Before we start the predictions, I want to take a moment and talk about the longevity and success of this league. 20 years ago, I was a 21 year old kid with an idea to create an online madden league, but really had no idea how it worked. With the help of Dolan (Lhu27) we created the MOF. We had some bumps and bruises in our first few seasons, but now 71 seasons later here we are. One of the most prestigious leagues out there. As we enter our unprecedented 72nd season, a number that not many leagues, if any, have ever seen, I want to thank every single one of you for making this league what it is. I say this all the time, but this is a wonderful hobby for all of us. Something to get our minds off the everyday grind and have a place to escape for a few hours a week. I take pride and pleasure in providing that for you guys, so again, thank you for making the MOF great!
Welcome to the Season 72 Predictions! So last season's numbers, I was 6 for 7 in the AFC, predicting the correct AFC Champion. In the NFC I was 5 for 7, with 0 teams correct in the title game. I did pick Healy to make the Super Bowl and repeat, but Coach Betts had other plans as he beat the Colts 30-27 in an instant SB classic. It was really nice to see some old time MOF veterans have playoff success as Betts won his 8th title. We finally saw Commish win a playoff game, actually two, and get within 2 points of the big game. We saw Betroit come a touchdown away from reaching the SB as well. This being a new edition, we're set to see some new faces in new places which means some teams that haven't reached the playoffs in a while could be on their way this season! The Bears and MrWitness? The Broncos and Big Reg? The Panthers and Betroit? Maybe Victor takes the Rams to the playoffs? The new edition is always filled with excitement, so without further ado, here are your MOF Season 72 Predictions!
*Remember all these predictions are very in depth. We go game by game with the current schedule and predict games 1 by 1 and that's how we come up with our algorithms. Remember this is all in good fun and for some, some bulletin board material! Enjoy
by Commissioner Jeff
September 5, 2023
Biggest Off-Season Addition: CB Jalen Ramsey - MIA (97 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: HB Dalvin Cook - NYJ (91 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: CB Christian Gonzalez - NE (77 ovr)
The AFC East only has 1 familiar face returning this edition and that's DoubleD who coached the Jets last edition. The AFC as a whole is one of the weaker divisions on paper in my opinion. The division could really swing in two directions, the Dolphins or the Bills. The Jets have an outside small chance because of the talent on that team and the Patriots are simply rebuilding at the moment. We start off with arguably the best development coach in the MOF, Coach DoubleD187 and the Miami Dolphins. I am picking Miami to win the division by a small margin, even a tie breaker maybe, but with all that speed and with the addition of Jalen Ramsey, this team is extremely dangerous. Tyreek 99 speed, Waddle 98 speed, Mostert 95 speed, and rookie RB De'Von Achane 95 speed. Don't forget about Robbie Anderson, or Robbie Chosen, or Chosen Anderson, whatever he's calling himself he also has a 95 speed. So it's safe to say the Miami Dolphins will be one of the most explosive teams in the game this season. Couple that with the ability of DoubleD to build and develop, these guys have to be the favorites in the AFC East. A team that is right on their neck is the Buffalo Bills and Coach Bubbaduran07. Coach Bubba was really looking forward to another edition with the Chiefs, but the draft lottery had different plans. Still, Coach Bubba was able to get the 6th pick in the draft and grab the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are rated one of the best teams in the game, and it's no question why. QB Josh Allen is a 94 overall with 99 throw power, and 88 speed. Just as good, maybe even better, than Patrick Mahomes in some ways. Throw in WR Stefon Diggs who is a 96 ovr with incredible catch ratings and you have yourself quite a tandem. The defense is where these Bills stand out in my opinion. With the ageless wonder Von Miller, and that three headed monster in the secondary with Poyer, White, and Hyde, these guys will be getting to the QB by simply covering like a blanket. I expect Buffalo to challenge Miami for the division but to fall short by a game or a tie breaker. However, I do expect Buffalo to be a playoff team. That 7th seed is going to be up for grabs in the AFC, and they are just too talented and Bubba has enough skill to get them into the post season. The New York Jets are the talk of the league with their huge signings in the off-season. Enter Coach Gouch. Gouch made his triumphant return to the MOF in the last season of last edition and took over the Patriots, so he as well has some AFC East experience. As we all know the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers in the off-season, the only problem is will he stay more than 1 season? The Jets are clearly in win now mode so Gouch has to do everything he can to improve this team and get into the post-season. Like we said, this division could really swing in a lot of different ways, and if the cards fall right, the Jets could be the one surprising us all. The Jets signed HB Dalvin Cook in the off-season, but Gouch promptly traded him to Arizona in a blockbuster deal that brought SS Budda Baker and LB Zaven Collins to New York. That is the kind of win now deal we are talking about. The Jets are rolling with 2nd year stud speedster Breece Hall (93 