How's Your Franchise Going: Madden 20 Edition

[Chris_]

Picked up Madden 20 after playing '18 and started a Bengals franchise a few weeks ago using pre-season rosters.


At the start I did quite a bit of trading - I traded a bunch of veterans like Carlos Dunlap and Andy Dalton and gave away some early round picks to replace a bunch of positions with younger players.


Jacoby Brissett came in as the new QB after the Colts had him on the draft block and I got Quenton Nelson from them too, moving him to Center with his high strength and awareness. Most other players I picked up were in the low 70s for OVR or even in the 60s but young, 21-24. Where I needed new backup players I looked at Free Agency to pick up players in their late twenties with ok-ish backup attributes and low contracts.



A few existing players I changed positions a bit, such as Bates from FS to CB due to his lower Strength.


The overall aim was to try to have all starters at 70+ rating, preferably with youth on their side, and 'cheap' backups in the mid 60s that could sit there without needing gametime for key development - ie. not lacking awareness.


I finished the first year 9-7, missing out on the playoffs behind the Browns (11-5) who went on to win the Super Bowl.


Mixon had a great year, finishing 3rd in the league for rushing yards on 1650, Bates was T-4th for interceptions with 5 from his new CB position and my new LOLB Lorenzo Carter ended 7th and 8th for sacks and TFL.


My passing game wasn't great as I adjusted from M18 to M20 so I relied on the run but it was a decent first year getting used to the way the new game plays.

[Chris_]

Bengals Year 2: In Progress


I had a fairly weak draft in the offseason after trading away most top picks in the Year 1 rebuild. I did pick up a CB with nice attributes but was disappointed to find his Play Ball trait is Conservative, so I may trade him away after a year or two when there's less of a cap penalty (I try to have all CBs/Safeties at Balanced/Aggressive). I also managed to pick up a Safety who may be able to become a new starter, but the rest all ended up with some disappointing attributes or poor traits and went to the practice team.


Squad-wise I let Eifert go to free agency as he wanted a huge contract and was already declining, and Bernard went the same way as he demanded too much guaranteed pay on a long contract for his age. I picked up a few free agents to replace them and add depth to a couple of other positions such as WR. In terms of key veterans I used the franchise tag on AJ Green as he wanted a long contract with high guarantee, so this way I can just tag him each year I still want him as a starter until he declines too much. Geno Atkins is still starting at DT too as he began the franchise with an expensive and lengthy contract so he'll be around at least another year or two until it might be worth trading/cutting him depending on how he declines.


So far after 10 games I'm 7-3 with the passing game working a lot better than last year (Green is #2 in the league for receiving yards). Mixon and Anderson are making a nice rushing pair and some of my younger players have had breakouts into Star development, with Lawson at RE and Mixon moving up to Superstar.


It looks like I should make the Playoffs unless I collapse in the final few weeks so I'll see how far I can make it and then look at which older players at 27/28 might be worth new contracts with regression due to begin.

[speedkills]

Started a new franchise as the Bengals and force-simmed their first season to go 1-15 guaranteeing the 1st overall pick in the 2020 draft.

I traded away A.J. Green and Geno Atkins for draft picks. I chose not to re-sign a declining Eifert and put Dalton on the trading block but apparently got no takers. Two major gets in free agency: X-factor DT Chris Jones and TE Austin Hooper and I forgot his name, but a young 80s rated CB.

With the first overall pick I chose Heisman winner QB and Ohio native, Joe Burrow. With my further picks I got his LSU teammate LB K'Lavon Chaisson, some other speed rusher OLB from the SEC, power runner Zack Moss from Utah to compliment Mixon.

Opened the 2020 season at Jacksonville and pulled out a thrilling 34-31 victory with Burrows throwing for over 300 yards with 2 TDs but also 2 pick sixes.

Burrow's 1st career NFL TD pass was a thing of beauty:

[speedkills]

2020 Bengals 2-2 visiting the 2-2 Dolphins. Joe Burrow has lived up to his billing so far and has been one cool cat, so to speak. I'm a few more pieces from making this team a terror in the AFC North and the rest of the league but they're not that 1-15 team from last season to be sure.

Highlights - huge run from Mixon and a late game pre-snap route adjustment leads to a huge score. Speed kills when there's no safety help.



Won 37-34 with a last second field goal.

[MizzouRah]

Quote: Originally Posted by speedkills

2020 Bengals 2-2 visiting the 2-2 Dolphins. Joe Burrow has lived up to his billing so far and has been one cool cat, so to speak. I'm a few more pieces from making this team a terror in the AFC North and the rest of the league but they're not that 1-15 team from last season to be sure. Highlights - huge run from Mixon and a late game pre-snap route adjustment leads to a huge score. Speed kills when there's no safety help. Won 37-34 with a last second field goal.

Joe Mixon has been a beast for me.

[speedkills]

Quote: Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Joe Mixon has been a beast for me.

