Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Top Middle Linebackers

05:03 PM - July 28, 2014 by Steve_OS

EA Sports has just revealed the top middle linebackers in Madden NFL 15. New screenshots can be seen here.

Patrick Willis - Overall 96
Novorro Bowman - Overall 96
Luke Kuechly - Overall 94
Derrick Johnson - Overall 91
Jerod Mayo - Overall 91

The schedule doesn't show when they will release OLB's, so we can only assume they are released later today or simply released when full player ratings are revealed for each division.

Here is a look at the release date schedule for the remaining ratings.

Mon, July 21 � Top 10 Overall Rookies (Released)
Tues, July 22 � Top 5 Overall QBs (Released)
Wed, July 23 � Top 5 Overall RBs (Released)
Thurs, July 24 � Top 5 Overall WRs/Top 5 Overall TEs (Released)
Fri, July 25 � Top 5 Overall OL Players (Released)
Sat, July 26 � Top 5 Overall DEs (Released)
Sun, July 27 � Top 5 Overall DTs (Released)
Mon, July 28 � Top 5 Overall LBs (Released)
Tues, July 29 � Top 5 Overall CBs
Wed, July 30 � Top 5 Overall Safeties
Thurs, July 31 � Top 5 Overall Special Teams
Fri, Aug 1 � Top 10 Overall Players/Full AFC & NFC North Ratings
Sat, Aug 2 � Full AFC & NFC South Ratings
Sun, Aug 3 � Full AFC & NFC East Ratings
Mon, Aug 4 � Full AFC & NFC West Ratings
Tues, Aug 5 � Ratings Recap

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 42 - View All

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Member Comments

# 41 Thanatopsis @ 07/28/14 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz


	How is Supetstar development relevent or even neccessary for someone rated a Superstar? Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

Please, go back to school and try to spell correctly Cowboys fan. "Supetstar" Development IS NECESSARY for a guy who became a monster day 1 and has been considered top at his position in his first 3 years. There is no better example of someone who has superstar Dev.

It is necessary because everyone in the 70s/80s progress so quickly now, that the only way a "Superstar" can stay noticeably better then these players is to get more xp to spend on their more expensive to raise attributes.

# 42 hanzsomehanz @ 07/28/14 07:58 PM

These guys have the same ranking 1-4 but Dansby is aptly ranked #5

http://athlonsports.com/nfl/2014-nfl...gs-linebackers

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

# 43 thehitokiri @ 07/28/14 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trojan Man


	I actually like how they differentiated b/w Bowman and Willis. I watched a full season of game tape on SF a couple years ago w/Sunday Ticket, and you could tell that Bowman plays way faster than his 40 time suggests because he makes amazingly quick reads and takes near-perfect angles. That allows him to beat Willis to plays they have a roughly equal shot at making despite Willis's far superior speed. Looking good!

What all of you Non 49ers fan don't seem to realize or know is that Patrick Willis plays the "Jack" lb spot which is the Jack of all trades meaning that he drops in coverage , spy the QB , drop deep and Blitz (but we all know that Vic Fangio doesn't like to blitz that much)... now Bowman plays the "Mike" LB spot which Patrick played since he came into the league and switch to Jack when Takeo left. When Willis played the "Mike" he led the league in tackles because you give support against the run game. So all you guys saying that Patrick Willis doesn't deserve to be rated that high need to check again......

# 44 thehitokiri @ 07/28/14 08:15 PM

oh and Luke Kuechly plays "Mike" LB ...

Luke Kuchly first two years
GP COMB TOTAL AST SACK FF FR YDS INT YDS TD PD
16 164 103 61 1.0 0 3 9 2 22 0 8
16 156 93 63 2.0 0 0 0 4 33 0 7
Patrick Willis first two yeas
GP COMB TOTAL AST SACK FF FR YDS INT YDS TD PD
16 174 135 39 4.0 2 1 0 0 0 0 5
16 141 109 32 1.0 1 1 0 1 86 1 10

# 45 ggsimmonds @ 07/28/14 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarrisonGrant


	New to OperationSports here! I must say I think Madden has dropped the ball on some of these ratings. I think the DE ratings were blasphemy. Leaving Von Miller, Demarcus Ware, Tamba Hali, Ryan Kerrigan, Greg Hardy, and Aldon Smith off the Top 5, then they put Calais Campbell on there???? Lavonte David is also better than OJ Mayo in my book

Not the best introduction one could hope for. Anyway, welcome to OS! Look at it this way, no where to go but up from here.

