The Pastapadre Online Franchise has now reached the pinnacle of the season. The Super Bowl will see the AFC representative Oakland Raiders face off against the best of the NFC in the Arizona Cardinals. For those of you interested in joining into the franchise for season two please drop your info in this forum thread. Selections will be made in the coming days before the start of the free agency process and draft.

In the AFC Championship the #1 Raiders topped the #3 Ravens with relative ease 41-17. Oakland jumped ahead 17-0 in the first quarter and never looked back. Darren McFadden scored the two TDs on long runs of 71 and 56 yards and he finished the game with 169 yards. They didn’t need much else as Joe Flacco threw four picks and there was no way the Raiders were going to be beat by a team that made any mistakes let alone five total turnovers.

The NFC Championship saw the #1 Cardinals top the #3 Eagles 28-14. The Cards took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter where a couple scores were exchanged but the outcome was never in doubt. Donovan McNabb threw for 352 yards while Arizona moved the ball primarily on the ground with both Frank Gore and Beanie Wells going for over 100 yards.

So the Super Bowl matches up the two best teams in the online franchise as everyone would hope for. The 16-2 Cardinals will be the underdog against the 18-0 Raiders. The two teams did not play each other in the regular season.

Mentioned throughout the playoff previews has been the Cardinals ability to score on special teams. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie led the league in return TDs and he had a 100 yard kick return TD in the NFC Championship. They will likely need to get a score from special teams or with their defense in order to have a chance against the Raiders.

Oakland has proven that they will not beat themselves. They have a good ground game and an efficient though unspectacular passing attack. They limit turnovers and jump on opportunities to bury teams by capitalizing on theirs.

With the exception of acquiring Frank Gore for Anquan Boldin the core of these teams were not changed significantly. That Gore trade though gives the Cardinals a dual-headed rushing attack. If they fall behind early and have to abandon that they may be doomed. It’ll be important that they can keep offensive balance and if they get a lead they are structured to hold a team off by consistently moving the chains.

The Raiders will look to grab that early lead and put the Cardinals away before they can get into a groove. It will take a near perfect effort by Arizona to pull this one off.

Line: Raiders -6

The second patch for Madden 10 is in certification testing with MS and Sony. It is unclear when it started that process but it is reasonable to expect it to arrive by the middle of the month. Some of what is expected in the upcoming patch can be found here.

The patch for NBA 2K10 has been submitted to MS and Sony. If it clears through without any hiccups it should be out within the next two weeks. Details on what is expected from the patch can be found here. (Update: Out as of 11/6)

The first patch for NBA Live 10 that was released last week on the 360 has been approved by Sony and should be out this week (it could come at any time). The patch details can be found here. (Update: Out as of 11/5) A second patch is in the process of being submitted to MS and Sony. That patch will address some issues that were discovered after the release of the first patch. It sounds as though it will be out mid-late this month.

Gamespot has a first look at Madden Ultimate Team which is similar in concept to FIFA Ultimate Team which released last year. This will be a downloadable update which will add the mode to the menu of the regular Madden 10 game. The FIFA version of Ultimate Team cost $10 however in a surprising move Madden Ultimate Team will be free. Check out the full preview here.

after loading it up for the first time…you’ll be given a randomized set of cards, enough to get you up and running right away….Those cards include players, stadiums, playbooks, coaches, injury cards, and contract cards, and the quality of the card will be reflected in its status as either a bronze, silver, or gold card….Playing games with your team, you’ll earn credits that you can then use to buy bronze, silver, or gold packs full of more cards you can use to bolster your team. You’ll also be able to spend real-world cash to buy in-game credits.

Obviously EA is looking to rake in some money off those who will pay for in-game credits but by making MUT free they have also increased the value of Madden 10. With sales showing continued strength this year this new mode could make Madden an even more appealing gift over the holidays.

Madden Ultimate Team does not have a solidified release date though EA Sports is shooting for early January. While that would coincide with the NFL Playoffs the mode is a perfect fit for the offseason. Continue on for the Gamespot video featuring MUT and leave your thoughts in the comments!

EA Sports has now stated that the next roster update for Madden 10 will not be coming until November 20th. That means there will have been a three week gap between updates and just two updates in a five week span.

This is really disappointing news and any frustration is justified. While there will always be arguments as to players being over or underrated the updates this year have provided the best reflection of real life performance in the history of the franchise. This doesn’t just affect quick games and online games as anyone looking to start a franchise or online franchise won’t have the most up-to-date rosters available. Consistency is even more important than happening every single week and now we don’t even have that.

A partially automated system like NBA Live has with the Synergy daily updates would not make sense for Madden. Games are played only once a week and stats are not the driving force behind many positions in football. But if EA can’t do manual roster updates on a consistent basis than maybe some other procedure needs to be considered.