Yep. I just locked him up for 6 years 31 mil. The running game is a QB's best friend, even more so with a rookie QB.

[MizzouRah]

2021 Bengals

We pull out a 29-24 win over the San Diego Chargers. This is our 8th win in a row, putting us alone at the top in the division at (8-2).

Up next the (1-9) Steelers come to town.

[OhMrHanky]

Just had the most ridiculous almost loss to a madden cheat game. Lol. So, had to vent.

First off, at the end of my 2020 season with my Dirty Birds, I beat Chi 27-0 to go 14-2. I faced them, again, in my first playoff game after the bye. This game had some wonky back and forth to it. Ryan threw 4 ints, lol, as I just couldn’t get my O going. I actually blocked an extra point and ran it back for 2 points. This allowed me to sort have an ‘edge’ on the game at the end. I still needed to score a TD as they were up by 4, I believe. I drove the ball to the goaline, but screwed myself on time. I should’ve spiked the ball, but I went ‘no huddle’ instead, and took a garbage sack. With no TOs, I couldn’t get another snap off. I was absolutely fuming after destroying them 2 weeks prior. But, I took the loss and moved on.

Boy, did I move on. As others have mentioned in this thread, atl has serious cap issues. Lol. And, I signed a few of them, I believe. Ultimately, I had to lose Julio. . This killed me more than u believe. I love that guy, but it is what it is. I didn’t want to try and figure things out by cutting or trading Matty Ice, even though he’s the major cap problem right now. So, I lost Julio to free agency. I did some major scouting on WRs for the draft as I also lost Sanu. I had my eyes on what looked like a sure bet. He was going to go early in the first, so I traded Kazee and some draft picks for the 5th overall pick. I thought this would guarantee I get him as there was another WR ahead of him in the scouting. NOPE! Both WRs were taken within the first 4 picks and my guy was taken at number 4. Lol. This is the SECOND time in madden history I have gotten screwed trying to replace Julio. In another madden, I traded for number 3 overall for some stud, and he got taken number 1 overall. Lol. So, my draft was a complete mess trying to fill wr holes with possible diamonds and I got stuck taking another quality TE due to lack of actual wr talent at that point in the draft.

Anyways, those were just frustrations that led to my opening game for 2021 that I wanted to rant about. Lol.

First game against those dirty panthers. I am KILLING them. McCaffery has like 30-40 yards going into the 4th. Newton has looked very erratic with some horrible passes. I’ve made some big plays with Ridley and Freeman has gone off for 150+. Im up 34-13 to start the 4th. I start resting Freeman as I’m up by so much. I’m driving for another score to start the 4th. They get an INT near the end zone. They have 1st down on their own 6. I’m mad at the INT, but hey, they’re on the 6, so let’s take some time off the clock. First play? Screen to mccafferey. I’m right on his hip, but the game won’t let me tackle him. . He gains 40 yards!! . Next play? TD to a WR who broke 3-4 tackles. Lol. . Ok, I’m still up by 14. I’m running the ball to take some clock off, but I’m not playing super conservative. Suddenly, I simply can’t move the ball at all!! .

Long story short, they scored 21 in like 5 mins or something ridiculous. Newton started scrambling and picking up chunks. Which is ok, cause he can do that, but overall, it just felt like madden cheating.

Less than a min left, I’ve got the ball to try to win the game. I get absolutely nothing and they get the GD ball with less than a min. What happens? Newton keeps running. I’m using QB contain at this point, mind you, but he’s still gaining chunks. I stop them around the 30-35. It must’ve been around a 50 yarder. I ice that MF. lol. . And, he SHANKS IT WIDE!!!! Lol. I love it.

So, we go into OT. They win the toss and receive. They drive into my territory, but on 3rd and long, I blitz heavy and sack that mother!!! Lol. They punt. I move the ball miraculously down around the 30. I’m in FG range. I want to move it a little closer just for the realism, honestly. And, they could ice me. So, I run the ball effectively. I get a first down around the 15. I decide to kick it. They ice me. So, I try to trick the game, lol, and I run the ball instead of kicking. This should remove the ice, you’d think. Nope. Lol. I line up for a kick and the ice is in effect. They call TO, again, actually, but they didn’t need to. Apparently, once ice is in effect, it’s stuck. Lol. Anyways, I ultimately kick the game winning FG in OT with ice and am completely ecstatic!!! Woohoo!!!

But, I’m still a little miffed at the game. We all talk about madden cheating or madden games being scripted. The devs say it’s not in there. I do believe them. But, man, after a game like that, it makes me wonder, again. Lol. I was absolutely destroying them. They couldn’t do anything against me. Up by 21 going into the 4th. And, it took a missed ice kick from them to go into OT. And, I made an ice kick to win it. At least I won it. I’m not sure I could’ve taken the Bears loss in the playoffs and follow it with this as my opening game. Lol.


Edit: was looking at the stats, and I see time of possession was atl (39:03) and car (24:52). Lol. I mean, seriously, I was killing them!!!!


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