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Continued

But after a three and out by Denver, Oakland strikes fast as Curry beats Champ across the middle, cuts back and dives into the end zone. It's time to dance. Run to the spot on the field and hit the celebrate button for the Superman. 7-0 Raiders.

Broncos get the ball back and use a ton of playaction to work their way down the field. With a little under a minute to go in the half, Cutler hits Marshall deep for a touchdown to tie the game. But that's when I decide to gamble early and use my rewind. The play is erased and even though Cutler completes a shorter pass for a first down, his next attempt is picked off by Asomugha and the Raiders run the ball and the clock to head into halftime with a 7-0 lead.

It doesn't take long for Cutler to lead his team down field again , though, and before you can say holy roller, the game is tied at seven. But that's when McFadden takes over. Counter, toss wide, HB screen, I get the ball to Darren and eat the clock. By the time McFadden bursts up the middle for his first NFL touchdown, there is less than a minute to go in the game and the Raiders win 14-7.

After the game, you're showed your skill results and your IQ can go up or down based on your performance. My pass offense actually increased a notch while my pass defense went down. IQ is now at 607. The game suggests I head back to the holographic training center to work on my pass defense.

I have to say, I love the Raiders D. They have the two fat guys up front taking up space and a lot of speed behind them making plays. I also love the fact that JaMarcus is so big that any short yardage play I'm able to call a QB sneak and basically bust up the middle for the a couple yards. I need both of these against my second rival in as many weeks as the Raiders head to Kansas City to face the Chiefs.

One thing I notice while playing the game, and it happened a couple times against the Broncos, is the problem computer players have with the sidelines. Occasionally the computer doesn't time its routes right and throws the ball to receivers who are already out of bounds, or even worse, the computer will complete a screen, say to Larry Johnson, but when he catches it, his momentum brings him backwards, running the wrong way, and occasionally out of bounds even though if he just turned around he had a lot of open room to run. The build of the game I'm playing isn't the retail version, but it is the build sent out for review, so I don't know if this glitch has been fixed.

The game in Kansas City is played in the pouring rain and man the weather effects look so much better than last year. Some inside knowledge: The Madden team hired the art director from NBA Street Homecourt (one of the coolest looking sports games ever made) to spice up the visuals, and dude needs a raise after what he's done for Madden. From the players to the field to even the dance moves, this is the best looking Madden ever made.

The Raiders open up the game with an impressive drive ... until Javon drops a ball in the end zone and we're forced to hit a long field goal. It's funny how after five quarters I already have a least favorite player. Unfortunately, the Raiders really have no depth when it comes to receiver, so I'm going to have to just depend on my backs and tight ends.

But then it happens, Walker breaks free on a deep route, JaMarcus severely under throws him, the Chiefs safety tips the ball, and Javon comes back to make a diving catch off the tip. Amazing! Maybe there is hope for Mr. Vegas just yet. A few plays later, JaMarcus scrambles in for a touchdown, celebrates by dunking the ball over the goalpost, and the Raiders lead 10-7. An interception followed by a TD screen to McFadden and the game is 17-7 at half.

As the game continues on the muddy field, you can actually see mud and grass stains start to accumulate on the white jerseys. When you bring in a sub who hasn't played, no stains. Like I said, the game looks sick this year.

Asomugha ices the game with a pick-6 and the Raiders go on to a win 24-14. After the game I'm shown my new IQ: 620. I should get bonus points for winning as the Raiders.

If Darren McFadden is anything like his Madden character in real life, the Raiders had the steal of the draft. He's so fast in the game, so slippery when it comes to squirming out of tackles (especially now that when a defender hits you, you're not locked in the animation and you can flick the right stick to break free), I want to hand it to him until his little polygonal legs fall off. He's especially deadly out of the single back counter and stretch plays. Three touchdowns against Buffalo lead Oakland to their third straight win. Not long before they're selling McFadden chocolate bars in the Bay.

One of the best things about playing Madden 09 is the fact that EA Sports finally took a lot of the little features that gave the PS2 version so much depth, and added them in the 360 and PS3 versions of the game (and it's about time!). Some examples of these gameplay additions to the next gen systems include formation subs that save from game to game during the season, slide protection, bluff play art, and smart routes (hot routes where the receiver runs to his route for the first down).

