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It's that time of the year when NFL rankings are getting released all over the place.
Power rankings, fantasy rankings, position rankings...and yes, even Madden rankings.
The super popular video game has established team and player ratings for its 2011 version, and following the lead of many media outlets across the country, Madden has given the Ravens high marks.
According to GoMadden.com, on its standard scale of 1-100, the Madden brain trust gave the Ravens a team rating of 90, which is third in the league behind only the Super Bowl Champion Saints (who received a 92) and the defending AFC Champion Colts (who got a 91).
The Ravens are rated a few points higher than division rivals Cincinnati (86) and Pittsburgh (84). To no one's surprise, the Browns are ranked last in the AFC North; they received a rating of 70.
From a player perspective, Ed Reed gets the highest overall individual rating on the Ravens; the six-time Pro Bowl safety received a 97. Apparently Reed's surgically repaired hip is not as big a deal in the video game as it might be in real life.
Other Ravens players getting high ratings were defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (94), linebacker Ray Lewis (94), left guard Ben Grubbs (94), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (91), center Matt Birk (91), running back Ray Rice (90), and Le'Ron McClain (90).
Here is the full detailed list of player ratings.
If you think that these numbers don't make their way back to the players, think again.
During training camp last year, I asked speedy linebacker Tavares Gooden where he would finish if the Ravens held a "fastest player" competition. Gooden said he would fall somewhere in the top-five, but then referenced Madden, which had only given him a speed rating of 82, the same as tight end Todd Heap.
"That ain't right!" Gooden said with a smile.
Gooden's complaints must have reached the right people - Madden bumped him up to an 86 on their speed scale this year.
