Green Bay Packers: Madden 12 Simulations for Every 2011 Regular Season Game

With the release of the video game Madden '12, football fans everywhere have been playing out the 2011 NFL season of their favorite team, with many different results, including myself, who has spent the last week relentlessly playing the 2011 season of the Green Bay Packers through the eyes of Madden '12.

This article details the results of my Madden simulation, including the stats that some of our favorite Packers played have racked up in this simulated season. Time will only tell whether or not these results will ring true to reality.

Week 1: Packers 27, Saints 20

Rodgers connected with Jordy Nelson early to give the Packers a 7-0 lead. The Saints kicked a field goal to make the score 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Packers would score on a rushing TD by Ryan Grant that would give them a 13-3 lead early in the second quarter but Mason Crosby’s PAT was blocked.

The Saints would score one more time before the halftime, narrowing the margin to 13-10, but with two minutes left in the half, Rodgers would drive the Packers down the field for another touchdown drive, as Donald Driver caught Rodgers’ second TD pass, giving the Packers a 20-10 lead at the half.

The Packers offense struggled in the third, while the Saints offense was able to kick a field goal as they trailed 20-13 going into the final quarter. But another touchdown drive by Drew Brees would tie the game up in the 4th quarter.

Aaron Rodgers would lead the Packers on a game winning drive that would end in a Ryan Grant touchdown, giving the Packers a 27-20 lead with less than a minute to play. Drew Brees and the Saints would drive the ball down the field in an attempt to tie the game once again, but a Nick Collins interception in the end zone would seal the game for the Packers.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 10 completions, 272 yards, 2 touchdowns
Ryan Grant: 6 carries, 47 yards, 2 touchdowns
Donald Driver: 4 catches, 113 yards, 1 touchdown
Jordy Nelson: 3 catches, 102 yards, 1 touchdown
Clay Matthews: 1 sack
Nick Collins: 1 interception

Record: 1-0

Week 2: Packers 31, Panthers 0

The Packers shut out the Panthers in Carolina, as the Packers offense gets off to a hot start with a touchdown pass to Donald Driver, and the Packers defense does the same, intercepting Cam Newton on his first pass, and on the Panthers’ second drive, returning a fumble for a touchdown to give the Packers an early 14-0 lead. The Packers would continue to dominate, intercepting Cam Newton twice.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 11 completions, 208 yards, 2 touchdowns
Ryan Grant: 8 carries, 85 yards, 1 touchdown
Donald Driver: 4 catches, 54 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 3 catches, 84 yards, 1 touchdown
Desmond Bishop: 2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown
Clay Matthews: 1 sack
Nick Collins: 1 interception
Tramon Williams: 1 interception

Record: 2-0

Week 3: Bears 20, Packers 17

The Bears get the first score of the game, kicking a field goal to take a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, but the Packers strike back quickly with a 30-yard Ryan Grant touchdown, and after a fumble recovery by Clay Matthews, Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson to take a 14-3 lead to end the half.

The Packers would kick a field goal early in the third quarter, but the Bears would score a touchdown to bring themselves back into the game, trailing 17-10. After an Aaron Rodgers interception, the Bears were able to score again, tying the game 17-17 by the end of the third quarter.

The Bears would continue to stuff the Packers for much of the fourth quarter, although the Bears wouldn't fair much better either. They would finally kick a field goal with one minute left in the game, taking a 20-17 lead.   

Aaron Rodgers would try to bring the team back, and a couple of passes would bring them into field goal range, but a blocked field goal as time expired sealed the Bears win, 20-17.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers:  8 completions, 167 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Ryan Grant: 8 carries, 48 yards, 1 touchdown
Tramon Williams: 1 interception
C.J. Wilson: 1 sack
Desmond Bishop: 1 sack

Record: 2-1

Week 4: Packers 35, Broncos 7

The Packers got off to a slow start as Knowshon Moreno ran the ball down the field for the game’s first score, giving the Broncos an early 7-0 lead. However, the Packers would get the momentum back with a kick return by Alex Green that brought them to mid-field, and then a 40-yard touchdown pass by Aaron Rodgers to tie the game.  The Packers would score again right before the half, giving them a 14-7 lead at halftime.

