Watching Lamar Jackson Run Wild, Gamers Understand Seahawks Plight
Let’s face it. 99 percent of football fans did not play football in the NFL. The majority also did not even play football beyond high school.
But even the most casual of football fans can sympathize with what the Seahawks experienced trying to slow down the not-of-this-world dynamic abilities of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday.
Among those, lifelong Madden players may have the most ground to stand on empathizing Seattle's plight.
Madden, the most popular football video game on the planet, has featured several nearly unstoppable players over the years. Out of the backfield and in the slot, Marshall Faulk torched virtual opponents all over the formation. Devin Hester became the first player in the history of the franchise to receive 100 speed and was a nightmare to stop on kick and punt returns.
But none of those digital superstars matched four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick as the ultimate king of Madden players. He was the pioneer of the video-game-turned-reality type player that we see more often today, including unique talents such as Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
Vick could obliterate your defense with his legs, running for big chunks of yardage or scrambling out of pressure to deliver a laser throw to an open receiver. He simply could not be stopped by gamers, especially in Madden 2004, the version in which he graced the cover.
Easily the most unstoppable force in Madden history, Vick had a 95 overall rating with 95 speed, 95 agility, and 97 throw power, a combination of skills that made him truly invincible.
Thanks to Vick's ridiculous speed at the quarterback position, many controllers were tossed and broken in indignation. Sometimes, not-so-pleasant words slipped off the tongue. Madden players everywhere were left without a fighting chance if they got the misfortune of drawing the Falcons as their opponent against a capable gamer.
Just thinking about it gives me the chills and returns me to a place in my childhood I didn't necessarily hope to return.
Reverting back to reality, the Seahawks had their hands full with Jackson during Sunday's 30-16 loss to the Ravens. Producing statistics on a box score that looked like one from Vick's Madden days, he threw for 143 yards and ran for another 116 on just 14 carries. And if we're being fair, two of those carries were kneel downs, making his production all the more impressive.
With the game tied at 13 in the third quarter, Baltimore faced a 4th and 2 deep in Seattle territory. If the Seahawks got a stop, momentum would swing back to their side. However, Jackson took the snap on a designed quarterback run and exploded through a narrow crease at the line of scrimmage, eventually scoring on a pivotal eight-yard touchdown run.
On the Ravens next possession, the Seahawks had their opponent exactly where they wanted them. After two penalties and a short pass play, Jackson and the Ravens faced a 3rd and 8 situation pinned deep at their own 12-yard line.
Just as Vick did tormenting gamers all over the world 15 years ago, Jackson somehow escaped a collapsing pocket with five rushers bearing down on him, including cornerback Jamar Taylor. With plenty of green in front of him, he rocketed past linebacker Bobby Wagner, making the All-Pro look like he was running in quicksand.
By the time safety Tedric Thompson finally tripped Jackson up, he'd darted 30 yards for a back-breaking third down conversion. Two plays later, he moved the chains again with his legs on a 13-yard run, running away from Jadeveon Clowney and leaving several defenders on the ground as they helplessly slipped to the turf attempting to tackle him.
That was the story of this game. Baltimore didn't pose much of a threat passing the ball on a rainy day, but it didn't matter. Regardless of what Seattle tried to do to counter his abilities, Jackson wasn't going to be contained. It had to be maddening for Clowney and his teammates.
Knowing from experience, if Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. would’ve had a game controller in his hand, it likely would have ended up in pieces.
