Patriots running back Laurence Maroney is this year's designated complainer over his Madden NFL rating, taking issue with a speed rating drop that he thinks is tied to a two-year-old shoulder injury.


"They got me terrible on Madden, man. I wanna tell Madden that too," Maroney told The Boston Globe on Tuesday. "You know what's crazy? When I had my little shoulder problem (in 2008), I was 93, 94 speed on Madden. After my shoulder, I came back at about 88. What's my shoulder got to do with my feet? I know I ain't that slow.

"Madden trippin' on my speed, you know I'm not an 88," Maroney said. "He got Fred [Taylor, a backfield teammate nine years older] and them faster than me. I know they ain't faster than me."


John Madden ain't the guy setting the ratings. That's Donny Moore, EA Sports Tiburon's "ratings czar." Secondly, Maroney is not in fact an 88 in speed. He's an 86, the same as Pierre Thomas for the Saints and Shonn Greene fore the Jets, both productive (if less-experienced) backs.

But here's a protip for Maroney, T.J. Houshmandzadeh or anyone else upset with their ratings. These things are competely adjustable (you just can't use them online). Go into the roster, select yourself, and edit away. Hell, Maroney could replace Tom Brady at quarterback and Stephen Gostkowski at kicker if he wanted.

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I've asked if Moore ever goes a day without a complaint, a request, a tug on his pants leg to boost some rating. "Not a day," is the reply.

Maroney Looks To Up Madden Rating [The Boston Globe via Pasta Padre]