speed) as their starting back. The Jets also have some nice weapons around Aaron with the addition of Mecole Hardman and Allen Lazard. The Jets however are known for their defense. Led by 2nd year star Sauce Gardner, DT Quinnen Williams, and LB CJ Mosely. The Jets have talent, there's no question, but can Gouch get over the hump and be a playoff team? That remains to be seen. The New England Patriots were drafted by Coach Shawtypizzle 27th overall, and that tells you where the state that the Patriots are currently in. It's rebuild mode in New England and Coach Shawty might be in for a long edition. The Mac Jones experiment might only have 1 more season left before Shawty explores other possibilities. The offense of the Patriots needs help, there's no doubt about it. Ezekiel Elliot signed in the offseason and he looks like he might be getting the bulk of the carries, but with an 88 spd and 90 accel, I think his dominating days are over. The Pats #1 receiver is JuJu Smith-Schuster, who has an 87 speed. We know the speed is one of, if not, the most important part of Madden and the Patriots are lacking that. WR Tyquan Thornton has a 96 speed rating, and he will have to be their 1 and only playmaker. However their defense is one of the tops led by Matthew Judon, Kyle Dugger, and Ja'Whaun Bentley. They will be tough to score on, but I don't expect them to put up a lot of points and that's why I have picked them to finish last in the AFC East. Shawty has his work cut out for him.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: WR Terry McLaurin - CIN (92 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: QB Joe Burrow - CIN (96 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: WR Zay Flowers - BAL (77 ovr)
The AFC North is the best division in the MOF in my humble opinion. You look at those top three teams and you say oh my God, who is going to win this thing? Don't forget about the Browns, coached by BuffaloBill who made the playoffs a couple times last edition as well. We start off with the Baltimore Ravens and Coach Mack, not to be confused with MackDaddy. Coach MACK came into the league early last edition and set the league on fire. He took the Giants in his first season and won the entire chip. The next season made it to the NFC Championship. So we know Mack has the skills to win season in and season out. Couple that with the talent of the Ravens, and you have an immediate Super Bowl contender. The things Mack did with Tannehill last edition, just imagine what he will be doing with Lamar Jackson. I am excited, so excited that I believe Lamar Jackson will be the AFC MVP this season. I love the signing of WR Odell Beckham Jr. It might not translate as well in the NFL as the MOF, but OBJ is a huge weapon for Lamar who already has Mark Andrews. Throw in some depth with Agholor and Bateman and the running attack with JK Dobbins and you have a very solid offense. The Ravens have been sold on defense though, over the past 20 some years the Ravens have boasted one of the better defenses year in and year out. This season will be no different led by LB Roquan Smith, CB Marlon Humphrey, and FS Marcus Williams. The Ravens will be a problem. I believe they will win the division, it will be very challenging and worse case scenario if they don't, they will absolutely still be in the playoffs. Coach Healy better known as Canesbucs or Canescolts now, had himself a hell of an edition in Madden 23. Healy won 1 chip, and made it to another almost winning that one too. Jonathan Taylor was an absolute beast, and he developed a QB to be one of the best in the league. So what does Healy do as soon as he comes to the Bengals? He trades Joe Burrow to the Commanders and Coach Betts. What? You heard that right. He traded Joe Burrow to the Commanders for WR Terry McLaurin, DE Chase Young, and QB Sam Howell. He immediately put Chase Young OTB and traded QB Sam Howell (along with WR Tee Higgins) to the Colts for QB Anthony Richardson, so we're not really sure what's going on in Cincinnati but after the riots and fires cool down, I think winning might change the culture. We know Healy knows how to win, there's no doubt, so you have to trust the process. However, trading Burrow to quite possibly the best coach in the MOF who you might have to see in future Super Bowls? I don't know. Anyway, rant over. I believe Healy is still trying to turn over some players and clear cap. Maybe he's going after some huge defensive stars? Anyway, with all that said, the Bengals with McLaurin and Ja'Marr Chase have one of the best 1-2 punch at WR in the MOF. QB Anthony Richardson is entering his rookie season with a 91 speed rating and 95 throw power. Whatever the case, the Bengals will be right there we know this. Healy will be a playoff team, I have him falling short of the division but that doesn't matter. He will be a high wild-card with a very good record and will be competing for a Super Bowl. Coach BigReub0904 has entered the AFC North as well, with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach BigReub had himself a fantastic Madden 23 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Winning divisions season in and season out however the big game eluded Reub has he lost 2 Super Bowls. The motto of this edition is "Unfinished Business" and it starts here with the Steelers. The Steelers have a very underrated team and it's probably the lack of talent at QB. Kenny Pickett seems to have taken over the reigns and I'm not sure if he is the one to lead a team to the promised land. Believe me, I know from experience. Pickett's release is just not fast enough, and his development just isn't there