New Orleans Saints (93|Overrated)
Only one team wouldn’t be overrated in the number one spot in Madden 21 and that’s the underrated Kansas City Chiefs. Don’t get me wrong, the Saints are still fantastic, but they should not be the best team overall. They’re probably the most balanced team but are certainly not the best.
With an aging QB in Drew Brees, it’ll be interesting to see if he maintains his high level of play throughout yet another season. In reality, his deep balls have noticeably lost power and accuracy. Yet, he has a deep pass accuracy stat of 89 in Madden 21.
If his accuracy drops off in reality it’s likely that his stats in Madden will also decline. And if that’s the case, then I doubt that an offense run by backup Taysum Hill will get anywhere near the 96 rating that their offense is currently at.
Kansas City Chiefs (88|Underrated)
The reason why Kansas City is underrated in Madden 21 is because of their defense. You’re likely to find many Chiefs fans who will even agree with this low ranking. But this is actually one of the few cases where the numbers might actually be lying.
Last year the Chiefs defense led by SS Tyrann Mathieu and DT Chris Jones gave up tons of yards but were top 10 in points allowed and takeaways. Their defense doesn’t pass the eye test, but on paper, they should be rated much higher than 77.
Their offense, lead by Madden 20 cover athlete Pat Mahomes, makes deep bombs a breeze against most defenses. You could say that their 92 offense is fitting until you compare it to the Saints’ 96 offense. The Saints are good, but the Chiefs are just objectively better.
San Francisco 49ers (89|Overrated)
San Francisco has a fantastic defense and a great running game, but their passing attack leaves a lot to be desired. Last year, QB Jimmy Garrapolo was in the lower half of the league in yards per game but with high accuracy. That essentially means he won’t lose you an online game, but there’s no way he’ll win it for you either.
If your opponent picks a team like the Saints or Ravens, then you’re likely to have a rough matchup against their overwhelming defenses. You can keep running it and hope their fantastic offensive line wears down the defensive line, but there’s no guarantee of that happening.
But in the end, the offense is absolutely carried by their ability to run the ball effectively. If a player knows to always keep an eye on the backfield for McKinnon, Mostert, or Coleman then they might be able to shut down the offense. It’s easier said than done, but San Francisco is clearly overrated in Madden 21.
New England Patriots (79|Underrated)
This rating is absurd and EA should feel bad. I’m kind of joking, but 75 for their offensive stat is borderline disrespectful. This team is woefully underrated in Madden 21. It’s just like they forgot that Cam Newton is on their roster.
Sure, he’s not as good as he was during his MVP year, but Newton is still a fantastic player. You can never underestimate a QB in Madden who has the ability to run, especially if they can break tackles and thrown on the run.
On top of that, they still have one of the best defenses in the league if not the very best to help you counter the toughest offensive attacks in the NFL. Their secondary, led by, Stephon Gilmore (99), features more than 5 players all ranked 82 or above. Don’t even think about passing or they’ll intercept your thoughts.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (85|Overrated)
Yes, they got Tom Brady, had a fantastic draft, and added Gronk to their already solid cast of receivers. But that defense is massively overrated. They have a good run defense, but they just can’t stop the pass.
The best pass defenders they have, Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting, are both 77 overall. The next step down is Jamel Dean at 76, then somehow there’s still a steep drop off in their secondary from there into the low 60s. I don’t care how good your offense is, those cornerbacks will lose your more games than your QB can win.
And then you have to consider the fact that Brady is not as good as he once was. Also, the Bucs have turned to the also aging LeSean McCoy for their running game. They’re certainly going to be much better than last year, but this has to be the most overrated team in Madden 21.
Seattle Seahawks (85|Underrated)
Somehow people sleep on the Seahawks year after year in real life and in Madden. It doesn’t help when they start out 1-2, but what can you do? With the elusive Russel Wilson (97) at the helm, it’s hard to sleep on the Seahawks in any matchup. They are top 10, but they should be top five.
The same goes for their defense. It’s no Legion of Boom that led the team to two consecutive Super Bowls. But if you think that means you can just pick any old team and throw on them without a second thought, then you’ll be in for a bad time.
This squad still has players with 90+ overall on multiple levels of their defense (Bobby Wagner, Jamal Adams). The defensive line is the only place where they don’t have supreme talent, but their linebackers and defensive backfield are filled with legitimate all-stars.
Dallas Cowboys (86|Overrated)
How ’bout them Cowboys? “America’s Team” is one of the most consistently overrated squads in Madden. Last year they were the second-best team at 88, and the year before that they were still in the mid-80s. And all this over-hyping starts with the most important position in football.
QB Dak Prescott is for some reason the 10th best player at his position in Madden 21. Is EA getting a cut of his next contract or something?
I’ll concede that he racked up a ton of yards and TDs, but the biggest problem is that he did a lot of that out of play-action. And almost nobody buys the run fake on play-action plays in online games. They typically end up as long sacks.
After the Cowboys in the real NFL failed to make the playoffs, the team’s overall rating only dropped by three points to 85, which is still above the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. If they have a similar performance this year they will likely come back down to where they should actually be.
Washington Football Team (74|Underrated)
Washington is certainly not one of the best 16 teams in the league, but there’s no reason to rank them as the worst team in Madden this year. They have a solid defense and if Alex Smith can return to form, then this will prove to be one of the most underrated teams in Madden 21.
Of course, this is a massive if since Smith has been out of the league for nearly two years with one of the most gruesome leg injuries you’ll see in an NFL game. Right now he sitting at a 67 with high 70s for pass accuracy. Virtual Alex Smith will certainly need some help from the real world.
But even without a solid QB, Adrian Peterson can still truck like he used to back in the day. He’s only a 78 overall, but he still has speed, acceleration, and trucking stats in the upper 80s. As long as he can pound the ball and the defense can keep the other team out of the end zone, then you’ll have a pretty solid team.
Cleveland Browns (82|Overrated)
As if last year wasn’t enough, the Madden team still believes in the Cleveland Browns. They’re in the top half of the league with an 82 for offense and haven’t proven why. Baker Mayfield didn’t suddenly become an elite QB over night.
Worse yet, he threw 21 interceptions — good enough for second-most in the league — and had the second-worst completion percentage in the league. Third place, Andy Dalton, somehow has lower accuracy stats even though he has a much longer history of success compared to Mayfield.
Their defense is decent up front, but the secondary is the reason why misguided Alabama fans think their college team could beat a bunch of professionals. Either way, don’t fall for the bait. Cleveland is still Cleveland and there are much better teams to choose from in Madden 21.
Tennessee Titans (80|Underrated)
Don’t sleep on king Derrick Henry or else he’s gonna throw you down and go 99 yards for the TD. Henry is arguably the best RB in the game today. And that is a nice asset to have on a team that is focused on defense. Last year they were 12th in points allowed and takeaways.
While that might not sound impressive, I would like to point out that the Titans are currently the 20th best team in Madden 21. That’s just ridiculous considering what they accomplished with Ryan Tannehill in the playoffs last year.
The Titans defense held one of the best offenses (Baltimore Ravens) in the NFL to a measly 12 points and the New England Patriots to 13 in Foxboro. Those are no small accomplishments, yet their defense is only sitting at 80. In reality, the Titans are a better team than what their Madden rating indicates.
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