Get ready for pandemonium in “Who Dat?” nation as Drew Brees has won the Super Bowl MVP — at least in the virtual world.
EA Sports simulated Super Bowl XLIV using its Madden NFL ’10 video game, and Brees and the Saints beat Peyton Manning’s Colts 35-31.
Virtual Brees connected on 25 of 37 passes for 299 yards, including an 11-yard strike to former Patriot David Thomas with less than two minutes remaining. Reggie Bush also came up big for New Orleans with a punt return for a touchdown to swing the momentum for him and his pixelated teammates.
While video games don’t take into account intangibles, the pressure of playing in the Super Bowl or even injuries such as Dwight Freeney’s ankle, the simulation has correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner five out of the last six seasons. Only the New York Giants’ upset of the Patriots managed to prove the game wrong, possibly because programmers didn’t have the proper animation for David Tyree’s circus grab.
Madden is far from a science, but most people in New Orleans wouldn’t be too disappointed if Brees joined his virtual self at Disney World.
