EA Sports has released a new preview video for FIFA Street that spotlights the various styles of gameplay to choose from. Those include Futsal, Last Man Standing, Panna and more. Continue on to check out the video and leave any thoughts in the comments! 

While continuing to put in an extensive amount of time with UFC Undisputed 3 for detailed impressions that’ll start flowing out Friday a number of videos will be captured and posted along the way. This first set includes my first fight in Career mode, an early Career mode knockout, first Career mode fight in UFC, as well as CPU vs CPU, head-to-head, and User vs CPU fights. Continue on to check them out and leave any thoughts in the comments!

At the mid-season point I put together a list of potential candidates for the Madden NFL 13 cover. The assumption was made that another tournament would be held and for the purpose of that analysis any players that were eligible the year prior were eliminated as were those scheduled to be free agents. Now that the season is complete and details about the cover tournament have come out it’s time to reassess who may be in play for the honor this year.

64 players will be included – 2 from each team that will face off in the first round to be their respective team’s representative in the bracket of 32. This will make it easier to include some players for a second straight year but free agents will likely still be excluded. Here’s a look at the favorites for EA Sports to involve in the cover tournament process for the NFC!

*Current Madden NFL 12 overall rating in parenthesis for chosen players
•Earlier: AFC Predictions

Cardinals: Adrian Wilson (92), Patrick Peterson (85)
Four straight Pro Bowl selections make the justification for Adrian Wilson simple as one of the more overlooked players in the league throughout his career. Patrick Peterson electrified fans by tying the single season record with 4 punt return TDs earning him a spot on the Pro Bowl as well. Other possibilities could include Larry Fitzgerald – though he not really a fresh option considering having been on Madden 10′s cover and in the tournament last year losing in the first round – and the outspoken Darnell Dockett.

49ers: Patrick Willis (99), Vernon Davis (97)
San Francisco has a number of really good options for cover consideration. Patrick Willis was in the tournament last year, up for the NFL Blitz cover, and has a history of being really into Madden so he’ll probably get the nod again. Vernon Davis meanwhile really emerged and big-time performances in the Playoffs made him much more of a national name. Frank Gore had a slow start to the season and dropped off in production late but could still represent the team well. Justin Smith, also 99 rated in Madden NFL 12, would be well-deserving but I doubt EA will match him and Willis up against each other and instead go for more differentiated pair.

Seahawks: Earl Thomas (87), Doug Baldwin (75)
It was The 12th Man last year that got nominated – not a player – but this time around the Seahawks have some talent to present with most coming from the defense. Earl Thomas was a Pro Bowl starter and is probably the most recognizable name on the defense so he would be the favorite here. As an undrafted free agent who started with a 48 rating and rose an astonishing 27 points over the course of the season Doug Baldwin makes for the best story. Other possibilities would include Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner (another interesting story CFL to Pro Bowl), and Chris Clemons. The most obvious one, Marshawn Lynch, may be on the outside looking in as a free agent even though he’s expected back whether with a new contract or Franchised.

Rams: Steven Jackson (92), Chris Long (91)
For a team with only two wins St. Louis has a couple of good players to represent them. Steven Jackson is basically a lock – he’s been a Ram his whole career and given full effort even though they haven’t made the Playoffs since his rookie season. Chris Long really emerged in the 2010 season and improved even more with 13 sacks in 2011. James Laurinatis and Josh Brown would probably be runner-ups here.

Bears: Brian Urlacher (96), Devin Hester (79)
Though Matt Forte accounted for the majority of the Bears’ offense before getting injured going into the offseason as a free agent and seemingly an unhappy one takes him out of the running here. Brian Urlacher continues to be the leader on a tough defense that has been the image of the Chicago team for a long time. Devin Hester gets the second slot in a tough call between him and Jay Cutler (longer tenure, Cutler’s late season injury) while Julius Peppers had his shot in the tournament last year.

Packers: Greg Jennings (95), Clay Matthews (94)
Aaron Rodgers is the league’s MVP and would be the easy one to slot in as a candidate – I’m going a different direction though. Rodgers was in last year and didn’t win it (losing to Peyton Hillis in the semi-finals) and marketing wise he is much bigger now and may have priced himself out of the Madden cover. Instead here I’ll go with Clay Matthews who could have even been justified for the cover of Madden 12. Greg Jennings, given the viral video sensation, would be a perfect fit as well. Jordy Nelson and Charles Woodson would be the sleepers.

