Madden NFL 25 Predicts a Wild 2024 Season: Ravens Reign Supreme, Prescott MVP, and Panthers... Seriously?

It's August, and that means it's time for Yahoo Sports' annual "Madden" simulation. For the seventh consecutive year, we've run an entire NFL season through EA Sports' popular football video game, fresh off its release this week.

Last year, Charles McDonald and Anthony Sulla-Heffinger's simulated seasons yielded a mixed bag of results. While Madden accurately predicted a strong rookie season for Texans QB C.J. Stroud and the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory, it also predicted 16-1 and 14-3 seasons for the Cowboys and Broncos, respectively.

This time around, the same rules apply: McDonald and Sulla-Heffinger each simulated a season in Madden NFL 25, revealing key takeaways that might, or might not, actually come to pass.

Super Bowl Showdown: Ravens Rise Again

Sulla-Heffinger: The San Francisco 49ers returned to the Super Bowl, but it wasn't a rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Instead, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens steamrolled them in a Super Bowl XLVII redux. Jackson claimed MVP honours with 323 total yards (273 passing, 49 rushing) and four touchdowns. Zay Flowers had a monster game, hauling in six passes for 126 yards and two TDs, as Baltimore lifted the Lombardi Trophy for the third time in franchise history with a 35-14 victory.

McDonald: The Ravens and 49ers also faced off in my simulation, with the Ravens emerging victorious in a 23-17 overtime thriller. Marlon Humphrey was awarded Super Bowl MVP after a game-winning pick-six, solidifying his place in Madden legend.

More likely: Madden clearly favours the Ravens, but we'll go with the closer Super Bowl score from Charles' simulation.

MVP Race: Dak Prescott Dominates

McDonald: Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ran away with the MVP award in my simulation. He fell just short of the 4,000-yard passing mark, but tallied 36 touchdowns against only five interceptions, adding 350 rushing yards and seven touchdowns with no fumbles. Forty-three touchdowns and five turnovers would undoubtedly put him in MVP contention in the real world.

Sulla-Heffinger: Last season's simulation inaccurately predicted a Cowboys Super Bowl victory. While they didn't reach those heights this year, there was plenty of silverware for Dallas players to claim. Dak Prescott was the runaway MVP, finishing with a league-best 4,822 passing yards and 49 total TDs (46 passing, 3 rushing). Prescott would have led the league in all passing categories, but his 73% completion rate fell slightly behind Brock Purdy's 75%. If Prescott can achieve a season like this in real life, Jerry Jones will be preparing a hefty new contract.

More likely: We'll lean towards the lower total numbers from Charles' simulation, given CeeDee Lamb's ongoing contract negotiations.

Offensive Player of the Year: CeeDee Lamb Shines Bright

Sulla-Heffinger: Speaking of Lamb, he played the entire 2024 season in the simulation, and absolutely dominated. He torched defensive backs, leading the league with 137 catches (26 more than the next best WR), 1,842 yards (319 more than the next best), and 16 touchdowns, second only to Brandon Aiyuk (17). These marks were career-high totals, closely mirroring Lamb's stellar 2023 campaign and justifying any deal Dallas might offer him.

McDonald: Christian McCaffrey captured his second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year award with 1,791 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 352 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He amassed 250 more rushing yards than second place (Derrick Henry) and had the third-most receiving yards among all running backs.

More likely: Lamb and Anthony's simulation, as no player has won back-to-back OPOY awards since Marshall Faulk 23 years ago!

Defensive Player of the Year: Maxx Crosby Reigns

McDonald: Maxx Crosby enjoyed a dominant season, earning Defensive Player of the Year honours. He led the NFL with a whopping 23 sacks and added 19 tackles for loss, good for fifth in the league. Virtual Maxx Crosby should hold out for a $40-million-a-year contract.

Sulla-Heffinger: Maxx Crosby took home the award in my simulation, finishing the season with 17 sacks (second only to Myles Garrett's 18.5) and 18 tackles for loss. Crosby also recorded a forced fumble and two recoveries while anchoring a Raiders defence that ranked sixth in the NFL. As a finalist for the award last season alongside Garrett (the eventual winner) and T.J. Watt, this could be a sign that the Las Vegas defensive end is finally poised to break through.

