bluv

Let it fly! Don't get caught up into previous Madden thinking; the safeties can not recover as well as in past versions. Even in All-Pro, if the safeties step in too far to the inside they can not recover to the outside as well as before. If you have a fast WR and lead the receiver with a strong arm QB, you have agood chance of completing a deep ball IF your timing is on point. Go into practice mode and try deep plays against random defenses. I have mixed feelings about it. While it has made the db play more realistic, the odds of all the factors involved with completing a deep pass coming together is not as common in real life as in Madden as their should be way more inaccurate passes and dropped balls. I know that if I play a certain friend who like to go deep he will throw them %90 of the time and complete half of them.

If you only play against the PC, you can tweak the settings. But most human opponents don't like such tweaks and prefer to play the game the way it is as they would cry that you ares cheating and setting the game up in your favor. Now I am like you and would prefer to play on the most realistic settings and I'd hope that EA would incorporate such things without me having to do any tweaking. For me I want a big pass or run to happen as often as in real life so that it feels special when you get one, not be routine. I mean while Walter Payton and Barry Sanders have highlight runs, they didn't make those plays every time they touched the ball so I wouldn't want that to happen in the game. The same with throwing bombs; a WR getting open, the QB putting it on the money, and the O-Line giving time to complete the pass; all those factors have a percentage that negates the frequency of such plays in real life so on a game I would expect that.

I hate that as well for I feel that with one or 2 more years Sega would have passed Madden as it has in NBA. I loved the fact that they had a much better rating system than Madden as it is about time for EA Sports to add more depth and position based ratings for players. Route running should be a rating for WR's;not just speed and hands with speed being really the only thing that matters. D Lineman should have pass rush and run stopping ratings as well. Now if Sega had turned down the running game a little bit and had better playbooks then it would a no contest. The running backs ability to stiffarm was break tackles was a little out of control but so was the touch tackle style implemented in Madden up until that point. But the playbooks on 2K5 were garbage and Madden is so much better in that department. Graphics and game action were hands down better than Madden ever was or will be since they have no competition. I'm neutral; I just want the best game available. My cousin on the other is EA Sports until he dies; he claims the only reason people like the game was because it was cheap. I tried to get him to see that there were plenty of cheap NFL games out before 2K5 that didn't sell because they were garbage. EA saw this competition as that year Madden price had dropped before the season was over; you have never seen that happen before. Just a coincindence, the next year they bought up the NFL license and the ESPN logo in the same year and tried to do the same with NBA to get rid of the competition as before Sega wasn't any competiton. I fault the NFL for that; Sega's $20 price tag must have mad them made as well. Just like they did when they limited the Sunday ticket to DirecTv, they limited their product to EA Sports along with their selling power. The NBA is not stupid to follow such a trend.

Try Tennessee's playbook; the playbooks haven't changed much from last except for a few new formations added. Last year the deep fade play to the sideline in the Titans tight singleback formation was a killer against man to man if you lead the reciver; not as effective this year. But since other routes are easier to throw this year it opens other plays in their playbook. Arizona's playbook isn't bad either. Now while some of those incredible jump up 15 feet and leap 10 yards forward to break up a pass still happens from time to time, especially on corner routes (which is why the play I mentioned earlier isn't as effective as it was in 2006), there are a lot fewer of those type breaks on the go routes and fade routes, especially by the DB that is guarding a WR. That combined with the fact that the safeties cover less ground and they let the QBs lead be more of a factor than in the past makes the deep ball a much more effctive weapon if your timing is right. I'll say the best way to get your game right is to go into pratice mode, select a playbook you like, choose a play and run it against random defenses. Get your timing down against different defenses on when and how to release the ball and how far to lead your receivers. In practice mode, this is where you see all the flaws in the game as you might not notice a trend playing a game as you might call a play only a few times but running it time and time again you will notice more flaws and trends. In Madden 2005 and 2006, the db play on All-Pro and definitely on All-Madden was to unrealistic as the unbelievable pass breakups and range of coverage was too fake combined with the ability to have eyes in the back of your head to read coverage behind you while playing man coverage so that when you threw a pass a DB or LB would break off his man coverage responsibility and intercept a pass thrown to another reciver once the ball was thrown as if h had a radar honed in on it. This year that is turned down a little bit and while I like that, it makes defense a little too hard because pass accuracy and catching is a little too easy. I mean I can take JP with 79 accuracy and have consistent Peyton Manning like performances. If they toned down on accuracy and made WR seperation, route running, and ability to beat press coverage mean more then this game would be so much better but it is only a video game. If you make it too realistic and add features to make it as such (like the QB vision in 06), some will cry that it is too difficult and not any fun.

