There is a good chance that many of you will be receiving Madden 2010 for the holidays. Unfortunately, one of the best players of the NFL season isn’t there. No, I’m not talking about Michael Vick, I am talking about Brett Favre. I will tell you how to get Brett Favre, Michael Vick, and updated rosters for Madden 10.

The only thing you need to get Brett Favre in your Madden 10 game (other than the game)  is an Internet connection and if you are using an Xbox 360, an Xbox Live Gold membership. I wrote a blog awhile back when Favre un-retired about his status in the Madden 10 video game. To this day, I get hundreds of queries through Google.com asking about how to add Favre to the game. Knowing this and the chance that many will be asking the same question over the next several holiday weeks, I wanted to write a quick blog and help you play with the gunslinger.

The following instructions may vary slightly, but are all relatively the same for the PS2, PS3, and Xbox 360. Once you turn on the game and get to the main menu, do the following.

- Go to either the online mode, Xbox Live, or play online. More or less, get online in the game and connect to EA’s servers.
- Once you are online follow all of the steps to play a game against an opponent online.
- Once you do that you will be notified that your rosters are outdated. You will be automatically updated for the online match, and then asked whether you want to save the new roster. Save it to your hard drive or memory card.
- At that point, exit out of the online mode (unless you want to play of course).
- Double check and bring up the rosters. The rosters you just downloaded should be available. Not only will you see Brett Favre on the Minnesota Vikings roster, you will also find Michael Vick on the Philadelphia Eagles, Richard Seymour on the Oakland Raiders, Braylon Edwards on the NY Jets, and all of the roster moves made since the game was released in August. Change the depth chart around as well, and if you really want to have fun, get creative and make some trades like Favre back to Green Bay, Vick to Atlanta, T.O. to Dallas, etc.
- As soon as you are done go to the file management option in the menu and save your new roster to your hard drive or memory card.
- You’re done!

One thing that Xbox users need to keep in mind is that you need an Xbox gold membership to get the update. Without the gold membership, you won’t be able to access the play opponent option. The only other ways for Xbox 360 users to get the roster is to either get them from a friend on your memory card, or buy them on Ebay.com. It is unfortunate, but EA will put a couple of more roster updates out over the next few weeks. The last scheduled roster update is slated for February. So, you’re best option is to pick up a 3-month Xbox Live Gold membership which will cover you the rest of the way.

The next time you go to fire up your Madden 10 game, your new rosters will automatically be included. Be aware that you also won’t be able to play with some players that have been placed on the IR such as Chad Pennington. Otherwise, you are good to go with Vick, Favre, and everyone else in Madden 10.

On a side note, Madden offers a DLC option to unretire players in your franchise mode. This is something you have to purchase, but you can use this within your franchise mode to un-retire Favre at the end of the first season and play him again next season.

Happy Holidays!

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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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Madden video game players are very familiar with the term “money plays.” A money play is a play that works almost 90% of the time you run it either on offense or defense. Today, we take a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ money plays. Use these Madden plays and lead the Steelers back to the Super Bowl.

Singleback Bunch TE Scheme - TE Option, Drive Corner, Flood Look
Curl, PA Waggle/HB Slam, PA Draw Pass/HB Draw, Slant Attack, Z-Seam
Option.
TE Option - Designed to tell whether its man or zone with the auto motion.

Setup:
Hot route the inside slot WR(triangle or Y) to an outside slant
Looks:
Your 1st look will be the TE running the option route. He will run the out route if its man coverage, but if its zone, he may run the out or the curl
Your 2nd look will be the inside slot WR running the outside slant. in man coverage, he should be open for some very nice yards.
Your 3rd look will be the HB running the streak. If he’s fast like Chris Johnson, Reggie Bush or Willie Parker, you should be able to lob it up and pass lead up for him to get some separation from the defender if he’s sort of slow. Also, look to see if someone has followed him out to the sideline. If no one has followed him out there, throw a quick bullet pass to the outside and get easy yards.