Lions: Calvin Johnson (98), Matt Stafford (90)
Somewhat having wanted to avoid “duos” it was hard to go with anything else here. ‘Megatron’ had a monster season, gained the “clutch” trait in Madden 12 and rose to 98 rated, and helped get the Lions to the Playoffs. Matt Stafford staying healthy was another big reason for the team doing so well as he threw for over 5000 yards. Ndamukong Suh may not make the best marketing partner any longer given his tarnished reputation – he was also in last year’s tournament and got blown out in the first round.

Vikings: Jared Allen (98), Adrian Peterson (98)
This would be a fascinating match-up if it were to materialize with 98 rated players going up against each other for the right to move on. Allen and his 22 sacks, and Adrian Peterson despite playing in just 12 games, have previous relationships with EA Sports. Percy Harvin would be another interesting option but it seems unlikely EA Sports would go back to him after his testing positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine caused them to drop him from the cover of NCAA Football 10 at the last minute (he was then replaced by Michael Crabtree).

Buccaneers: Davin Joseph (89), Kellen Winslow (88)
This is a very tough team to evaluate with several of their players regressing this season – losing 10 straight games will do that. Josh Freeman was in last year’s tournament and struggled mightily making him an unlikely choice here. EA knows that no one on the Bucs is going to win this tournament (or probably even make it out of the first round) so Davin Joseph as the team’s only Pro Bowl rep would be probably the most deserving choice. Kellen Winslow with his 75 catches might be the second one with Ronde Barber as the legacy option but the uncertainty around him and whether he’ll leave as a free agent or retire is probably too much to risk.

Falcons: Michael Turner (94), Tony Gonzalez (91)
When Tony Gonzalez decided to come for one more season he became the favorite to be the Falcons’ representative. The bigger question is who will be the second and probably get knocked out by him in the play-in round. Michael Turner, Roddy White, and Julio Jones would be in the running. John Abraham as a free agent and Matt Ryan having been in last year’s tournament and coming up short on the big stage again would be out. If Gonzalez is included then I would imagine another pass catcher wouldn’t be the second so Turner gets the nod.

Panthers: Charles Johnson (93), Cam Newton (88)
Looking back on last year’s tournament Carolina’s representative was Jordan Gross and not Steve Smith – that indicates Smith may not be someone under consideration even after a season in which he was resurrected in big part due to Cam Newton’s arrival. Really the Panthers make for an interesting situation with both Smith and Newton then since the latter was passed over for the cover of NCAA Football 12 (presumably due to collegiate controversy and character concerns – which seems to have been answered this year). It would be hard not to involve Newton now. Charles Johnson as the team’s best defensive player would then be the second.

Saints: Drew Brees (99), Jimmy Graham (95)
Graham has emerged this season as one of the best tight ends in the league and even got the “clutch” trait in Madden 12. He became only the second TE ever (Tony Gonzalez) to have over 100 receiving yards in four straight games and put up 3 TDs in the playoffs including what would have been the game-winner in San Francisco. Drew Brees may have been on the Madden 11 cover, in last year’s tournament, and a free agent but there seems to be no way EA will pass over him for a promotional opportunity. Keep in mind both Brees and Graham were on-hand to play in (and win) the Madden Bowl. A sleeper on the Saints could be Darren Sproles who proved to be exciting just about every time he got the ball in his hands.

Cowboys: Jason Witten (96), DeMarco Murray (84)
With DeMarcus Ware having been in last year’s tournament I wouldn’t necessarily knock him out because of that and it won’t be a surprise if he’s one of the guys included – but it may be time to give someone else a chance anyway. A case could be made for Dez Bryant or Tony Romo and one built very quickly for DeMarco Murray. Jason Witten’s consistency though as one of the best in the game at his position is what separates him from the pack for one spot while Murray gets a sleeper nod due to his past relationship with EA and explosion onto the scene this season.

Eagles: LeSean McCoy (94), Michael Vick (91)
Even as one of the league’s most disappointing teams none of the blame can be placed on LeSean McCoy who had an outstanding season and scored a TD in 13 games. The second spot could very well go back to Michael Vick even though he didn’t have a good year – EA may look to capitalize again on his name being involved, the controversy it brings, and justifying that by saying they’re giving the runner-up from last year another chance. Trent Cole, Jason Babin, and Cullen Jenkins could be on the outside looking in because of it.

Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul (95), Eli Manning (95)
It pains me to leave out Victor Cruz here – he could have gotten strong Latin support and maybe made a good run. At one point I actually had him slotted in over Eli Manning but after a much improved season and helping to lead the Giants to the Super Bowl victory – while winning the SB MVP – his absence would be too glaring. Jason Pierre-Paul was a major disruptor while recording 16.5 sacks making for a very strong pair of reps whether it’s Eli, Cruz, or JPP.

Redskins: Brian Orakpo (91), Roy Helu (79)
This is a team that really lacks a standout performer that could attract support beyond the fan base. London Fletcher has been an underrated player for the Redskins since joining the team in 2007 and led the league in tackles again this season – which he’s done for his team for 13 straight years now. He may come back to Washington but as a free agent that would make him an iffy choice to go with. Brian Orakpo, with all that Geico exposure, could get involved in the tournament for a second straight season as well as Ryan Kerrigan after a strong rookie campaign. Roy Helu emerged late in the year with a handful of big games and is probably the best option from the offense.

Many consumers are currently dealing with a situation on the PS3 that has made them unable to even reach the main menu for NBA 2K12. The game is freezing upon start-up when it makes the attempt at “loading settings”. This has been reported by a growing number of people with it exploding on forums and through social media in the last two days.

Given how many are being affected by this severe issue 2K Sports has responded with a “workaround” (suggesting the deletion of the “Game Data Utility” file) but based on responses it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick for everyone. Those that have been able to make it back into the game after doing so have found items like shoes and other content to be lost – while some others are still unable to load up the game at all even after deleting the files in question. 2K has stated that a “permanent solution is being looked into”.

With UFC Undisputed 3 in hand the first thing to check on as always was loading times when playing from the disc up against those when installed to the Xbox 360 hard drive. The loading times in general have shown to be quite reasonable on the disc, with the extra presentation making for lengthier entries into UFC fights (Tale of the Tape can’t be skipped) vs Pride, while the install does a decent job of improving on them. 

Install time- 11:10
Install size- 6.7 GB

Loading Times
Boot to main menu- 49 seconds disc vs 39 seconds HDD (10 seconds)
Load into UFC fight (Mandalay Bay)- 66 seconds disc vs 50 seconds HDD (16 seconds)
Load into Pride fight- 45 seconds disc vs 32 seconds HDD (13 seconds)
Load into an Ultimate Fight- 40 seconds disc vs 33 seconds HDD (7 seconds)
Load out of fight to menu- 4 seconds disc vs 4 seconds HDD (No change)
Load into Career mode - 13 seconds disc vs 10 seconds HDD (3 seconds)

Those are significant savings particularly if loading into several fights along the way which in the past has contributed to making Career mode a drag. Installing to the hard drive is recommended for the reduced noise and wear and tear put on the system in addition to any improvements seen in loading times.

SCEA has released the full list of features for MLB 12: The Show. Headlining this year is the ‘Ultimate Team’ inspired ‘Diamond Dynasty’ mode, “Pulse Pitching”, improved ball physics, television style presentation, and the PlayStation Vita integration. Though these particular features were already known the fact sheet provided by the company takes everything into greater detail while also citing a number of other more low-key improvements to expect this year. Continue on for the full list of features and leave any thoughts in the comments! 

•MLB The Show on PS Vita (PS Vita)
MLB 12 The Show is available on the PS Vita this year so users can enjoy all of the core modes of play found in the PS3 game, including Exhibition, Season, Franchise, Home Run Derby, online play, and Road to The Show, for users who want the personal experience of taking control of one player through his career starting in the Minors all the way to the Majors. PS Vita users will have the ability to use new touch screen controls within MLB 12 The Show using the front touch screen and the rear touch screen controls to throw the ball to specific locations, make pitch commands, and run the bases. MLB 12 The Show for PS Vita will provide a big league experience that players can take with them on road, anytime, anywhere.

