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It's another week, and another chance to see how Madden picked our game this week. I set the settings to All-Pro, 10-second accel clock, and eight minute quarters.I sat Tony Romo for Brandon Weeden, and adjusted the Cowboys offensive line so that Doug Free and Donald Leary did not start, as both are questionable for this weekends game.
Final Score: 45-42 Dallas (OT)
The game started out in the Cardinals favor, as they intercepted two Brandon Weeden passes, and forced a fumble on the opening kickoff. Andre Ellington capitalized on two of them, catching a 25 yard pass for the score, and breaking off a 30 yard run for the score. Michael Floyd got in on the action, recovering a fumble (checked and it was John Brown who coughed it up), for a 5 yard scoop and score.
Carson Palmer was electric in the first half, he only threw one incompletion, while tossing two scores, on 17 attempts. Marion Grice had the lone first half drop. Palmer would end the day with 4 scores, with six incompletions, one of which was a pick six, for 392 yards.
Robert Hughes and Marion Grice received a healthy dose of carries in the absence of Stepfan Taylor. Hughes carried the rock six times for eight yards, while Grice carried 10 times for 37. Ellington got 20 carries, but only scraped out 62 yards.
There were three receivers who topped 100 yards. Larry Fitzgerald had five receptions for 102 yards and a score, Michael Floyd had seven for 108, and John Brown had four for 117 (which is an astronomical 29.3 yards per catch, and not getting a score). The other 65 were caught by Ellington (32) and Grice (33).
The defense stopped Demarco Murray holding him to a "mere" 97 yards, thanks in large part to a loss of five early in the game.
Brandon Weeden was impressive, leading the Cowboys come from behind win, including driving the Cowboys from the 1-yard line on 3rd and 14 to the Cardinals 22 and the game winning field goal. Finished the game with two picks and 3 scores.
Chandler Catanzaro had a chance to at least score the first three points of overtime, but as he often does in Madden, he missed.
If Madden is correct (though it is doubtful) Arizona would drop to 6-2, and the Cowboys improve to 7-2 on their season, and reclaim the top spot in the NFC.