A new producer blog on the NFL Head Coach 09 website has provided a ton of new information in relation to playbooks and team styles. You can read it in full here.

We stripped each playbook down to really focus on what is core to it’s parent NFL team. Our intent from the start was to make the style of each coach and team evident in the plays they call. We wanted to highlight things like the Tony Dungy Cover 2 defense, which is not only run by the Colts and Bucs, but is also being used all over the league. We have the New England Patriots offense lining up in Shotgun 5 wide formation about 60-70% of the time just like they did in 2007.

The blog not only details the work they put into getting the teams and coaches to run their real life schemes and how you can utilize them through who you hire, but also goes into “learning” which is a new player rating, adaptive play calling, and details some of the team specific ideals that will be represented.

From the start they have made it clear that players fitting into particular systems would be an important aspect which is something not seen in previous football games. Now there are the specifics on how you can shape your team and how your opponents will theirs as well. It looks like they have really gone and created a deep system that has a lot of potential.

This week’s Gamestop Madden Monday focuses on the ability to return missed field goals and includes two new screenshots of Devin Hester in position to do so.

One of these Madden NFL 09 innovations is the ability to return missed field goals. Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen in the real-world NFL how a seemingly insignificant field-goal attempt can be turned into a momentum-changing, or even game-deciding, touchdown return.

It will be a nice change to force people into considering the risk of attempting a long field goal. However if kicking is overpowered (as has been the case seemingly forever) it may not really matter. Hopefully kickoffs aren’t going through the back of the end zone and long distance FG attempts actually have the potential of coming up short enough that they can be returned.

This week’s (5/5) roster update for MLB 08: The Show is now available and includes 165 player movements. The highlights of the update are below. For those without online access for their PS3 you can download the roster file here.

SP Yovani Gallardo moved from Brewers Starting to Brewers Minors.
CF Mike Cameron moved from Brewers Minors to Brewers Position.
CF Tony Gwynn Jr moved from Brewers Position to Brewers Bench.
SP Sidney Ponson moved from No Team to Rangers Starting.
SP Esteban Loaiza moved from Dodgers Relief to Dodgers Starting.
RP Hong Chih Kuo moved from Dodgers Starting to Dodgers Relief.
C Jose Molina moved from Yankees Bench to Yankees Position.
C Jorge Posada moved from Yankees Position to Yankees Minors.
RP Heath Phillips moved from Yankees Minors to Free Agent.
CF Shane Victorino moved from Phillies Minors to Phillies Position.
SS Oscar Robles moved from Padres Minors to Phillies Minors.
DH Jeff Clement moved from Mariners Minors to Mariners Position.
2B Jose Vidro moved from Mariners Position to Mariners Bench.
CP Chad Cordero moved from Nationals Closer to Nationals Minors.
C Paul LoDuca moved from Nationals Minors to Nationals Position.
SP Phil Hughes moved from Yankees Starting to Yankees Minors.
3B Ty Wigginton moved from Astros Minors to Astros Position.
3B Geoff Blum moved from Astros Position to Astros Bench.