Try a different playbook; 3 WR formations work good, especially with our fast WR> Put Price on the bench and start A Davis with Parrish in the slot. Not the lineup in real life but the best on Madden due to its emphasis on speed. The key to Madden is to find the routes and run plays that are successful, mix them up to throw off an opponenet and base your game around them. If you play an opponent who loves to blitz and/or play man to man then routes you mentioned would eat them up. Occasionally hot route to the fly using the left analog stick and if you throw and lead the WR with good timing you will leave most dbs in the dust with our op 3 WR's averaging 95 speed. Some routes that didn't work last year in 2006 work in 2007, especially the way the QB throws the deep ball as they don't let the safeties make as unrealistic breakups as they did in 2006. Now in 2006 with QB vision and slow speeds for QB's, a good zone could limit JP. But in 2007 playing in All-Pro, if a zone is played you can just can scramble around and get positive yards or even make defenders step up and throw over their heads. I would prefer to play a human opponent in All-Madden with QB vision on as it would be more realistic.

I guess so but not the Madden Skills!

As I said before, that is why I like to watch the games. For one, I didn't realize that it was a rainy night in less than ideal conditions. As far as the passes that everyone was crying that he skipped to receivers; on the first misfire on the crossing route it seems as if he was expecting Parrish to run wider across the field and be at a deeper spot but it seems as if he got held up or slipped and the pass was too far wide ahead of Parrish. On the comeback route to Price it seems as if the timing and depth of the route was off; Price did slip coming out of his break. It wasn't as if he didn't have the zip or short armed the throw, it was simply a timing issue. He doesn't seem to have the timing with Price as he has with Lee or even Aiken. I was more concerned with the sacks he took; fumbling compounded the issue. They were the RJ type of sacks but not to the degree that he took them but while he must improve in getting rid of the ball, as long as he doesn't make stupid int's by forcing passes, I'd much rather have a QB who tries to make plays and get 1st down than one who looks to check down to the outlet 80% of the time. Now if he takes 4-5 of those types sacks a game then I'd have an issue but 1-2 without the fumbles I could live with if he is making plays on the times he does hang in the pocket.

I bought a LAN for my PS2 in the spring but haven't got it work wireless yet. I spent more time today trying to bridge this laptop and my PS2 so that I could play wireless but I can't get it to work. I'm a network guy with a CCNA but I can't get this PS2 to work wireless and I have tried everything but I eventually I'll get it working and when I do Madden players better watch out! Back to the game; without QB vision on and QB accuracy and WR route running or gaining seperation not being a factor and speed still the main aspect, the Bills aren't that bad offensively as OL play isn't as much of a factor as well.

Whatever. That is why I like to watch the games. On the first it seems as if he was expecting Parrish to run wider but it seems as if he got held up or slipped and the pass was too far wide ahead of Parrish. On the comeback route to Price it seems as if the timing and depth of the route was off; Price did slip coming out of his break. It wasn't as if he didn't have the zip or short armed the throw, it was simply a timing issue. He doesn't seem to have the timing with Price as he has with Lee or even Aiken.

Either you have the wrong playbook or don't know how to play. On All-Pro this game is too easy without QB vision on as they have toned down some of that All-World safety help. Also there is more control in the running game and the QB speed is definitely noticeable as JP 70 speed shows up this year. If they toned down QB accuracy, made QB vision default then I think they will find a good combination of realistic play between defense and offense.

I'll agree on Reed as there was no way his contract should have been extended as he hasn't proven anything and is a misfit as a #2 opposite Evans as he is a small target with questionable hands and no ability to go deep. And futhermore Parrish seems to be a better fit in the slot. Even though I hate Keyshawn, I would much rather see him start opposite Evans. I can deal with the Price signing as he won't break the bank and he can at least he can be a deep threat. Before the season began I was hoping Aiken was the odd man out but now I feel he deserves a chance to compete for the #2 spot as he has earned a look. He and Lee seem to have the best chemistry with JP and Aiken is a physical WR who may not be a burner can get deep on occasion (as seen in the JP overthrow in the Carolina game) and may be factor in the redzone. If Davis or Price doesn't step their game up then the job should be Aiken's to loose.

So does tvguide.com. But the NFL network link shows both; one one page they show us airing at 1pm. But on their calendar it shows the Eagles game at 1pm. I noticed this 2 days ago; yesterday my DirecTv guide showed our game at 1 as well as tvguide.com. But today it has changed. It would be a shame to repeat the Eagles game when it has already been showed once already and not show our game the night before.

I noticed on ESPN they seem to go out of there way to point out our B battle and show the negative plays that our Qb's make. I mean if it wasn't for Willis and the Different Strokes jokes they probably wouldn't show any positive Bills moments.

On the NFL network, Marshall Fault on replay pointed out that it wasn't JP's fault but Reed's fault. I thought that JP played much worse based on some of the comment's on the board tonight.

This link says what tvguide.com says that the Bills will be shown at 1. But my Directv guide shows the Eagles game at 1; yesterday it showed the Bills playing on Saturday at 1. And on Tuesday there is no listing of the Bills wahtsoever on DirecTv. The Eagles game has been aired once; if they show it again and leave us hanging after saying we had the 1 pm spot would be a shame.

While I don't like the Steelers and don't care much for Porter either he does have a point: The Steelers dominated that game, shutdown Manning and company and the refs did try to get the COlts back in the game. I wanted the Colts to win; they blew it in the end with that missed fumble return and missed FG. So Howard Mudd should just be quiet; its not as if it was a game they should have won; it was one in which they were lucky to be in. But if Porter wants to talk smack all he needs to do is pop in the Super Bowl tape and see how the refs robbed the Seahawks of the win.