The Packers would then continue to stuff the Broncos, sacking Kyle Orton seven times, three of them by Ryan Pickett, and two by Clay Matthews, while the offense would roll up three more scores in the second half, going on to win the game in a 35-7 rout.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 10 completions, 207 yards, 3 touchdowns
Ryan Grant, 7 carries, 102 yards, 2 touchdowns
Greg Jennings: 6 receptions, 116 yards, 1 touchdown
Ryan Pickett: 3 sacks
Clay Matthews: 2 sacks

Record: 3-1

Week 5: Packers 24, Falcons 21

The Packers faced 4th-and-1 at the beginning of the game and went for it, resulting in a 35-yard touchdown run by Ryan Grant. However, the Falcons would quickly even the score, tying the game 7-7. In the second quarter, an 80-yard touchdown run by James Starks would give the Packers the lead once again, 14-7, and right before the half, Rodgers would throw a touchdown pass to Donald Driver, giving the Packers a 21-7 lead going into the second half.

However, the Falcons would tighten up defensively, and in the fourth quarter, Matt Ryan would bring the Falcons back, throwing two touchdown passes to tie the game, 21-21. With 49 seconds left to play, Aaron Rodgers would drive the Packers into field goal range, where Mason Crosby kicked the game-winner.
 

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 12 completions, 235 yards , 1 touchdown
James Starks: 7 carries, 119 yards
Donald Driver: 6 reception, 85 yards
Jarius Wynn, D.J. Smith, Ryan Pickett: 1 sack each

Record: 4-1

Week 6: Packers 45, Rams 15

Sam Bradford and the Rams had a good drive going in the first quarter, but kicker Josh Brown missed the field goal. The Packers on the other hand, were able to score a touchdown on their first drive. On his second drive, Bradford would throw an interception to Charles Woodson, which the Packers would immediately cash in for points after Aaron Rodgers threw a 40-yard touchdown bomb to Donald Driver. The Rams offense would sputter in the second quarter, but the Packers would score on another touchdown, taking a 21-0 lead going into the half.

Rodgers and the Packers continued to dominate in the third quarter, where Rodgers would lead the Packers to 10 more points before being benched at the end of the third quarter for a score of 31-0. The starters sat while the backups played in the fourth, which gave the Rams an opportunity to put points on the board, as they scored two straight touchdowns and cutting the lead to 31-15. However, James Starks would rush for a 45-yard touchdown, and on the kickoff, Desmond Bishop would recover a fumble and give the Packers the ball back, where Starks ran it in for a second score, giving the Packers an insurmountable 45-15 lead.
 

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 12 completions, 252 yards, 4 touchdowns
James Starks: 4 carries, 99 yards, 2 touchdowns
Greg Jennings: 5 receptions, 79 yards, 2 touchdowns
Donald Driver: 4 receptions, 86 yards, 1 touchdown
Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk: 1 sack each
Charles Woodson: 1 interception

Record: 5-1

Week 7: Packers 28, Vikings 21

The Packers started out with a drive that put them in field goal range, only for Mason Crosby to miss the field goal. After that, the Packers offense sputtered throughout the first half while the Vikings offense thrived, rolling up 21 points, while the Packers only good play in the first half was an 80-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. The Packers left the half trailing 21-7, breaking their streak of not being behind by more than a touchdown.

In the third quarter, the Vikings would have two chances to get at least a field goal, but missed out on both opportunities, as on the first drive of the third quarter, the Packers successfully blocked their field goal, and on the second, Clay Matthews sacked McNabb for a huge loss, putting them out of field goal range.    

The Packers took these opportunities to get back into the game, scoring a touchdown at the end of the third quarter to cut the lead to 21-14, and right before the two minute warning in the fourth, scored another touchdown to tie the game.

The Vikings offense continued to sputter, as Rodgers and the Packers were given the ball back with about a minute left to play. It only took two long passes by Aaron Rodgers to get the ball at the 1-yard line, then Ryan Grant finished the drive off by running the ball in for a touchdown. 

Tramon Williams put the dagger in Minnesota, intercepting Donovan McNabb with 41 seconds left in the game.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 15 completions, 365 yards, 3 touchdowns
Ryan Grant: 4 carries, 45 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 4 receptions, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns
Donald Driver: 6 receptions, 121 yards, 1 touchdown
Jermichael Finley: 3 receptions, 76 yards
Desmond Bishop, Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Ryan Pickett: 1 sack each
Tramon Williams: 1 interception

Record: 6-1

Week 9: Chargers 27, Packers 24 (OT)

The Chargers struck first in the first quarter with a touchdown pass, but early in the second, Aaron Rodgers ran for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7. After the Chargers failed to score on their next drive, the Packers would get the ball back, but Rodgers would throw an interception that would eventually lead to points for the Chargers, giving them a 14-7 lead. But Rodgers atoned for his mistake soon after, leading the Packers on a drive near the end of the second quarter and eventually tying the game with a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings.    

Right before the half, Phillip Rivers was sacked and fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by Ricky Elmore. The Packers wouldn't be able to punch it in, and settled for a field goal to lead 17-14 at the half.   