either, not fast enough to turn into a superstar this edition. So Reub might be looking elsewhere for a different QB. HB Najee Harris is an absolute beast and I expect him to run the ball ALOT. TE Pat Freiermuth is a nice safety blanket, and WR Dionte Johnson is a very good #1. But for real, who needs a QB when you have players like TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward, Patrick Peterson on defense? The Steelers and Reub are going to turn some heads and I expect them to challenge for this division as well. I have them falling short, but just like the Bengals, they will finish with a beastly record and easily earn a wild-card. Coach BuffaloBill took the Cleveland Browns with the 16th pick in the draft. The reason they fell so far was probably because Mack and Canes picked Baltimore and Cincinnati so high. Bill didn't care though, he took the challenge right on. Coach BuffaloBill took the Chargers to the playoffs once last edition and after that fell short a lot, he had some success against BigReub's Raiders here and there so that has to give him some confidence coming into this edition. The problem is this division. The Browns have talent, Watson, Chubb, Myles Garrett, Amari Cooper, etc. I really like the addition of Za'Darius Smith. I love CB Denzel Ward as well. The other problem with this team is they are in cap hell and it starts with Deshaun Watson who is making approx $220 million over the next few seasons, including a $19m cap hit if traded. Ouch. They need to get out of that contract so they can improve this team and compete with the 3 headed dragon here. Until they can get out of that mess, these guys are going to struggle and finish last.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: WR DeAndre Hopkins - TEN (93 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: CB Stephon Gilmore - IND (91 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: EDGE Will Anderson Jr. - HOU (78 ovr)
The more things change, the more they stay the same. We see the Titans and Jaguars stay put for Madden 24 as Roclo and Dre battle it out for another edition. Coming into the AFC South this season will be Bengalsonly who is the Colts, and Alex aka Latinyank who has taken the young up and coming Texans. We start off with the Titans and MrRoclo. Roc had himself a solid Madden 23, making the playoffs in every single season and even making the Super Bowl in the 1st season. Roc is a perennial playoff team that will win you 10,11 games consistently. The Titans come back this edition with basically the same squad as last edition, with the addition of WR DeAndre Hopkins! We don't know how long Hopkins will be around but we do know he will provide immediate impact for Roc's high flying offense. Speaking of which, it looks like Malik Willis will easily get the starting nod over Ryan Tannehill, as Willis was one of the most must watch players in all of the MOF last edition. Derrick Henry of course is back and older but still has a 94 ovr and 91 speed. Those safeties are back as well with Kevin Byard (92 ovr) and Amani Hooker (79 ovr). There is quite a drop off actually after the first 4 top players on the Titans, which makes me question their overall team. Nevertheless, I still believe the Titans are the team to beat here in the AFC South, with the only real threat coming from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Speaking of which, BigDre returns once again with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The last three seasons haven't been too kind to the MOF Hall of Famer, as he has missed the post-season for 3 straight seasons, after winning 10+ games in the previous 5 straight. This is Dre's 22nd consecutive season with the Jaguars and I haven't checked but that could be a record. The Jaguars themselves are young, they are talented and they have a franchise QB in Trevor Lawrence who really came into his own last season. They added WR Calvin Ridley, who thankfully cannot bet on any MOF games. But with Kirk and Engram Lawrence has some nice weapons to throw to. HB Travis Etienne will be the primary back with his 93 speed and 94 accel. The defense could use some help in Jacksonville, with the highest rated player being LB Josh Allen at 85. We all know that Dre has the talent to win, but I'm worried that the changing of the game is really changing the way he plays. I'm thinking he can bounce back, but I'm not sure it will be this season. I predict the Jags to miss out on the playoffs but it won't be by much, it's a matter of 1 or 2 upset wins by Dre and he will be right there. The Indianapolis Colts were drafted by Bengalsonly, what's funny is Canescolts drafted the Bengals. But anyway, i digress. Coach Bengalsonly had his struggles last edition with the Panthers, where he missed the playoffs every season. Bengals only remains competitive but he is just missing that next step to put him into the next tier of coaches here. Maybe this team is the answer? The Colts made a trade before the season started that acquired QB Sam Howell and WR Tee Higgins from the Bengals to immediately help that offense. That offense that still has Jonathan Taylor and I'm sure Taylor will receive 75-80% of the touches on offense. Besides Taylor the Colts are really stretched thin on offense. They do have WR Michael Pittman and Isaiah McKenzie but not much to write home about. Buckner, Leonard, and Kenny Moore on defense are bright spots but the Colts are a rebuilding project. Patience will need to be had here. However, the AFC South is not a world burner division. I think if the Colts can make the right moves, develop the right guys, they could be contenders in a season