What Could Have Maddened (NFL SEASON) 2006-2007

WCHM – Introduction/Training Camp

What Could Have Maddened was initially going to be a large feature of the website from the beginning but when I started this site, I was a bit overwhelmed. I had ideas but I didn’t necessarily know how to implement them. I also was afraid of alienating any curious readers right off the bat with a bunch of Madden. Many gamers don’t give a shit about American football. Especially old reiterations of the long standing football franchise. But by now I have found my voice and realize my (few) readers are adults and will decide whether they want to read my football articles or not. They will be here one way or the other.

With that said – What Could Have Maddened will be a episodic, multi entry stat collection of four franchises in a particular Madden game. In this case, that game is Madden 2007. I took the four worst overall rated teams and begin a franchise league. Looking to improve and compare how their real life 2006-2007 season went.

One of the most fun things about Madden, especially pre-update era, is that some of the ratings in Madden are very accurate but quite famously, some are absolutely awful. So playing a dated title like this, you could see players that flopped in real life excel in this league (J.P. Losman, anybody?)

So to add a little bit more of an entertainment value, Madden 2007 was one of the last titles to feature, “Storyline Central” – which would discuss possible roster battles, coaching changes, upcoming contract negotiations etc. So to keep these entries a bit more interesting, I not only plan on focusing on the four franchises I will be in control of but also the league drama in general. Sort of like a Hard Knocks type documentary.

I’m also going to be working on my lack of video editing skills – and hopefully not subjecting everyone to an hour plus game but only the highlights of the games each week. We’ll see how it goes. It can only get better from here.

The four teams that were chosen for Madden 2007 were: San Francisco 49ers (83 Overall), Buffalo Bills (of-course, 84 Overall), Detroit Lions (84 Overall) and the Houston Texans (85 Overall/ Worst previous record 2-14)

A little real history on each franchise at this point in time.

By 2006, the team was halfway through a half a decade long slump. Long gone the days of Joe Montana, Steve Young and Super Bowl dominance. In the 2005 season, the one right before we are beginning in this league the Niners hired Baltimore’s Defensive Coordinator to take over as Head Coach and General Manager. With Nolan’s first draft, he picked QB of the future, Alex Smith #1 overall. In retrospect not a bad looking pick until you realize he left future hall of gamer Aaron Rogers on the board. In 2005 the 49ers would go 4-12 – the only bright spot of the season being a sweep of the arch rival, St. Louis Rams for the first time since 1998.

Another team in the middle of a playoff drought (that would last an agonizing seventeen years) – the Bills General Manager Tom Donahoe was fired following a disappointing 5-11 record during the 2005 campaign. Hall of Fame Coach, Marv Levy was hired to replace him, as head coach Mike Mularkey resigned citing differences with management. Former Chicago Bears Head Coach, Dick Jauron was hired to replace him. In the 2006 draft the Bills would draft Safety Dante Whitner in the first round, eighth overall. They would also trade up with the Chicago Bears to draft legendary draft bust, John McCargo in the first round, twenty sixth overall.

The Lions came off a 5-11 2005 season and hired coach, Rod Marinelli, former assistant coach for Tony Dungy & Jon Gruden of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions drafted LB Ernie Sims in the first round, ninth overall.

Coming in from an abysmal 2-14 record the past season, 2006 would mark Houston’s fifth season in the league and Head Coach Gary Kubiak’s first season at the helm. During the off-season, The Texans would trade for standout WR, Eric Moulds and draft future Pro bowlers, DE Mario Williams, LB DeMeco Ryans and TE Owen Daniels in the draft.