The boys at EA have worked hard on yet another new Madden 2010 update. The update is available now for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 users and features updated NFL rosters, player injuries and skills/attributes. Get Michael Crabtree on the field immediately or have Mark Sanchez throw deep to Braylon Edwards  with the new update.

EA once again does a tremendous job of replicating the current NFL as much as possible with the new update. As mentioned earlier, the big trade involving Chansi Stuckey and Braylon Edwards is updated on the current roster. Edwards’ terrible season is also reflected with a decrease in player attributes from 85 to an 84 overall. Philadelphia Eagles fans will have the chance to lay out Tony Romo thanks to Tony Romo with the new update. Some of the other highlights of the new Madden 2010 roster update include…

– Ray Rice HB BAL Increase, from 82 to 85OVR
- Willis McGahee HB BAL Increase, from 85 to 86OVR
- Joe Flacco QB BAL Increase, from 85 to 86OVR
- Terrell Owens WR BUF Decrease, from 90 to 88OVR
- Matt Forte HB CHI Increase, from 89 to 90OVR
- Carson Palmer QB CIN Increase, from 88 to 90OVR
- Chad Ochocinco WR CIN Increase, from 89 to 91OVR
- Jerome Harrison HB CLE Increase, from 70 to 73OVR
- Mohamed Massaquoi WR CLE Increase, from 70 to 73OVR
- Derek Anderson QB CLE Moved to QB #1
- Tony Romo QB DAL Decrease, from 87 to 86OVR
- Kyle Orton QB DEN Increase, from 75 to 76OVR
- Brandon Marshall WR DEN Increase, from 90 to 91OVR
- Aaron Kampman LB GB Decrease, from 93 to 91OVR
- Nick Collins S GB Decrease, from 93 to 92OVR
- Dallas Clark TE IND Increase, from 92 to 94OVR
- Dwight Freeney DE IND STR Increase
- Larry Johnson HB KC Decrease, from 85 to 83OVR
- Ricky Williams HB MIA Increase, from 78 to 81OVR
- Ronnie Brown HB MIA Increase, from 91 to 92OVR
- Brett Favre QB MIN Increase, from 82 to 85OVR
- Jared Allen DE MIN Increase, from 98 to 99OVR
- Reggie Bush HB NO Decrease, from 77 to 76OVR
- Steve Smith WR NYG Increase from 81 to 87OVR
- Calvin Pace LB NYJ Made ROLB1 on depth chart
- JaMarcus Russell QB OAK Decrease, from 72 to 69OVR
- Jeremiah Trotter LB PHI Added
- Brian Westbrook HB PHI Decrease, from 93 to 91OVR
- Ben Roethlisberger QB PIT Decrease , from 93 to 92OVR
- LaDainian Tomlinson HB SD Decrease, from 92 to 91OVR
- Michael Crabtree WR SF Added
- Cadillac Williams HB TB Increase, from 78 to 82OVR
- Santana Moss WR WAS Increase, from 86 to 87OVR

To get the update, go to the online mode and try and start an online Madden game. The game will then offer you the chance to download new rosters. Download the rosters, save them, and you now have your update. Make sure you save them after they are downloaded, or you will have to do it all over again. All in all it is a pretty painless process and works the same for both consoles.

For details on the entire roster update and the latest Madden news, visit EA’s Madden forum by clicking here. 

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Breaking apart the Madden 2010 cover 3 defense is a lot easier than breaking open a cover 2. I like to overload one side and have underneath routes just in case.

In that play, there aren’t any buzz zones (purple zones) so the corners are open. You can run a play that has a corner route and a flat route to break down the lack of coverage they’ll have against one of the two routes.

Another way is using plays that have the same route in it, but are different lengths. An example would be PA Boot Over out of Singleback Bunch:

This is called a 3 level flood. It has the same route 3 times, but all different lengths. These plays will give you completions against zone becuase your overloading a side and whoevers playing that zone will only be able to guard one person, leaving 2 people open. Using precision passing with this is a must because if not, you might mess up and under or overthrow it resulting in an interception.

 

Verticals:

There are many variations of this play, but these are 2 that will break apart cover 3 and cover 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The 1st one can break apart man coverage with the crossing route, and the 2nd one can’t do much but break apart a blitz or cover 3 or cover 2 zone. These plays don’t need a setup and can get an easy 15-20 yards if done right. If you’d like for them to be more successful in a way, put your #1 WR as the slot WR and the TE or someone slow in the other slot for the 2nd picture. Doing this makes the safety playing deep guard the #1 WR(who should be kind of fast) leaving the TE on the outside open for easy yards.