As suggested in the comments a system where roster moves (IR, trades, cuts, signings, depth chart) were done on a weekly basis while the ratings were adjusted bi-weekly or even quarterly would be a reasonable compromise.

Statistically there were only a handful of players who had standout games in week eight however some trends were evident. The Giants should see a drop (at least to the defense) after getting smoked in three straight games. Kurt Warner turned the ball over six times and has been inconsistent this season. Steve Slaton got benched in favor of Ryan Moats who had a big game so some changes may be in store there. Jairus Byrd has seven picks and 16 passes defensed already this season leading the league in both categories and could get pushed up a few more points this week.

For some reason EA is hesitant to drop JaMarcus Russell down more than a point each time they do, I’m guessing this is because they still want the Raiders to be a serviceable team for those who want to use them. Currently he sits as a 67 which, granted, is the lowest starter. However the ratings are supposed to be reflective of how good the players are and those who decide to play with the Raiders would know they’ve got a challenge on their hands. Artificially keeping certain players higher just because they are starters goes against the whole meaning of ratings.

Owen Daniels injury and the release of Chris Chambers should also be reflected in the next update. As always leave your thoughts in the comments on what players deserve a boost or a downgrade based on their performance in this week’s Madden 10 roster update.

The Pastapadre Madden 10 Online Franchise has now reached the Conference Championships. On one side it is the rematch of the real life NFC Championship from last year with the Eagles @ Cardinals. In the AFC it is the undefeated Raiders hosting the Ravens. For those of you who have expressed interest in joining the franchise keep an eye out for a post in the next week or so regarding that as there will be a handful of openings. Continue on for a preview of the two games.

NFC Championship: #3 Eagles (13-5) @ #1 Cardinals (15-2)

It was expected to be a shootout and it was just that. In the highest scoring game of the season the Eagles topped the Saints 73-51 to advance to the championship game. Donovan McNabb threw for five TDs while Drew Brees threw for six. However the difference were in the turnovers. Two fumbles and an INT returned for TD did the Saints in…that and the inability to stop the Eagles offense.

In the other divisional game it was the Cardinals winning easily over the Packers 42-14. Arizona’s defense was stifling as they limited Ryan Grant to 17 yards rushing and Aaron Rodgers to only seven completions on the day. Kurt Warner went 20-26 and hooked up with Larry Fitzgerald for two TDs.

This makes for an interesting NFC Championship game. The Cardinals have been the most consistent team this season in the NFC, while the Eagles were a question mark going into the playoffs. Don’t expect the same result from the Eagles-Saints game as the Cardinals are much more disciplined on defense and have shown the ability to strike on special teams as well.

Line: Cardinals -5

AFC Championship: #3 Ravens (15-3) @ #1 Raiders (17-0)

The undefeated Raiders fought off the Chargers for a third time this year winning 38-24. Oakland got three TDs on the ground (two from Darren McFadden and one from Michael Bush) along with a pick for TD by Nnamdi Asomugha. McFadden ran for 210 yards in the game which eased the pressure off the passing game which was efficient. Reggie Wayne caught three TDs on 159 yards for the Chargers.

The closest game of the weekend was the Ravens topping the Jaguars 31-28. A Brian Westbrook one yard TD run with 33 seconds remaining sent Baltimore to the AFC Championship. The Jags actually held a 16-3 lead with only a few minutes remaining in the third quarter but within the span of 2:08 had two fumbles returned for TDs. The lead switched four times in the fourth quarter showing what a battle this game was. Brian Westbrook rushed for 107 yards for the Ravens while David Garrard threw for 318 and three TDs.

These two teams faced each other in week 17 with the Raiders winning handily 35-10. Joe Flacco struggled completing only eight passes and throwing three picks. JaMarcus Russell wasn’t much better but the Raiders ground game finished with 209 yards and four TDs.

All season long the Raiders have shown that they are the toughest team in the league and it will take the perfect game from an opponent for them to knock them out. They aren’t going to beat themselves. Baltimore needed defensive TDs to top the Jags. They probably won’t have those opportunities in this game.

Line: Raiders -7.5

The eighth roster update for Madden 10 is set to be out later today or tomorrow. After taking a week off this is a significant update in terms of ratings and player movement.

Some notable changes include Matt Schaub boosted to 88, Terrell Owens down to an 85, Cedric Benson gains three and moves to 89, Sidney Rice gets moved up to an 82, Elvis Dumervil all the way to an 89, Brandon Mebane to an 86, and Jarius Byrd up to a 78. Mark Sanchez dropped to a 78 despite his impressive hot dog eating skills while JaMarcus Russell somehow only lost one point and sits at 67.

Once again the changes have been presented in image form. Continue on to check them out and leave your thoughts in the comments.