or two. This season, they will not be. The good ole boy Alex has taken the good ole boy Texans. Alex made his return to the MOF last edition with the Rams, where he struggled mightily, finishing in last place each season he was back. His MOF career is opposite of that though, with a nice winning record, Alex has had success here and even made the SB back in Season 33. Houston has a really nice young core and they are starting to get some recognition. Edge rusher Will Anderson was one of the top picks in last draft and should have an immediate impact on defense. QB CJ Stroud comes into the MOF with a 73 rating and 82 speed with 89 throw power. Not a super strong arm, but he should be an accurate passer with everything in the 80s. What stands out to me is their speed at CB, they have 4 CBs with 92 speed or higher. The Texans are a rebuild, we know this, but I believe they are in a better position than the Colts. However, I see Alex finishing 4th and at best 3rd with the Texans this season, after he builds them up a bit more, he could really make some noise.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: CB Chidobe Awuzie - DEN (85 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: TE Darren Waller - LV (86 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: EDGE Tyree Wilson - LV (75 ovr)
The AFC West last edition was absolutely dominated by the Raiders. This edition we have Coach MackDaddy over in Vegas and we very well could see another dominating edition from those Raiders. Along with the MackDaddy, we see some new faces. Big Reg is out in Atlanta and in Denver, we have Trig in KC and Remo in LA with the Chargers. However, we begin with those Los Vegas Raiders! Last edition wasn't as kind to MackDaddy as previous editions. MackDaddy still had success but not to what he was used to. MackDaddy's playoff streak was snapped last edition at 29 straight seasons but he looks to start a new streak as he made the postseason the last two seasons. The Raiders have some nice talent all over the place, especially at WR with Davante Adams who comes in at a 97 overall with 90 speed and 97 catch. HB Josh Jacobs is a beast at 95 ovr and 90 spd. We can't forgot LB Maxx Crosby who was one of the top defensive players of Madden 23. The Raiders do have some issues that they need to address, especially at QB. Jimmy G isn't a long term solution, and they could use some more defensive pieces. I still think MackDaddy has the talent to win this division, I expect some resistance from Denver but I am going with the Raiders as your division champions of Season 72. Coach BigReg has stepped out of Atlanta for the first time in 30 seasons. Reg started to get his mojo back towards the end of last edition after an 11 season stretch without double digit wins. Will he be okay not being in Atlanta? Sometimes homers do better outside of their team, not sure why, but maybe its less pressure? Denver has a good squad, they have a win now squad with Russell Wilson at QB. However, when i think of Denver, i think of Patrick Surtain II and Justin Simmons. Teams are going to have a hard time throwing on these guys. There is quite a big drop off after those two players, the next highest rated player is WR Jerry Jeudy at 83 ovr. Denver is in a weird position, they almost need to trade Wilson for a young QB and some picks and completely rebuild. Since the players around the QB are young. I expect Denver to be right in the thick of the division race, and right in the thick of the wild-card race. I do have them just missing out but by tie breakers. I expect Reg to get control of the Broncos by next season and be a juggernaut. Coach Trig shocked the world with his offseason lottery increase but interestingly enough it did not land him the top pick, either way Trig got the arguably best team in the game with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Hall of Fame coach has not made the MOF playoffs since Madden 22, Season 61 with the Colts. So something has to give. Having a team like the Chiefs should break that streak. A few editions ago we saw how dangerous Trig can be with a good team when he was the Cardinals, and Andy Isabella was destroying the league. Now enter Mahomes, Kelce, and dare i say it MVS with his 94 speed, and you have an explosive offense. I still think the Chiefs need another weapon or two at WR but thats to come. I think Trig is going to struggle, and we're all going to be surprised because the Chiefs are so good. It's going to take a little bit of time to figure out how to play with Mahomes but once he does, he's going to cause problems! I expect the Chiefs to finish around 500 and miss the postseason. Coach Remo357 has selected the LA Chargers this edition and he looks to turn around his misfortune from last edition where he went winless the last two seasons and the one before that only won 1 game. To go 1-50 in your last 3 seasons combined is something to build off of. There's nowhere to go but up for Remo and I believe he will do that with the Chargers, It might not be this season but I expect Remo to trade and build for the next coming seasons. He needs to load up heavy and compete with MackDaddy and Big Reg in this division. The Chargers still have a very strong squad and it starts with QB Justin Herbert, who if isn't traded, should be one of the top QBs in the MOF. WR Keenan Allen is still doing work, and Joey Bosa is one of the top Linebackers in the league. I love SS Derwin James locking down that secondary. Unfortunately I do not see Coach Remo making that much of an impact in the first season of this edition and I have picked the Chargers to go 1-16. Prove me wrong!