•Cross Platform Saves (PS3 & PS Vita)
New to MLB 12 The Show is the ability for users to share save files between PS3 and PS Vita. Players can now take their Franchise, Season, and Road to The Show save files up to the cloud where they can then access those files on either platform. Users are limited to one file per mode per PlayStation Network account, which can be overwritten as many times as you’d like. At home on PS3 or on the road with the PS Vita, fans can continue their seasons anywhere!

•True Ball Physics (PS3 & Vita)
MLB 12 The Show now incorporates realistic ball physics and proper spin for balls that bounce off the bases, the pitcher’s mound rubber, and other surface on the field. The baseball now bounces realistically using actual math for a spinning ball hitting these surfaces. Therefore, the way the ball bounces in MLB 12 has changed a lot from previous versions. In order for hits to get through the infield, the ball counts on having top-spin so the spin of the ball off the bat is now accurate with realistic RPMs. The ball also bounces and loses energy like a real baseball does and is launched with the correct spin. This results in more hit type varieties, rising and sinking liners, more choppers, balls tailing away from the outfielders, and balls hitting off the bases.

•TruBroadcast Presentations (PS3 Only)
Baseball fans demand an accurate simulation of reality and anything that detracts from this can shatter the feeling that you are playing in a real game. MLB 12 The Show makes the biggest leap forward EVER in this regard, truly blurring the line between reality and the in-game experience. With completely refined presentations combined with enhanced artificial intelligence (AI), revamped cameras, and expanded audio, MLB 12 is poised to deliver the most realistic baseball gaming experience to date.

•Diamond Dynasty (PS3 Only)
Diamond Dynasty juggles aspects of team management, player progression, and online competition, with more creative freedom than any sports game to date. Gamers create a custom team complete with Team Name, Colors, custom Uniforms, and fully customizable Logos with up to 1000 layers of detail. Once created, the team is given a handful of MLB baseball cards and Dynasty baseball cards that, when activated, add the players to your team roster.

The fundamentals of Diamond Dynasty revolve around the difference between MLB and Dynasty cards and the unique reward systems that support each type. A Dynasty player is a long-term investment that requires training similar to that of a “Road to the Show” player. Dynasty players are supplemented with an award/achievement system. In contrast MLB players are short-term investments that slot into your roster ready to play at their current attribute levels. Completing collections of MLB players will reward you with Budget bonuses. Budget is used to train players, purchase Card Packs (Dynasty or MLB), and to purchase cards from other users on the Marketplace. Most of your Budget is earned by playing either Head-to-Head online games, or VS. CPU against MLB teams. Head-to-Head games are matched and ranked using an ELO system that most competitive online games now use some form. Every fifth game played, your team is re-evaluated for placement into one of five competitive divisions: Spring Training, Season Series, Division Series, Championship Series, and World Series. What will define your dynasty?

•Full Move Support in The Show (PS3)
Control all aspects of The Show with the PlayStation Move motion controller, including pitching, hitting, fielding, and running the bases. There are also custom meters on screen to compliment the experience. Imagine being at the plate and seeing the batters hands moving as you move. Move gameplay can be used in all modes.

•Zone Analog Batting (PS3 & PS Vita)
MLB 11 The Show introduced analog controls, now this year, MLB 12 will bring a combination of the old and the new with Zone Analog Batting. The right analog stick will still be used for the stride and swing, but now, if you choose to, you can control where you swing in the zone using the left analog stick. All the other analog controls are also being improved and enhanced.

•Pulse Pitching (PS3 & PS Vita)
This is a new interface to the classic pitching style. Players still pitch using a simple “X” button press, but users must time the press with an on-screen display to ensure pitch accuracy. All other pitching methods are also being improved and enhanced.

•Franchise Improvements (PS3 & PS Vita)
MLB 12 The Show introduces a number of Franchise mode improvements, including player generation logic has been tuned to provide more variety inside draft classes and more realistic pitch repertoires. The lineup logic has also been updated to give you closer to real-life rosters while in your Season, Franchise, and Road to The Show modes. Finally, the trade system has been revamped with improved logic based more on the real-life club’s strategy. Small market teams will behave as such, while the bigger fish will continue to go after the top players in the game. Also, highly touted prospects will remain just that and won’t be showing up in trades early on in their careers.

•Road to the Show Improvements (PS3 & PS Vita)
This generation of Road to The Show brings a new assortment of training modes for base running and fielding to round out your Road to The Show player’s training experience. Also, your created player will now be “that” highlighted and touted prospect you think he is, by starting his career as a Double-A starter. The player creator has seen improvements as well, by offering a slew of new accessories to compliment the already extensive system.