More likely: Anthony's simulation, as Christian Wilkins and a strengthened Raiders defensive line might take some sacks away from Crosby, but won't diminish his overall impact.

Rookie of the Year Awards: Williams and Murphy Stand Out

Sulla-Heffinger: Despite throwing for fewer yards than other first-round rookie QBs, Caleb Williams was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Williams finished with 2,858 passing yards (No. 4 among rookie QBs) but led first-year signal-callers in total TDs (33) and completion percentage (70%). However, Chicago didn't make the playoffs, finishing third in the NFC North with an 8-9 record. While Williams won the award, Jayden Daniels impressed for the Commanders, leading rookie passers with 3,610 yards and finishing second with 23 passing touchdowns. Bo Nix and Drake Maye each surpassed 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in their first seasons as well.

McDonald: This one was a bit peculiar. Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman won Offensive Rookie of the Year with 98 receptions for 1,249 yards and seven touchdowns. An excellent season, no doubt. However, J.J. McCarthy, who will unfortunately miss the actual NFL season, threw for 4,200 yards and 33 touchdowns. McCarthy led the NFC in passing yards and the league in completion percentage (74%). In reality, this would hand him the award.

More likely: Caleb Williams, but we're already fans of Keon and rooting for your comeback, J.J.

Sulla-Heffinger: The lone bright spot for the Seahawks in my simulation was Byron Murphy II, who was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. Murphy led Seattle with 18 tackles for loss – the same as Maxx Crosby, who won DPOY – and had seven sacks in his first NFL season. Murphy was named the 2023 Big 12 defensive lineman of the year and has received strong reviews in training camp, making this one of the more realistic outcomes in Madden sim history.

McDonald: Rams edge rusher Jared Verse claimed Defensive Rookie of the Year with 13 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He narrowly edged out his own teammate, Braden Fiske, who had 23 tackles for loss (first in the NFL) and 9.5 sacks. The Rams would gladly take that level of production from their rookie defensive linemen in real life.

More likely: Murphy. A close call, but with defensive wizard Mike Macdonald as his head coach and play-caller, while there's a chance Verse might draw too much attention on a Rams defence still a year away from making a significant impact.

Coach of the Year: A Surprise Winner?

Sulla-Heffinger: Last year, Madden predicted the Panthers making the playoffs (Spoiler alert: they didn't). This year, Madden predicts not only a playoff berth for Carolina, but a division win with a 13-4 record, and Dave Canales winning Coach of the Year honours. We'll delve deeper into the Panthers later in this article, so stay tuned.

McDonald: Kyle Shanahan won Coach of the Year with a 14-3 record before another heartbreaking Super Bowl loss. Sounds about right.

More likely: Shanahan, but closer than you might think, as Canales guiding the Panthers even close to the playoffs would be quintessential Coach of the Year material.

Best Record: 49ers and Cowboys Contend

McDonald: The 49ers boasted the best record in the league at 14-3. We already know how their season ends.

Sulla-Heffinger: For the second consecutive simulated season, it was the Cowboys. Dallas finished on an 11-game winning streak, culminating in a 15-2 regular-season record. They sported top-10 units on both offence and defence, remained undefeated on the road, had the league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, yet still fell short of the Super Bowl. They ultimately lost the NFC Championship game at home, 37-32, to the 49ers.

More likely: 49ers. That being said, a 15-2 record and a close NFC title game loss would undoubtedly have lasting implications for Dallas for years to come.

Worst Record: Titans and Cardinals Struggle

Sulla-Heffinger: There's no sugarcoating it – the Titans were abysmal. Tennessee finished the simulated season with a 3-14 record, boasting the third-worst scoring offence and ninth-worst defence in the NFL. Second-year QB Will Levis had the fewest TDs of any starting QB (16), and Tennessee didn't have a single 1,000-yard rusher or receiver. If this comes to fruition, major changes are likely in store for the Titans, just two years removed from back-to-back AFC South titles.

