On January 8, 2010, a person with the YouTube moniker Yosemitebear62 posted a video to his account. In the three minute, 29 second clip, a voice exults about a supernatural vision in front of his eyes. He sees a double rainbow hanging over a forested landscape across the sky. The voice freaks out in euphoria and you can't help but feel the joy. It's good fortune. Like the return of professional football and Madden Ratings.
Quite a bit has changed from last year. Peyton Manning, Megatron and Marshawn Lynch have moved on. Josh Norman is in Washington D.C. and RG3 is not. Brock Osweiler is in Houston, Trevor Siemian is a starting quarterback in Denver and Tim Tebow is playing baseball.
Some things haven't changed though. A team still thinks Sam Bradford is a starting quarterback. The Broncos defense is still elite and Jets fans are still miserable. But like I said. Double rainbow. Yeah!
Now, let's get to this week's ratings...
Moving On Up
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In just four seasons, Robert Griffin III suffered more drama in Washington D.C. than the Underwoods endured in House of Cards. From arriving as the toast of the town in 2012 to getting hurt and slipping to third on the depth chart in 2015, RG3 badly needed a change of scenery. Hence, Cleveland. He might be the 25th quarterback for the Browns since 1999, but RG3 is just 26-years-old and healthy. A two point increase to 75 OVR seems just about right.
Poor Tony Romo. There's a Bollywood movie quote that sums up his fate. "Uska toh na bad luck hi kharab hai."Even his bad luck is bad." Props to my Mumbai-born wife for that reference. Well, one's misfortune is another's opportunity. Seven quarterbacks were chosen ahead of Dak Prescott in the 2016 NFL Draft. But the Cowboys rookie was thrust into the spotlight after Romo injured his back in the preseason. Prescott put on a magical performance during that time bumping him up three points to 74 OVR. Come Sunday against the Giants, we'll see if he's the future Troy Aikman or Quincy Carter.
If Von Miller says you're one of the best offensive linemen in the league then it's inevitable you're going to get a boost in Madden rating. San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Brown rose ten points in the latest Madden update to 75 OVR. More than any other player in the league. The former Florida Gator is under the radar now. That's about to change.
Moving On Down
EA Sports
I recently read about the KonMari method of decluttering. It's essentially purging your home of anything unless you truly love it. Thus, I'm wondering, why do I still have a New York JetsMark Sanchez jersey hanging in my closet? Do I still believe Sanchez can resurrect his career? Am I still clinging to hope that he can get cut from the Denver Broncos and become a star in Dallas as a back-up. Sanchez went down three points in his OVR to 69. Here's the thing about Sanchez. He's like Lane Kiffin. He always manages to fail forward. I'll keep the jersey.
Joey Bosa has all the potential to become a great football player, but a prolonged contract dispute clouded perceptions which may be the reason his rating dropped three points. There's also a real possibility a hamstring injury might keep him out of the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Perhaps there's a reason we should keep parents off Facebook.
Jared Goff must feel like Molly Ringwald from "16 Candles." Chronologically, he's the #1 pick. Physically, he might not even be dressing up against the 49ers on Monday. Goff's one point rating decrease was expected leaving him with a 76 OVR. Strategically, it makes sense to bring him along slowly. Performance wise he needs to see game action to boost his rating.
MJD's Sizzle Take
Six bold predictions for Week 1
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6.Adrian Peterson's adamantine physique negates his 31 years of age. He will continue to dominate for a few more years. However, we are living in a millennial world now and those born after 1990 are now pervasive in the work place. Derrick Henry was born in 1994, the year "Friends" debuted, Michael Jordan tried baseball and Marshall Faulk was a rookie. The Titans host the Vikings this Sunday and I'm predicting that Henry will run for more yard than Peterson. Both will put up numbers, but Henry will show why he was the Heisman winner in 2015. DeMarco Murray who?
5.Josh Norman signed with Washington this summer. He'll continue to bring his panache and ballhawking skills to the secondary. So watch out Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. Norman knows how to play against big-time receivers allowing just one touchdown in five combine games playing against the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham Jr. and Julio Jones. Look for two interceptions and a Steelers loss.
4. There's one quarterback who threw more touchdowns in his second year than anyone else aside of Dan Marino and Kurt Warner. And there's another who had his worst statistical year ever. There's one quarterback who is 32-years-old and there's one quarterback who looks way older than 32 years. Fine. We'll leave Benjamin Button Bortles alone, but in his defense he's going to throw for more yards and touchdowns than Aaron Rodgers when the Green Bay Packers play the Jacksonville Jaguars. With a young and talented group on offense, including a strong running game, Bortles will jettison up the ladder of elite quarterbacks. Rogers will have to settle on just being the best in the league.
3.I need a catchy nickname like the Splash Brothers for J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. This super duo will hopefully be healthy this season and wreak havoc on quarterbacks around the league. That said Watt is coming off surgery and Clowney is finally healthy. Sunday against the Chicago Bears watch for Clowney to record more sacks than Watt. Either way. Jay Cutler is toast.
2. Every time I say Ezekiel Elliott I can't help but think of Samuel L. Jackson's Ezekiel 25:17 monologue in Pulp Fiction. With that in mind, Ezekiel Elliott will strike down upon thee Giants with great vengeance and furious anger and score two touchdowns and rush for 100 yards.
1. I wince when I hear random yoga hipsters utter Namaste without understanding the cultural meaning of it, but when I see clips of Arian Fosterperforming it after touchdowns I nod in approval. He gets it. I was sad to see him beleaguered by injury last year. He's now healthy and so watch for him to shock the Seattle Seahawks elite defense with a transcendental performance of 150 total yards and a Dolphins win.
Amar Shah is a Digital Features Editor for NFL.com. You can follow him on Twitter @amarshahism.