Having no roster update for Madden 10 last week most of those same suggestions apply. Some teams have shown they deserve more in how they are represented in the game such as the undefeated Broncos, Saints, and Colts. Other teams like the Rams, Bucs, Redskins, Raiders, and Titans probably will never be rated as low as they should be.

For individual players it will be taking into account two weeks where many have displayed they are deserving of a boost. In addition to the week six thoughts those players include Sidney Rice who has become a big-time target for Brett Favre but is only rated a 77. Miles Austin had another outstanding game and has become the #1 receiver for the Cowboys. He should go up to the low 80s from where he is now as a 76. Matt Schaub leads the league in passing yards and TDs but is only rated an 84. Cedric Benson should see another leap as he leads the league in rushing and will move from his 86.

On the way down there are a handful of QBs to choose from. JaMarcus Russell is too high as a 68. He was benched this weekend, has a 2-8 TD/INT ratio is only completing a dreadful 46% of his passes. Jake Delhomme has been picked off 13 times already and it appears he will be getting benched as well. The 76 is too high when there are competent QBs rated in the high 70s and low 80s. Shaun Hill has been a decent game manager but now that he has been replaced he should see a drop as well. One more player to consider is Roy Williams who has clearly lost his stance as #1 receiver in Dallas and has not performed up to the level of an 84. He has only 12 catches and 1 TD on the year.

This update will move Alex Smith into the starting role with the 49ers. While it would be premature to judge him based on a single half of football against a team that didn’t gameplan for him he should see a slight move up. He is currently a 70 and could move to 74 with Shaun Hill maybe sliding down to a 73.

Injury wise look for players such as Kris Jenkins, Leon Washington, Will Allen, and Antwan Odom to hit the IR. The trade of Will Witherspoon to the Eagles will also be reflected.

As always feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments on players that deserve a ratings hike or should see their ratings drop with this week’s Madden 10 roster update.

The Wild Card Weekend saw a three tight games and one blowout with the Pastapadre Madden 10 Online Franchise having now advanced to the Divisional Playoff Weekend. One underdog has advanced while three favorites have moved on. They now face the tough task of playing top seeded teams that rolled through the regular season.

Continue on for a preview of the Divisional Playoff Weekend in the online franchise.

The #5 Chargers have advanced only to face the #1 and undefeated Raiders. This looks to be the best game of the round with an explosive offensive team in San Diego attempting to take down the only team that seems unbeatable. The Chargers come off a 24-17 victory over the Jets that had Reggie Wayne catching two TDs and Shawne Merriman recording a sack and INT.

The Chargers aerial attack combines Philip Rivers with Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, Chris Chambers, and Antonio Gates. They have kept balance though with a strong season from Darren Sproles and he is backed up by Fred Taylor. Merriman led the league in sacks with 18.

The Raiders though are the story of the league having rolled with ease…the smallest margin of victory was seven points. Offensively they don’t have numbers that would blow anyone away but the passing game spreads the ball around and Darren McFadden with Michael Bush have split carries effectively. On defense it is another story where both Chris Johnson and Nnamdi Asomugha had nine picks and Trevor Scott recorded 14 sacks. The Raiders have won with smart offensive play and a tremendous defense.

These teams faced each other twice in the regular season with the Raiders coming out on top 42-14 and 25-14. The second game may be the one to focus on though as the first didn’t have all the current players involved and was full of turnovers. That second game was much cleaner but the Raiders defense was too much to overcome.

Oakland has to be the big favorite but the Chargers have a chance because of their explosive offense. It is going to take a near perfect game to top the Raiders.

Line: Raiders -6.5

The #4 Packers pulled off the upset over the Bucs and now have the difficult task of facing the #1 seeded Cardinals. It was a 31-20 victory for GB last week as Josh Freeman struggled and threw 4 INTs and Derrick Ward was shut down on the ground. James Jones shined with five catches for 113 yards and a TD.

Arizona brings in the NFC’s top rated offense and defense. Not only that but they have a lethal special teams unit with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie having returned 11 kicks for TD. Larry Fitzgerald had a good year with 10 TDs on 73 receptions and Frank Gore carried the team on the ground with 1750 yards and 24 TDs.

These teams just played in week 17 with the Cards winning 52-35. Arizona actually didn’t have a big game offensively but Aaron Rodgers threw five picks and that was the difference. Ryan Grant was effective with four TDs which could be a good sign if GB can limit the turnovers.

The Cardinals had a great season but appear a little vulnerable. The Packers can’t afford to give up big plays in special teams. If they keep it close they’ll have a chance at the end.

Line: Cardinals -4

The #3 Eagles have moved on to face the #2 Saints. Philadelphia comes off a defensive battle against the Seahawks having scraped by 17-14. The Saints have won six straight games heading into the playoffs.

These two teams played early in the season but the results aren’t an indication of what to expect in the rematch because of the ownership change Philadelphia had mid-season. Drew Brees had a big year throwing for 4381 yards and 29 TDs.