Biggest Off-Season Addition: QB Joe Burrow - WAS (96 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: WR Terry McLaurin - WAS (92 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: DT Jalen Carter - PHI (79 ovr)
The NFC East seems to always be the top division in the MOF, season in and season out, edition in and edition out. Last edition was no different, 4 out of the 5 champs came from the NFC East. This edition, is no different either. Coach Betts is back with Washington, Coach Pettigrew is with Philadelphia, the Commish has the Giants, and Coach Minden is with the Cowboys. We begin with the reigning defending champions Coach Betts and the Washington Commanders. Coach Betts is arguably the greatest coach in MOF history. He just won his 8th Super Bowl last season, and it was with these Washington Commanders. Of course before the season even began, Betts went and traded for QB Joe Burrow to solidify that position for the entire edition. Just like last edition trading for Justin Herbert. Anyway, the Commanders traded away Terry McLaurin, Chase Young, and Sam Howell but who cares. It's more about who is coaching these guys than the talent that they possess. The defense of this team is top notch. DT Jonathan Allen has become one of the top DTs in the league, CB Kendall Fuller, SS Kamren Curl stand out in the secondary as well. The question always is, who will step up in the run game for Coach Betts this edition? Antonio Gibson is still there, although rated a 77 he has 91 spd and 92 accel and will turn into an x-factor back in no time I'm sure. I am predicting Washington to win the division, but it will be close with Philadelphia. I expect them to have one of the top records in the entire league and compete for that Super Bowl title, without a doubt. Coach Pettigrew had himself a fantastic Madden 23 as well, making the playoffs every single season with the Seahawks and even making the big dance and falling short in Season 70. Petti earned the top pick in the draft this edition and obviously went with the best team in the game, the Philadelphia Eagles. They are stacked from top to bottom with young talent and they have a QB that you don't have to worry about in Jalen Hurts (89 ovr, 90 spd). WR AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are just unfair on the outside, in addition to TE Dallas Goedert. HB DeAndre Swift is going to be a force as well. But that defense tho. CB Darius Slay, James Bradberry, LB Haason Reddick, DT Fletcher Cox. The list goes on and on. The Eagles and Pettigrew are going to battle Betts for the top spot in the division, I have the Eagles falling short in the division but earning the top wild-card spot. The Commish had himself a very nice Madden 23 too, making the playoffs in every single season with the Steelers and coming up 2 pts short of making a Super Bowl appearance last season. Enter the New York Giants. The Giants have everything the Commish is looking for in a team. Strong RB, MLB, and TE presence. The addition of Isaiah Simmons was the final nail that put the Giants on Commish's radar. Even though he had a pick way down in the 20s, the Giants still fell to him. Although this division is out of control, Commish thinks he can still compete. I'm not so sure. The Giants are going to have to win pretty much all their games out of their division if they want a shot at a wild-card this season. Obviously I expect Barkley to get his yards, I expect Simmons to get his interceptions, but it all depends on the turnovers. If Commish can limit Daniel Jones' interceptions, he will be in every game. I am predicting the Giants to finish around 500 and to miss the playoffs, but a couple upset victories and the Giants could sneak their way in the 6th or 7th wild-card spot. Coach Minden returns to share a division with the Commish after last edition having the Ravens. Minden had a tough edition, not being able to crack the playoffs with Baltimore but with a team like the Dallas Cowboys it should be a little bit easier. Arguably the most talented roster throughout, the Cowboys have a ton of talent. The most recent trade for Trey Lance is a great addition in case they want to move on from Dak. The offensive line is still one of the best in the league with Zack Martin and Tyronn Smith. I love Tony Pollard's speed, 93, and RE Micah Parsons 92. The addition of CB Stephon Gilmore was a huge addition to their already beefed up defense as well. Don't forget about MOF Legend WR Brandin Cooks who looks to be an immediate impact. The Cowboys have talent on that team, and that alone should win Minden games. I think the division is very very strong and that will hurt Minden in the long run. I predicted the Cowboys to go 4-13 because of their brutal schedule, but if they went 7-10, or even 8-9 i wouldn't be surprised.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: LB Tremaine Edmunds - CHI (87 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: QB Aaron Rodgers - GB (86 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: HB Jahmyr Gibbs - DET (77 ovr)
