‘Madden’ Does Vikings Line Dirty
The Minnesota Vikings have long had a terrible time protecting the quarterback. Whether it be Matt Kalil, T.J. Clemmings, or any other poor offensive lineman you’d like to name, the purple haven’t protected well. That isn’t the case recently, though, and Madden 24 doesn’t seem to have noticed.
‘Madden’ Does Vikings Line Dirty
Coming into the 2023 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings have one of the best offensive lines in all of football. Christian Darrisaw is a borderline All-Pro candidate at left tackle, Garrett Bradbury has turned into a standout center, and Brian O’Neill is making a lot of money because he’s very good. While it is fair that Bradbury needs to establish more consistency, and neither Ezra Cleveland nor Ed Ingram is as great as the tackles, there is no denying just how spectacular the outside of the line is.
Although Madden 24 has been relatively favorable to Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings thus far, EA Sports did Minnesota dirty regarding the line. As ratings continue to filter in for the upcoming game, the recent release of the top 10 lineman doesn’t include a single Vikings player.
While Pro Football Focus’ graphic has an error showing Andrew Thomas at 82 instead of 92, it is evident how far down the list Minnesota’s players are seen. It’s pretty tough to argue against either O’Neill or Darrisaw being borderline 90 overall players, and both of them should be considered among the top 10 upfront.
Hilariously, neither O’Neill nor Darrisaw is rated in the top tier of offensive linemen. At 86 and 85 overall, respectively, each falls significantly below the 90 overall threshold. While injuries have sapped Darrisaw’s availability, his time spent on the field has provided tape and production as good as anyone in the league. O’Neill was already at that level and has continued to perform into his big payday.
Obviously, Madden ratings aren’t the gold standard in real life, but they impact how Minnesota will play in the game. With Kirk Cousins under center, having an offensive line that accurately depicts just how good the Vikings are up front would be nice. Cousins is not a mobile quarterback, and with so much emphasis placed on edge rushers getting home, players will need to account for the lesser ratings.
Players using the Vikings in franchise mode must take time and resources to adequately level up Minnesota’s offensive line. With Dalvin Cook no longer coming out of the backfield, having a good push up front will be important to make the lesser Alexander Mattison a usable commodity.
Madden ratings are fluid as the season goes on, and roster changes are made on a weekly basis. It will be interesting to see how long it takes EA Sports to boost Darrisaw or O’Neill and, ultimately, where they end when the season ends.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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