The Saints have the #2 offense in the NFC but only the #11 defense. They could give up points here to a powerful offensive squad in the Eagles. However the question will be whether the Eagles can limit the damage that Brees and Reggie Bush, who was a double-threat throughout the season, will do.

Line:  Saints -4.5

The #3 Ravens rolled over the Steelers in the Wild Card round and now face the tough Jaguars. If it wasn’t for the Raiders it would be the Jags getting all the attention right now. They went 14-2 and were only really challenged three times. A three point win over the Texans and the two losses which came to the Titans and Seahawks.

The Jags have the #2 offense and #2 defense in the franchise and have also been successful with big plays in the punt return game. Maurice Jones-Drew had a terrific year with 2481 yards and 25 TDs on the ground along with 44 receptions. Reggie Nelson led the team with nine picks.

This looks to be a great game as the Ravens could provide the toughest foe that the Jaguars will have faced. Joe Flacco threw for six TDs in the Wild Card game and Brian Westbrook has provided a dynamic element to the team that had been missing.

Line: Jaguars -3

The Pastapadre Madden 10 Online Franchise has reached the playoffs. This has been a really successful regular season and having the promise of a draft and some sort of free agency moving forward has made it much more sustainable than a regular online league. As mentioned in the previous article there will be some teams open however those won’t be filled until after completion of the playoffs. I will have a posting up come that time for anyone who is interested. Continue on for analysis of Wild Card Weekend.

BYES: Raiders (16-0, AFC #1 Seed), Jaguars (14-2, AFC #2 Seed), Cardinals (14-2, NFC #1 Seed), Saints (12-4, NFC #2 Seed)

The #5 seeded Bucs travel to face the #4 seeded Packers. Tampa won the week nine matchup by a resounding margin with a 42-10 final. The Packers turned the ball over five times in that game. Derrick Ward was able to rush for 159 yards and three TDs while Aaron Rodgers’ 5 INTs made the outcome inevitable. The Packers are only 3-4 since that game so they are not riding the momentum they would hope for going into the playoffs. On the other hand the Bucs were victorious in eight of their final 10 games.

Outside of the TB game Rodgers actually had a good season throwing for 3450 yards and 31 TDs. Green Bay won the weakest division in the franchise and still only outscored opponents by a total of nine over the course of the year. They may be in trouble handling Tampa who fought it out until the final week only to finish a game behind the Saints. Derrick Ward carried the Bucs scoring 15 times and rushing for 1261 yards and Josh Freeman performed admirably all year.

Line: Bucs -6.5

The #6 Seahawks go on the road to take on the #3 Eagles. Early in the season Philadelphia looked to be unstoppable however an ownership changed rocked their fortunes. They finished the year off going 5-4 in the last nine games. Despite the 11-5 record Seattle was actually outscored by 13 points over the course of the season which is a discouraging sign.

The Eagles made a lot of personnel changes this year which paid off in the regular season. Acquisitions such as Paul Posluszny solidified the defense while LeSean McCoy stepped in for Brian Westbrook after he was was traded away and rushed for 1153 yards and 13 TDs. Ray Rice chipped in well with 569 yards and 7 TDs. The Seahawks may not have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Donovan McNabb and the Eagles rushing attack.

Line: Eagles -4.5

The #6 Steelers head to the #3 Ravens. This inter-division rivalry will offer the third opportunity for Pittsburgh to come out victorious this season. The Ravens won both regular season affairs 20-18 and 45-21.

In those games it was the turnover battle and rushing attack that helped determine the winner. The Ravens did not turn the ball over in either game while the Steelers had had a combined four. Brian Westbrook rushed for over 100 yards in each game for Baltimore with three TDs while Willie Parker was limited to 28 and 57 yards and didn’t reach the end zone. It would be difficult to imagine fortunes turning for the Steelers here.

Line: Ravens -5.5

The #5 Chargers will face the #4 Jets and both of these teams have mixed up their rosters to make a run in the first year of the franchise. For San Diego the aerial attack combines Randy Moss and Reggie Wayne with Antonio Gates and Chris Chambers which is sure to put any defense on its heels. Philip Rivers took advantage having a good season with 29 TDs and 3588 yards. Darren Sproles added 1263 yards on the ground to make for great offensive balance. On defense Shawne Merriman terrorized opponents with a league leading 18 sacks.

The Jets got a ROY type season out of Mark Sanchez who threw for 3835 yards and 24 TDs. An acquisition that brought Michael Turner to town resulted in 16 TDs. Braylon Edwards led the team with nine TD receptions.

San Diego had the better point differential and had to deal with the unstoppable Raiders in their division. The Jets won the AFC East in easy fashion. The Chargers appear to be the more battle-tested and explosive team here and are the favorite.

Line: Chargers -5