Fox Sports: Cardinals are a team to play as in ‘Madden 17’

There are many reasons to be excited as the NFL regular season approaches; fantasy football, games that actually matter and also the change in weather.

If there’s one thing that people will especially be excited for, it’s Madden.

The next installation of the popular football game was released Tuesday, and according to Fox Sports’ Cameron DaSilva, the Arizona Cardinals are viewed as one of the seven teams you should definitely play as.

If you’re into airing out the football on every play, the Cardinals are a great choice. They boast arguably the best receiving corps in the game, headlined by three receivers with at least an overall rating of 85. Larry Fitzgerald (91) is at the top of the heap, followed by John Brown (86) and Michael Floyd (85). But even a balanced offense is possible with the Cardinals David Johnson who is a big yet speedy back with good power and outstanding pass-catching ability, which helps QB Carson Palmer. Although the Cardinals’ defensive rating is somehow just 81, they have playmakers at all three levels. Tyrann Mathieu is the top free safety in the game, while Patrick Peterson excels in man coverage. Deone Bucannon is a fast linebacker and will clean up any mess that slips past Calais Campbell and Chandler Jones.

As a team, the Cardinals are rated an 84, good for fourth in the NFC behind the Carolina Panthers (87), Green Bay Packers (85) and Seattle Seahawks (85). However, Arizona’s offensive rank of 91 is tied for the highest in the NFC with the Panthers. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers had a higher offensive ranking in the NFL at 93.

The other teams on DaSilva’s list of what teams to play with in the video game include the New England Patriots (87), Panthers (87), Seahawks (85), Steelers (85), Dallas Cowboys (84) and Jacksonville Jaguars (78).

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