As we get closer to the release of Madden NFL 11, it’s time to look back at the best and most dominating players of Madden 10. I have played over 1,000 games online ranked and unranked, so I have seen just about every player in the game AT LEAST a few times.

10.) Calvin Johnson- There’s not alot of people who use the Lions (although I feel they’re a very underrated team) but when you do see them, MegaTron will always give you problems. He is a freak of an athlete with the size to go over the middle and rocket catch, but the speed to burn the DB deep.

9.) Antonio Cromartie- More often than not if you saw the Chargers you saw ACro at FS. One of the most dangerous users with his combo of size, speed and catching, you almost always had to stay away from him.

8.) Jullius Peppers- This man was a BEAST in Madden 10. He could be used as a normal 4-3 or 46 DE but where he stood out was his coverage ratings. You could throw him as a 3-4 OLB and have one of the best pass rushers in game rushing the edge in an even more creative way then before.

7.) Vincent Jackson- The most underrated WR in the game IMO, he could be used in just about every way you wanted except for screen passes. He didn’t have elite speed but his size made up for that, if you had any sort of user skill you could either lob it deep or RC on almost every DB in the game.

6.) Michael Turner- You didn’t see too much of Atlanta cause of that D, but Michael Turner was a monster. He could run through you or around you just as easily and with a high carry rating, you can pound the rock all game long.

5.) Ronnie Brown- He fits the same kind of mold as Michael Turner, but I feel like he is a more complete back. The thing that puts him in the top 5 is his carry. Again, a high carry rating makes the difference. You can pound the rock all game without fear of him letting go of the ball.

4.) Drew Brees- If you want a QB to sling the ball around then Drew Brees is your guy. With good arm power to get the ball deep, and crazy good accuracy at short, medium and deep you always want to watch out when you play him.

3.) Patrick Willis- A man amongst boys on the field, he has everything you would want in a MLB. He has the size, speed and hit power that you look for in a LB but he can also catch the ball making him a problem in coverage.

2.) Adrian Peterson- He is one of the hardest players to stop in the game, with a crazy combo of strength and speed he was extremely hard to bring down, even if you could catch him. The reason he is second is 2 things: his carry rating and his catching. Those 2 keep him from getting the top spot.

1.) Chris Johnson- A homerun waiting to happen, you need to be worried every time he touches the ball. One of the fastest players in the game means he is a threat no matter where you put him, but the fact that he can catch the ball and has a high carry rating means you can use him in any way, and as often as you want.

There you have it fellas, the top 10 best players of Madden 10. As you can see, the RB is the most important spot. With how good off tackle was this year having a top notch RB made for an automatic O.

Written by MUG CaNes

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.

1. Ryan Leaf 1998 – This is an easy one just because of who came after him in the draft and what San Diego gave up to get him. First of all, the 1998 draft had Peyton Manning, who is arguably the best QB of this generation and possibly of all time. The main thing that stands out about this pick is that San Diego GM Bobby Beathard gave up the 3rd overall pick, a 2nd rounder and a 1st round pick in the 1999 draft. All this was given up just to move up one spot in the draft to pick Ryan Leaf who had a whopping 13 TD passes and 33 INTs in his career.

2. Tony Mandarich 1989 – The man was a beast, featured in Sports Illustrated as the next great offensive lineman. Tony had a very bright future in the league because it seemed like he was a man among boys. However, once he got into the NFL his career started to fall apart, and he lost a massive amount of weight leading up to the NFL Draft. This weight loss suggested that his dominance in college was attributed to steroids. Only a measly 3 years later, he was cut and never resurfaced in the league. Another thing making this pick worse is that Barry Sanders was picked at the number 3 spot while Tony Mandarich was picked 2nd overall.

3. Heath Shuler 1994 – Heath had huge expectations coming out of Tennessee that he could not possibly meet in Washington. His first mistake was the 13 day holdout he had that angered Redskins fans and only made them dislike him more. Combine this with terrible quarterbacking and a shoulder injury that cost him his starting job to Gus Frerotte and it makes him a draft bust.

4. Andre Ware 1990 – Being selected 7th overall has its pros and cons. One con is that you must live up to a hype that is nearly impossible to live up to. After having a ridiculous season at Houston that included 4,699 passing yards and 46 touchdowns along with 1,115 rushing yards and a Heisman trophy he was expected to be the greatest. However, in 4 seasons with the Lions and Vikings he only amassed 1,112 yards on 83-161 passing.

