Four weeks of Premier Madden League football have come and gone. We are officially onto week 5 of the season and we are here to check who is leading each division and who is officially the bottom feeder of each division.
*Standings are taken from MyMadden
NFC East:
Leader: New York Giant (3-1) – The Giants shocked the league last season with how well they played given their team’s lack of superstars and underwhelming roster. As they should, they are relying on the running game and defense to carry them. They are top in the league in rushing this season, as well as, top ten in all defense categories. Teams will have to get Jones to throw the ball if they want a shot at dethroning these Giants for the top spot in this division.
Bottom: Dallas Cowboys (1-3) – The Cowboys didn’t have the season that they wanted nor were expecting last season. Expectations were for them to compete for the division crown, and at least get a wild card spot. They ended the season on a positive note but didn’t make the playoffs. So far this season is the same as last. All of their games have been pretty close, however, they just can’t find a win to finish them.
NFC West:
Leader: Los Angeles Rams (3-1) – The Rams had a great regular season, however, they were bounced from the playoffs quickly last season. After week ones loss, they have blown off the rust with three straight victories and are looking like the regular season Rams of old. The division is a close battle, so they will need to key in on that regular season streak in order to avenge their playoff loss last season.
Bottom: San Francisco 49ers (2-2)- The entire division is .500 or better. This is saying something considering their records last season. The Niners are last in the division, but they have a better record than a lot of others in the NFC. With Lance hurt, they are now relying on a terrible quarterback with 82 throw power. If teams are smart they will stack the box and make Purdy throw the ball as chances are he’s throwing a drag or short route. It will be interesting to see how the niners overcome this challenge.
NFC North:
Leader: Green Bay Packer (3-0-1) – You never want to tie in a game but early in the season, a tie is better than a loss and it is the sole reason that the Packers are at the one spot. The Packers have opted to sit Rodgers in favor of their rookie quarterback. This is an interesting move that has worked out well for them so far. Rumors are the Packers are looking for a first for Rodgers, however, as of this article, no team has offered that up yet. If he stays on the roster, will the Packers play him if they start to lose or will they stick with the rookie for the rest of the season. This will be a good story to watch.
Bottom: Detroit Lions (1-3) – The Lions coach last season was a great player who was too busy for the league and often let the computer play his games. The computer had more wins than the current Lions owner. This division was built for all four teams to compete and so far that isn’t happening. Curt has always been a player who could put up yards and touchdowns. The problem is he has been aplayer who has a tendency to also throw a lot of interceptions. Mayfield leads the league in interceptions with fourteen. Curt will need to curb the interceptions if he wants any shot at winning the NFC North.
NFC South:
Leader: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) – The Buccaneers are the reigning champions and have done well to start off this season. Brady didn’t lose his x-factor this offseason and is the current starter for the Bucs. He has been playing at an all pro level, even at his advanced age. If Brady and Coach Codes can continue this passing attack then we may see a back to back super bowl winner.
Bottom: Carolina Panthers (0-4) – The Panthers traded away their best wide receiver in the offseason, however, had the first pick in the draft. They took the best quarterback, one who is a superstar x factor and one who is a best fit for their offense. They find themselves as a young team who has plenty of superstars but not the highest attributes. They are a run first team and while they are leading the league in rushing yards per game, that has not translated into wins. They don’t have the defense to match their offense. Generally with a good rushing offense, you want a good defense who will stop opponents. The Panthers rank last in points and yards given up. They will need to sure up this defense up if they don’t want to be the first team in history to go 0-17 in back to back years.
The Giants, Packers, Rams, and Buccaneers are the current division leaders. Each division has some capable teams who can compete for the title and wildcard. The NFC was the best conference last season, with teams winning 10 games being kept out of the playoffs. This looks to be the same this season as only four teams in the entire conference are below .500. This looks like it will come down to the wire again, with more double digit winning teams missing the playoffs. We will come back at the mid season point to check in and see if things are the same or not.
