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Recently, I took the Arizona Cardinals and talked about what I would do to make them a Super Bowl contender for years to come in Madden 10. The Cards already have some key pieces to build around, but I want to take them to the next level. So what I have to do is balance out my team while injecting youth at every position. For the Cards, this means establishing a running game and building a lockdown defense.

I started my franchise with fair trades on and default rosters. (I will warn any "sim" players now, this is not a "sim" franchise. This is maximizing a franchise within the limits of fair trades.)

After a flurry of trades, this is how my Cardinals team looks before the first kickoff.

Roster Breakdown

Offense (Potential grades listed after overall)

QB- Matt Leinart (68 OVR) B
QB- Vince Young (68 OVR) B

HB- Reggie Bush (79 OVR) B
HB- Beanie Wells (79 OVR) A
HB- Rashard Mendenhall (72 OVR) B

FB- Jacob Hester (70 OVR) A

WR- Larry Fitzgerald (99 OVR) A
WR- Anquan Boldin (94 OVR) A
WR- Steve Breaston (79 OVR) B
WR- Devin Hester (72 OVR) B
WR- Ramses Barden (66 OVR) B
WR- Early Doucette (64 OVR) B

TE- Greg Olsen (82 OVR) A
TE- Vernon Davis (78 OVR) B
TE- Dustin Keller (77 OVR) A
TE- Jared Cook Jr. (75 OVR) A
TE- Martellus Bennett (75 OVR) B

LT- Herman Johnson (67 OVR) B
LT- Jason Watkins (65 OVR) B

LG- Leroy Harris (72 OVR) B
LG- Trevor Canfield (69 OVR) B

C- Mike Pollack (81 OVR) A
C- Lyle Sendlein (72 OVR) B

RG- Deuce Lutui (76 OVR) B
RG- Brandon Keith (69 OVR) C

RT- Levi Brown (81 OVR) B
RT- Kevin Sampson (61 OVR) D

Defense

LE- Darnell Dockett (93 OVR) A
LE- Vernon Gholston (81 OVR) B
LE- Kenny Iwebema (67 OVR) B

RE- Tommie Harris (92 OVR) A
RE- Elvis Dumervil (85 OVR) B

DT- Albert Haynesworth (99 OVR) A
DT- Glenn Dorsey (75 OVR) B
DT- Calais Campbell (72 OVR) B

LOLB- A.J. Hawk (80 OVR) B
LOLB- Larry English (72 OVR) A
LOLB- Cody Brown (65 OVR) B

MLB- Karlos Dansby (87 OVR) A
MLB- Gerald Hayes (80 OVR) B
MLB- Lawrence Timmons (74 OVR) B

ROLB- Jonathan Vilma (87 OVR) A
ROLB- Manny Lawson (72 OVR) B

CB- Nnamdi Asomugha (99 OVR) A
CB- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (87 OVR) A
CB- Antonio Cromartie (84 OVR) A
CB- DeAngelo Hall (79 OVR) B
CB- Bryant McFadden (78 OVR) B
CB- Brandon Flowers (77 OVR) A

FS- Antrel Rolle (84 OVR) B
FS- Gerald Alexander (68 OVR) B

SS- Adrian Wilson (97 OVR) A
SS- Rashad Johnson (71 OVR) B

K- Neil Rackers (81 OVR) B

P- Ben Graham (69 OVR) D


Passing Game

Matt Leinart and Vince Young do not have outstanding ratings, but they will do just fine in my offense. Twin TE sets of Greg Olsen and Vernon Davis, along with Fitzgerald and Boldin on the outside, create an explosive passing attack with great after-the-catch abilities. I plan on utilizing my receivers YAC abilities to make life easy for Leinart and Young, never asking my QBs to do more than quick routes and dump-off throws. Factor in the receiving talents of Reggie Bush and Jacob Hester out of the backfield, and this passing attack is lethal. With a quick passing attack, my O-line is not asked to do much.

Running Game

My offensive line has low overall ratings, but each lineman is a great run blocker. They will allow the one-two punch of Beanie Wells and Reggie Bush to be a thunder and lightning combo for my offense. Jacob Hester also has some talent running the ball from the fullback position.

Defensive Breakdown

Defensive Line

A monster front three. Albert Haynesworth, Darnell Dockett and Tommie Harris. Haynesworth will clog the middle, allowing Dockett and Harris to wreak havoc in the backfield.

Linebackers

A.J. Hawk will help shutdown the strong-side running game, while Gerald Hayes is in charge of stopping the middle. My other two linebackers, Karlos Dansby and Jonathan Vilma, excel in coverage. Dansby makes throws over the middle difficult with his 6-foot-4 height, and Vilma is among the best man/zone cover linebackers in the league.

Secondary

This is where it gets exciting. I will probably play man coverage most of the time to utilize the talents of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromatie, thus allowing Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson to roam free. With Antonio Cromartie and DeAngelo Hall as my nickel and dime backs, I will never be afraid of opposing teams that spread four wide.


1. Kurt Warner to the Browns for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks.

2. Mike Gandy to the Texans for their 1st, 3rd, and 4th round picks.

3. Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau and Wilfrey Fontenot for Jonathan Vilma, Reggie Bush and Saints 1st round pick. (For anyone who has read my article on trade logic, this is a prime example of how certain trades can unlock other trades.)

4. Haynesworth, Asomugha, and Harris were acquired from multiple draft pick trades.