As you may remember in last week's Madden matchup, we did an actual simulation of the Texans upcoming game against Tampa Bay. The score they predicted was eerily familiar. Madden 16 picked a 20-10 final. The actual game score? 19-9. Not bad. Now, the game did have the Buccaneers getting the victory, but details, details. The score was on point. Let's hope that's the case this week.
The Texans travel to Atlanta this weekend, as they'll face off against the Falcons on Sunday afternoon in the Georgia Dome. The Falcons are 3-0 in real life, and are led by first year head coach Dan Quinn. Quinn has overseen a quick turnaround, as Atlanta sits in a tie for first place in the NFC South. On paper, the Falcons currently are a better team than the 1-2 Texans (by record), and are the favorites in Sunday's game.
Madden 16 sees it a little differently. As you can see below, the Texans top the Falcons by team rating, with Houston checking in at a 79 compared to Atlanta's 77.
!
Individually, Sunday's game appears to be one of stars. On Madden 16, the Falcons have five players rated over 90. Atlanta's top rated player shouldn't be a surprise. Wide receiver Julio Jones is a 97 overall, and is the second highest rated WR in the game (behind Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown).
!
Jones acceleration rating (92), speed (92) and catch rating (95) are all off the charts. Below are the top five rated receivers in Madden 16.
- Antonio Brown, 98 (Pittsburgh)
- Julio Jones, 97 (Atlanta)
- Dez Bryant, 96 (Dallas)
- Calvin Johnson, 96 (Detroit)
- Demaryius Thomas, 94 (Denver)
- Odell Beckham Jr., 94 (New York)
DeAndre Hopkins is the Texans highest rated wide out at a 91 overall, which is good enough for the 11th highest in the game. Guarding Jones will be Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson, who both hold their own as talented cornerbacks in Madden. Both rate in the 80s (Joseph-87, Jackson-83). They will be helped over the top by free safety Rahim Moore (86), who is the game's 13th highest rated free safety. It should be a great matchup.
Madden Prediction: Texans 16, Falcons 9
Not sure how I feel about this.
Madden 16 predicted a Texans win, but we know from last week that doesn't guarantee anything. That said, Madden sees this as a defensive struggle, with the Texans jumping out early (14-0 in the first quarter) and holding on down the stretch for the victory. In this simulation, the Texans defense caused three turnovers, which we can only hope for on Sunday. The Texans also ran for 107 yards as a team in the game, a stat that in real life usually signals good things.
Will the Madden Prediction hold? We shall see.