Drive Corner:

Setup:
Hot route the HB to run a slant to the left. By doing this, we give the corner route some space in zone.
Hot route the middle WR running the corner to run an inside slant.
Looks: Your 1st look will be the HB running the slant
Your 2nd look will be the TE running the corner
Your 3rd look will be the WR running the inside slant
Your 4th look will be the WR running the drag

Flood Look Curl:

Setup:
Motion the WR on the right in the middle, to the left
Hot Route the HB to run a streak
Hot Route the inside slot WR to run an outside slant
Looks: Your 1st look will be the inside slot WR running the outside slant
Your 2nd look will be the WR on the outside right.
Your 3rd look will be the HB running the streak
Your 4th look will be the motioned WR

PAWaggle/HB Slam - We’re going to make these plays look exactly the same,
making our opponent think we’re running the same play.
HB Slam:

Setup:
Motion the WR n the middle to the left. This makes them think were running Flood Look Curl, maybe making them ease up a bit. Slide protect your line whatever way you want, but look for the holes to open up.

PA Waggle: Let’s make this look like HB Slam and Flood Look Curl throwing our opponent off

Setup:
Motion the WR on the right in the middle to the left.
Hot route the inside slot WR to an outside slant.
Looks:Your 1st look will be the motioned WR. Look where the defender is, because sometimes the defender will get underneath him giving you an easy completion over the top.
Your 2nd look will be the WR running the outside slant.
Your 3rd look will be the TE running the stop and go route.

HB Draw/PA Draw Pass: Run the HB Draw as is, just make the adjustments to your Oline that you want

PA Draw Pass:

Setup:
Hot route the WR on the right in the middle to run an inside slant.
Hot route the WR on the outside to run a streak
Looks: Your 1st look will be the inside slot WR running the crossing route. These are always open against man coverage.
Your 2nd look will be the WR running the inside slant.
Your 3rd look will be the WR running the inside slant

Slant Attack:

Setup:
Hot Route the outside WR to run an outside slant. Cirlce(PS3) B(360)
Motion the TE to the left
Looks:
Your 1st look will be the HB running the wheel route. He’ll be open for a
few seconds in man coverage because the guy defending him will be on
the other side of the field or will be the safety.
Your 2nd look will be the WR running the outside slant.
Your 3rd look will be the inside slot WR.
Your 4th look will be the WR running the inside slant

Z-seam Option:

Setup:
Hot Route the HB to run a slant to the left. This is just like the concept we used for Drive Corner.
Looks:Your 1st look will be the WR running the option route.
Your 2nd look will be the HB running the slant.
Your 3rd look will be the outside WR on the right running the corner route.
Your 4th look will be the TE running the corner route.

Pitt Doubles Scheme - Slot Shake, TE Post, FL Middle, Slot Hook, Power O, PA Power, Slot Post
Slot Shake - This play burns man coverage

SETUP: Hot route the TE to run a streak
Hot Route the WR on the right to run an inside slant
LOOKS: Your 1st look will be the Slot WR running the shake route
Your 2nd look will be the WR running the inside slant
Your 3rd look will be the TE running the streak
Your 4th look will be the WR on the outside left running the stop and go route
Your 5th look will be the HB

TE POST- This play is designed to beat zone coverage, and get a lot of yardage in the process.

SETUP: Hot Route the outside right WR to a fade
Hot Route the HB to run a slant to the right
Looks: Your 1st look will be the TE running the post
Your 2nd look will be the Slot WR running the corner route
Your 3rd look will be the HB running the slant

FL Middle

SETUP: Hot Route the HB to run a slant to the right
Hot route the WR on the right to run an inside slant(to beat man)
LOOKS: Your 1st look will be the slot WR running the wheel route
Your 2nd look will be the TE running the delayed route
Your 3rd look will be the HB running the slant
Your 4th look will be the WR running the slant.

Slot Hook - beats zone coverage

SETUP: Motion the TE to the left
Hot Route the WR on the outside left to run an outside slant
Hot Route the TE to run an inside slant
LOOKS: Your 1st look will be the slot WR running the hook
Your 2nd look will be the TE running the slant
Your 3rd look will be the HB
Your 4th look will be the WR on the right running the stop and go

HB Power O - This play will be a combo play with PA Power O. Set it up howy ou want, just don’t motion anyone.