The NFC North should be an interesting division this edition. We have Witness coming back to Chicago to try to make them relevant once again! We have Coach Jfon with the young and talented Lions. Coach Krayzie has returned to Minnesota after a sign and trade, and we have Coach Eddie making his return to the MOF with the Packers. We start off with Witness and the Bears! Coach MrWitness started off last edition as good as anyone could, winning the first two super bowls with the Eagles. However after that, he missed the playoffs three straight seasons. I'm not sure if something like that has ever happened here in the MOF. We all know Witness has the talent to beat anyone, at anytime, with any team. The Chicago Bears are going to be one of the top teams in the league, mark my words. We see what Witness can do with great QBs, Trey Lance, Jalen Hurts, imagine what he will do with QB Justin Fields? Fields has a 93 speed and 95 accel with 91 throw power. That's a recipe for disaster for defenses. The speed at WR is outstanding as well, with DJ Moore (93 speed) and Darnell Mooney (93 speed). I love the two headed monster at TE with Cole Kmet and Marcedes Lewis. The HB position could use an upgrade with D'onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert both a little slow with 88 speed and 89 speed. I love the addition of LB Tremaine Edmunds who will stand out on that defense along side FS Eddie Jackson, and LB TJ Edwards. The Bears have a nice young core and a great coach in Witness. It will be fun to watch and see what he can do in the windy city, the good news is that the Bears will be up top again as I am picking them to win the division slightly, over the Lions. Speaking of the Lions we are seeing Coach Jfon head coach these bad boys after 10 straight seasons in Tampa Bay. Last edition Coach Jfon made the post-season one time, and then missed the next 4 so he's looking to change his output this edition. The Lions are a sexy team this year, and how could you not like them? Jahmyr Gibbs is an absolute stud at HB and should be the primary back, but they also have David Montgomery who will spell Gibbs and get some carries himself. I love WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, he's not as fast but he's a strong WR with 97 CTH rating. Detroit will have to do something about their QB, Jared Goff probably isn't the long term answer there but with WR Jameson Williams streaking down the field all Goff has to do is toss it up. Jfon really picked a team that showcases his strengths, with SS CJ Gardner-Johnson leading that defense. Detroit and Jfon are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and I expect them to challenge the Bears for this division and at worst be a wild-card team for sure. Coach Krayzie returns to the Vikings after 5 seasons in Cincinnati last edition. Krayzie had a lot of success with those Bengals last edition, especially after trading for DT Danielle Hunter. This time, he has Hunter to begin win who most certainly will be moved to the defensive line. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best WR in the league, rated 99 overall with 98 cth rating and 92 speed, that is an incredible weapon to have. Of course the Vikings lost HB Dalvin Cook in the off-season so the carries are going to Alexander Mattison and Kene Nwangwu (94 speed). The Vikings defense, as we mentioned before, will be led by Danielle Hunter and Krayzie's ability to rush the QB, the ageless wonder SS Harrison Smith, and CB Byron Murphy Jr. I expect the Vikings to finish 3rd but wouldn't be surprised if he leap frogged into 2nd and into a wild-card position. I think it's going to take a season for Krayzie to get the feel back for the Vikes before he goes on his tear. Coach Texmexgalvan returns to the MOF after 2 seasons off. Last edition Coach Eddie was the Cardinals, and had a really tough time out there. He went winless in Season 68 and Season 69 and at one point had a 38 game losing streak. Slate has been wiped clean now though as he starts fresh with the Green Bay Packers. The Packers were ransacked by the Jets in the off-season, Aaron Rodgers in particular, along with WR Allen Lazard. The Packers offense is hurting. Is Jordan Love the answer there? HB Aaron Jones is getting older, and the top WR is Christian Watson who is very nice with 96 speed, but nobody to really throw to him. The Packers, and this is crazy to say, are a rebuild project. You really have to develop Jordan Love and if you can do that, you can build around him. I expect Eddie to struggle, I picked him to go 1-16 and that's very disrespectful but his last two seasons here he did go winless.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: HB Miles Sanders - CAR (86 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: QB Tom Brady - TB (97 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: HB Bijan Robinson - ATL (81 ovr)