# 46 RogueHominid @ 07/28/14 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehitokiri


	What all of you Non 49ers fan don't seem to realize or know is that Patrick Willis plays the "Jack" lb spot which is the Jack of all trades meaning that he drops in coverage , spy the QB , drop deep and Blitz (but we all know that Vic Fangio doesn't like to blitz that much)... now Bowman plays the "Mike" LB spot which Patrick played since he came into the league and switch to Jack when Takeo left. When Willis played the "Mike" he led the league in tackles because you give support against the run game. So all you guys saying that Patrick Willis doesn't deserve to be rated that high need to check again......

I didn't say that Patrick Willis didn't deserve his rating; I said that I appreciated how the ratings differentiated between him and Bowman, as it seemed from watching an entire season of tape that Bowman jumped off the screen at you not because he has the raw physical speed of Willis, but because he diagnoses extremely well (PRC and AWR).

# 47 michiganfan8620 @ 07/28/14 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trojan Man


	I didn't say that Patrick Willis didn't deserve his rating; I said that I appreciated how the ratings differentiated between him and Bowman, as it seemed from watching an entire season of tape that Bowman jumped off the screen at you not because he has the raw physical speed of Willis, but because he diagnoses extremely well (PRC and AWR).

I don't think he was referring to you, as you are pretty right. Bowman is maybe a bit better at technique related things, Willis is more athletic. I think he's talking about the people who want Willis rated way below Kuechly.

# 48 The JareBear @ 07/28/14 10:43 PM

Who said Willis doesn't deserve to be rated high?

Personally, all I said was I think Luke is the best in the business. I've seen him, quite literally, take over games in a way only Ray Lewis in his prime could do.

Willis and Bowman are amazing.

Let's take off the homer glasses and be reasonable.

Just opinions, regardless

# 49 thehitokiri @ 07/29/14 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michiganfan8620


	I don't think he was referring to you, as you are pretty right. Bowman is maybe a bit better at technique related things, Willis is more athletic. I think he's talking about the people who want Willis rated way below Kuechly.

yes you are right .. I apologize Trojan i quoted the wrong person ..... but even if you compare Pat's stats to Bow .. Pat's first 3 seasons were better ........ I think right now Bow the upside because he is younger but they are the same ...

# 50 thehitokiri @ 07/29/14 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBzrule


	Over Willis YES. Willis is getting name recognition ratings here IMO. I'd go Bowman 1a and Kuechly 1b and Willis would be 3 points overall lower. Just my opinion. He hasn't done what those two have done the last two seasons IMO.

this is the person I was trying to quote ... The reason Pat is not putting those numbers is because he plays "Jack" and Luke and Bow play "Mike" .....

# 51 Sheba2011 @ 07/29/14 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz


	Whoa - how did Mayo clinch top 5? Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

Mayo is one of the best LB's in the NFL. Losing him last year hurt the Patriots more than any other player.

# 52 Sheba2011 @ 07/29/14 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz


	Anyhoo, Mayo is still not proven to be better than: Dansby, Freeman, Dqwel, Wagner, Cushing, Butler Meyaluga, Daryl Washington (off suspension). Hell, Spikes can be rated a 91 at the position. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

Spikes should be in the low 80's he is excellent at stopping the run but outside of that he is completely useless.

# 53 Sheba2011 @ 07/29/14 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanzsomehanz


	I have no hate for Mayo but he is coming off a major season ending injury and is unproven at the position, at least in the Pros. I think an 85 - 88 would suffice based on his adjusted IQ and degraded physical abilities. Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk

Unproven at the position? Do you even know who Mayo is? He was an All Pro LB in 2010.

# 54 LBzrule @ 07/29/14 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehitokiri


	this is the person I was trying to quote ... The reason Pat is not putting those numbers is because he plays "Jack" and Luke and Bow play "Mike" .....

