'Madden 15' Perfectly Predicted the Super Bowl

Chris Morris
Updated
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Someone might want to check the offices of EA Sports for a time machine.

Last week, the game maker simulated Super Bowl XLIX using their latest Madden video game, just as they’ve done every year for more than a decade.

But this time, they nailed it. Really nailed it.

Not only did Madden NFL 15 accurately predict that the New England Patriots would mount a last minute comeback to defeat the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 28-24, it even foresaw Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter game-winning pass to Julian Edelman.

And that was just the tip of the prognostication iceberg.

Madden predicted New England would score first in the game. It predicted Tom Brady would take home the MVP trophy. It was 27 yards off Brady’s total passing yardage (355 vs. 328) and got his total touchdowns (4). It was only 3 yards and 1 catch away from perfectly calling Julian Edelman’s entire game.

Seriously, this happened. To the footage!

About the only thing it didn’t foresee was Seattle’s bone-headed decision to pass to Ricardo Lockette instead of feeding the Beast and letting Marshawn Lynch try rumbling over the goal line. That and the dancing sharks.

The incredible accuracy of this year’s simulation more than makes up for last year, when Madden completely blew the call. It favored the Broncos over the Seahawks in a 31-28 victory, a 38-point swing from Seattle real-life 43-8 win.

But credit where credit is due. In the 12 years EA has using Madden to predict Super Bowls, it’s run up an impressive 9-3 record. Before Sunday night, its closest call came in 2009, when it was within one point of the final score of Super Bowl XLIII and predicted the exact yardage of Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes.

Here’s how the game’s fared over the years:

- Super Bowl XLIX - NAILED IT!
Madden: Patriots, 28, Seahawks, 24
Actual: Patriots, 28, Seahawks, 24

- Super Bowl XLVIII - WRONG
Madden: Broncos, 31, Seahawks, 28
Actual: Seahawks 43, Broncos, 8

- Super Bowl XLVII - CORRECT
Madden: Ravens, 27, 49ers, 24
Actual: Ravens, 34, 49ers, 31

- Super Bowl XLVI - CORRECT
Madden: Giants, 27, Patriots, 24
Actual: Giants, 21, Patriots, 17

- Super Bowl XLV - WRONG
Madden: Steelers, 24, Packers, 20
Actual: Packers, 31, Steelers, 25

- Super Bowl XLIV - CORRECT
Madden: Saints 35, Colts 31
Actual: Saints 31, Colts 17

- Super Bowl XLIII - CORRECT
Madden: Steelers 28, Cardinals 24
Actual: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

- Super Bowl XLII - WRONG
Madden: Patriots 38, Giants 30
Actual: Giants 17, Patriots 14

- Super Bowl XLI - CORRECT
Madden: Colts 38, Bears 27
Actual: Colts 29, Bears 17

- Super Bowl XL - CORRECT
Madden: Steelers 24, Seahawks 19
Actual: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

- Super Bowl XXXIX - CORRECT
Madden: Patriots 47, Eagles 31
Actual: Patriots 24, Eagles 21

- Super Bowl XXXVIII - CORRECT
Madden: Patriots 23, Panthers 20
Actual: Patriots 32, Panthers 29

Well played, EA. And this whole time we thought that “it’s in the game" business was just a marketing line.

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