Hope everyone had a good holiday season so far, I was travelling the past 2 weeks so I was unable to do a Saturday Sim. I might be the only one on ROTB who enjoys this, so after a 2 week hiatus, I fired up Madden 2010, set the skill level to All-Madden, put it on 8 minute Quarters with a 15 second run-off and let it go.
I have to say, I wasn't expecting this outcome, and I don't think the rest of you will like it either. The good thing is, none of the Saturday Sims I have done have even remotely resembled the game, so maybe that is a good sign after all. After the jump, the results.
1st Q:
Cardinals win the toss, and elect to receive, but after two Beanie runs for 3 yards,an incompletion on 3rd and 7 leads to a punt.
A facemask by the Cardinals on the return sgives Green Bay great field position at the AZ 33, but after a 1st down incompletion, a 20 yard Rodgers to Driver from Play Action moves the chains. A GB Hold on 1st down, followed 2 Grant runs gives the Pack a 3rd and 13. Rodgers passes to Jennings to the 1, and Kuhn is in on 1st and goal, 7-0 GB.
After a Touchback, Warner is almost picked on 1st down, almost picked on 2nd down, but throws an 80 yard TD to Breaston on 3rd and 10. 7-7.
GB Ball at the 20, and after a pass deflected at the line on 1st, a 5 yard Grant run on 2nd, Rodgers throws a 3rd down completion to Jones for the 1st, but the drive stalls after 2 Grant runs, and a 3rd and 5 DRC CB Blitz sack to force a punt.
Beanie 6 yard power run on 1st down, and a Warner to Fitz 15 yard completion ends the 1st Q tied at 7.
2nd Q:
Beanie stuffed on 1st down, but catches Warner's outlet pass for a first down. Following a loss by Wells, Warner finds Breaston for 25 yards, setting up 1st and goal at the 8. UNfortunately on 1st down Warner is picked by Bishop, who returns the ball past midfield.
Rodgers hitsDriver for 18 yards on 1st down, and 2 Grant runs and a pass to Lee gives GB 1st and goal at the 1. Grant scores on 2nd and goal. 14-7 GB, 3:24 left in the half.
After the kick, Beanie runs for 6 yards, and Warner hits Doucet for the 1st, but is picked by T. Williams on the next play just before the 2 minute warning.
After 2 Grant runs, a 3rd and 5 completion to Jennings extends the GB drive. Grant runs for 9, and Rodgers throws a17 yard pass to Lee for a TD with 1:20 in the half. 21-7 GB.
Cards get the ball back looking to score before halftime, but Warner is picked at the AZ 32 by T. Williams. 3 straight completions gain GB 1st and goal at the 4, but the Pack are held to a FG, extending the lead to 24-7 with 19 seconds left in the half.
Cardinals get the ball, but a Wells run ends the half 24-7.
3rd Q:
Cardinals force a quick 3 and out, and after the punt, Warner hits Doucet for a 1st down. ON the next play, Breaston takes a short pass, breaks a tackle, and outruns the defense for a 58 yard TD. 24-14 GB.
GB moves the ball down the field on several Grant runs, and 3 3rd down conversions, with the drive ending on a Rodgers 2 yard TD pass to Jennings to increase the lead 31-14.
Warner to Boldin for 9 yards on 1st down followed by a Warner incompletion on 2nd to end the 3rd, 31-14.
4th Q:
Woodson knocks down Warner's attempt to Fitz on 3rd and 1, but the Cardinals go for it on 4th and short on their own 27 yard line. Unfortunately, Beanie is stuffed for a loss on 4th and 1 and GB gets the ball back.
After 3 straight runs, GB kicks a 40 yard FG, 34-14 GB
3 straight passes for 1st downs to (2 to Q and 1 to Beanine) put the ball at the GB 33, Beanie runs up the middle for 5 yards, leading to a Warner pass to Breaston for 28 yards and a TD with 4:11 to go, GB 34, AZ 21.
After a Grant run, and Rodgers pass to Jennings, Grant breaks about 12 tackles, including Dansby and A-Dubb to gain 55 yards to the AZ 11 just before the 2 minute warning. On the 1st play after the warning, Grant runs up the middle for 11 yards and a TD to put the Pack up 40-21 after a failed 2 pt try.
Cards come out in the hurry up, and pass the ball around to Fitz, Beanie, Doucet, and Breaston to move the ball down to the GB 20 yard line. A 17 yard pass to Hightower sets up a TD pass to Doucet as time expires, but it's far too little too late, as GB wins going away, 40-28.
Box Score:
Passing: GB-Rodgers 16/26 203 2/0 111.5. AZ-Warner 21/32 362 4/3 104.4
Rushing: GB-Grant 23/133, 2 TD, Jackson 2/2, Kuhn 1/1, 1 TD. AZ-Wells 9/23, Warner 1/-6.
Receiving: GB-Jennings 6/61, 1 TD, Driver 4/62, Lee 2/26, 1 TD, Jones 2/32, Swain 1/10, Grant 1/12. AZ-Breaston 6/200, 3 TD, Doucet 5/38 1 TD, Wells 3/38, Q 3/32, Fitz 3/37, Hightower 1/17.
Sacks: AZ-DRC 1. GB-0.
INT: AZ-0. GB-T Williams 2, Bishop 1.
A couple of things to note:
GB can't improve their playoff seeding, so might not play their starters the entire game. Likewise, if the Vikings win the 1 pm game, the Cardinals can't get the bye, so they might not play their starters the whole game. Obviously this isn't taken into consideration in Madden, and the fact that these teams will likely be playing eachother next week as well, we probably won't see anything other than a vanilla offense and defense from both sides.
I will continue to do these Sims until the Cardinals are out of the playoffs (so I'll be simming the Super Bowl before heading to Miami for the weekend in about a month). Enjoy the game tomorrow everyone, and as always:
GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!