The NFC South sees some new faces as the Falcons and Buccaneers see new coaches for the first time in a VERY long time. Coach Betroit is in Carolina this season, Coach Wilky has returned and took Atlanta. Coach Boobie is in NOLA and Coach ELBuccs has taken the Bucs! We begin with the Carolina Panthers and Coach Betroit. Coach Betroit has turned into a top tier coach in the MOF. His tenure last edition with the 49ers was legendary. The only thing Betroit is missing is that Super Bowl title, which could come his way this edition. The Carolina Panthers are a young rebuilding team with cap space. Rookie QB Bryce Young is the new franchise QB and Betroit looks to build around him. With his 87 speed, he will be a scrambler. Throw power is only 87 as well, but his accuracy is all in the 80s. So it looks like Young will be more of a field general than a gun slinger, and that's okay too. New addition HB Miles Sanders should get the bulk of the carries with his 91 speed and 93 accel. They did trade DJ Moore to the Bears last season, so their top WR looks to be Adam Thielen. We all know Betroit likes to develop in the draft and he's good at it, so I expect to see some x-factor WRs coming to Carolina in the near future. LB Brian Burns is still a top notch defender as well. The NFC South is going to be very competitive, but I do have Carolina winning the division. I wouldn't be shocked if they fell back into a wild-card, but either way I expect Carolina to be in the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons have parted ways with Big Reg who was there for 30 straight seasons, although the fans were sad, they were ready to move on. Coach Wilky was here for Season 66 for Madden 22 with Miami (12-5) and Season 67 of last edition with Miami as well and that was it. He went 9-1 with the Miami Dolphins and had to resign, we are hoping Wilky can stay with us throughout the edition. We know Wilky can ball, and that's why I am predicting the Falcons to finish in 2nd place, maybe even first place, with a wild-card berth. The Falcons have an issue at QB, Desmond Ridder looks to be the starter with his 70 ovr rating but has 91 throw power. He will need to be developed quick or they need to move in a different direction. I love the draft pick of HB Bijan Robinson with his 91 speed and 92 accel. Cordarrelle Patterson, also has 91 speed and 92 accel but looks to be the spell back. Atlanta has a lot of young talent, TE Kyle Pitts, CB AJ Terrell are two players you can build a really nice team around. The Falcons will be there when the smoke clears, will they win the division? That remains to be seen, but they will absolutely be a playoff team. Coach Boobie had a very low pick in the draft, but was able to still land a pretty good Saints squad! Last edition Boobie swapped from the Giants to the Texans, and he had some success in Houston. Coach Boobie is just a very good player, and even though Houston was not a good team, he made the best of it and made the playoffs multiple times. Now, being with the Saints, he has even more talent to work with. However, we do know that the Saints are in cap hell and Boobie is going to have a hard time working around that. The Saints offense consists of the highly paid WR Michael Thomas and HB Alvin Kamara. QB Derek Carr enters his first season as a Saint, and we're not so sure Boobie is sold on Carr and his enormous pay check. I do like the addition of HB Jamaal Williams for depth behind Kamara and the speed of WR Chris Olave should be the primary focus on offense. The defense is also solid, led by FS Tyrann Mathieu who could be a trade target. LE Cam Jordan is also making a lot of money but is a solid defensive lineman up front. I think Boobie will figure out the cap issues even though they could be a distraction, I expect the Saints to have a good season. If i had to choose a team to finish in 3rd it would be the Saints, but I know I say this a lot but I wouldn't be surprised if the Saints won the division too. I think the Saints will finish with 9 or 10 wins but just miss out on the playoffs. Coach ELBuccs finally has the Bucs! Last edition ELBuccs coached the Browns and had some success but for the most part did not live up to expectations. Now we enter the Bucs, the Bucs have a good team outside of QB. Of course they lost the great Tom Brady due to retirement in the offseason and went and signed Baker Mayfield to take over. Or will it be the legendary Kyle Trask? Whoever the QB is, they will have some nice weapons in WR Mike Evans, WR Chris Godwin, and WR Russell Gage Jr. The Bucs also cut ties with Leonard Fournette to make way for HB Rachaad White. They still have Tristan Wirfs as well, who is one of the best lineman in the game. The defense has still got it too, LB Lavonte David, FS Antoine Winfield and CB Jamel Dean are the top defenders on the team. This division is very good, and it's going to take a lot to compete with the top 3 guys here. ELBuccs is going to have to figure out that QB situation and also upset the other three teams in the division. Unfortunately I have ELBuccs finishing in dead last, with about 3-4 wins.
