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Madden 23: Our 2022 NFL season sim and Super Bowl LVII prediction

By Matthew Liebl

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 07: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yells as he takes the field against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 07: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yells as he takes the field against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Madden NFL 23: Our 2022 NFL season simulation
Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /

AFC North

Will Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have a Super Bowl hangover? It won’t be easy to return to the playoffs. This is another ultra-competitive division to keep an eye on this season.

Baltimore Ravens (12-5)

From fourth to first, the Ravens finish the season with a 12-5 record and the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

I’ve long complained that Madden doesn’t properly simulate dual-threat quarterback stats, but that no longer appears to be the case. Jackson throws for 3,853 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for another 807 yards and scoring 11 rushing touchdowns.

Returning from a torn ACL that caused him to miss all of the 2021 season, J.K. Dobbins rushes for 1,163 yards (3.8 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. Tight end Mark Andrews leads the team in receptions (72), yards (968) and touchdowns (5).

Aiding this offense is a top-four defense that allowed just 6,059 yards and 396 points on the year.

Cleveland Browns (11-6)

This simulation should have an asterisk next to it as Deshaun Watson, who is suspended for the first 11 games of the year, actually played for the entire season in Madden 23. And he put up big numbers with 4,529 yards and 41 touchdowns. Suffice it to say, that’s not going to happen with Jacoby Brissett.

That being said, Nick Chubb’s stat line seems pretty accurate for what many are predicting: 290 attempts for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns. If the Browns are to even sniff the playoffs this year, they are going to need to rely on Chubb.

The Browns enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed which I think would require a miracle in real life.

Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)

Last year’s Super Bowl runner-up  Cincinnati Bengals sneak into the playoffs with a 10-7 record. Whereas it got them first place in the NFC North last season, a 10-7 record this year gets them a No. 7 seed.

Joe Burrow makes another leap in his third season, throwing for career-high yards (5,308) and touchdowns (41). Ja’Marr Chase follows up on his incredible rookie season with 105 receptions for 1,481 yards (3rd most in the league) and 11 touchdowns.

Here are some other notable stat lines:

  • Joe Mixon: 1,246 yards (4.8 ypc), 18 touchdowns
  • Tyler Boyd: 103 receptions, 1,286 yards, 11 touchdowns
  • Tee Higgins: 63 receptions, 816 yards, 4 touchdowns

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-11)

The Pittsburgh Steelers see a regression following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. The team starts Mitchell Trubisky for all 17 games and the results are about what you’d expect; 3,869 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In reality, I think we see Kenny Pickett take the field for at least a portion of the season.

Despite the lack of talent at quarterback and inconsistent offensive line, running back Najee Harris still puts together a solid season with 1,498 rushing yards (5.0 ypc) and 13 touchdowns. The talented Diontae Johnson catches 87 passes for 1,079 yards but only one touchdown.

The lone bright spot on a deflated Pittsburgh Steelers roster is T.J. Watt who finishes the season with 21 sacks (second in the league behind Aaron Donald) and 15 tackles for loss.

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