As the new NFL season approaches, the makers of Madden NFL 11, EA Sports, has done a simulation of this years football season. I was at first shocked by the results. Some of the year end awards to me seemed a bit far fetched. While New England, Indianapolis and San Diego won their divisions in 2010, while the upstart New York Jets secured a Wild Card berth in the AFC. After years of being tapped as the next up and coming team, the Houston Texans made the playoffs as a Wild Card team with a 9-7 record, grabbing the sixth seed in the AFC.
The Minnesota Vikings tied for the best record in the NFC with Green Bay at 12-4, but due to the Packers’ better divisional record, settled for the fifth seed in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. After seven years without a playoff appearance, the San Francisco 49ers joined the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints as division winners in the NFC, while the Atlanta Falcons secured the final Wild Card spot in the conference.
NFL 2010 Season Awards (as simulated by Madden NFL 11):
• NFL MVP – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Offensive Player of the Year – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Defensive Player of the Year – Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens
• Offensive Rookie of the Year – Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals
• Defensive Rookie of the Year – Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns
• Coach of the Year – John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Top Ten Offensive Performers
Quarterback
Player Team Yards TDs INTs
Aaron Rodgers GB 4639 36 9
Matt Schaub HOU 4592 35 16
Peyton Manning IND 4542 33 8
Tom Brady NE 4471 32 14
Drew Brees NO 4459 33 12
Tony Romo DAL 4357 29 10
Donovan McNabb WAS 4309 28 13
Philip Rivers SD 4303 29 12
Eli Manning NYG 4248 25 14
Joe Flacco BAL 4112 25 12
Running Back
Player Team Yards TD
Chris Johnson TEN 1784 15
Steven Jackson STL 1631 8
Adrian Peterson MIN 1608 16
Maurice Jones-Drew JAX 1459 13
Rashard Mendenhall PIT 1403 9
Frank Gore SF 1380 10
Ray Rice BAL 1311 9
LeSean McCoy PHI 1288 7
Jerome Harrison CLE 1235 8
Jonathan Stewart CAR 1192 12
Wide Receiver
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Andre Johnson HOU 104 1541 12
Greg Jennings GB 102 1438 13
Marques Colston NO 107 1372 11
Randy Moss NE 91 1324 15
Miles Austin DAL 88 1323 10
Brandon Marshall MIA 105 1290 11
Roddy White ATL 86 1257 8
Steve Smith CAR 98 1213 7
Anquan Boldin BAL 96 1179 8
Santana Moss WAS 85 1174 9
Tight End
Player Team Rec Yards TD
Antonio Gates SD 102 1179 11
Owen Daniels HOU 93 1093 8
Vernon Davis SF 83 1032 6
Dallas Clark IND 90 992 8
Jason Witten DAL 97 933 4
Jermaine Gresham CIN 72 930 7
Jermichael Finley GB 79 916 9
Tony Gonzalez ATL 81 882 7
Brent Celek PHI 79 881 6
Zach Miller OAK 75 841 3
Top Defensive Performers
Sacks
Player Team Sacks
Alex Brown NO 14.5
Justin Tuck NYG 14.5
Terrell Suggs BAL 14
Jared Allen MIN 14
Julius Peppers CHI 13
Juqua Parker PHI 12.5
Antwan Odom CIN 12
Aaron Kampman JAX 11.5
Greg Ellis NYJ 11.5
Interceptions
Player Team INT
Darrelle Revis NYJ 7
Jerraud Powers IND 7
Bryant McFadden PIT 7
Asante Samuel PHI 7
Dashon Goldson SF 6
Brandon Flowers KC 6
Leon Hall CIN 6
Louis Delmas DET 6
Adrian Wilson ARI 6
Donte Whitner BUF 6
The Pittsburgh Steelers will snag their seventh Super Bowl title this weekend in Dallas — at least according to Madden NFL 11. Electronic Arts has unveiled …