The Chargers and the Packers both failed to put up points in the third quarter, but early in the fourth, running back Ryan Grant would fumble the ball, and it was recovered by the Chargers and returned for a touchdown, giving them a 21-17 lead. The Chargers would also get a field goal later in the fourth quarter, giving them a full touchdown lead. But in the final minutes of the 4th quarter, James Starks would run for a game-tying 80 yard touchdown.

The game would go into overtime after Mason Crosby missed the game winning field goal, and in overtime, Aaron Rodgers would be intercepted for the second time in the game by Shaun Philips in a spectacular one-handed interception. The Chargers would get a short field and kick a game-winner, handing the Packers their second loss.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 6 completions, 173 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown, 2 interceptions
James Starks: 9 carries, 137 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 3 receptions, 84 yards, 1 touchdown
Sam Shields: 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Ricky Elmore: 1 fumble recovery

Record: 6-2

Week 10: Packers 28, Vikings 14

The Vikings started out strong, with Adrian Peterson running the ball and scoring the game’s first touchdown. But Aaron Rodgers and the Packers would come right back, driving the ball down the field, where Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to John Kuhn.

In the second quarter, the Packers would break the tie with a touchdown run by Aaron Rodgers, who was quite mobile in the pocket. This was seen on the next drive, where he threw a touchdown strike to Greg Jennings while getting forced out of the pocket by the Vikings’ defensive line. At the half, the Packers led 21-7.

Adrian Peterson would come alive once again in the third quarter, scoring the team’s second touchdown to narrow the lead to 21-14. But Rodgers and the Packers would go on a final drive in the fourth quarter to seal the game, as Rodgers threw a 30-yard pass to Finley to get them into field goal range, and James Starks broke three tackles on his way to a 20-yard touchdown run.

The Vikings would try to rally, but an interception by Charles Woodson would seal the game for the Packers as they won Monday Night Football, 28-14.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 12 completions, 211 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, 28 rushing yards
James Starks: 4 carries, 43 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 2 receptions, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
Clay Matthews: 1 sack, 1 forced fumble
A.J. Hawk: 1 forced fumble
Morgan Burnett: 1 interception
Charles Woodson: 1 interception

Record: 7-2

Week 11: Packers 37, Buccaneers 15

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers got off to a hot start, as Rodgers would lead the Packers on two drives that would give them a 10-0 lead in the first. Early in the second quarter, quarterback Josh Johnson would fumble the ball, and it would be recovered by Ryan Pickett. Rodgers would quickly cash this in for a score by throwing a second touchdown pass to Jennings.

The Packers would head into the locker room with a 24-0 lead after a James Starks touchdown, and early in the third, would score again on another touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, giving them a 31-0 lead.

The Buccaneers would struggle with their quarterback Josh Johnson for two and a half quarters before benching him for Jonathan Crompton. Cromption would perform much better, throwing for a 40-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 31-7 late in the third. And on the punt return, Cobb would get backed into the end zone by Tampa Bay’s special teams, thus resulting in a safety by the Bucs.

The Packers would score two field goals in the fourth, while Crompton would continue to try to bring his team back. After scoring another touchdown, the Buccaneers would succeed with an onside kick, but would fail to cash this in for any points. After this, the Packers would sit on the ball for the rest of the game, giving them the win and an 8-2 record.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 11 completions, 275 yards, 3 touchdowns
James Starks: 9 caries, 49 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 6 receptions, 124 yards, 3 touchdowns
James Jones: 2 receptions, 104 yards
Ryan Pickett: 2 sacks
Davon House, A.J. Hawk, Clay Matthews: 1 sack each
Morgan Burnett: 1 interception

Record: 8-2

Week 12: Packers 24, Lions 3

On Thanksgiving, the Packers would get off to a sloppy start, with Aaron Rodgers fumbling the ball and the Lions kicking an early field goal. However, it would be all downhill from there for the Lions, as the Packers would dominate the time of possession, running the ball with James Starks on many of their drives.

