
Madden 23 ratings: TJ Watt, Edge, Pittsburgh Steelers
At first glance, it doesn’t appear Madden disrespected TJ Watt. I’m here to tell you that a 96 rating is disrespectful to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
No, I don’t want to hear that he doesn’t drop back in coverage. Watt is an off-ball linebacker who dominates week in and week out. The former first-round pick tied the all-time single-season sack record with 22.5.
His record-setting season happened despite him missing two games and the majority of a third. Watt’s single-season sack rate is 6.1%, the highest in Next Gen history (2016).
Watt recorded 1.5 sacks or more in eight games. And at least one sack in all but three games. PFF rated Watt No. 1 with him and Myles Garret splitting hairs.
Yet Madden 23’s creators felt he should be tied for 13th in player rating. His late-game heroics and consistency to put pressure on the quarterback played a major role in the Steelers’ success.
Without Watt, there’s no way the Steelers have the league’s 9th best pass defenses. He makes defensive back jobs that much easier.
Other than a record-setting season, winning Defensive Player of the Year, and helping his team to the playoffs, what more could one man do to earn a 99 rating?