NFL News: Will RGIII ever be the same?

After the 2012 season, very few would have thought that RGIII would not perform on that level or greater in the NFL. In 2012, RGIII threw 20 touchdowns. In 2013 and 2104 combined? 19. Granted , this season RGIII was hurt for most of the season. After the initial injury, RGIII wasn't even supposed to play any games for this season. The way that RGII and the Redskins have been struggling, how will they be able to recover?

Different Coaches

After the 2013 season , Mike Shanahan was fired as the coach. It was reported that Shanahan and RGIII had alot of disagreements between each other. While this may not be a physical element apart of this game, from a mental standpoint , it's difficult to perform as well when you don't work together with others.

Entering the 2014 season, the Redskins hired coach Jay Gruden. RGIII was excited and looking forward to a fresh start. However, in week 2, RGIII dislocated his ankle, potentially putting him out of the rest of season. Although he came back , RGIII was simply not 100%.

Health

A series of injuries have seemed to keep RGIII off of the field time and time again. Since 2012, RGIII has been injured at least 5 times. While he continues to manage to get back on the field and improve, RGIII has not played 100% healthy since 2012.

When healthy, RGIII is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league. His ability to run is uncanny. He is built with a strong arm to make the deep throw. The most important part about RGIII? He is an intelligent player. What hurts him time and time again is he inability to stay on the field. If you can't stay on the field, you'll never be in top form. If the Redskins don't allow RGIII to become 100% during the offseason, he will continue to struggle along with the Redskins.

The Arrival of Madden 15.

We have seen Kevin Hart and a Franco brother endorse it. We have even seen Damian Lillard in the new commercial. Well , the time has come...MADDEN 15 IS IN STORES TODAY. Football fans all over the nation can now enjoy the new Madden. Now that it's out, let's talk about some of the new features on the game that seperates it from Madden 14.

NEW FEATURES:

(via EASports.com)

-Pass rush mechanics
A new feature called "jump snap" allows for gamers to have a jump start towards the quarterback if timed correctly. If not, people will get the 5 yard penalty.

-Tackling
There are 4 different types of tackling that have been implemented into the game. Pressing A+X makes for a conservative tackle, pressing LT + A/X performs a conservative 'breakdown' tackle (sure tackle) , X is a diving tackle, and using the right stick is the big hit. Just like there was a passing cone for quarterbacks in Madden 06, there is a tackling cone for defensive players. Let's see if this feature will truly make defense more fun.

-Game Prep and Confidence
In this year's Madden game, look out for "confidence" ratings to affect players. Players will have a confidence rating between 1-99. In Madden, a player's confidence can be affected by a number of different factors: whether a player is a starter or backup, margin of victory/loss, and their performance in a big game. If a player's confidence drops below 30, you will see a change in his ratings. If his confidence rating reaches a 75 or higher, his overall rating will increase.

NFL Fantasy Sleepers: Robert Woods

The former USC native is one person that fantasy players may want to consider taking a chance on in the later rounds of their respected drafts. Buffalo Bills wideout Robert Woods will be a very important piece in the passing game. Standing on the opposite side of talented rookie Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods will be the guy that can really have a good year.

1) STEVE JOHNSON
The former number 1 Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson is no longer with the Bills. This off-season, Steve Johnson was traded to the San Franciso 49ers. Steve Johnson was a very productive receiver over the past four seasons with the Bills, having three 1,000 yard seasons. With the departure of Johnson, look for Woods and others to get more targets.


2) SAMMY WATKINS & E.J MANUEL
While a lot of people are excited about the potential that Sammy Watkins has, I would not worry too much about him getting all of the touches if you are looking to draft Woods. Even though Sammy will be great in the future, he is only a rookie. Rookies in the NFL tend to have ups and downs, so this will be more of a learn-on-the-fly kind of year for Watkins. Since Robert Woods already has one year under his belt, this year should be better for him.

When it comes to the Bills, Woods is not the only one who has gained experience from last year's season. Expect E.J Manuel to be better, and more willing to throw the ball to Robert Woods when Sammy is tightly covered and constantly watched.

In spite of the Buffalo Bills' heavily run offense, I look for Robert Woods to have a potential breakout year. He and E.J Manuel have more continuity this year, and with majority of the attention being on Sammy Watkins, Woods should be able to get himself open time and time again.