5. Jamarcus Russell 2007 – Some may argue that it is too early in his career to call him a bust, but I don’t think so. This guy has no work ethic and is constantly about 300 pounds. A team does not want someone at the QB position who does not work hard and is lazy. Overall, in his career he has 23 INTs with 18 TD passes on 52.1% passing. A less impressive stat is that in games that he has started his team has a record of 10-24. Those are not the kind of stats that you want with the #1 pick in an NFL Draft.

There are people that almost made this list and were just not quite bad enough. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Timschroeder546 signing out.

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.

1. New York Jets – This is the obvious choice here, with everyone returning from last years number 1 rated team, why would they start to drop off? The Jets gave up a measly 153.7 passing yards per game last year. Expect that number to go down even farther because of their trade for Antonio Cromartie, who is just another shutdown corner playing with the best corner in the game, Darrelle Revis. Another reason is their RFA pick up of Jason Taylor, who can contribute with his explosive pass rush on third downs, creating even less time for the opposing QBs to throw the ball and pick up big chunks of yardage. Darrelle Revis had his breakout year last season and has the confidence plus the skills to shut down any wide receiver in the game of football. Along with the pick up of Kyle Wilson, who could move to the safety position and play beside Jim Leonhard. The Jets secondary is the best in the game with young talent, and they can only get even better this year.

2. Buffalo Bills – The Bills are also loaded with young talent. The most explosive player on this team last year was Jairus Byrd, he exploded right out of college and was tied for the league lead in interceptions. Along with veteran corners such as Terrence McGee and Drayton Florence, the Bills also have Leodis McKelvin, who is an explosive young corner. Opposite of Jairus Byrd, the Bills have Donte Whitner, who is a wiley veteran and is one of the hardest hitters in the league. Along with this fantastic secondary, the Bills have Paul Posluszny, who is a fantastic young linebacker that plays well in coverage. The Bills are built to play the pass very well, and their run support should improve in 2010, helping the pass defense even more.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers – No one can deny the greatness of the Steelers’ defense when Troy Polamalu is healthy. He is simply the single most influential defensive player in the NFL, and can alter a game with one ridiculous play. Combine Troy Polamalu with gritty veterans Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, and William Gay, the Steelers secondary becomes nearly unbeatable. Another very important aspect of Pittsburgh’s defense is Ryan Clark, who can hit so hard that he injures even the toughest guys in the league (*cough* Willis McGahee *cough*). However, the main reason that I believe their pass defense will be so good is the pressure that James Harrison and company (Woodley and Timmons) will get on the QB. The QB will be so worried about getting knocked upside his head that he will rush throws that will lead to turnovers.

These are the three pass defenses in the NFL that I believe will be the most difficult to air it out on. Watch out getting behind on these guys because you will not be able to pass your way back into the game!

Feel free to disagree with this list and post them in the comments sections below or message me and tell my why I’m dumb to my face!

Written by TimShroeder546

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.

2.)Stephen Jackson- 5 straight seasons of 1000+ yards with the St. Louis Rams. Enough said.

3.)Adrian Peterson- He makes the uniordinary look ordinary. An absolute freak of nature with strength to match his speed. If he could just fix his fumbling problem, he could be atop the list.

4.)Maurice Jones Drew- A solid, all around running back.  If it wasn’t for his height issue, he would be a top 3 running back.

5.)Frank Gore- Another 1000+ yard rusher since being drafted out of the University of Miami. Gore is one guy you don’t want getting past your front 7.

6.)Ray Rice- Great hands and plays twice his size. He’s only been in the league for 2 seasons now but easily makes the list.

7.)DeAngelo Williams- Super quick and a viable pass option out of the backfield. D’lo proves splitting carries with the next guy does’nt slow him down a bit.

8.)Jonathan Stewart- He breaks so many tackles. A perfect compliment to DeAngelo Williams speed. He actually had more carries, yards and touchdowns for the Panthers last season.

9.)Ronnie Brown- Injuries push him down toward the bottom of the list. All around great back. Brown makes the Wildcat formation look unstoppable.

10.)Jamaal Charles- Led the league with 5.9 yards a carry. Another speedy back with a great future ahead of him.

Not quite- Thomas Jones, Brandon Jacobs, Cedric Benson, Pierre Thomas

Written by layinWOOD

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.

