New quarterback feature in 'Madden NFL 2006' makes it a tough game to tackle

NEW YORK --- The "Madden NFL 2006" season kicked off with a preseason game between the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings that featured new complicated passing controls, an improved running game and no noticeable graphical improvements.With the new game set to hit stores Tuesday, AP Sports staffers and Madden veterans Jim Scott and Josh Dickey squared off to determine if "Madden NFL 2006" is a must-have this virtual football season.Scott took his hometown New York Jets. Minnesota native Dickey went the homer route too, taking the new-look, Randy Moss-less Vikings. - NFL Football -
The "QB Vision" control is the most significant new feature in "Madden NFL 2006." On passing plays, gamers must manipulate a white cone representing the quarterback's field of vision. If a receiver is in cone, passes are accurate. Throws to receivers out of the cone are wildly inaccurate and often lead to interceptions.Dickey got his first bad taste of the "QB Vision" feature on the game's first drive. Attempting to pass to a receiver outside his "QB Vision" cone, Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper's pass was intercepted by linebacker Eric Barton."It's a complicated process to look from receiver to receiver," said Scott (yeah, that's me, in the difficult dual role of participant and reviewer). - NFL Football -
"The steep learning curve is going to turn off most casual gamers."Switching the "QB Vision" from receiver to receiver takes time. The pass rush is often right on top of you by the time you've checked down to your second or third passing option."Paying attention to the vision controls made me hesitate too much," said Dickey, who was sacked four times and pressured often (perhaps because he's a PlayStation 2 guy).A Chad Pennington 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Doug Jolley and the game's first missed extra point put the Jets up 6-0 early. A Culpepper fumble led to another Pennington-to-Jolley connection, making it 13-0 after one quarter.Struggling with the passing game, Dickey used Minnesota's speedy running back Michael Bennett to take advantage of the game's improved run blocking."It's easy to find and exploit the holes on running plays," said Dickey, as the Vikings drove down the field right before the half. "Running off tackle is great." - NFL Football -
"Offensive lineman are sealing off defenders and finishing off their blocks," Scott added.The game turned late in the first half when Culpepper's errant end-zone pass was picked off by Jets cornerback Donnie Abraham. Abraham returned the interception 103 yards to put the Jets up 20-0.Curtis Martin opened the second half scoring with a 1-yard run for New York. Scott took full advantage of the new "Truck Stick" on Martin's run to barrel over a Vikings linebacker on his way into the end zone."The Truck Stick is a bit gimmicky, but it's useful in short yardage and goal line situations," Scott said after missing his second extra point to take a 26-0 lead.A solid running game and effective play-action passing helped Dickey get on the scoreboard with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper to Nate Burleson. - NFL Football -
Aaron Elling shanked the extra point attempt to make it 26-6 heading into the fourth quarter.Linebacker Jonathon Vilma's 68-yard interception return for a touchdown put the game away as the Jets took a commanding 33-6 lead with 2:17 remaining. The two teams traded touchdowns late, and the Jets finished with a 40-12 victory."I should have put Randy Moss back on the Vikings," lamented Dickey after Minnesota finished the game with six turnovers.In postgame interviews, Dickey and Scott agreed that the new single-player "Superstar Mode" and improved online play gives "Madden NFL 2006" more legs, but the core game play and graphics haven't changed much. "QB Vision" controls, while innovative and realistic, make it more difficult to pass and won't be loved by all. - NFL Football -

JIM SCOTT, Associated Press Writer