Make no mistake, I will be buying Madden 21. Probably the first week it is released. Why? Probably out of habit. I’ve been playing this game for fifteen plus years and it has progressively gotten relatively worse year after year.

So what is bad about the game exactly?

I would say the fact that it’s supposed to be a realistic football sim that isn’t very realistic. This goes to show that effective marketing is a much better way to create sales rather than improving a product. Marketing, and the fact that EA Sports backs up multiple Brinks trucks full of cash to the league to secure the exclusive gaming rights for the NFL.

Here are the top five things I would like to see changed (that I know won’t get changed):

1. Offensive Line Play

Now I know that offensive line play is an actual problem in the modern NFL, but on Madden a lot of the mechanics don’t make any sense.

Take a look at this article from Madden School.

They replaced all of the offensive lineman with back up quarterbacks and they performed the same. You’re trying to tell me that you expect Mark Sanchez can perform the same as a 6’5″ 320 pound NFL level right tackle? Get outta here.

I played a season on Madden 20 on All-Madden mode and I had 53 sacks with Khalil Mack. I’m not looking for the offense to dominate the defense all of the time, but that should not happen.

2. Less Interceptions

Again, I’m not looking for the offense to dominate the defense all of the time, but I don’t think we live in a world where a middle linebacker will pick off 10 passes in a season.

It seems like if a receiver isn’t open by five yards, the pass will almost always end up intercepted, not knocked down, but straight up picked off.

I don’t have hard data in front of me, but I don’t need it to know that that is not how it is in the real NFL

3. Better Quarterback Play Mechanics

This has to do with the way that the quarterbacks release the ball. It seems like your two options are throw a bullet pass that can be picked off by a linebacker that is 20 yards in front of your intended target or throw a lob pass that hangs in the air far too long.

I’m going to say it again, I’m not looking for offensive dominance, but I don’t think the two options should be throw to a wide open target or get picked off.

Almost all NFL quarterbacks (minus Jameis Winston, maybe) have the ability to throw the ball over a linebacker’s head without having the ball hang in the air for eight seconds.

4. Defenders Disengaging Blocks

Remember my first point when I argued that offensive lines weren’t good enough? Well now I’m arguing that maybe they are too good.

This has to do with Madden’s all or nothing mechanic. Now I’m not saying Khalil Mack should have 53 sacks, but I’m also saying that he should be able to come off a block to at least set the edge in the run game.

It seems like once two players are engaged in the “run block” animation, there is nothing the defender can do to get off the block to either make a tackle or at least influence the ball carrier in a different direction.

5. Allow Players to Create Their Own Team and Jersey When Relocating

This used to be a thing. I’m not sure why they got rid of it. Maybe to put in their stupid quarterback thing, which is basically just a playable movie?

Now when you relocate a team to a different city you get a set amount of pre-made choices to choose from.

Why would EA think this is a good idea?

With all that being said, EA has absolutely no incentive to improve the games playing mechanics. They make too much money off of the games sales and Madden Ultimate Team, with no competition, to waste their time making a game that people don’t feel the need to complain about 24/7.

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