I bid you welcome to the 2020 Minnesota Vikings Madden 08 Franchise Journal! It has been quite awhile, but I have returned for some more Franchise Journal goodness! I have decided to jump back into the fray once more for a single year of a franchise journal - my original Minnesota Vikings that begun with the base Madden 08 game. Ever since I picked the game up in 2009, this was the first franchise I ever started. Since 2012, I've started to play every season in the franchise in line with the current year, so for 2020, I will share everything that will happen to my Vikings team.
This is a fully hands-on franchise that I play normally, so no Coach Mode this time around. This means that I can usually win most of the games.
2019 Season Review
The Vikings went 16-0 last year, but we came up short in the playoffs. How is that possible, you may ask? There’s only one answer to your question: The Philadelphia Eagles.
SCHEDULE INFO
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WEEK DATE OPPONENT RESULT
1 Sep 12 Packers Won 24-3
2 Sep 20 Piranhas Won 45-30
3 Sep 26 Seahawks Won 45-20
4 Oct 3 at Pilots Won 38-7
5 Oct 10 at Raiders Won 20-17
6 Oct 17 at Panthers Won 41-16
7 Oct 24 Chiefs Won 44-3
8 Oct 31 at Eagles Won 24-20
9 Nov 7 at Broncos Won 16-14
10 n/a BYE n/a
11 Nov 22 at Packers Won 34-10
12 Nov 28 at Giants Won 48-10
13 Dec 5 Lions Won 41-15
14 Dec 12 Cowboys Won 47-7
15 Dec 19 at Lions Won 39-21
16 Dec 27 Chargers Won 27-13
17 Jan 2 Pilots Won 20-14
Before I go on a long spiel about the Eagles, I should mention that both the Redskins and Bears have relocated... they are now the Piranhas and Pilots respectively. This happened before I realized I could turn off relocations using mods... whoops!
Since I’ve started playing this franchise, I have had full control of the Vikings and the Eagles. As you can probably imagine, this means that these two teams totally dominate the NFC. The Vikings and Eagles are almost always the #1 and #2 seeds and meet in the NFC Championship game every year (I think only one in the past 10 years the Championship game was not Vikings v. Eagles due to a Vikings loss to the Bears in the divisional round). Last season was the same case: the Eagles went 14-2 and locked up the #2 seed.
You might wonder how I play the Vikings v. Eagles game, since I’m the sole controller of both teams. We play once per year in the regular season, since we always finish 1st in our division. My rule is this: the winner of the previous game gets to be controlled by me in the second half, while I control the underdog in the first half. For example:
2018 Championship game: Vikings won
2019 Regular season: I play as Vikings in 2nd half due to their previous win, Vikings won
2019 Championship game: I played as the Vikings in the 2nd half again, but we lost!
2020 Regular Season: The Eagles will get the 2nd half treatment now
I can almost always outplay the CPU no matter what team it is, but if the first half goes really well, sometimes the first half team can have such a big lead I can’t score enough on the CPU in the second half. So both teams do have a legitimate chance of winning this game when they play.
I should mention that the CPU legitimately beat me in the 2019 Championship, as I tied the game late after being down by about 17 at halftime, but the CPU was able to get the ball down the field in seconds and kick a winning FG. This All-Pro difficulty will find a way to beat me every once in a while, and I really don’t mind that since it adds a bit more realism to this franchise. There’s already too many blowouts for my liking during the regular season.
The Rosters
This is an alternative universe that split off in 2007, which means that every NFL team has managed themselves wildly different to how they have since. That means that every team is full of players that currently do not play for whom they do in real life. I will be going through the Vikings' entire roster to explain who is who and all of the time I've invested into these players.
One other note: the 2008, 2009, and 2010 drafts used fictional players, and since then I have used drafts full of real players. That means that all current NFL players who have 10-12 years of experience are fictional (I have a handful of them, you'll see). This also means that every player drafted since 2010 is now bumped 3 years down the road - which means this franchise's 2020 draft is actually the real NFL's 2017 class. We just drafted WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, while in real life he is in Year 3.
I will not be using a 90 man roster like in my Atticus Jenkins journals and no practice squads. That's how I started this franchise, so I will continue with Madden's usual 55 man rosters.
Other Notes
There is a salary cap in this league that I can control, but it’s not really much of a problem. The players demand so little amount of money that I can sign most players on bargain deals. I do try to keep my spending at a minimum (I can’t beat up on those poor CPU teams too much, right?), at least in free agency. Any player who gets an offer from the Vikings or Eagles is basically a lock to sign with us because of how good we are… but I do prefer to build my team through the draft.
I should also mention that I take control of all 32 teams at times to trim rosters and fix issues that might cause Madden 08 to crash. Stuff like teams hoarding punters and kickers, not signing free agents to fill in spots opened by injuries, and etc. I do my best to not screw over any team that I don't control even when it can be tempting (it's not my fault the Packers suck, I swear!).
