'Madden NFL 18' simulation: What if Carson Wentz played in Super Bowl LII?

Anthony Sulla-Heffinger
·Staff writer

Carson Wentz isn’t going to play for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII on Sunday – but what if he did?

While EA Sports already released its “Madden NFL 18” Super Bowl simulation, Yahoo Sports decided to take the game one step further and see what would happen if the second-year quarterback took on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Minnesota.

In EA Sports’ version, the Patriots won 24-20 in a close game. In our simulation, not much changed, with New England winning 34-31. Sorry, Eagles fans.

If healthy, could Carson Wentz beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII? (Sporting News)
If healthy, could Carson Wentz beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII? (Sporting News)

Wentz led the Eagles to a touchdown on the first drive of the game, hitting Jay Ajayi for a 4-yard score, but it was all Patriots for the rest of the first half.

Brady scored his first touchdown on a 1-yard QB sneak and then hit Brandin Cooks for an 18-yard touchdown pass near the end of the half. Sandwiched between those was a Stephen Gostkowski field goal, making for 17 unanswered New England points.

[Stream Super Bowl LII live on the Yahoo Sports mobile app]

After cutting the lead to 17-10 on a last-second field goal from Jake Elliott to end the first half, Philadelphia struck first in the third quarter, with Wentz and Ajayi linking up again on a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 17.

New England responded with Brady’s second touchdown pass of the game, this time a 12-yard strike to Rob Gronkowski. On the ensuing drive for Philadelphia, Patriots safety Duron Harmon forced and recovered an Ajayi fumble inside Philadelphia’s 30-yard line, leading to a Brady-to-Amendola touchdown and putting the game out of reach.

Wentz added two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Alshon Jeffery, but between them, a seven-minute, 32-second drive from New England ended in a Gostkowski field goal and iced the game.

Despite Brady finishing with 271 yards and four total touchdowns, Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was named Super Bowl MVP. Wentz went toe-to-toe with Brady, throwing for 219 yards and four scores himself.

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Ultimately, as is often the case, turnovers decided the outcome as Ajayi’s third-quarter fumble handed Brady and New England great field position and wound up making it a two-score game.

Even with Wentz, it seems as if the “Madden” gods are predicting a Patriots win all the way.