Matt Stafford would struggle, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked five times. Rodgers and the Packers offense would face a challenge against the stifling Lions defense, but chose to run the ball for most of the game, which eventually tired the Lions defense and gave the Packers the edge.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 6 completions, 142 yards, 1 touchdown
James Starks: 14 carries, 104 yards, 2 touchdowns
Greg Jennings: 3 receptions, 63 yards, 1 touchdown
Clay Matthews: 2 sacks
Ryan Pickett, Mike Neal, Desmond Bishop: 1 sack each
Morgan Burnett: 1 interception
Charles Woodson: 1 interception

Record: 9-2

Week 13: Packers 56, Giants 0

The Packers would get off to a hot start, with Rodgers rushing for a touchdown to start things off. However, another touchdown by the Packers offense, coupled with a fumble return for a TD would give the Packers a staggering 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Packers continued their dominance, intercepting Eli Manning twice and sacking him three times, and carving up the Giants defense for over 400 yards. Rodgers would throw four touchdowns, and rush for another before he was sent to the bench at the end of the 3rd quarter. Charles Woodson would record both an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

The Packers would end the game with eight total touchdowns, five of them which Aaron Rodgers was responsible for. The only negative that came out of this game was that Jordy Nelson was lost for the season with a hip injury.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 15 completions, 304 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, 23 rushing yards
Ryan Grant: 4 carries, 81 yards, 1 touchdown
Alex Green: 5 carries, 48 yards, 1 touchdown
Greg Jennings: 3 receptions, 92 yards, 2 touchdowns
Donald Driver: 4 receptions, 53 yards, 1 touchdown
Chastin West: 1 reception, 48 yards, 1 touchdown
Desmond Bishop: 2 sacks
Charles Woodson: 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown
Tramon Williams: 1 interception
Ricky Elmore: 1 sack

Record: 10-2

Week 14: Packers 41, Raiders 7

With Jordy Nelson gone, Randall Cobb became a big playmaker in the Packers’ offense after being quiet for most of the season, catching three balls for over 100 yards and a touchdown pass. While the Raiders would look primarily confused for most of the first half, the Packers would roll up 24 points, with Rodgers throwing a touchdown and rushing for another.

After trailing 34-0, the Raiders finally benched quarterback Jason Campbell for Trent Edwards. Edwards would play well on his first drive, completing two long passes and setting Darren McFadden up for an easy score. However, it would be downhill from there for the Raiders, as the Packers benched Rodgers for the 4th quarter, but Matt Flynn led the Packers on another touchdown drive to give them a 41-7 lead. Trent Edwards would have two chances to lead a comeback, but was intercepted both times.
   

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 13 completions, 245 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown
Ryan Grant: 3 carries, 103 yards, 1 touchdown
Randall Cobb: 3 receptions, 101 yards, 1 touchdown
Sam Shields: 1 sack
Tramon Williams, Morgan Burnett, Robert Francois: 1 interception each

Record: 11-2

Week 15: Chiefs 20, Packers 14

The Chiefs came into the game 8-5 and hungry for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Getting the ball first, the Chiefs led the Packers on a drive that took nearly the entire 1st quarter, ending in a touchdown. The Packers would score quickly on a couple of long passes and a touchdown run by Aaron Rodgers that tied the game. But the Chiefs would continue to dominate the time of possession and taking a 10-7 lead right before the half. However, the Packers would quickly score before the end of the half to take a 14-10 lead.

Rodgers would start off the second half sharp, completing a couple of passes, but a tipped pass turned into an interception, and it was almost returned for a score. The Chiefs would capitalize on this, and take a 17-14 lead.

The Packers would struggle on their next drive, forcing them to quickly punt, and the Chiefs once again would dominate the time of possession, eventually kicking a field goal with only 2 minutes left to play in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 20-14, Rodgers and the Packers had one last chance to make a comeback. Although they would get down to the 20 yard line, they were not able to convert on a 4th down, and the game was over.

After the game, it was announced that Morgan Burnett would be out for four weeks, and James Jones would be out for two.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 10 completions, 215 yards, 1 interception, 1 rushing touchdown
Greg Jennings: 4 receptions, 114 yards
Clay Matthews: 1 sack

Record: 11-3

Week 16: Packers 47, Bears 3

In a stunner on Christmas Day, the Packers came into Week 16 with a chip on their shoulder, wanting to gain the momentum back after losing to the Chiefs. The Packers started off shaky, with Rodgers not completing many of his passes, and the Bears getting off to a 3-0 start, but the Packers would begin to gain a spark, much of this due to Randall Cobb and his increasing presence on the Packers’ offense. 

The Packers would tie the game early in the second quarter, and then later in the quarter, Rodgers would throw a touchdown pass to D.J. Williams, giving them a 10-3 lead. Then just seconds later, Jay Cutler would be intercepted by Charlie Peprah, and it would be taken in for a touchdown, giving the Packers a 17-3 lead going into the half.

The Bears had a chance to come back, but appeared lost for the rest of the game, as Aaron Rodgers led the Packers down the field for two more drives in the third, giving them a 31-3 lead. Going into the fourth quarter, starters would be pulled, and Brandon Saine, who had sat on the Packers’ bench for the first 15 weeks as their 4th string running back, finally saw playing time, and capitalized on it after another Jay Cutler interception, running another touchdown in for a score, giving the Packers a 38-3 lead.