Franchise Journal Plan
My plan for this franchise guide is to give the reader a peek in the midst of a long-running franchise that has previously never been seen by anyone other than myself. I am planning to report on every single game in the 2020 season, while detailing who's playing well, who isn't, and sharing some nerdy advanced stats that only I would bother to calculate. I will also be managing the Eagles as I always do, but I'll keep quiet on them.
So with all that out of the way... I have some introductions to make.
Get to Know the 2020 Vikings Roster - Part 1
QBs
QB Trey Smith
OVR: 99
Age / Exp: 32 / 11
Draft Pick: MIN 1st
Stats: Passing: 3467/34/12, Rushing: 27-153-3
Trey Smith is not only the QB who finally brought a Super Bowl to Minnesota, but he’s also created his own dynasty, winning the Super Bowl in the last 4 of 6 years. With most of the old QBs like Brady, Brees, and Big Ben retired, Smith is unquestionably the best QB in the league. He’s got a cannon for an arm, pinpoint accuracy, and a bit of a gunslinger mentality. He can scramble around decently, but he’s starting to get to the age where he isn’t as good as that as he used to be. Smith’s only weakness is injury, as he’s been prone to missing a few weeks every season (but that’s a Madden 08 issue, not a Smith issue). Smith is the Vikings’ key to winning year after year.
Trey Smith heaves a pass downfield after rolling out of the pocket
QB A.J. McCarron
OVR: 77
Age / Exp: 24 / 3
Draft Pick: MIN 4th
McCarron took over the backup role once past backup Boss Malone was traded to Dallas. A.J. has quality accuracy, but can be a bit of a statue in the pocket. The past 3 Vikings backup QBs have all gone on to become starters elsewhere (Joe Flacco to Rams, Jimmy Clausen to Jaguars, Boss Malone to Cowboys), so McCarron is in a pretty great spot. Though all three of those aforementioned QBs have struggled massively since becoming a starter...
QB Zach Mettenberger
OVR: 75
Age / Exp: 26 / 3
Draft Pick: DAL 6th
Mettenberger was acquired in the aforementioned Boss Malone trade. Zach has a big arm, but not much else. He’ll need to impress during the preseason and the preseasons to come if he wants to be a part of this team’s future plans.
HBs
HB Jordan Howard
OVR: 81
Age / Exp: 22 / 1
Draft Pick: MIN 3rd 2019
Stats: Rushing: 229-1208-12, Receiving: 18-144-3
With the famous Adrian Peterson and Shonn Greene duo moving on after the end of 2018, the backfield was up in the air. I prefer to wait for HBs in the draft, and Jordan proved why - Howard was an absolute beast in his rookie season, as he bowled over linebacker after linebacker and blew by safeties. He’s fast enough to break long runs, rarely fumbles, and even played well as a receiver. I found the Vikings’ franchise HB for the next 8+ seasons, and it only cost a 3rd round pick.
HB Giovani Bernard
OVR: 80
Age / Exp: 26 / 5
Draft Pick: ARZ 3rd
Stats: Rushing 80-381-3, Receiving 17-218-2
Bernard just finished his first season as a Viking, and you could call it a modest success statistically. However, Bernard was brought in to compete with Jordan Howard for the role of the lead back, and Howard won by a mile. Bernard is more of a receiving HB, but HB routes suck in Madden 08. Bernard has some work to do, or it’s possible he could find his way off the roster with 4 other HBs breathing down his neck.
HB Brandon Saine
OVR: 78
Age/exp: 28 / 6
Draft Pick: UDFA
Stats: Rushing 46-184-3; 977 kick return yards, 1 TD
You may not realize this, but UDFAs are incredibly rare in Madden, as there’s simply no way for players with low OVR to gain ground on higher-drafted prospects. The CPU teams certainly never develop any UDFAs. Saine was a mid-preseason pickup in his rookie year, as I needed a kick returner. Saine looked good there and filled the job, and it’s been his job for a good 5 seasons now. Plus, over the past couple years, Saine has started to improve as a HB, as he uses his breakaway speed to get extra yards. He’s not going to push the pile, but he’s a solid reserve and one of the NFL’s best kick returners - and I didn’t have to spend a draft pick on him!
HB Pat White
OVR: 75
Age/Exp: 29 / 8
Draft Pick: WAS 5th
Stats: Passing: 167/2/0, Rushing 47-274-0
White is my go-go gadget player who can play any position - QB, HB, WR, punt returner, even FB. He’s basically what Taysom Hill is currently for the Saints… so yes, I did it first! White was a horrendous QB for the Redskins (3 Tds /21 ints ) and I moved him to HB. After a season where he spent the year on the bench for the Panthers, I opted to give White a shot as a 4th HB on the roster, and he ran with it. When things are getting boring and the Vikings are up 30-0 or something like that, I like to get creative and start putting White on the field. He’s a lock to show up somewhere in the box score, but you’ll never know where.