NFL Fantasy Draft Sleepers: Robert Griffin III

We all know that Robert Griffin III (RGIII) had one of the most exciting rookie seasons in the history of the game. After starting off 3-6, the Redskins went on to win 6 straight games to finish the season 9-7. During that winning streak, RGIII  threw 12 touchdowns and just under 1,000 yards. This past season, RGIII and the Redskins underachieved expectations, finishing 3-13. For fantasy owners, RGIII is a bit of a risk. Even though he was injured most of the year, RGIII consistently played poor. In addition, if people want to ensure having a mobile solid quarterback, they can easily choose to pick Colin Kaepernick or Cam Newton. With that being said , I say that it's wise to go with RGIII as one of your quarterbacks.

1) COACHING
Throughout last season, RGIII and head coach Mike Shanahan were in disagreement with a number of issues. There were times disagreements on whether or not RGIII should play due to his knee injury, the play style of the offense, and concluding why the team was not winning. After such a dismal 2013 season, Shanahan was fired as the head coach. This off-season, the Redskins hired Jay Gruden. So far, RGII has been very pleased with Gruden and plans to make a big splash heading into his third season. To put it into simple terms: Happy RGIII = more production.

2) DESEAN JACKSON
 One thing that the Redskins lacked at times was a deeper receiving core. They have Pierre Garcon, but they didn't have a consistency from anyone else. They have a Santana Moss that is slightly past his prime , a hot/cold Lenord Hankerson, and others who are questionable. This off-season, the Redskins were able to get one of the most explosive receivers in the game: DeSean Jackson. Between Jackson and Garcon, RGIII will only have to do one thing: get them the ball, and let them do the rest.

Between a new head coach, and the addition of DeSean Jackson, RGIII will be looking to get back to his explosive ways. Look for him to be healthier, faster, and more productive with his upgrade at the receiver position.
#HTTR

5 Teams You Should Be Looking Forward To Playing With On Madden

With the anticipation of Madden growing larger, we have made a short list of teams that should be fun to play with this year. In no particular order:

Washington Redskins
In Madden, you simply cannot go wrong with using RGIII. He's simply a dual-threat quarterback that is due to make big plays at any given time. With the style of offense that the Skins run, Alfred Morris is the perfect fit to help balance out the offense. This year, expect the Skins to be more explosive with the addition of DeSean Jackson. This will open up things for Pierre Garcon, Lenard Hankerson, and tight end Jordan Reed. Look out for the Skins.

San Franciso 49ers 

The 49ers are hands down the most exciting team that can be fun to play with from one side of the field to the other. On offense, the center of everything starts with the 6'4 quarterback from the University of Nevada. Colin Kaepernick is one of the most precision passers in the league. In addition to his passing skills, Kaepernick is a GREAT decision maker when running the option. Behind him is one of the most consistently overlooked running backs in the league, Frank Gore. Gore has rushed for over 1000 yards the past three seasons and looks to continue that streak. With options like Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Anquan Boldin, the 49ers are a threat anytime they step on the field. The defense side is equally as explosive. Justin Smith leads the way on the defensive line. The linebackers are a SICK group led by Patrick Willis, and Eric Reid and Donte Whitner are great at protecting the back end. Can't go wrong in ANY way with the 49ers.

Seattle Seahawks
If you are looking for the most fun defense to play with, look no further. This defense is the perfect balance for anybody. The Seahawks have a very good front 7, led by Bobby Wagner. With that being said, every football fan knows what makes the Seahawks the best defense in the league: the Seattle Seahawks secondary also known as the Legion of Boom. Byron Maxwell, Earl Thomas , Kam Chancellor, and Richard Sherman fly to the ball like no other secondary in the league. They are known to really squeeze and disrupt an offense's gameplan. They can  jam and recover when beaten by a receiver. Being as cohesive as they are , they know when to help each other. What seperates them from a lot of secondary groups is their ability to TACKLE. They can tackle like no other, which is not seen very often in the NFL.

  

New Orleans Saints
Two words to describe the Saints offense: Drew Brees. Throughout his career, Brees has broken single season records and career records. Brees has the record for most consecutive games with at least 1 TD, highest completion percentage, and the most seasons with 5000 yards just to name a few. Plus, with a target like Jimmy Graham, the Saints are at times unstoppable. If you love passing the ball down the field, the Saints are the team to use.

Cleveland Browns
Normally, the Browns would be one of the first teams that you would thinks to use (unless you are a Browns fan). However, in the 2014 NFL Draft, with the 22nd pick the Cleveland Browns drafted a player by the name of Johnny Manziel. So , now the Browns are on the list as a fun team to play for that reason. The thing about Manziel that fans love is his ability to make plays. This guy will make whatever crazy throw, dangerous run, and even tackle just to win the game. Manziel is simply one of a kind. In other words, Manziel will either turn out to be a bust, or a superstar. As for right now, fans should enjoy playing with him as a rookie.

