, too. During his 50 TD season, he certainly put the ball downfield a lot.

Quote: Originally Posted by steelers1

I, and any reasonable fan, would agree that teams win championships and Brady was only a piece of the puzzle. But it's important to point out that the QB is in most cases the most important position on a team.

Brady is the most important piece of that puzzle. Take Brady out and any one of the 3 Championship teams are 9-7 teams at best, and that's being generous since the Patriots pretty much stunk before Brady took over and became successful with the same personnel Drew Bledsoe was failing with... and Bledsoe at one time was a helluva QB. They never win a single Super Bowl without Brady either... they certainly weren't winning anything before he took over, that's for sure.

[KensaiKatai]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

Based on what? I disagree there. Drew Brees' collection of offensive skill talent at one point in San Diego consisted of: LaDanian Tomlinson, Keenan McCardell, and Antonio Gates. Prior to 2 years ago (and this is after he'd led a team to 3 SB wins) there isn't a single offensive skill player that could match the level of those 3 players Brees had. Brees came around eventually, but he was never as money as Brady. Not even close. It's not just about stats, it's also about game context. This is a myth that was born out of how he played during the first half of his first-year starting season, but that's been long gone. Brady has always taken chances when they were called for (which is what a smart QB is supposed to) and that's what you want your QB to do; to make the plays that are expected, not to take unnecessary shots. Gunslinging was not his original style, but because he's versatile he was able to adapt to that and be successful there, too. During his 50 TD season, he certainly put the ball downfield a lot. Brady is the most important piece of that puzzle. Take Brady out and any one of the 3 Championship teams are 9-7 teams at best, and that's being generous since the Patriots pretty much stunk before Brady took over and became successful with the same personnel Drew Bledsoe was failing with... and Bledsoe at one time was a helluva QB. They never win a single Super Bowl without Brady either... they certainly weren't winning anything before he took over, that's for sure.

you are very articulate and i agree with a lot of what you have to say in terms of not devaluing his accomplishments. But i'm sorry after Spygate, even if it was Belichick's doing, Brady reaped the rewards. It's a guilty by association thing and he's going to have to live with it..he's an accessory any way you look at it and i don't trust that team at all. who knows what they are telling him in that headset..i'll tell you what you tell me every play your running in madden i guarantee your not stopping me..that rams super bowl doesn't even count in my eyes because of the implications with spygate.

They were and probably still are unethical in the way they go about preparing for games...Brady has shown me a lot, true..but i believe he's a product of a system (that may of not been fully cultivated until after Bledsoe was injured) more than any other player i've seen in the NFL. He's been clutch sure..but i still don't trust him..and if i don't trust something, it's hard for me to fully respect it.


you say take brady out they aren't winning..maybe..I say take belichick out, and they aren't winning anything.

[Broncos86]

Swapping Brady for Bledsoe (and having Bledsoe fail) does not, in and of itself, mean that Brady was a better QB. It means he was a better QB for Belichick's methodology (trying to avoid "system" ) Again, simply saying that "Brady gone = Patriots fail" does not conclude Brady as a great QB. It could mean this. However, it could also be that Brady fits the scheme perfectly.

[warrior310]

jeez, Rivers throw power is pretty low

rivers has no arm.