Welcome to Virtual Broncos, where we'll be taking an early look at the virtual counterparts of your real life Denver Broncos!  That's right, I'm talking about the Madden 2009 edition of the Broncos.

I know it's "only a video game," but some of the ratings I've seen and experiences I've had in-game can sometimes be somewhat accurate.  This particular series will help stir up some debate and maybe answer some questions.  I'll try to use the virtual gaming world to help tie up threads in the real football world.  While it's not perfect, it can be a creative and fun starting block for discussion.

This week, we'll start with the quarterbacks.  Sportsgamer recently released the ratings for the starting QBs around the league.  Sure it's still early, and sure roster updates will come by the end of camp, but some of the Denver Bronco ratings I've seen have me a little perplexed.  Hopefully we see a lot of roster updates released with Bronco names on them.  For example, how about that Jay Cutler?  How does he stack up with the rest of the virtual league?

Well, here at MHR we've been posting a lot on depth and surmising who to best fit in which starting spots.  Madden also has its take on the matter by way of player ratings.  I'll get more in depth with future posts, but it's time to start at the quarterback position.  At this point it's pretty clear who's number one in Denver, but the captain of the ship in one city could simply be a deckhand in comparison to the entire league.

What am I getting at you ask?  Well, maybe Jay Cutler hasn't earned a high virtual rating just yet or received much in the way of national spotlight for that matter.  Bronco fans seem to think he'll be solid this coming season.  Is that bias creeping into the picture?  Quite possibly, but even Bronco fans are enough of realists to know this kid has something going for him.

While the current ratings are always subject to change before the season, as the 2009 edition of Madden is still "in progress," let's take an early look at the men behind center in 2009: your Madden 09 starting quarterbacks.

via www.sportsgamer.com

Let the debate begin.  These numbers and statistics are still early and will certainly be subject to change in the future, especially in the realm of today's "next-gen" sporting games.  However, something doesn't seem right about where Jay Cutler stands amidst the myriad of pixelated quarterbacks - or is it just me?

First, let's examine Cutler and his AFC West counterparts.

I'm glad to see Cutler's cannon arm get recognition again and I'm also glad to see his speed get high marks as the fastest in the West.  Surprisingly, Cutler can get down the field when he wants to, and Bronco fans have seen that scrambling ability a few times already in Jay's short career.

Whether Philip Rivers should be rated lower than Cutler is something that fans have discussed enough already.  I shall hold off on anymore remarks of that nature until the season gets underway.  It's been discussed enough, Rivers has reached and played in the playoffs - something Cutler hasn't done yet  - and I'm personally fine with Philip at number one in the West as of right now.

Cutler's thrown twenty-nine TDs in two seasons, as well as nineteen accompanying interceptions.  He's also pretty much nailed an 88 QB rating both seasons.

While Jay has remained somewhat constant, Philip has backtracked a bit.  He threw fifteen interceptions last season, to nine the season before.  Jay threw one less interception and completed a higher percentage of passes in 2007.  While I won't argue the better overall quarterback, I will say that Cutler's 70 rating in the "awareness" category bothers me a bit, while Rivers has a rating of eighty-seven.  Cutler has also completed a higher percentage of passes in his career than Rivers, yet Philip boasts a ninety-five to Cutler's eighty-six.  Okay, give Rivers the edge, but at least give Cutler a tiny bump in that category!

It seems like Madden has rated Russell in the mold of a Daunte Culpepper type.  He'll be one who has the ability to further shape his rating as the season progresses.  Also, if you were wondering when I was going to mention Damon Huard, I wasn't.  I'm happy with him not being tops in any of the listed categories.

Now, let's get to the good stuff.

Cutler is sixteenth out of the thirty-two starters listed.

The top five quarterbacks:

I don't have much of a gripe about the top five, save one particular quarterback.  I'm pretty sure you readers can figure out which one.  Why is Tony Romo rated 94 overall?  Has he earned it yet?  We'll have to see this season.

After those six, who I believe should unfortunately be ahead of Cutler at this point, you've got nine more quarterbacks rated above the Denver signal caller.  Now is that because of past performance or appearance in the playoffs?  Who knows?  Here's the rest of the list in order:

Now there are a few quarterbacks in that list that I'd rate Cutler a little higher than.  As I said, I realistically don't see Jay as one of the top six quarterbacks in the league right now.  I also feel that Hasselbeck and an improving Garrard are currently better and deserve their ratings.  That leaves number nine.  

Unfortunately, I may have to put Eli Manning up in this realm, because he has now won a Super Bowl.  No, I am not a huge fan of Eli, nor do I think he's that great at this point.  The guy did complete 56 percent of his passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns in the SUPER BOWL, despite only one interception.  I'd say that warrants a higher rating than last season.  

Finally, I will also award Donovan McNabb with a higher rating than Jay Cutler.  McNabb's been riddled by injuries, but when he's healthy he has the ability to do a lot of things on the football field.  Take that into consideration, and then add on his big games.  McNabb has played really well coming off of injuries, especially in those meaningless games.  He capped off the last two games of the 2007 season with QB ratings over ninety-four.  Plus, the final game of the season was against the Buffalo Bills, a team fighting for a playoff spot at the time: not totally meaningless.  The Madden game's certainly no stranger to high ratings for Donovan.

That's the top ten quarterbacks for you...at least my top ten.  Where does one go from there?  The debate between Rivers and Cutler comes back into play, as Rivers is currently four points better overall than Jay.  Was Derek Anderson's season a fluke?  Was Vince Young's team lucked into the playoffs?  Is Jeff Garcia on his way downhill, despite saving teams like the Eagles and Buccaneers recently?

Those are all questions you must ask yourself when rating these quarterbacks.  Cutler has those questions and doubts as well.  I think anything goes after the top ten at this point.  Sixteen may be the right place for Jay Cutler at this point in time.  However, I could also see a bump of a spot or two as a valid move.  I'd say no lower than 13th-14th at this point in time - certainly up there with Young and Anderson.  One thing's for sure: Jay's certainly moving up the ranks each year.

It's also interesting to point out how the three quarterbacks from the 2006 draft stack up: literally one after the other.  Vince Young was the first quarterback taken in the draft, followed by Leinart and then Cutler the following pick.  Now the three are 85,86,87 in madden ratings, with Jay Cutler second among the three.  Young's speed helps him in the madden rating department, but we may soon see Cutler take his place atop the QBs of 2006.

Again, maybe Jay Cutler hasn't quite proven himself to the world yet and maybe this continues the trend of the national media overlooking the Broncos.  Or maybe some ratings boosts are on the way.  Whatever the reason, Cutler is sixteenth, right in the middle of the pack in the NFL madden ratings.  Fair or foul?

Before I cut this particular post loose, here's something else I found interesting.  Sportsgamer also released a full look at the current rookie QB ratings.  Looks like the seventy-two million dollar man has a nice rating.

via www.sportsgamer.com

(This is just a note, but look at the speed of Dennis Dixon compared to some of the other pros and rookies who probably shouldn't be that much faster.  The recent injury can't destroy Dixon's athleticism that much...can it?)

I'll leave you with the list of Madden's "All-Time Greats" that was released on the site, just for kicks and giggles.

via www.sportsgamer.com