I'm not going by numbers though, I'm going by what I see. Secondly, I'm going by the trend on how EA rates defensive player of the year and how they give NAME ratings. I know all about the latter given Lewis and Reed being rated high even when they were clearly dropping off. I'll just say it this way, go back and look at every defensive player of the year for the last five years, then look at his rating in Madden that year and count how many guys at that position were rated higher than him.

Here are the last few prior to Kuechly

Watt - 2012
Suggs - 2011
Matthews - 2010
Woodson -2009
Harrison - 2008
Bob Sanders -2007
Jason Taylor - 2006

Nobody at those positions was rated higher than the reigning DPOY in Madden. Nobody. They did right by saying this guy is DPOY for a reason. Someone may have been TIED with them, but not rated 2 and three points ahead of them. Luke is getting short changed because Willis' name. I'm not saying Willis is not a top 5 guy in real life although I think Bowman played better last year and not just because of a move to Jack for Willis. For Luke, too many impact plays from him last year and not as many for Willis for EA/Madden not to have him ahead of Willis. They won't do it because of Willis' name. It shows a radical inconsistency in how they normally rate the DPOY.

I'll stand by the assertion I made. Donny isn't taking into account whether they are playing Jack or Mike in his ratings. So it's not about position impacting numbers. He just decided to give Willis the highest rating at ILB. Technically, based on the way they rate DPOY Luke should be rated higher than Bowman. I think Bowman is the best not just based on numbers. Whether he will return to form, I hope he can. While I think Bowman is the best, I wouldn't have any problem with Luke being a point higher for Madden purposes. You don't rate the DPOY a specific way for X years straight and now all of a sudden short change the DPOY due to NAME purposes. It's a weak excuse IMO.

Let's look at the flip side. Manning was NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the year and guess what that SHOWS up in the ratings. Adrian Peterson was the Offensive Player of the year in 2012 I believe and that SHOWED up in the ratings. Why can't the same happen for Kuechly on defense at least at his position?

# 55 thehitokiri @ 07/29/14 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBzrule


	I'm not going by numbers though, I'm going by what I see. Secondly, I'm going by the trend on how EA rates defensive player of the year and how they give NAME ratings. I know all about the latter given Lewis and Reed being rated high even when they were clearly dropping off. I'll just say it this way, go back and look at every defensive player of the year for the last five years, then look at his rating in Madden that year and count how many guys at that position were rated higher than him. Here are the last few prior to Kuechly Watt - 2012 Suggs - 2011 Matthews - 2010 Woodson -2009 Harrison - 2008 Bob Sanders -2007 Jason Taylor - 2006 Nobody at those positions was rated higher than the reigning DPOY in Madden. Nobody. They did right by saying this guy is DPOY for a reason. Someone may have been TIED with them, but not rated 2 and three points ahead of them. Luke is getting short changed because Willis' name. I'm not saying Willis is not a top 5 guy in real life although I think Bowman played better last year and not just because of a move to Jack for Willis. For Luke, too many impact plays from him last year and not as many for Willis for EA/Madden not to have him ahead of Willis. They won't do it because of Willis' name. It shows a radical inconsistency in how they normally rate the DPOY. I'll stand by the assertion I made. Donny isn't taking into account whether they are playing Jack or Mike in his ratings. So it's not about position impacting numbers. He just decided to give Willis the highest rating at ILB. Technically, based on the way they rate DPOY Luke should be rated higher than Bowman. I think Bowman is the best not just based on numbers. Whether he will return to form, I hope he can. While I think Bowman is the best, I wouldn't have any problem with Luke being a point higher for Madden purposes. You don't rate the DPOY a specific way for X years straight and now all of a sudden short change the DPOY due to NAME purposes. It's a weak excuse IMO. Let's look at the flip side. Manning was NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the year and guess what that SHOWS up in the ratings. Adrian Peterson was the Offensive Player of the year in 2012 I believe and that SHOWED up in the ratings. Why can't the same happen for Kuechly on defense at least at his position?

dude are you kidding me ? .. Luke is a 4-3 LB and Patrick and Bow play on the 3-4 ... You say that moving to Jack LB has nothing to do with Willis dropped in tackles ?? ... dude he has to drop into coverage more than he ever did and having a monster like Bow next to him who plays the Mike and its assigned to help in the run game more than Willis has also nothing to do with his decrease in tackles ?? .. I'm not taking anything away from Luke he is a beast but to say that Willis's decrease in tackles have nothing to do with him playing Jack and having Bow next to him is just ludicrous ......