HB Aaron Jones
OVR: 70
Age/Exp: 23 / R
Draft Pick: MIN 7th
Jones is my 5th HB on the roster, which is pretty ridiculous for a 55 man roster, but I decided to take the best player left at the end of the 7th round. Jones obviously has his work cut out for him if he wishes to crack the roster, but you know what they say, HBs are replaceable. Jones could find himself swapping a role with another HB on the team, or he may end up being on the team’s emergency list after getting cut. (there are no practice squads here).
FBs
FB Peyton Hillis
OVR: 99
Age/Exp: 31 / 9
Draft Pick: MIN 7th
Stats: Rushing 27-153-0, Receiving: 12-157-2
Originally a HB, I moved Hillis to FB, and he then went on to be unquestionably the NFL’s best. He’s a downright frightening blocker who can take on basically any defender one on one. He’s famous for throwing multiple blocks on several drives. He’s faster than most FBs in the game, so this allows him to get to defenders quicker, which is Madden is of utmost importance. He’ll run the ball every once in a while, and while he isn’t going to blow by anybody, he’ll muster a 15-20 yard run out of nowhere a few times each season. He’s also a threat in the passing game since the CPU likes to not cover the FB on many passing plays.
WRs
WR Mike Wallace
OVR: 86
Age / Exp: 29 / 8
Draft Pick: MIN 2nd
2019 Stats: 53/857/7 69% catch, 3% drop
Wallace has been here his whole career, and he’s actually become a #1 WR unlike his real life counterpart with the Vikings. Wallace is a burner who can frequently beat CBs and Ss deep. Trey Smith’s cannon arm and pinpoint accuracy have made Wallace one of the NFL’s best WRs. He’s improved his catching skills and no longer struggles with drops. He’ll have a few games each season where he disappears from the box score, but when he has a good game, he’s taking at least one ball to the house, if not two. His only real weakness is injury, but the Vikings run the ball enough that Wallace won’t have many chances to get injured in the first place.
WR Dorial Green-Beckham
OVR: 80
Draft Pick: MIN 2nd
Age / Exp: 24 / 2
Stats: 50/667/7 77% catch, 5% drop
DGB’s rookie season was a lost one, with just 8 catches, as on his final catch, he was crushed by a safety and broke a bone in his leg. Not only did he come back looking much better, but as the part-time 3rd WR, he completely and totally took #2 WR Eric Decker’s job away from him. Green-Beckham has a crazy speed-size combination, and now that he’s worked on his routes and has decent hands, he’s a major threat out there. He was very effective out of the slot, as nickel CBs and LBs that the CPU teams put on him could rarely cover him. Playing as the #2 WR on the outside is a more difficult task, but DGB should be up for the challenge.
DGB gets open near the sideline and makes a big catch
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
OVR: 77
Age/Exp: 20 / R
Draft Pick: MIN 1st
I wasn’t planning on going WR with my first round pick, but when I saw Smith-Schuster was still available… I just had to take him. JuJu will slot in 3rd into a very deep group of WRs. I like having 3 WRs out on the field at once, so Smith-Schuster will get plenty of opportunities to make plays and catch plenty of passes. If all goes right, he should be this team’s #1 WR in a couple years.
WR Stefon Diggs
OVR: 75
Age/Exp: 22 / 2
Draft Pick: MIN 4th
Stats: 20/282/4 53% catch, 19% drop
Diggs has not become the superstar he did in real life - instead, in this world, Diggs can’t figure out how to catch the ball. He gets open quite often, but I just can’t trust the guy. He’s in trouble now, as both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Riley Cooper are poised to be ahead of Diggs, making him 5th on the depth chart. He’s in trouble of spending a season on the bench.
WR Alex Erickson
OVR: 71
Age / Exp: 23 /1
Draft Pick: MIN 6th
Stats: 3/33/1
Erickson is a solid punt returner for the Bengals in the actual NFL, but punt returning in Madden 08 is brutally difficult and punt return TDs are virtually impossible. Erickson will need to have a good preseason to make the team.
WR Riley Cooper
OVR: 78
Age: 30 / 8
Draft Pick: TEN 4th
2019 Stats w/ Broncos: 37/468/4
Last season, my WR corps were a bit thin on talent, as my top 5 WRs were Wallace-Decker (now gone)-GreenBeckham-Diggs-Woods (also gone). Decker and Diggs were major disappointments, while Green-Beckham took a big step forward. Riley Cooper is my backup plan in case one of my top 3 WRs get hurt or regress from my expectations. Cooper is a big-bodied receiver who has decent track record. Right now, he’s slated to get more playing time than Diggs is. Cooper was a mediocre #2 WR in Denver last year, and he’s starting to age. He’s a bit of a wildcard for this offense.
That's all for now, folks! I'll be back soon with the rest of the roster introductions, and then we'll get onto the preseason! Leave comments if you wish!