EA, Madden predict great things for Packers, Ravens

EA's official Madden NFL 11 simulation of the upcoming NFL season has the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens building on their successes of a year ago.

Picked by a number of experts to win the NFC, the Madden sim has the Green Bay Packers finishing the regular season with a 12-4 record and MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Also tabbed by many NFL prognosticators as the top team in the AFC, the Ravens secure a 13-3 record behind a defense led by outside lineback Terrell Suggs (the Defensive Player of the Year). Madden predicts the Indianapolis Colts will tie the Ravens for the best record in the AFC, but Baltimore secures home-field advantage on the strength of its better divisional record. The Ravens' John Harbaugh, the brother of former NFL quarterback and current Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, receives Coach of the Year honors.

Last season, Madden was a little off in some its predictions. Madden tabbed the New England Patriots to dominate the AFC, with Tom Brady throwing for 4,500 yards and 47 touchdowns. While Brady threw for more than 4,300 yards, he had 19 fewer TDs (28) than Madden predicted – and it was the Indianapolis Colts, not the Pats, who dominated the AFC. Madden also predicted that the Philadelphia Eagles would rule the NFC roost. Instead, it was the New Orleans Saints who finished on top in the NFC -- and won the Super Bowl.

Division winners in the Madden sim include the New England Patriots, the San Diego Chargers, and the Colts in the AFC, with the New York Jets and the Houston Texans (finally) taking the wild-card slots.

The Minnesota Vikings tied the Packers with a 12-4 record, but since the Packers had a better NFC North record, the Vikings had to settle for a wild-card slot. The San Francisco 49ers return to the playoffs for the first time since 2003 by winning the NFC West. The Dallas Cowboys (NFC East) and New Orleans Saints (NFC South) also won their divisions. The Atlanta Falcons secured the final wild-card spot.

Read the October issue of GamePro (on newsstands now) and the November issue (available October 5) for more predictions on the NFL season from one of our Madden experts, Todd Zuniga.

Fantasy football players: Tight end Jermaine Gresham is likely available in your league (he's owned in 15.2 percent of ESPN leagues), and you may want to pick him up, as Madden predicts he'll be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden earns Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in the Madden sim.

Here's a look at other top offensive performers in the sim of the NFL 2010 season. GamePro assumes no responsibility for those of you that base your fantasy football teams on these predictions.

Quarterback
• Aaron Rodgers GB 4,639 yards, 36 TDs, 9 INTs
• Matt Schaub HOU 4,592 yards, 35 TDs, 16 INTs
• Peyton Manning IND 4,542 yards, 33 TDS, 8 INTs
• Tom Brady NE 4,471 yards, 32 TDs, 14 INTs
• Drew Brees NO 4,459 yards, 33 TDs, 12 INTs
• Tony Romo DAL 4,357 yards, 29 TDs, 10 INTs
• Donovan McNabb WAS 4,309 yards, 28 TDS, 13 INTs
• Philip Rivers SD 4,303 yards, 29 TDs, 12 INTs
• Eli Manning NYG 4,248 yards, 25 TDs, 14 INTs
• Joe Flacco BAL 4,112 yards, 25 TDs, 12 INTs

Running Back
• Chris Johnson TEN 1,784 yards, 15 TDs
• Steven Jackson STL 1,631 yards, 8 TDs
• Adrian Peterson MIN 1,608 yards, 16 TDs
• Maurice Jones-Drew JAX 1,459 yards, 13 TDs
• Rashard Mendenhall PIT 1,403 yards, 9 TDs
• Frank Gore SF 1,380 yards, 10 TDs
• Ray Rice BAL 1,311 yards, 9 TDs
• LeSean McCoy PHI 1,288 yards, 7 TDs
• Jerome Harrison CLE 1,235 yards, 8 TDs
• Jonathan Stewart CAR 1,192 yards, 12 TDs

Wide Receiver
• Andre Johnson HOU 104 recs, 1,541 yards, 12 TDs
• Greg Jennings GB 102 recs, 1,438 yards, 13 TDs
• Marques Colston NO 107 recs, 1,372 yards, 11 TDs
• Randy Moss NE 91 recs, 1,324 yards, 15 TDs
• Miles Austin DAL 88 recs, 1,323 yards, 10 TDs
• Brandon Marshall MIA 105 recs, 1,290 yards, 11 TDs
• Roddy White ATL 86 recs 1,257 yards, 8 TDs
• Steve Smith CAR 98 recs, 1,213 yards, 7 TDs
• Anquan Boldin BAL 96 recs, 1,179 yards, 8 TDs
• Santana Moss WAS 85 recs, 1,174 yards, 9 TDs

Tight End
• Antonio Gates SD 102 recs, 1,179 yards, 11 TDs
• Owen Daniels HOU 93 recs, 1,093 yards, 8 TDs
• Vernon Davis SF 83 recs, 1,032 yards, 6 TDs
• Dallas Clark IND 90 recs, 992 yards, 8 TDs
• Jason Witten DAL 97 recs, 933 yards, 4 TDs
• Jermaine Gresham CIN 72 recs, 930 yards, 7 TDs
• Jermichael Finley GB 79 recs, 916 yards, 9 TDs
• Tony Gonzalez ATL 81 recs, 882 yards, 7 TDs
• Brent Celek PHI 79 recs, 881 yards, 6 TDs
• Zach Miller OAK 75 recs, 841 yards, 3 TDs

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