•Situational Collision Awareness (PS3 & Vita)
Players will now know where they and other players are on the field and understand when to avoid other players and how to react when other players are near. Although this sounds like a relatively simple concept, but it’s very important and makes the game experience feel more true to life.

•New Tag Animation System (PS3 & PS Vita)
Players can now branch out of any tag throw animation and branch out of a tag animation to avoid it. There are also more animations and ways to tag runners out at the plate. This new system allows for more results (dropping the ball, new swipes, etc.) and the addition of new standing and run down tags, which creates a more dynamic and organic player integration on the base paths and at the plate.

•Online Everywhere and Unified Settings (PS3 & PS Vita)
Online everywhere and Unified Settings will minimize, if not remove, the obvious line between offline and online in The Show via PSN. One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of online features and components in the main menus, especially the Exhibition > Team Select screen. That’s now the launching pad for offline Exhibition and online Play Now games. Users will also now be auto-logged in to The Show servers, making online features more accessible. Unifying user settings is a minor, but important feature. Users no longer have to set their offline and online settings – there will be one!

•Play Now Plus (PS3 & PS Vita)
Similar to Play Now, Play Now Plus can be used through custom settings. This is as easy as selecting Play Now, setting your Play Now settings, saving these settings, then selecting Play Now type. There’s no need to set you Play Now settings again, unless you want to change them up. You’ll then be able to find an opponent to match your gameplay settings, without having to go through the challenge process.

•SimulView Functionality with PlayStation 3D Display (PS3)
MLB 12 The Show will incorporate SimulView technology that allows two people to play head to head without seeing each other’s screen while playing on the PlayStation 3D Display. It uses the same technology as Stereoscopic 3D, but instead of sending image A to the left eye and image B to the right Eye, we send image A to player 1 and image B to player 2.

•New Tutorial Movies (PS3 & PS Vita)
With all of the new features this year in MLB 12 The Show, we felt that it was essential to provide more tutorial movies to educate our fans. For example, these tutorial movies showcase and explain the new PS Move implementation for all facets of gameplay (hitting, pitching, fielding, and throwing). In addition, the five tutorials explaining the Pure features implemented in MLB 11 The Show have also been updated an improved, including Pure Hitting, Pure Pitching, Pure Throwing, and the fake throw system. Watch them in the frontend menus or the in-game pause menu.

MLB 12 The Show includes over 50 more enhancements, new features, and improvements!
•Over 500 new Presentation animations
•Over 300 new Fielding, Throwing, and Base running animations
•Over 150 New Batting Stances
•Over 75 New Pitching Animations
•Improved load times
•Completely new bat, ball and glove sounds
•New Bullpen Management options
•New player accessories (new sunglasses, protective gear, hat bills, etc…)
•New Pick off logic
•New player card including advanced baseball stats
•New Batter/Pitcher Attribute snapshot OSD (D-Pad Left)
•More fluid organic fielder animations from start to end of play
•Improved fielder routes on balls off the wall (more variety of pursuit angles)
•Dynamic fielding results and reaction (balls can now be dropped or missed by a fielder anytime)
•Improved button fielding with difficulty levels
•New Pitcher Confidence Logic
•Increased and improved conversation among Matt, Dave and Eric.
•14 New umpires
•Updated uniforms and stadiums for new and updated teams
•Updated jumbotron movies and stat layouts (still team specific)
•Updated LED Ribbon board art and movies
•Focus on interface and display presentation and flair
•Uniform select in all modes
•Frontend sound preview when assigning audio
•New Player Generation Logic
•New Trade interface and screen
•Improved Lineup Logic
•Co-op available in Season and Franchise modes
•Road to the Show career begins as a Double-A starter
•Move video tutorials
•New in-game tips
•Did You Knows on Loading screens
•Season and Franchise mode Co-op
•Base Running Training in RTTS
•Fielding Training in RTTS
•New Base Runner Awareness
•Online Gameplay Gets a Boost (better reaction, better experience) (PS3)
•www.TheShowNation.com Community Web Site Revamp
•Operating System supported Virtual Keyboard
•New Online Gamer Card (more information)
•Swing Analysis OSD Improvements and Profile Display Options
•“Free” 1st inning quit in Online Games removed
•Online Profile to use PSN Avatar
•PSN Profile utility support on Vita (Friend Requests)
•Game History showing XP (gain/loss)
•Play online with your full profile settings (minus negotiated settings)
•Challenge of the Week is now free
•Online League Schedule improvements
•Online League Playoff improvements

EA Sports today announced details on the “Legacy Challenge” mode in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13. The mode features the opportunity to play through Tiger Woods’ career from childhood to legend status to a future attempt at breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. Continue on to check out a video preview and all the features for the “Legacy Challenge”! 

