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Madden 21: Five teams that deserve a ratings boost going into Week 3

By Frank Mueller

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates with DeAndre Hopkins #10 after scoring his second touchdown of the game against the Washington Football Team during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. Cardinals won 30-15. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates with DeAndre Hopkins #10 after scoring his second touchdown of the game against the Washington Football Team during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. Cardinals won 30-15. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Derek Carr Las Vegas Raiders (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

4. Las Vegas Raiders

No one really knew what to expect from the Las Vegas Raiders playing in a completely new city and a brand new stadium. This past Monday night saw the Las Vegas Raiders play the New Orleans Saints in the first-ever NFL game to be played in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a very interesting scene to witness the first game in Las Vegas and the game lived up to the hype. The  Raiders were able to win their first-ever home game as a franchise in their debut against a very high profiled New Orleans Saints team.

I got to be honest in that I didn’t think the Raiders had it in them to beat a team of the Saints’ caliber, but I have to admit I was very wrong and the Raiders made it look easy by winning by double digits. It’s something I don’t think anyone expected. Whether or not it was the hype up of playing in Vegas for the first time ever, the new stadium, or a new atmosphere, the Las Vegas Raiders seem to be doing something right. Is it something in that Las Vegas air? I don’t know, but whatever it is, it is working.

When Madden 21 was released, the Raiders opened up with an overall of an 80. I don’t really blame EA Sports for making the Raiders a lower end overall team because there was just too much going on with the franchise to automatically make them a team who is on the higher end side of things. The last time the Raiders finished with a winning record was in 2016 when they finished 12-4. The last time they finished with a winning record before 2016 was all the way back in 2002 when they won the AFC West with a record of 11-5. They ended up making it to the Super Bowl in 2002 and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21.

Given the terrible track record of the Raiders, I don’t blame EA Sports for that lower rating. However, now that the franchise is in that fresh Las Vegas air and the early, yet nice start to the 2020 season, I think it is time to give the Las Vegas Raiders a ratings boost in the early part of the season and early part of Madden 21.

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