Madden Simulation Made Right Call, Predicted Winner And Exact Score For Super Bowl XLIX
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made the wrong call at the end of Super Bowl XLIX and potentially cost his team from being crowned back-to-back champions, though it played out almost exactly as simulated in Madden NFL 15 on the Xbox One, which correctly predicted the final score and winning team a week prior to the big game -- 28-24 in favor of the New England Patriots.
In doing so, Electronic Arts' Madden franchise improves its record to 9-3 in annual Super Bowl simulations. That's impressive in and of itself, though this is the first time in a dozen Super Bowls that EA's football simulation not only picked the correct team, but also the score. It's come close before, but has also been way off, as it was last year when it predicted the Denver Broncos would edge out the Seahawks 31-28. Instead, the Seahawks tore apart Peyton Manning and company to the tune of 43-8.
The simulation also picked the New England Patriots in its two previous Super Bowls, both against the New York Giants, and both incorrect -- the Giants won Super Bowl XLII with a score of 17-14 and Super Bowl XLVI with a score of 21-17.
This year was a different story, not only for the Patriots, but also for the latest Madden game. In addition to correctly picking the winner and final score, it also foresaw the Patriots raging back from a 24-14 deficit culminating in a game winning drive in which Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman for a touchdown.
About the only thing the simulation didn't foresee was an undrafted rookie named Malcolm Butler making a game saving pick in the end zone near the end of regulation.
In doing so, Electronic Arts' Madden franchise improves its record to 9-3 in annual Super Bowl simulations. That's impressive in and of itself, though this is the first time in a dozen Super Bowls that EA's football simulation not only picked the correct team, but also the score. It's come close before, but has also been way off, as it was last year when it predicted the Denver Broncos would edge out the Seahawks 31-28. Instead, the Seahawks tore apart Peyton Manning and company to the tune of 43-8.
The simulation also picked the New England Patriots in its two previous Super Bowls, both against the New York Giants, and both incorrect -- the Giants won Super Bowl XLII with a score of 17-14 and Super Bowl XLVI with a score of 21-17.
This year was a different story, not only for the Patriots, but also for the latest Madden game. In addition to correctly picking the winner and final score, it also foresaw the Patriots raging back from a 24-14 deficit culminating in a game winning drive in which Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman for a touchdown.
About the only thing the simulation didn't foresee was an undrafted rookie named Malcolm Butler making a game saving pick in the end zone near the end of regulation.