PA Power O - Works best against Man

No Setup
LOOKS: Your 1st look will be the slot WR running the crossing route
Your 2nd look will be the TE running the delayed route
Your 3rd look will be the WR on the outside left running the post

Slot Post - Works against man and zone

Setup: Hot Route the HB to run a slant to the ight
Hot Route the TE to run an inside slant
LOOKS: Your 1st look will be the slot WR running the post
Your 2nd look will be the TE running the slant
Your 3rd look will be the HB running the slant
Your 4th look will be the WR running the out route

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>EA will release yet another Madden 2010 video game update today. The AFL Legacy Pack download is now available for Madden 10. The pack pays tribute to the AFL and will integrate classic AFL presentations and uniforms into Madden. The download is available on Xbox Marketplace and the PSN store.

I have mixed feelings about these Madden add-ons. On the one hand, I love the aggressive approach to this year’s Madden game. EA has already put out a couple of roster updates and now this pack. On the other hand, I firmly believe that you should only have to pay once when you buy a game. There is no reason that this pack couldn’t have been included in the already $60 I paid for Madden.

The press release from EA says – Available on September 24th, the comprehensive add-on brings the heritage of the AFL to Madden NFL 10 with all-new 1960′s-style presentation elements. Referees don the orange striped AFL uniforms, official AFL markings and logos decorate the field, and more – all while featuring a retro football card-like user interface and classic film grain broadcast camera.

The pack also allows you to play all eight original AFL teams. The teams will be donned with their AFL uniforms. Current teams will be altered to represent their AFL originals. The Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs (as the Dallas Texans), New England Patriots (as the Boston Patriots), New York Jets (as the Titans of New York), Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans (as the Houston Oilers) are all given a makeover with the AFL pack.

The press release also says that pack will be integrated into the offline franchise mode. So if you have the Chargers and the Titans playing during the season, you will see the game presented as an AFL game with uniforms, refs, etc. Players can select AFL uniforms anytime offline or online for their respective teams.

I am probably going to pass on this useless AFL Pack. I can tell you something I would spend money on. EA could make millions creating a pack that allows you to download true NCAA rosters into your franchises. While the option is available, the only way to get true rosters is to pay $20 online or sit there and meticulously do it yourself. I would even go for an additional NFL historic team pack like the old games used to have.

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Using Twin WR Sets to your advantage:

A nano blitz has been around Madden since the years of Madden 04-05 where your opponent would setup a blitz that gets to your QB really fast, coining the term nano blitz as it got there almost in a nano second. If it’s a good nano, someone will break free even with a TE blocking or with a HB blocking. They are very deadly, but leave things open so here are a few ways to combat it:

Sets that look like the one above that only have 2 WR’s in it, but both WR’s are on the same side are great sets to use. You can instantly tell whether its man or zone, and then adjust your play accordingly. I like to use combo routes with the outside WR’s, then put the HB on a route depending on whether its zone or man.. If itz zone, I’ll put the inside WR on a streak and the outside WR on an out route, but if its man, the HB is on a slant.

Beating a nano blitz:
If your being nano’d to death, and you find it annoying, come out of a shotgun set, but use a package where it puts your HB in the slot or a TE in the slot so that the “play personnel” says: 2 WR 2 TE 1 RB, or 2 WR 2 HB 1 TE, making your opponent think you’re coming out of I formation or singleback. Once you get to the line, he has to audible out of his play into something different allowing you to catch him off guard and get easy yardage. Once you do this enough, he’ll stop trying to nano and you can actually come out of I-form or Singleback and try to establish your run game.

Motioning:
Using motion can be great for guys that nano. This can leave a guy open for a short amount of time, but can be deadly vs the nano. Now, you alos want to slide protect to have that split second to get the ball off, but when you do, it’s very deadly and can make your opponent stop nanoing, or even blitzing, then you open up the run on him.

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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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