On the Bears next drive, Jay Cutler tried hard to get points on the board, but found himself getting sacked three times in a row, the final resulting in a safety. Jay Cutler would go on to be sacked seven times in the game. With a 40-3 lead, the Packers planned to run out the clock, but Brandon Saine had other ideas, as he broke several tackles on his way to a spectacular 80-yard touchdown run that would be the final score of the game as the Packers demolished the Bears, 47-3.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 10 completions, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns
Brandon Saine: 5 carries, 117 yards, 2 touchdown
Randall Cobb: 4 receptions, 126 yards
Clay Matthews: 2 sacks
Sam Shields, Ryan Pickett, Charles Woodson, D.H. Smith, A.J. Hawk: 1 sack each
Tramon Williams: 1 interception
Charlie Peprah: 1 interception

Record: 12-3

Week 17: Packers 24, Lions 21

It would be a game where the Packers would choose to play their starters late in the game, as with a 12-3 record, they were well off to get to the playoffs, but wanting to secure a number one seed and a home field advantage.

Rodgers would score on his first drive of the game, throwing a long touchdown strike to Greg Jennings, but after that, the Lions defense would tighten up, and Rodgers would struggle for the rest of the quarter.

The Packers would go into the second quarter with a 7-0 lead, and Matt Stafford getting taken out of the game with a shoulder injury, putting Drew Stanton in the game. While Stafford struggled for most of the game, Stanton would shine, throwing a touchdown pass to tie the game, 7-7. The Packers offense would continue to struggle with putting points on the board, and the game would be tied at 7 going into the half.

Early in the third quarter, Drew Stanton would throw an interception to Nick Collins, giving the Packers a chance to cash in on the turnover. However, Rodgers would be sacked twice, and McCarthy made the decision to bench Rodgers, despite the close game, not wanting to risk Rodgers getting injured, and having faith in Matt Flynn to lead the offense to points.

The Lions would score again late in the third quarter, giving them a 14-7 with 1-second left in the third quarter. But Alex Green would make Packer history by returning the kickoff for a touchdown, the first time in 10 years the Packers have done so in the regular season. At the end of the third quarter, the game was tied again, 14-14.

Stanton would throw a third touchdown pass early in the fourth, giving the Lions a 21-14 lead. But Matt Flynn would be the hero of the day, leading the Packers down the field with both his arm and his feet. His scoring play would be a 15-yard touchdown run where Flynn would find himself scrambling out of the pocket, reversing field, and running down the field for the touchdown, being tackled as he crossed the plain.

The Packers would tie it, 21-21, and another interception by Stanton would put the Packers in field goal range with 2 minutes left in the game. The Packers took this opportunity, running the clock down as much as they could and kicking a field goal with 50 seconds left to play. Drew Stanton would get a final chance to win the game, but A.J Hawk would intercept the ball to seal the game.

Notable Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 4 receptions, 101 yards, 1 touchdown
Ryan Grant: 10 carries, 53 yards
Greg Jennings: 2 receptions, 82 yards, 1 touchdown
Donald Driver: 4 receptions, 74 yards
Clay Matthews: 1 sack
Tramon Williams, A.J. Hawk, Nick Collins: 1 interception each

Final Record: 13-3

Notable Season Stats

Season Stats:

Aaron Rodgers: 3,605 yards, 31 Touchdowns, 4 Interceptions (rushing: 95 yards, 5 touchdowns)
Ryan Grant: 67 carries, 655 yards, 12 touchdowns
James Starks: 48 carries, 557 yards, 9 touchdowns
Greg Jennings: 52 receptions, 1259 yards, 15 touchdowns
Donald Driver: 47 receptions, 860 yards, 7 touchdowns
Jermichael Finley: 18 receptions, 363 yards, 1 touchdown
Jordy Nelson: 17 receptions, 433 yards, 4 touchdowns
Randall Cobb: 12 receptions, 334 yards, 1 touchdown
James Jones: 11 receptions, 290 yards
Clay Matthews: 14 sacks, 5 Forced Fumbles
Ryan Pickett: 10 sacks, 1 safety, 2 fumble recoveries
Sam Shields: 6 sacks
Desmond Bishop: 5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown
A.J. Hawk: 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
D.J. Smith: 3 sacks
Nick Collins: 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles
Tramon Williams: 7 interceptions
Morgan Burnett: 4 interceptions
Charles Woodson: 4 interceptions, 1 touchdown