Everyone already knows what teams are going to be the most effective in Madden 11, these teams will include the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, and many people will use the Minnesota Vikings. However, there are teams that have the potential to be very good that many people are overlooking. Madden is filled with players that produce much better than their overall ratings would indicate. There are also entire teams in the game that have slightly lower ratings but can be deadly if used in the correct way. So here are my top 3 Madden 11 teams that you may overlook! (All Madden 10 ratings, as of final update)

1. Seattle Seahawks

- They have a top notch defense anchored by Lofa Tatupu, rising star Aaron Curry, and Marcus Trufant. Earl Thomas is also an excellent addition to their secondary, adding that much needed safety to prevent big plays down the field. The offense of this team has also improved exponentially by adding Leon Washington and LenDale White. The two running backs will be an explosive tandem with the new run blocking system, making the power running game a much more important part of the game. Matt Hasselbeck is also a top 15 QB when he is healthy, and in Madden they are always usually healthy so this team is always being overlooked by a lot of people who are just staring at the 49ers in the division.

X Factor: The major advantage that an user of the Seahawks has is the element of surprise. An inexperienced Madden player will say “Oh, it’s just the Seahawks this guy must suck.” This will make the bum use a lower rated team, and you will be able to burn him with the Seahawks. People totally ignore this team. It makes no sense to me, they have some of the best young talent in the game and had an okay draft.

2. Buffalo Bills -

 Picking up C.J. Spiller totally changes the dynamic of this offense and adds some speed to an otherwise slow power running game. I argue that they have the best backfield in the game with Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and the newly drafted C.J. Spiller. Their receivers are also solid with speedy Lee Evans, even speedier Roscoe Parrish, and rookie David Nelson. The Bills defense has some of the best corners in the game with Leodis McKelvin, Terrence McGee, and Drayton Florence. They also have a hard hitting safety in Donte Whitner who can change the game with one monster hit, along with Jaruis Byrd, who should at the very least have some nice stats. Their front seven is also one to fear with Paul Posluszny, Kawika Mitchell, Marcus Stroud, and Aaron Schoebel (possible retirement may change that). The Bills are overshadowed by the other power house teams in their division that include the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins.

X Factor: This team has an explosive offense and a defense full of playmakers. This team can force so many turnovers that you will always have a chance to get the ball back at any point on the field. 

3. St. Louis Rams

Sticking with the theme of the NFC West, the Rams also look as if they could create some noise in Madden 11. The Rams, with the consistency of Steven Jackson and their newfound firepower on offense, could be a very high scoring threat. Obviously Sam Bradford will be the biggest difference maker for the franchise, but their pick of Mardy Gilyard is being ignored. Mardy opens up the field for Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton, and Sam Bradford is capable of making all the throws. The defense of the Rams also looks pretty good with James Laurinatais, Bobby Carpenter, and Chris Long leading the way. They will be able to get pressure on the quarterback and contain the running game.

X Factor: The main strength of the Rams will be the ability to keep the other offense off the field and control the clock. Limiting the big plays by the other team and scoring on long, consistent drives will be the key to victory for Rams users.

Madden 11 will be a game relying much more on skill and strategy unlike previous Maddens. There will be no way to choose that unstoppable play every time and the game will rely even more on how good you are with a particular team. The three teams will give you a chance to fly under the radar and be able to surprise the other player. Have fun out there finding your team that you are unbeatable with! Can’t wait ‘till Madden 11, August 10!

Written by: timschroeder546

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.

1. Herschel Walker- RB, Georgia

He burst into the college scene right away with a HUGE freshman season where he set 5 freshman records, including rushing yards and TDs. He holds 11 NCAA records, 16 SEC records, and 41 UGA records. He was a consensus All-American from 1980-82. He rushed for 5,259 yards in his career, a SEC and UGA record as well as a NCAA mark for most yards in three seasons. He won the Heisman in 1982, and even competed for Georgia’s track and field team, where he was a two-time All-American selection (outdoor 400-meter relay, indoor 60-yard dash) as well as a member of the SEC championship team in the 400-meter relay in 1981.

2. Barry Sanders- RB, Oklahoma State

Barry spent his first 2 seasons at Oklahoma State backing up Thurman Thomas, but when Thomas left to go to the NFL Sanders started on what would be a HoF career. In his first season starting at RB,  he had the most impressive singe season in college football history, rushing for 2,628 yards and scoring 39 TDs (37 rushing) with an average  of 7.8 YPC. He had 5 straight games where he rushed for 200 yards and 4 games in that amazing season where he went over 300 yards. In the final game of his season, he rushed for 222 yards and scored 5 TDs but those stats were not added to his season stats.