Tiger Legacy Challenge lets you relive Tiger’s most memorable golf accomplishments as he rises from a child prodigy to a golfing legend. Revisit each era of Tiger’s career, from his Toddler Years practicing in his backyard, to his first television appearance on The Mike Douglas Show, thru his epic victories at the Masters. Play through and complete each era to unlock bonus in game content.

•Toddler Years - The first era includes events from Tiger’s childhood in the late 70’s, which introduces players to the new swing mechanics found in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13. During these events, you will play as Tiger between the ages of 2-6.

•Early Years – This era takes place between 1983 and 1986 between the ages of 7-10. You’ll participate in some of Tiger’s first golf tournaments including the Junior World Championship.

•Junior Years – Takes place between 1988 and 1991 at the ages of 12-15 and showcases Tiger winning each age group of the Junior World Golf Championships. These events incorporate various audio distractions while playing, which Tiger’s father used in real life to help him train and hone his skills.

•Amateur Years – This era focuses on Tiger at the ages of 18-20 and includes accomplishments during his Amateur golf career such as the U.S. Amateur Championships, his first trip to the Masters Tournament, and College Invitational.

•Rookie Years – Between the ages 21 and 22,this era encompasses Tiger’s first two years on the PGA TOUR, as well as his first major win at the Masters, his first President’s Cup, signing with EA SPORTS, and hitting a hole in one at TPC Scottsdale on the famous hole 16.

•Tiger Slam – Arguably one of Tiger’s most memorable accomplishments to date, this era focuses on his career between 2000 and 2001 at the ages of 24 and 25, when he won four majors in a row. It also includes a challenge to match Tiger’s snaking putt at the 2001 Players Championship on the 17th island green at TPC Sawgrass.

•Pro Years – The Professional Years include accomplishments between 2002 and 2008 such as various major wins, famous shots (2005 chip-in at Masters), and winning the FedEx Cup.

•Present Day – This era includes current events such as the 2010 Ryder Cup, 2011 Presidents Cup, and the beginning of fictional events that lead up to the ultimate goal of winning 19 majors.

•Future – This section includes major events that are in the future such as the 2014 U.S. Open at Valhalla and the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews.

•Record Books – The last era will end with Tiger chasing his 19th major on his way to breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record.

At the mid-season point I put together a list of potential candidates for the Madden NFL 13 cover. The assumption was made that another tournament would be held and for the purpose of that analysis any players that were eligible the year prior were eliminated as were those scheduled to be free agents. Now that the season is complete and details about the cover tournament have come out it’s time to reassess who may be in play for the honor this year.

64 players will be included – 2 from each team that will face off in the first round to be their respective team’s representative in the bracket of 32. This will make it easier to include some players for a second straight year but free agents will likely still be excluded. Here’s a look at the favorites for EA Sports to involve in the cover tournament process for the AFC!

*Current Madden NFL 12 overall rating in parenthesis for selected players
•Also see: NFC Predictions

Broncos: Von Miller (87), Tim Tebow (77)
Tebow has all but been confirmed by EA to be involved in the tournament and he earned his spot with memorable moments. Whether he’s considered the favorite to win the whole thing is arguable but whoever he goes up against is going to get slayed. That caused the removal of Champ Bailey as it might come across as an insult to him, as a veteran with a brilliant career, to be picked but obviously headed out of it immediately. He probably should have been involved in the tournament last year rather than Tebow. So the well-deserving rookie Von Miller who recorded 11.5 sacks could be the second choice.