By the way, as the clock strikes 12, the 1-3 Chargers are visiting the 3-0 Raiders in a huge AFC West rivalry game. LT is a beast in this game, dragging defenders with him as he runs and he's even more elusive than McFadden, and rightfully so. Highlight comes after Merriman intercepts a pass, I rewind, then throw a bomb to my tight end Madsen who beats his man deep, but has to spin back around because the ball was thrown on the wrong side. Dude reaches out and makes a one-handed catch while falling into the end zone. This is actually the first Madden game where receivers can dynamically move their hands and aren't trapped in just playing out some branching animation. Now if the ball is out in front or behind, they'll actually reach out and make plays and the results are incredible (especially when it's a receiver on your team making the catch).

The game turns into a classic, too, as the score is tied at 14 with under a minute left when I spot Javon break open down field. I heave the ball, it hits him in his hands, he bobbles it, and it's intercepted. No! LT catches a screen, stiff-arms a defender, spins around another for a first down, then San Diego runs the clock to five seconds before calling time out. Kaeding drills a 53-yarder to win the game and the Chargers are right back in the hunt after beating the Raiders 17-14. This game will come back to haunt me, I just know it. Even with the tough loss, though, my Madden IQ jumps to 657 with increases in both pass and rush defense. If only I played better D against LT at the end and wrapped him up. Oh well.

After the loss, I decide to take a break from my Raiders (they have a bye in Week 5 anyway) and try one of the new features in the game called Madden Moments. Here, EA takes the best moments from last season and you are given the opportunity to sometimes repeat history, sometimes reverse it depending on the situation you're thrown into. The first is called Phins Win and you take over the Dolphins as they try to stun the Ravens for their first win of the season. It's 3rd and 8 in overtime from the Miami 36 and you need to drive down field and score a touchdown to complete the moment. Did it my first try. I pretty much rolled through the first few challenges with ease until I got to Dawg Pound Unleashed where you take over the Browns with 26 seconds remaining down 30-27 to the Ravens. In real life, the Browns drove down and got in position for the game-tying field goal. In Madden, you need to score the touchdown and win. Oh, and did I mention you're at your own 20 yard line? I actually spend the next 45 minutes trying this challenge over and over until finally I complete a deep out to Braylon Edwards who breaks one tackle before heading into the end zone with an 80-yard reception. Man, that was tough, but there's something addictive about getting thrown into these last minute situations.

I completely lose track of time, though, and end up playing these Madden Moments for three hours. The only thing that bugs me about the mode is that you're trying to recreate something that happened last season but you're forced to use the 09 rosters. So when you take over the Eagles and try to shock the Patriots in Week 12, you're actually playing the moment with Donovan McNabb as your quarterback, and the fact that he was injured last season made this game and the close score even more improbable.

There are 34 moments in all, everything from that crazy Ravens/Patriots game to the Super Bowl, and in three hours I was able to knock out 11 while eating cold pizza and tucking my daughter back into bed after she heard me playing video games and wanted to get in on an impromptu Rock Band jam (she's three and loves to sing Blitzkrieg Bop  hey, ho, let's go!).

Week 6 and the 3-1 Raiders face the 3-2 Saints in New Orleans. This is the game where Ronald Curry steps up and establishes himself as not only the best basketball player in the NFL, but the best receiver on my team. He grabs nine passes for 110 yards and a touchdown as the Raiders pound the Saints 24-3, upping my IQ to 672 in the process.

You know what, I don't know if it's 5 a.m. speaking or what, but it's not inconceivable that the Raiders get off to a hot start in real life like they are doing in Madden. Their early schedule has some very winnable games. If JaMarcus can limit his mistakes (if only he could rewind interceptions like the video game), the Raiders could follow Madden and shock the NFL with a 4-1 start (or at least win three of five, beating the Chiefs, Broncos, and Bills)? Then again, if JaMarcus is terrible, this could be a very, very long year in Oakland.