Exactly; instead of managing the game JP was put in a position to have to win the games last year and he just didn't have the experience to. I mean if you flipped JP for Ben Roth. 2 years ago you'd see that Ben isn't all that he is cracked up to be either when he has to be the focal point of the offense. I mean what we need is a little patience, more than 8 starts. If the NY fans can live thru Eli's first season or the 49ers can put up with ALex Smith awful rookie campaign then we can cut JP a little slack. Nobody should expect him to be a Pro Bowl QB this or even next year.

Like I stated earlier, when they showed the analysis from the game and highlights on Sportscenter, asides from showing the Panther highlights, the only highlights they showed of us was the QB competition: KH getting sacked by Peppers and throwing the pick for a TD and JP getting sacked. I was amazed they didn't at least show the acrobatic move Gates made. Maybe ESPN does have something against the Bills.

Oh god; here we go again. We ran TH out of town by jumping on McGahee's bandwagon. Are we going to run WM out of town now for Gates after one preseason game; I can see if Gates was unstoppable or ran for a 100 plus yards. He had the same struggles on the ground that WM would have had if he were still in.

But when they showed the analysis from the game and highlights, the only highlights they showed of us was the QB competition: KH throwing the pick for a TD and JP getting sacked. I was amazed they didn't at least show the acrobatic move Gates made. Maybe ESPN does have something against the Bills.

On that first drive the Panthers moved it all thru the air. If this was a regular season game we would have no doubt adjusted to their short throws by stepping our DB's up so that is off little concern to me as it could be fixed by adjustments. The run D on the other hand doesn't have that option as it must get the job done. The run D was pretty good throughout much of the game. Even the first 2 positive runs Foster had he was forced to shuffle and make something out of nothing as the play was stuffed as designed. With their starting OL, Kyle Williams on succesive plays stuffed them on 2nd and 1 and 3rd and 1. It seems that DT might actually be a strength on this D along with LB.

Exactly; smartest words used to describe our QB situation. Maybe last year after the way we finished the season and having expectations you could say maybe bringing along a young QB and giving him the starting job could be holding us back but in 2006, 8 wins would be considered a success. Even though I was against us drafting a QB in this past draft, if they don't think JP can get it done then why not start over as we aren't going anywhere with Kelly Holcomb at QB.

Exactly; there shouldn't be a competition from this point forward (shouldn't have been one from the beginning!) Being that KH is a career backup so has proved nothing and a stopgap QB with no upside unless he is playing head and shoulders better than JP who is young and a 1st round pick then it is a no brainer. I can see if the rest of the team was standout and JP was losing games for us by throwing int's for TD's or fumbling the ball. KH is suppose to be a veteran but he still turns the ball over and doesn't make any thing happens with his feet or his arm. Just because he has a high completion percentage throwing 5 yard passes shouldn't give him an edge. Even though I'm not a Drew Bledsoe fan, I can at least see a QB competition between him and JP for at least Drew has accomplish something in this league and still has a rocket arm; KH has nothing to offer but to be a game manager.

Two totally different animals. RJ teased us by having a few great games but couldn't stay healthy and when finally given the chance to be the undisputed signal caller he stunk it up (except for the game against the Chargers with a head to head battle aginst Fluite!) JP on the other hand hasn't been given a chance to be given a true evaluation. 8 games; compare his first few games to Eli Manning; JP is better in every category. Also take a look at Aikman, Elway, McNabb; and you will see that they stunk it up there first year or two and it took them a few years to get on track. While I don't want the Bills to go the Joey Harrington, Tim Couch, or Kyle Boller route and give JP forever to flop, I think he desrves at least a full season to show what he got. As a matter of fact there shouldn't even be a QB competition this year as we are a team with low expectations so unless the team is hitting on all cylinders and QB play is the only thing holding us back as JP is losing games by turning the ball over then he should be given the green light as he performed no worse than most young QBs who progress at the end of their 1st season. If you trade up to draft a QB, he should be given an opportunity. And I know all those TD haters will say it is his mistake but Levy inherited it and has to deal with it. It's not like we have another QB that has proven potential to lead this team for the next 3-4 years and would have to go through the same learning curve. And as far as KH goes, to be truthful, the only Holcomb supporters are basically JP haters as he was brought in to be nothing more than a backup and hasn't exactly lit it up when given the chance for this to be a real debate. At least RJ had to compete against Flutie fans!

They update the rosters but they make very little changes to ratings; in fact they don't make changes to the rosters much year to year. Take JP for instance; I like JP's rating for I was expecting him to drop about 5 points but he has almost identical ratings to last year so he is serviceable and I can compete with the Bills. Until Madden makes it rating system be more of a factor and make speed be less of an impact; as long as you have a serviceable QB and fast WR you can compete. And even the speed factor is negated when you play All Madden for they allow LB's to have burst that a DB running a 3.9 would have and even allow them on occasion to cover a WR/RB, run down the field step for step and jump up 10 feet and knock down the ball even though there is a 10/15 speed rating difference!