NFL Fantasy Draft Sleepers: Mike Wallace

Coming off of a sub-par year, Miami Dolphins wide reciever Mike Wallace will be looking to be more productive and effective this season.  Yardage wise , Wallace did not have a bad year. Wallace finished with 930 yards. With that being said, it's not up to his standards. In both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Wallace finished the year with at least 1,190 yards and 8 touchdowns.



With new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor , look for Mike Wallace to be moved around in order for him to get the ball in his hands. One thing that fans must not forget is that Wallace is still one of the fastest receivers in today's game.  If you are looking for a late-round receiver to add to your team, really consider Mike Wallace.

The Better Corner: Patrick Peterson vs. Richard Sherman

Last week, Madden released their ratings for both Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson in Madden 15. Here is the EA Sports Insider Instagram post:

Underneath the caption, EA Sports gave the rating of 99 to Richard Sherman, while they gave the rating of 93 to Patrick Peterson. First stumbling upon this, I have tried to come up with reasons that may cause the major separation between the two. I understand that Sherman is arguably the best corner in the game, and there plenty of reasons to believe so. He has shutdown/ slowed down some of the greatest receivers in the game. Sherman has had 8 interceptions in each of the past two seasons.  No other corner has that many interceptions within the past two seasons. In the past three seasons, Sherman has had a total of 20 interceptions.  He is also one of the most clutch players in the game, making the game saving pass deflection against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game.  I could see why Sherman is a 99. He is like no other when it comes to the definition of a shutdown corner. 

With that being said, Patrick Peterson is toe for toe in the running with Richard Sherman for the title as "best corner in the NFL". In the past three seasons, Peterson has a total of 12 interceptions. In addition, Peterson has 8 fumble recoveries and 4 punt returns taken for a touchdown. On the defensive end , Peterson has been seen playing both corner and safety for the Arizona Cardinals. Peterson is Mr. Everything for the Cardinals. What also helps Peterson make a case to be considered the best is the fact Peterson will literally go to whichever side that the receiver he is covering goes to. Based on the scheme that the Seahawks use, Sherman only stays on the offense's right side of the field. Whether it's considered a fair judgement or not, Peterson truly following the opposite's best receiver is a more challenging scheme that he happens to do very well.

In my opinion, Sherman should be rated a 97, while Peterson should be rated a 95. They are both great at what they do, and I do not believe that they are a differential of 6 in Madden. 

My Comparison: Jadaveon Clowney

"My Madden rating for Jadeveon Clowney is: 79" were the last words that I wrote pertaining to the number 1 pick in the Draft. Granted, it was the highest rating given out of this year's draft. While my rating was lower than EA Sports, (which is an 83) it wasn't too far off. Let's take a quick look at why the rating is what it is.

To put this in simple terms, Jadeveon will be a BEAST to play with on Madden. Who else do you know  has a power move of a 94 and the speed of 88?? No one. While I did think this speed and power moves would be high,  what will separate him the most from other defensive linemen is his acceleration. With a 92 rating , he will be able to basically chase down anyone. Running backs, receivers, quarterbacks, doesn't matter. Clowney will by far be the most exciting defensive linemen to play with in Madden.

Rating Jadeveon Clowney: Madden NFL 15

This guy is simply a FREAK OF NATURE. Standing at 6'6 270lbs, he runs just as fast as the average running back. In college , Jadeveon had 24 sacks in three years at South Carolina, where he made a name for himself.

Jadeveon Clowney is projected to be the number 1 draft pick by the Houston Texans. Funny thing is Clowney would not be the Texans number 1 need. The Texans are in need of  a quarterback, in which there are 3 projected to go in the first round (Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles).

STRENGHTS
Jadeveon has the potential to be everything that an NFL Team would and more from a defensive end. Jadeveon possesses the ability to drive through offensive linemen with his strength. With his large frame and long wing span, Clowney can also deflect alot of passes that quarterbacks throw along the line of scrimmage. When one-on-one with an offensive linemen, he has the speed to run right around offensive linemen.

WEAKNESS
The major concern that teams have with Clowney is his "work ethic". In the past he has shown signs of possibliy not going the extra mile, which is something that every great player must do. In college, he did not play the last few regular season games in his college career to aviod aggrevating an injury even more. While working out for South Carolina , he initially stated that he was only working out there and not for any teams. Examples such as these do raise questions as to whether or not he would do the same in the NFL.

Overall, this guy has the potentail to become one of the greatest defensive ends ever. Guys with his size and athletic ability just don't come around that often. My Madden rating for Jadeveon Clowney is: 79.