Week 2: San Diego Chargers at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 2 in Philadelphia goes down to the wire. I suggest you get comfy. This one's a great game.

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Who is my team?

Madden 25 is here.

Time to pick my team for Franchise mode.

Only this year, it's a bit different. It's now called Connected Franchise, and you can take the role of either a player or coach (just like last year), or become the owner of an NFL team.

Just like I did with Missouri, I narrowed my choices down based on certain criteria. Compared to 120-plus Division I teams to choose from, it was easier to narrow down from 32 NFL teams.

Here's what I wanted to go with:

1) I needed a team who did terrible last year. There were many candidates. Many teams were absolutely atrocious. At the same time, I wanted a team who wasn't the Chiefs or the Jaguars. Kansas City has enough skilled-position players to make a run right out of the gate. Jacksonville is ... well, Jacksonville.

2) This team needed to be able to have a great shot to compete. Depending on where the team was going to go, I had to be sure that even though some holes needed to be filled, I wanted to ensure a chance to compete for a division title or wildcard berth.

3) I needed key positions to be filled, but at the same time, know which positions needed to be filled in the future. It's much easier to have players you know will stay, and know what you need to build through the draft. With that, certain teams need more than one position to be filled.

4) This team had to go through major changes in the offseason. New head coach, new players, new ways of thinking. As the owner of my team, I'd be open to making more changes if they see fit.

5) And most importantly, they needed to be a team worthy of relocation. Enough said.

So with that being said, the team I have selected for my Madden 25 Owner Mode is...

The San Diego Chargers.

Everything I just mentioned, the Chargers fit that bill more than any team in Madden 25. The closest to that was the New York Jets, but in terms of immediate impact, the Chargers are better suited.

Going down the list of criteria:

The Chargers were god-awful last year. At least for their standards, it was a beyond-poor year. They went 7-9 and came nowhere close to making the playoffs. The AFC West race was over by Week 12. Denver ran roughshod through the division and coasted.

But even though that was the case, San Diego has a chance to compete. There are only six or seven teams in the AFC with a realistic chance of making it to the playoffs. Even though San Diego had the year it had in 2012, that could change if the Chargers string a few wins together.

With the schedule they have though, it won't be easy. 

I know without even looking at the depth chart which positions need to be filled for San Diego heading into 2014. Philip Rivers needs a second wide receiver opposite Malcolm Floyd not named Antonio Gates, for instance. We'll see if Keenan Allen can become that guy. 

The Chargers also need help in the secondary. Derek Cox is the No. 1 defensive back with Antoine Cason leaving for Arizona, and Quentin Jammer now with the division-rival Broncos. Cox played his first four years with Jacksonville. The battle for the No. 2 spot will be against Shareece Wright and William Middleton.

Not very promising. 

Also need to see if one of the young guys can play strong safety opposite Eric Weddle. That will come down to Darrell Stuckey, Marcus Gilchrist and Brandon Taylor.

And, of course, the running back spot. Can Ryan Matthews become the back that the Chargers need? Or is it time to look in another direction.

Next, a complete overhaul. The Chargers named Mike McCoy as their new head coach. I'll give McCoy a couple of years (maybe) to work with this team, but if I don't see progression right away, I won't be hesitant to make a change.

Along with grabbing McCoy are two rookies who can bring impact right away on both sides of the ball. The Chargers drafted Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker with the 11th pick in the NFL Draft, who can start right away on the left side. In the second round, San Diego took the chance on drafting Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and all of the baggage he left college with.

Nevertheless, Te'o is someone who can play the second middle linebacker spot right away, opposite rising star Donald Butler.

San Diego also made a huge move in the offseason by bringing in Dwight Freeney after 11 years in Indianapolis. We'll see if this change to the 3-4 in San Diego is better than Indy, as the 33-year-old pass rusher still has a lot in the tank.'

And finally, relocation. I think there's a good chance on where I could move the Chargers, but I'll let you ponder that.

But I'm rolling with the Chargers. Enjoy the show.