If you’re not careful, or you’re over-caffeinated, you can easily suffer sensory overload in this room, especially in the early window. On this Week 7 Sunday there were eight 1 p.m. ET kickoffs. But even in the late window, with only three games coming at you inside the room, it’s harried. Standing in the center, staring at the large split-screen monitor showing all three games, is the NFL’s vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, dressed in khakis, a blue striped oxford shirt and blue sweater. To his left: Alberto Riveron, the number two man in the officiating department. They’re the adjudicators on this day-the two men in charge of the new system of replay checks-and-balances. ESPN NFL 2K5 is now more than a decade old, which - not coincidentally - also means that EA Sports' Madden NFL 16 franchise hasn't had a competitor for more than a decade.

 

Of course, if you are one of those people, holding out hope for some competition in the football space, it probably doesn't feel great to hear EA tell you to get over yourself and give in. But Dickson feels that Madden nfl 16 makes the best argument yet to bring those holdouts into the fold, and he may have a case. Madden NFL 16 launches Aug. 25 on PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. When it comes to offensive play, the changes are more often seen than felt. The interface for picking plays has been revamped, cleaning up much of the previous clutter and giving you helpful information about suggested calls. Less-seasoned players who prefer to just settle for suggested plays often had little idea why short passes were more effective when the defense was about to blitz, or how one run play was likely to produce more positive yards over another.

 

The logic behind the choices was hidden, but Madden 16 provides an explanation for the more casual football strategist. Coach’s suggestions are coupled with text that might mention how the opposing team is often vulnerable to a particular play during a specific down, while additional plays often used by the community show success rate and average yards gained. Experienced players will likely choose their own formation and offensive maneuvers, but taking the game’s advice is both viable and edifying. By their nature, these interactive lessons aren’t the most thrilling aspect of Madden, but they are key for the casual fan that may want to go a little deeper on their knowledge. The tutelage bleeds into the game too, should you want it.

 

Prior to selecting a play, you have the choice of the ever-present coaching suggestions, but now they’re expanded to give statistical reasoning to each recommendation. So you will be presented with a half-back dive on 2nd and medium because it’s successful a good percentage of the time for a decent yard gain. Or you’ll line up in a screen formation because statistically the opposition will choose a comparatively vulnerable defence at this stage of the game. The game also collates successful community picks and your own favorite plays the longer you spend with the game. You can also use the ‘Coach Stick’ to compare player stats in traffic light style, possibly influencing the decision of which rush to take or which pass to make.

 

Finally, when it comes to trying to pick someone off, it's important to keep two things in mind. First, don't touch the receiver. Stopping their momentum could very well give you a penalty flag, and that's just as bad as a reception, because it'll give them the first down needed to get into the end zone. Let them come to you, if possible, and then try to get in front of them to get the pick. As a defensive tackle, it’s important that, if you can’t get past the offensive line, you at least move them out of position in order to allow your linebackers to break through and try to get a sack or hit the running back. Moving the left stick left or right while engaged will drag the offensive lineman out of position, and on passing plays this is a great chance to collapse the pocket and potentially get a sack.

 

Of course, it’s important that the secondary closely mark the receivers and limit the options for the quarterback to pass to, but by being able to consistently create opportunities to make a sack you’ll be getting the ball back far more regularly. The wait is finally over. "Madden NFL 16" hit store shelves on Tuesday, August 26, giving football fans and gamers across the country reasons to rejoice. Cynical fans of EA Sports' long-running franchise might feel "rejoice" is a bit of an overstatement, as the franchise has had its fair share of underwhelming editions. That being said, "Madden NFL 15" is not one of those. It is instead a smart step forward that could be the building blocks for an even more addicting, realistic and challenging future for football gaming.