Chargers: Antonio Gates (96), Eric Weddle (92)
Surprisingly the Chargers don’t have many great options to be their representative. Gates gets the nod for his career work and past marketing relationship with EA Sports – he put up 64 catches and 7 TDs despite dealing with an injury that cost him 3 games. Pro Bowler Eric Weddle could take the slot that many would give to Philip Rivers who also made the Pro Bowl despite a down season (20 INTs and 7 FUMs) after being involved in last year’s tournament. Weddle tied for the league lead with 7 INTs.

Chiefs: Tamba Hali (95), Brandon Flowers (93)
Season long injuries cost Kansas City’s most marketable players, Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, the shot at the cover. Brandon Flowers and Derrick Johnson performed well enough to consider while Dwayne Bowe had strong numbers but a big drop-off in TDs and is a free agent. Tamba Hali though really stepped up, particularly in nationally televised games, and is the highest rated player on the team and Brandon Flowers gets the second slot for similar reasons.

Raiders: Shane Lechler (99), Sebastian Janikowski (98)
This could be an opportunity for EA to get unorthodox with their selections. Why not go with the two extraordinary special team players? Shane Lechler is the only punter to reach the 99 overall rating while Sebastian Janikowski is the highest rated kicker in the game and tied the record for longest field goal in NFL history this season. Darren McFadden was in the tournament last year so he’s taken out of the running now not just for that reason but due to injuries that limited him to 7 games played. In turn that could open the door for Michael Bush. Richard Seymour might be the best option otherwise – he has been a premiere player for the Raiders since they got him from the Patriots – but 29 tackles and 6 sacks doesn’t exactly scream cover athlete worthy.

Bengals: AJ Green (87), Andy Dalton (81)
Last year all the Bengals could offer for the tournament was Carlos Dunlap – that makes it pretty obvious that the two impact rookies could be the guys this time around. Both players made it to the Pro Bowl and helped take a team expected to be in the cellar to the Playoffs. Leon Hall or Jermaine Gresham could also be considerations.

Browns: Joe Thomas (98), Joe Haden (90)
There’s no way EA will let another player from the Browns get the cover. The expectation here would be for a couple unappealing candidates to be presented – probably from the offensive line or kicker. They may very well avoid Josh Cribbs and even Joe Haden for that reason. Browns fans don’t seem thrilled with Thomas’ performance this past season – so that could give him an edge – while I’ll go ahead and slot in Haden over Phil Dawson. It’s unlikely any Browns contingent will make a strong push this year after getting saddled with the “cover curse” on Peyton Hillis.

Ravens: Haloti Ngata (98), Terrell Suggs (96)
The choice would almost certainly come from the defense – the problem is there are four terrific options. Ngata is the highest rated along with Ed Reed at 98 but both Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis are right behind them. A slight edge here for one spot goes to Ngata who signed a five year contract a few months back (he would be one of the few defensive tackles in the league that could make it in) with Terrell Suggs and his growing high-profile persona getting the second spot as the Defensive Player of the Year winner. Suggs could be one of the favorites to win it all.

Steelers: Brett Kiesel (92), Mike Wallace (91)
There could be the question of whether the NFL would be alright with James Harrison representing their product. For that reason, along with Ben Roethlisberger being far from an ideal spokesperson, Mike Wallace would be a solid pick here. He’s actually a restricted free agent but is all but certain to be back. LaMarr Woodley or Brett Keisel would then come into discussion and that would be a toss-up with the beard being the advantage. Also can’t count out Troy Polamalu despite not having quite the same impact as of late and becoming a tired Madden option (on Madden 10 cover, in tournament last year).

Colts: Adam Vinatieri (90) Pat Angerer (81)
As the worst team in the league no option is going to be particularly appealing. Robert Mathis would be the highest rated on the team but is slated to be a free agent as is Jeff Saturday. Adam Vinatieri for his career work and Pat Angerer got the most consideration here then. Second year player Angerer was fourth in the league in tackles. EA could also possibly fall back on Dwight Freeney again after having been involved in several past campaigns.

Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew (98), Daryl Smith (93)
The Jaguars one offensive threat, Maurice Jones-Drew, got his shot last year but would seem a lock to be back yet again. Leading the league in rushing on a terrible offense is no small feat. He has a strong relationship with EA Sports and takes Madden seriously so he’ll always be in the mix. Beyond him though there is very little to pick from. Daryl Smith is the highest rated player otherwise while Rashean Mathis and Josh Scobee are both set to be free agents. Paul Posluszny or Smith will probably get that second spot.

