Codes Corner
Greeny is back: Greeny had a disappointing cycle last madden, he would be the first to tell you. We didn’t know what to expect with him having the Jets. Going into week 1 against a new opponent with a top team it was going to be interesting to see how Greeny handled it. He handled it like prime Greeny would, he ran the ball effectively. Dalvin Cook finished with 200+ total yards, 192 being on the ground, and 3 TDs. The thing that surprised me the most though, was his final drive. If you watched Greeny last cycle, he was probably a candidate for most one possession losses, lots of those came from “game winning drives” fails. This cycle he starts strong and actually puts together a game winning drive and scored with around 16 seconds left. The question is, is this just one lucky win or the beginning to a great cycle?
Put some respect on Fallens Name: Fallen was pretty much written off this season mostly due to the fact that he lost Jamo, but some thought he just wasn’t good. His first game of the season was against the reigning super bowl champ matigy and the chiefs, 6 users selected matigy to beat fallen in knockout. Fallen came out and shocked the world… without Jamo, Goff outplayed Mahomes. Goff put up 370 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTS, and completed 83% of his passes. That’s a MVP type of performance against a great defensive user. Fallen will be a top user this cycle if he can continue this play and elevate his offense when Jamo returns… the big question is can he continue this?
Houston Texans (1-0): CJ Stroud completed 42% of his passes, but the Texans still defeated the Ravens handedly because of the stout defense led by Derek Stingley Jr. who intercepted Lamar Jackson 3 times. Kingke is off to the races with his Texans, especially with Dameon Pierce rushing for over 200 yards, look out AFC South.
New England Patriots (1-0): It’s the Mac Attack in New England and he was one of the league’s top passers in week 1, which is even more impressive against a loaded Philadelphia defensive back group. SP is going to bring a title back to New England and Mac Jones will step out of Tom Brady’s very large shadow.
Green Bay Packers (1-0): I think everyone predicted the winner of this game before the PML season even started, but HypeMike is favored to win the division and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure because three teams went 1-0 in the NFC North in week 1.
Los Angeles Chargers (1-0): Codes.. Teach me your ways, how did you hold Tyreek Hill to just 15 yards, but what’s even more impressive is the 43 point onslaught that the Chargers put up against a very well built Dolphins defense.
New Orleans Saints (1-0): 158.3 QBR for Derek Carr as his first game as a Saint, did he ever put up numbers like that in all the time he was with the Raiders? If JC can clutch Derek Carr into shape, he has the edge over his competition in the NFC South. Rumour is that the NFC South is a two team race, but who those teams are remains a secret.
Minnesota Vikings (1-0): All things are perfectly balanced, so too is the Vikings offense after putting up 200 yards rushing and passing against the Buccaneers. Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions, but a four sack day by the Minnesota pass rush sealed the victory for them.
Denver Broncos (1-0): Let Mond cook? Fans were confused by the quarterback change, but a win is a win, and DK was pinpoint in his passing attack, although I suspect we’re going to see Russell Wilson get a chance to cook in week 2.
Washington Commanders (1-0): Vet, top 8? It really is a Christmas miracle. Hats off to Vet though, he handled a porous Cardinals team and took care of business in week 1. Projected to finish last in the division, he actually has a chance to compete if he can keep this level of play up each week.
Detroit Lions (1-0): Another upset this week as Jared Goff outplayed Patrick Mahomes this week. Analysts didn’t give the Lions a shot in h*** at winning this game, but an efficient Jared Goff can lead the Lions to the playoffs under the right head coach.
Atlanta Falcons (1-0): Are we seeing season 5 Nef in season 1? Bijan Robinson had 21 touches for over 200 yards and is a prime rookie of the year candidate. The true test begins in week 2 when the Falcons take on Green Bay and we get to see how the preparation in the off-season has treated Nef and his Falcons.
Los Angeles Rams (1-0): Was it really an upset seeing the Rams take down the Seahawks week 1? Cook will always be Cook, so not quite understanding how someone bet against him week 1 in a suicide pool. Rebuild and contention may duel exist.
San Francisco 49ers (1-0): This game was a bit strange for the 49ers, I mean they one, but disconnections are always rough. The have the best team in the division, but it remains to be seen if they are going to compete for a full season at a high level, especially against the better teams in the NFC.
New York Jets (1-0): Jets, Bills, Jets, Bills, J E T S, Jets. Aaron Rodgers is alive and kicking in the Madden gridiron, so expect to see Greeny keep him protected at all times. Greeny is back to his basics, after rushing for over 190 yards with Dalvin Cook.
Dallas Cowboys (1-0): High expectations this cycle in Dallas and Drama delivered in week 1 versus Burn and the Giants. Being able to hold a guy like Saquan Barkley to 59 yards on 12 carries is impressive and the Cowboys hold the top spot in rushing defense after the first week of PML. Teams are expected to run more due to the Cowboys having two corners with acrobat, so being a formidable defense against the rush is crucial for them this season.
