The Denver Broncos have beaten the Seattle Seahawks to claim the Lombardi Trophy in 2014 . . . or so sayeth Madden 25.
The popular video game franchise from Electronic Arts has correctly predicted the winner of 8 of the past 10 Super Bowls, and now it’s saying that the Broncos, currently favored by 3 points in Vegas, will edge the Seahawks on Groundhog Day, 31-28 in overtime. If that bears out, then that fact will add to the already legendary career of Peyton Manning, who would become the first NFL quarterback ever to lead two different franchises to Super Bowl victories (he previously won with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006).
There’s plenty in the simulation that would keep fans glued to the TV, regardless of whether some of the anticipated commercial spots pan out. Loudmouth cornerback Richard Sherman has an interception for a touchdown that puts Seattle up 10-7 at the half. Manning shuts him up in the second with a TD pass to Demaryius Thomas, which is shortly followed with another score by Knowshon Moreno. Seattle stays alive, thanks to TDs by Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, and a 2-point conversion sends the game to overtime. But Broncos kicker Matt Prater seals it with a 48-yard touchdown to win in the first OT. Manning gets the MVP nod with 322 passing yards, 3 TDs, and one interception.
Good game, right?
Well, odds are strong that EA gets it right again. In addition to picking 80% of the games in the past decade, the simulation has had other impressive prognostications. Last year, it predicted the winner (Ravens over 49ers), the spread (3 points), and the MVP (Joe Flacco). The year before, it picked the winner (Giants over Patriots), got within one point of the spread, and called the MVP (Eli Manning). The only two years the game got the winner wrong (Super Bowls XLII and XLV), each game was decided by a one-possession score. It’s also either gotten the spread right or gotten within a point of the spread in three other contests (XXXVIII, XLI, and XLIII).
All that’s left is to wait and see whether weather moves the game date. As yet, there’s no word whether that give EA a mulligan if they got it wrong.
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