Texans: Arian Foster (96), J.J. Watt (88)
Foster should be considered a lock to be involved in the tournament. Who will be paired with him, and probably lose handily, is the question. Andre Johnson would be the immediate name that comes to mind but he was in the tournament last year and I suspect EA will be hoping Foster goes a long ways in the tourney and therefore will put him up against someone more easily beatable. Johnathan Joseph, Brian Cushing, or JJ Watt next come to mind. The rookie Watt, who made the big INT-TD in the Wild Card round against the Bengals, would make for the best opponent for Foster without being a real threat.

Titans: Rob Bironas (97), Michael Roos (92)
What team was the most difficult to find two suitable cover candidates for? Easily that is the Titans – somewhat surprising considering they were on the cusp of making the Playoffs. Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin are set to be a free agents while Kenny Britt was out for most of the season. That leaves names like Rob Bironas, Michael Roos, David Stewart, or Chris Johnson (off a terrible year). EA could also go forward-thinking and maybe choose Jake Locker but he would stand out in a group of players who earned their way on rather than sat most of the season.

Bills: Fred Jackson (92), Nick Barnett (89)
The obvious choice here is Fred Jackson, who took his initial Madden NFL 12 rating from 80 to a peak of 93 before getting injured and missing the last 6 games of the season. The second option will be more difficult to determine. Stevie Johnson was in the tournament last year and is a free agent so he’s out. Marcell Dareus, Nick Barnett, or Jairus Byrd might be the names considered. The edge might seem to go to Dareus but my pick is Barnett – Jackson will likely move on regardless of who he faces.

Dolphins: Cameron Wake (95), Reggie Bush (82)
Miami was one of the two teams last year that got stuck with an offensive lineman as their rep. I don’t think they’ll do that again so Jake Long is out. Brandon Marshall and Vontae Davis would be worthy of the recognition but Cameron Wake and Reggie Bush seem like the two favorites here. Bush, as a former EA cover athlete, actually would have justified his placement with a strong close to the season (519 yards rushing in the last 4 games).

Jets: Darrelle Revis (98), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (91)
It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Revis getting a nomination and advancing for the Jets. He finished the year rated 98 but was 99 at one time and is the definition of a “shutdown” corner. After that things get more shaky for the dysfunctional team. Mark Sanchez definitely doesn’t deserve to be in again – so Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson are probably the two guys who deserve some consideration. Revis will be moving on regardless of who he faces.

Patriots: Rob Gronkowski (98), Vince Wilfork (97)
At the mid-season point Wes Welker looked to be a sure thing as a Patriots cover representative in a tournament. He didn’t do anything to drop himself out of the running considering he had 122 receptions – just other players surged in a more dramatic fashion later in the season and in the Playoffs. He’s also a free agent but probably will be back. So instead the focus shifts to the record-breaker for tight ends with 17 TDs in Rob Gronkowski (he got more pub than anyone leading up to the Super Bowl due to his ankle injury) and Wilfork who has been a dominating force in the trenches and even has a couple memorable INTs from the season. Tom Brady again is not a reasonable expectation for any Madden cover involvement.

Previously EA Sports featured the social aspects of SSX in RiderNet and “Explore” mode – now the focus shifts to the online competitive elements in Global Event and “Geo Tags”. The Global Events are essentially constantly ongoing tournaments at each drop point – as well as custom ones to set up for going against friends – while the tags are to be dropped for others to collect with the goal being making it as difficult for them to get to them as possible. 

The 2011-12 NFL season is officially in the books. The New York Giants prevailed over the New England Patriots 21-17 as Eli Manning captured the MVP. Manning has seen his Madden NFL 12 ratings rise throughout the year beginning at 87 overall, currently sitting at 95, and will probably get another bump in the next update of 1-2 points. He lost his “clutch” trait early in the season and quickly earned it back – he’s definitely no longer borderline in that regard going forward.

The last roster update for Madden NFL 12 is expected soon – possibly late this week or the following week – and there will also be a new roster for Online Franchise provided. Typically the final update has returned players from IR and adjusted depth charts but much of that has already been completed in the various updates throughout the Playoffs.

What players, not just from the Super Bowl but also league-wide, would you like to see adjusted in the final roster update released for Madden NFL 12? Leave your thoughts in the comments!