McDonald: The Cardinals didn't have the season they were hoping for. They finished 2-15, surrendering the second-most points in the NFL with 493, an average of 29 points per game. Kyler Murray threw for 3,100 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions, and their running game failed to ignite. This would be a massive disappointment for a Cardinals team poised to make a step forward in real life.

More likely: Cardinals, as they play in a tough division, and their defence is a major concern.

Surprise Team: Panthers Shock the League

McDonald: The Saints exceeded expectations, going 11-6 and winning the NFC South. Derek Carr had a bounceback season with 3,700 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Chris Olave nearly reached 1,200 receiving yards and six touchdowns. A season that everyone involved with the franchise would readily accept.

Sulla-Heffinger: As mentioned earlier, the Panthers were the biggest surprise in the simulation. They've only won 13 or more games once in franchise history (15-1, 2015) and have fired coaches midseason in back-to-back years, so a 13-4 record is truly astonishing. Led by Bryce Young (3,600 yards, 25 TDs, 69% completions) and rookie RB Jonathon Brooks (15 TDs), the Panthers boasted a top-10 scoring offence and went 7-1 on the road. Considering they were winless on the road and scored just 23 total TDs last season, this prediction is highly improbable.

More likely: The Saints. The Panthers' simulated success is incredibly unlikely, making the Saints the more likely surprise team by default.

Biggest Disappointment: Browns and Falcons Struggle

Sulla-Heffinger: The Browns were one of the NFL's feel-good stories last year, as Joe Flacco and a solid defence helped them reach the playoffs. However, Madden has its doubts about 2024. In my simulation, Cleveland finished 5-12, with the seventh-worst defence despite Myles Garrett tallying a league-high 18.5 sacks. While the simulated defence was poor, the blame also falls on Deshaun Watson, who had another lacklustre campaign in Ohio, finishing with 2,241 yards, 17 TDs, and a 59% completion rate. He was limited to 14 games in the simulation, marking the third consecutive season he didn't complete a full season with the Browns.

McDonald: Atlanta completely imploded in Raheem Morris' first full season as head coach, going 3-14 and tying for the second-worst record in the NFL. Kirk Cousins was abysmal in his debut season for Atlanta, throwing for 3,000 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. They had arguably the worst defence in the league, allowing 476 points and registering a league-worst 14 sacks. Even Bijan Robinson struggled, averaging just 3.9 yards per attempt. No one had a good time.

More likely: While both have elements of likely and unlikely, the Falcons' string of concerns feels more legitimate, outside of Deshaun Watson. We'll go with them as the biggest disappointment.

Stat That Wowed Us: A Running Back Renaissance?

McDonald: The NFL had an astonishing 23 1,000-yard rushers in this simulated season. There were 12 in real life last season, 16 in 2022, and seven in 2021. This simulation would mark a significant shift from current NFL trends. The last time the NFL had over 20 1,000-yard rushers was 2006, when 23 players achieved that feat. The leading rushers that year were LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Frank Gore, Tiki Barber, and Steven Jackson – a trip down memory lane for those feeling nostalgic.

Sulla-Heffinger: Isiah Pacheco finished the simulated season with a league-high 21 rushing TDs. This stat stood out because we haven't seen 20 rushing touchdowns in a season in today's NFL. The last time an NFL player rushed for 20 or more scores in a season was 2006, when LaDainian Tomlinson set the record with 28. If Pacheco can break the 20-touchdown threshold, he would become just the third player in Chiefs franchise history and the first since Larry Johnson in 2005 to do so.

More likely: Twenty-three 1,000-yard rushers, considering the widespread acknowledgement of a shift towards a more run-heavy strategy in the sport. Perhaps this is the season for a running back renaissance?

These "Madden" predictions are sure to spark debate among NFL fans. While some outcomes might seem far-fetched, the simulation does provide a glimpse into potential surprises and storylines that could unfold in the upcoming season. Whether you believe in the power of video game predictions or not, one thing is clear: the 2024 NFL season promises to be an exciting one.