 

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Madden 2010 video game players may have noticed that their roster is a little outdated. EA will fix that with a new Madden 2010 Roster Update. EA released the details of the next Madden update. The update will bring rosters up to date with NFL opening day lineups and recent transactions.

I tend to wait until opening day before buying Madden video games for this reason. The real NFL rosters will be dramatically different than the ones you get out of the box. Madden usually ships in the beginning of August. That means you are playing with rosters and guesswork going into the third NFL pre season game. Why would I start a franchise mode with guys that won’t be even playing in the NFL in three weeks?

So far EA has been in the game (some pun intended) when it comes to roster updates. EA had Michael Vick in the newest roster update less than a week after he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The same roster also included Brett Favre 24 hours after he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. EA also wasted no time removing Plaxico Burress from the game as soon it was announced he would be unavailable for the next two years.

Now that final rosters have been set, EA should be releasing their next update within the next few days. The roster update will reflect all of the set 53-man NFL rosters. The roster update will also include any recent transactions such as Richard Seymour being traded to the Oakland Raiders and moved Vernon Gholston to the starting linebacker spot to reflect Calvin Pace’s suspension. All in all, the new Madden roster is stacked with changes.

Here are some highlights of the lengthy roster update according to EA Sports blog.

• Bengals Chad Ochocinco KPW/KAC increase
• 49ers Glen Coffee rating increase after leading preseason in rushing thru 2 games
• James Davis rating increase (CLE)
• Jamal Lewis rating decrease (CLE)
• Removed Tedy Bruschi from Patriots (retired)
• Made Omar Gaither MLB1 in Philadelphia
• All player heights and weights updated according to each NFL team website
• Michael Crabtree removed from 49ers depth chart
• Kelley Washington (WR – BAL) now WR3 and rating increase
• Marshawn Lynch removed from Bills depth chart – Fred Jackson now HB1
• Michael Matthews traded to Pats from Giants
• Alex Smith removed from Patriots (to FA)
• Joey Harrington removed from Saints
• Paul Spicer removed from Saints (to FA)
• Zach Thomas removed from Chiefs (to FA)
• Antonio Chatman removed from Bengals (IR)
• Richard Seymour traded to Raiders from Patriots
• Hakeem Nicks jersey change to 88
• Removed David Martin from Dolphins (IR)
• Added Alex Smith to Eagles
• Updated Calvin Johnson name to Calvin Johnson Jr.
• Chris Baker moved to TE1 (Patriots)
• Justin Hartwig new contract (Steelers) – 4yrs/10MIL
• Cadillac Williams made HB1 (Bucs)

The roster update will also include several increases in player ratings as a result of a great pre season. Whoever said NFL pre season was meaningless doesn’t play Madden.

To get the update, go to the online mode and try and start an online Madden game. The game will then offer you the chance to download new rosters. Download the rosters, save them, and you now have your update. Make sure you save them after they are downloaded, or you will have to do it all over again. All in all it is a pretty painless process and works the same for all consoles.

For details on the entire roster update and the latest Madden news, visit EA’s Madden Blog by clicking here. for some of the info.

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The Madden Curse wasted no time this NFL season. Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t even make it to halftime in Week 1 against the Titans. The Madden 2010 cover features Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald. Rumor has it that Larry Fitzgerald is in lockdown until kickoff and fantasy football owners are holding their breath everywhere.

The Madden Curse is more than a myth. The Madden Curse is real with a real history. The Madden Curse is what happens to NFL players who grace the cover of the Madden video game. Over the last ten years several NFL players whom appeared on Madden video game covers have either declined greatly in skill or suffered season-ending injuries. The curse started in 1999 when the game started featuring NFL players on the cover.

The Madden Curse was the first thing I thought of when Polamalu went down. As a matter of a fact, the title of my blog when it was announced Fitzgerald and Polamalu were on the cover this year was – Madden Curses Two Players This Year. Polamalu is scheduled to return at some point. Polamalu’s injury was diagnosed as an MCL sprain. It could have been worse, but six weeks without Polamalu is no joking matter for Steelers fans.

Take a brief look at the history of the Madden Curse and decide for yourself if it is fact or fiction.

Madden 1999 - Garrison Hearst was the first NFL player ever to be featured on Madden and bitten by the curse. Hearst almost made it through the season until he was bitten in the playoffs. Hearst broke his leg in the NFC divisional playoffs and missed two full seasons.

Madden 2000 - My favorite NFL player of all time, Barry Sanders graced the cover. Sanders pulled an anti-Favre and shockingly announced his retirement right before the season started and the game was released. If you ask Detroit Lions fans, the Lions have been bitten by the curse ever since.

Madden 2001 - Eddie George is the cover player. George made it through the season but had a steep decline in stats and skills the following season.