Biggest Off-Season Addition: HB Dalvin Cook - ARI (91 ovr)
Biggest Off-Season Subtraction: CB Jalen Ramsey - LAR (97 ovr)
Best Draft Selection: CB Devon Witherspoon - SEA (78 ovr)
The NFC West to me is honestly one of those divisions that could really swing in a lot of different ways. A lot like the AFC South and NFC South. We see Coach VictorWrestles who had a great edition with the Rams, MMX has got the 49ers, CoachQ is back with Seattle, and Arizona fell to DocHolliday. I am starting with VictorWrestles and the Rams. Coach Victor made his debut last edition with the Packers and had an immediate impact finishing 11-6, 11-6, 14-3 respectively. So Victor obviously is turning into a top tier coach here in the MOF and now with the Rams, it shouldn't really be much different. The Rams are a rebuild project in Madden 24 but if you have the talent, you can win and win now with these guys. The experts say to trade Kupp and Donald but honestly I wouldn't do that. QB Matthew Stafford is on his last leg I believe so that will be something that has to be addressed. HB Cam Akers looks to be the starting RB with his 90 spd and 94 accel. Obviously I love Aaron Donald, he's a beast, possibly the greatest defensive tackle in history. Other than that, the Rams need some upgrades. Whether that be in the draft, trades, or free-agency. For the first season, I have the Rams winning this division. It's going to be close, I think it's going to be really close, but I am leaning towards the Rams by a game or two over the 49ers and Seahawks. Speaking of the 49ers, we see Coach MMX head coaching these guys this season. Coach MMX ran with the Saints in Madden 23, and won the division three times even once with a losing record, but besides the point, MMX was a staple in the playoffs and now he has the 49ers who are much more equipped. The 49ers are stacked at every single position and have a young cheap QB to develop as well in Brock Purdy. When i think of the 49ers, I think of their strong running game with McCaffrey, Eli Mitchell, and even WR Deebo Samuel. Also, Aiyuk and don't forget Kittle! The defense is also stacked with Bosa leading the charge, along with Fred Warner and Charvarius Ward. The 49ers are going to be a fun team to play with and MMX is a strong coach, I expect them to fight for that division with Victor and Q but to fall short this season. I do expect the 49ers to heavily battle for a wild-card but to maybe fall short this season. Coach QKP35 was lured out of retirement to return back to the MOF. The love of the brotherhood cannot keep him away. Q was the Lions for the most part of last edition, and had some success. The Lions won the division once and never finished with a below 500 season. I believe Q has a great team in Seattle, although some say QB Geno Smith is not the answer, so I'm sure he will be looking elsewhere for a QB upgrade. The rest of the team is very solid. I love the comeback tour of Bobby Wagner, who doesn't seem to be slowing down rated 89 ovr. WR Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are huge weapons in addition to TE Noah Fant. Don't forget about the juggernaut HB Kenneth Walker who has 94 speed and 94 accel. The defense is also very strong, with FS Quandre Diggs, CB Tariq Woolen and LB Jordyn Brooks. I really like Seattle, I think it might take a season though for Q to get the feel of the new game and the team before he starts to really challenge for the division. I wouldn't be shocked with a wild-card berth, but I am picking Seattle to finished in 3rd. Coach DocHolliday made his return to the MOF last edition with the Cowboys after Coach Estrada took his last MOF breath. Doc finished the season 5-4, as the Cowboys finished 7-10 overall. Coach Doc has been stuck with the Cardinals this edition, and we know how bad the Cardinals are. We do not know a lot about how Doc plays or builds his team but we can see that he is very active, and will be actively looking to rebuild these guys. Doc already traded Budda Baker and Zaven Collins for HB Dalvin Cook in the off-season, to try and help out that offense. WR Marquise Brown has a 97 speed and should be the top target for Kyler Murray. They also have WR Rondale Moore (94 speed) and WR Andre Baccellia (95 speed). I like the security blanket of TE Zach Ertz. The team needs help, we know this, but if Doc is smart, he will stock pile some picks and try to build that defense back up especially after trading Budda Baker. Like I said before, not much is really known about DocHolliday here in the MOF that coupled with the poor Cardinals, we are picking the Cards to finish last with about 4-6 wins.