3. Archie Griffin- RB, Ohio State

Griffin holds his place among OSU fans as a folk hero. He is the only person  in college football history to win 2 Heisman trophies in his career and  the only player to lead the Big 10 in rushing for 3 straight seasons. He is also one of 2 players to play in 4 Rose Bowls (Brian Cushing is the other player). In his second game of his freshman season he set the OSU  single game rushing record with 239 yards, a record that stood for 27 years. He also holds the record for the most consecutive games with 100+  rushing yards, with 31 games (he had 34 games where he went over 100 yards rushing)

4. Sammy Baugh- QB, TCU

One of the most athletic players in  sports history, Sammy Baugh played 3 sports (football, baseball and basketball), but he excelled at football, leading TCU to 2 bowl wins and throwing 39 TDs in his 3 seasons there. He was a 2 time All-American and finished 4th in the Heisman voting in 1936.

5. Dick Butkus- LB/C, Illinois

At the University of Illinois he played center and linebacker from  1962-1962. He was twice voted as a unanimous All-American in ’63 and ’64. He was named the college football player of the year in 1964. In 1963, he finished 6th in the Heisman voting and 3rd the following year, a huge  achievement given his position, as Heisman voters are notorious for  their strong bias against defensive players. He is also one of 2  players to have their number retired by the University of Illinois (Red Grange is the other player).

6. Dave Rimington- C, Nebraska

Dave Rimington set the standard in which all Centers coming out of  college are measured by. He won the Outland trophy (nation’s best lineman) in ’81 and ’82, the Lombardi Award, and the UPI award in 1982. In 1982, he placed 5th on Heisman ballot, and his #50 jersey was retired, becoming one of the 16 players in Husker football history to receive that honor. He and Orlando Pace are the only three-time winners in the Outland/Lombardi category. In 1997, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

7. Jim Thorpe- RB/DB/K/P, Carlisle

Thorpe gained nationwide attention for the first time in 1911 as a running back, defensive back, placekicker, and punter for his school’s football team in when Thorpe scored all of his team’s points: four field goals and a touchdown, in an 18–15 upset of Harvard. His team finished that season 11–1. The following year, Thorpe led Carlisle to the national collegiate championship, scoring 25 touchdowns and 198 points. Carlisle’s 1912 season included a 27 6 victory over Army. In that game, Thorpe scored a 92-yard touchdown that was nullified by a penalty incurred by a teammate; however, Thorpe then scored a 97-yard touchdown on the next play. Thorpe was awarded All-American honors in both 1911 and 1912.

8. Desmond Howard- PR/WR, Michigan

During his college career at the University of Michigan, Howard set or tied five NCAA and 12 Michigan records. He also led the Big Ten Conference in scoring with 138 points during the 1991 season, onwards his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and earning first-team All-American honors. Howard captured 85% of the first place votes in balloting for the Heisman, the largest margin in the history of the trophy at that time. And who could forget the most famous pose of all time? The striking of the Heisman pose during the 1991 game against Ohio State!

9. Mike Ditka- TE, Pittsburgh

Ditka played for the University of Pittsburgh from 1958-1960. He started all 3 seasons and is widely considered one of the best tight ends in college football history. In addition to playing tight end, he also served as the team’s punter. He led the team in receiving in all three of his seasons with them, and was a first team selection on the College Football All-America Team in his senior year. In 1986, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

10. Eric Dickerson- RB, SMU

Initially, he shared carries with Craig James and Charles Waggoner, all three blue-chip recruits in 1979. Waggoner got hurt returning a kickoff their freshmen season, so Dickerson and James led SMU’s “Pony Express system”, a system that neither Dickerson nor James liked at first. However, Dickerson started to like the system and his stats reflected the success he had with it as he gained 4,450 yards on 790 carries to break Earl Campbell’s Southwest Conference record for yards and attempts. His 48 career touchdowns tied Doak Walker’s SMU total for career scoring. In his senior year, despite splitting time with James, Dickerson finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was also a First-team All-American in 1982 and a Second-team All-American in 1981.

What do you think?  Did we miss anyone? Is someone on the list that shouldn’t be?  Let us know with a comment below.

Written by MiamiXCanes and BigHungry702, edited by 2ToN

© 2010, Madden 12 Tips | Madden 2012. All rights reserved.