Madden 2002 - Daunte Culpepper is the cover player. Culpepper suffers a season-ending knee injury late in the season. Culpepper has never been the same player since gracing the cover.

Madden 2003 - Marshall Faulk is the cover player of Madden that year. Faulk made it through the season but saw his stats diminish greatly for the first time in four years.

Madden 204 - Michael Vick graced the cover of Madden that year. Vick didn’t even make it out of pre season. Vick suffered a season-ending injury in the third week of pre season. Ironically the injury came one day after the game hit the shelves.

Madden 2005 - Ray Lewis was the first defensive player to be featured on Madden. Lewis failed to make an interception for the first time in his NFL career. Lewis missed a significant amount of time the following season with an injury.

Madden 2006 - Donovan McNabb graced the cover. Every Philadelphia Eagles fan like me groaned when we first saw the cover. Unfortunately our worries came to fruition when McNabb suffered a season-ending injury and the Eagles season ended in T.-Omoil.

Madden 2007 - Shaun Alexander was the featured Madden player that year. Who? Alexander suffered a foot injury and missed significant time that season. Alexander was never the same player since. A few years later and Alexander doesn’t even have a job in the NFL.

Madden 2008 - Vince Young got the cover after an amazing rookie season. Young did make it throw the season with a minor injury. However, Young lost the starting job the next season and continues to ride the Tennessee Titans’ bench in 2009.

Madden 2009 - Brett Favre graced the cover for the first time in his career. Gamers expected Favre to break the curse because he was retired when it was announced he’d be on the Madden cover. Unfortunately Brett couldn’t leave well enough alone and wound up playing for the Jets last season. Favre had a disappointing season and suffered several injuries. Favre didn’t miss any time, but reports this year indicate he should have. This one is a push.

Madden 2010 - Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu are the first two players to be featured on a Madden cover. Polamalu is injured on a blocked field goal in the second quarter of Week 1 of the NFL season. Fitzgerald has yet to play.

So if you think the Madden Curse is fiction, you are mistaken. Nobody has broken the curse in the last ten years. Even if Fitzgerald makes it through the season without injury, Polamalu’s MCL sprain continues the curse.

Here’s hoping that Michael Vick makes another Madden video game cover!

Thanks to fantom.1979 for some of the info.

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I like to break down man defense in Madden 2010 using one of four strategies:
1. Using his weakness to my advantage
2. Hitting the flats
3. The TE
4. Using Option routes

If I come out of a 3 wide receiver set, and my opponent is using a 3-4 defense, or something where there’s a line backer manned up against a WR, I like to make that WR my go-to guy. I’d probably put him on an in route, or a slant to get enough seperation to get an extra 4 or 5 yards before being tackled.

The second way to beat this coverage is by hitting the flats. Anyone who uses man coverage should be prepared for a quick flare route to the running back. Instead of using a flare route which could lose you yards, put your HB on a slant to one side. By doing this, the HB gets out the backfield quicker allowing for better yardage and if he breaks a tackle then you can get big yardage.

The third way is by using the tight end to your advantage. He will be ined up against a LB or a safety who’s playing deep, so putting him on a slant over the middle or putting him on an outside slant can get you yardage as well. When I do this, I like to motion the HB out of I-form normal to the side the TE is on, put the HB on a streak, and put the TE on an outisde slant. This will usually change up the assignments and now the MLB will be guarding the TE. If he’s guarding the TE, then you can’ go across the middle, but you can easily get to the outside.

The 4th way is one of the most successful Madden tips this year. Running the option can be the easiest way to break open any coverage. However, it seems so much easier going up against man defense. The WR’s awareness determines whether or not he’ll run the right route to break away, so be cautious of who you use it with. HB Options can be good, but can also result in a mistake if the HB doesn’t have a great route running ability.

Option plays are where the WR runs a short curl and has a slant route as an option is one the best hands down. If you can’t tell whether its man or zone, run a play like this and you can get easy yardage when you need it.

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This year it’s a bit harder to break down the Madden 2010 Cover 2 defense, since you can’t just put the tight end on a streak and get between the safeties. You have to open up the playbook a bit more to do this.

Now, if you’ve seen your opponent constantly run cover 2 on you, and you can’t stop it, then try looking for plays where you see a post being ran by one of the outside WR’s.

If you find a play like this and there’s a slot WR on that same side, put the slot WR on a streak and wait for the post to open up.

If you feel this takes too long, you can always use a play with a slot post. The slot posts seems to get above the hook zones and can get you good yardage against a cover 2 defense.

You can also use streaks to break apart a cover 2. Putting the outside WR’s on streaks, and the HB on a streak will break it apart. The safeties will guard the outside WR’s leaving the HB all alone for big yardage.

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