Indianapolis Colts (1-0): No Jonathan Taylor, no problem. Anthony Richardson had a rough outing in his first game as a pro after throwing three interceptions, but the Colts held the Jaguars to a 33% conversion rate in the redzone. That is one stat that gets lost among the others, but taking guaranteed points away from your opponent will generally lead to a victory.
Cleveland Browns (1-0): Deshaun Watson wasn’t happy to hear that his team wanted to ship him out, but he blocked out the noise and showed Browns fans that he has the potential to lead his team to victory. Mali’s chances at winning the AFC North are very high IF he can play mistake free football. Lock in a playoff berth for Cleveland if Watson has a positive TD-INT ratio by the end of the season.
Seattle Seahawks (0-1): Seattle rushed for almost 200 yards, which normally you’d expect a victory under those circumstances, but they couldn’t cover Cooper Kupp and let him catch 6 passes for 192 yards. Kupp was the leading receiver in week 1, but Seattle will look to bounce back quickly next week. DK Metcalf was held to 45 yards, a very impressive feat, but Seattle will need to get their superstar receiver more touches to stay relevant in the division.
Buffalo Bills (0-1): Beast made his debut against a PML vet with a top tier roster and fought until the end coming up on the losing side of things against the Jets. He moves on to the ultimate PML vet week 2 in a matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. This is a big prove me game for the newcomer as we still look to see where he stands in the PML hierarchy of talent.
Cincinnati Bengals (0-1): The Bengals had a chance to come back and steal a win, but sputtered short on a 4th down defensive stand. If you’re Goose, you have to be happy about the way the offense moved at times throughout the game. Although not consistent throughout, they showed they can be a threat on the ground and in the air. They look forward to getting in the W column in another divisional game versus the Ravens.
Las Vegas Raiders (0-1): The Raiders take a week 1 loss to a Kellen Mond led Denver Broncos. This roster will have a difficult time with top users and superior teams, leaving King Mike to come up
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1): The Jaguars offense couldn’t move the ball as Trevor Lawrence threw 3 interceptions and the ground game just couldn’t take off against a stingy Colts defense. Things could go even further south for the Jaguars after a week 2 matchup against the Chiefs. The divisional favorites are quickly against the wall.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1): Given the Vikings have a tough ground defense, we will give the Bucs a pass for week 1. However, they must open up the ground attack to give Mayfield a chance to reach his superstar targets. A stingy Bears defense will be a huge test for Cammy week 2.
Kansas City Chiefs (0-1): I expect a lot of these teams to move up in the rankings in the upcoming weeks. Matigy and the Chiefs being one of them. They were upset on the road against Fallen and the Lions week 1. As one of a few Super Bowl favorites, this isn’t the way you want to come out to open the season.
Miami Dolphins (0-1): The Dolphins have a tough two weeks out of the gate, and I expect the woes to continue week 2 against Spdot before moving onto DK week 3. They may very well start 0-3 with a roster that many had high hopes for- but is he really to blame?
New York Giants (0-1): The Giants fell apart in the red zone against the Cowboys, missing out on a few opportunities, ultimately leading to a week 1 loss. Many are already saying this will be the end of Saquan Barkley as we know him as Burn is focused on the pass. They look to bounce back in a winnable game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1): Curt was confident heading into his week 1 matchup against CEO and the 49ers. Although coming off a loss, I expect the confidence to remain and the Steelers head into their divisional matchup with the Browns with their heads up. Rumors are still swirling about a Zach Wilson to Pittsburgh deal. Will they pull the trigger?
Carolina Panthers (0-1): Bryce Young looked solid at times in his debut game. Adam Thielen looks re-born. In a game they had every chance to win, the Panthers dropped the season opener to Nef and the Falcons 40-25. They look ahead to another divisional game against JC and the Saints week 2.
Chicago Bears (0-1): Jefe takes a step back and goes back to the drawing board after a week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Word is, Jefe scrapped his whole playbook and has made the necessary changes for the Chicago Bears to maximize the talent, or lack of talent, they’re putting out on the field. Stay tuned…
Tennessee Titans (0-1): Dlloyd is trying to get the most milage out of his 29 year old star running back. Could this be an audition for a mid season trade to a contender? I predict yes.
Arizona Cardinals (0-1): I’ve been critical of the Cardinals choice of opening day starter for the cycle. I get Murray is out 8 weeks, but use that FA draft pick and get Carson Wentz in the lineup to give yourself the best chance to win until Kyler returns. 62 overall Clayton Tune is not the guy, and if you want to debunk the season 1 rumors of the T word, you gotta explore options at quarterback.
Philadelphia Eagles (0-1): Eagles looked flat, and Jalen Hurts struggled against the Patriots week 1. They will struggle in week 2 against a run heavy Vikings offensive scheme, and I expect Ty Chandler to have a monster game stretching out the Eagles defense. The ship could sink a lot faster than we thought for HD and the top CFM Philadelphia Eagles.
Baltimore Ravens (0-1): The Ravens fall hard week one as Lamar Jackson throws 5 interceptions to a very young and inexperienced Texans defense. With the new rules in place, you gotta be mindful before trying to mount a heroic comeback at the expense of your quarterbacks dev. Ravens have the opportunity to pick things up week 2 against the Bengals.
