Madden 16: 49ers Take A Dive
We all know about the 49ers train wreck of a season last year followed by an even more cringe worthy offseason. How well they did in the last calendar year is evident in their drop in Madden ratings.
From Madden 2013 to Madden 15 (2012-2014), the 49ers were rated 90, 91 and 90 respectively. This year, they sit at a mediocre 78 - the largest change for any team from last year.
They finished 8-8 last season, after a few very successful years. Plus, after that average season, they lost Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Frank Gore and Chris Borland. The average rating for a team this year is 80.6 - the 49ers are below average for the first time in a long time.
Key players such as Colin Kaepernick (81 OVR), Carlos Hyde (77 OVR) and Torrey Smith (86 OVR) will have to help carry the offense along with Anquan Boldin (88 OVR) and Vernon Davis (84 OVR). On the defensive end, Novarro Bowman (93 OVR) is second best in his position, while Antoine Bethea (91 OVR) hopes to continue his success from last season.
Aldon Smith is in this game despite his recent DUI incident, and they gave him an 89 OVR. It's a shame he won't be playing this year. In his place is a young guy who had a great rookie year, Aaron Lynch, who has a respectable 79 OVR.
The NFC West looks tough still - Seattle has the highest rating in the game along with the Patriots (91), Arizona has a solid 82 OVR and the St. Louis Rams are in the same boat as the 49ers with a 78.
It'll be interesting to see how this season pans out.
For all the ratings of the new Madden game, click here.