# 56 LBzrule @ 07/29/14 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehitokiri


	dude are you kidding me ? .. Luke is a 4-3 LB and Patrick and Bow play on the 3-4 ... [b]You say that moving to Jack LB has nothing to do with Willis dropped in tackles ?? ...]/b] dude he has to drop into coverage more than he ever did and having a monster like Bow next to him who plays the Mike and its assigned to help in the run game more than Willis has also nothing to do with his decrease in tackles ?? .. I'm not taking anything away from Luke he is a beast but to say that Willis's decrease in tackles have nothing to do with him playing Jack and having Bow next to him is just ludicrous ......

Let me spell it out again.

1) Donny Moore is not distinguishing between Jack and Mike; 3-4 and 4-3. I'm saying that Willis' move to Jack is not a factor in Donny's rating. Whether or not Willis' move to Jack is a DIRECT link to his drop in tackles is debatable. The former statement concerning what Donny factors in is not. I'd argue Willis' numbers dropped off more due to nagging injuries, missing two games, and playing through those injuries in others, than a switch to Jack. To say he dropped off due to a switch to Jack would actually indicate that he's not very flexible and can only shine in one spot. I think more highly of Willis and his talent than that. That said, all things equal Luke Kuechly had a better year that's why he won DPOY. Bowman had a better year and was highly considered for DPOY playing like an animal even in the two games that Willis missed.

2) This is not traditionally how EA rates DPOY. EA has generally had the DPOY the highest rated defender at least at his position. That's just how they have done it and shouldn't be a point of contention between us.

3) Given 1 and 2, Kuechly should be rated higher than Willis in Madden 15. Just based on Kuechly winning DPOY and the way EA traditionally rates that player it should be Luke Kuechly 1a; Bowman 1b; Willis 2. But we have the exact opposite.

# 57 thehitokiri @ 07/29/14 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBzrule


	Let me spell it out again. 1) Donny Moore is not distinguishing between Jack and Mike; 3-4 and 4-3. I'm saying that Willis' move to Jack is not a factor in Donny's rating. Whether or not Willis' move to Jack is a DIRECT link to his drop in tackles is debatable. The former statement concerning what Donny factors in is not. I'd argue Willis' numbers dropped off more due to nagging injuries, missing two games, and playing through those injuries in others, than a switch to Jack. To say he dropped off due to a switch to Jack would actually indicate that he's not very flexible and can only shine in one spot. I think more highly of Willis and his talent than that. That said, all things equal Luke Kuechly had a better year that's why he won DPOY. Bowman had a better year and was highly considered for DPOY playing like an animal even in the two games that Willis missed. 2) This is not traditionally how EA rates DPOY. EA has generally had the DPOY the highest rated defender at least at his position. That's just how they have done it and shouldn't be a point of contention between us. 3) Given 1 and 2, Kuechly should be rated higher than Willis in Madden 15. Just based on Kuechly winning DPOY and the way EA traditionally rates that player it should be Luke Kuechly 1a; Bowman 1b; Willis 2. But we have the exact opposite.

Dude do you know what the assignments for the "Jack" LB are compared to the "Mike" ??? ....

# 58 LBzrule @ 07/29/14 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehitokiri


	Dude do you know what the assignments for the "Jack" LB are compared to the "Mike" ??? ....

Yes, I do (pending the call; strength of offense; play flow so on and so forth) being that I played Jack in High School and had to slide over to Mike when my boy Dan got hurt. Same thing in Juco, so I don't need the lecture. In every system I've played in and coached in (44, 34 and 43) it's all coverage based and designed around:

Force
Spiller
Cutback
PA Boot

Some systems might use different terminology and symbols like numbers to teach it but it's the same thing. Don't try to make it more complicated than what it is and stick to the point. Donny Moore is not factoring in assignments to his ratings. HE's not factoring in Jack and Mike. Luke Kuechly is DPOY and that player gets the highest Defensive rating at least at his position. That's how EA has rated them in the past except now that's not the case and there really are no good reasons for it.

# 59 CatMan72 @ 07/29/14 08:54 PM

Kuechly (DPOY) rated 3rd? LOL

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