NFL notebook: Madden NFL 18 predicts Patriots' win

EA Sports, using its Madden NFL 18 simulation, projects the New England Patriots will win their sixth Super Bowl title and Tom Brady will be named MVP for the fifth time. EA Sports predicts the Patriots will win another close game in the Super Bowl by forecasting a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Last season, the game predicted the Patriots would pull off a late comeback in the fourth quarter while overcoming a 10-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots were projected to win 27-24; the actual final score was 34-28 in overtime. Madden NFL began simulations starting with Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, accurately predicting the Patriots beating the Carolina Panthers. In fourteen simulations, the predicted winner has been the actual winner of the Super Bowl 10 times. --A raucous crowd greeted the New England Patriots at a rally in Foxborough, Mass., before the team headed to Minneapolis for Sunday's Super Bowl. Tom Brady was the last of several players to address the crowd, which held up numerous signs, including one that read: "Just like Tom Brady, this never gets old." Tight end Rob Gronkowski also appeared on stage but did not address the crowd. He has been in the concussion protocol since exiting the AFC title game with a helmet-to-helmet hit, but returned to participate in some drills Saturday. "For those of you who are going to Minnesota, we will see you there. For those of you who aren't, we know you'll be cheering your hearts out, and we'll see you Monday," coach Bill Belichick told the crowd. --Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is again in the top spot for total sales in officially licensed NFL player merchandise. Prescott is the third player to be No. 1 for two consecutive quarters, joining Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant. Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott was No. 2 on the NFL Players Association Top 25 Players Sale list, followed by a trio of quarterbacks -- New England's Tom Brady, Philadelphia's Carson Wentz and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. --The Cleveland Indians on Monday said they will no longer display the controversial Chief Wahoo logo as part of their uniform in 2019. The baseball team's decision prompted a new challenge by The Change the Mascot campaign for the Washington Redskins to change their nickname. Oneida Nation representative Ray Halbritter is the leader of the campaign and posted a statement on the movement's website saying Washington owner Dan Snyder "needs to look at Cleveland's move and then look in the mirror and ask whether he wants to be forever known as the most famous purveyor of bigotry in modern sports, or if he wants to finally stand on the right side of history and change his team's name." Snyder repeatedly has resisted calls for changes to the nickname and logo. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that a trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes on free speech rights. --The NFL's catch rule has been a source of frustration from coaches, players and fans and commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday he is seeking some changes to the rule. "I'm not just somewhat concerned (about the rule)," Goodell said during an interview with "The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "I am concerned. It's particularly in going to the ground that I think is creating a lot of the confusion." During the interview, Goodell also said he brokered a summit of five Hall of Fame receivers and several coaches to discuss the rule. The meeting occurred shortly after the controversial ending to New England's Week 15 win at Pittsburgh on Dec. 17. --Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood was all set to retire with family, teammates and former teammates (including LeSean McCoy and Ryan Fitzpatrick), friends and team personnel who were ready to celebrate the longtime center's career, which was ending because of a neck injury. But after keeping those assembled waiting for nearly an hour, Wood appeared and read a statement that took about 90 seconds to say he still was on the Bills' roster and looked forward to helping the team in some capacity. According to multiple reports, the reason for the awkward news conference is a result of salary cap issues Wood's retirement presents. If the Bills place the nine-year veteran on the reserve/retired list before June 1, his cap number jumps from its current $8.625 million to $10.39 million. --Cincinnati Bengals long snapper Clark Harris is now a Guinness World Record holder. Harris set the record a few days before the game while practicing. His long snap of 36 yards, 8 inches crushed the old record of 36 feet. "Lifelong dream right here. Honestly is, really is," he told reporters. --The Kansas City Chiefs made several coaching changes, including parting ways with longtime linebackers coach Gary Gibbs. Gibbs, 65, spent the last nine seasons with the team and eight years coaching Kansas City's linebackers. He worked under three head coaches Todd Haley (2009-2011), Romeo Crennel (2012) and current head coach Andy Reid. Besides parting ways with Gibbs, the team also promoted six coaches Mike Kafka, Mark DeLeone, Mike Smit, Corey Matthaei, Joe Bleymaier and Terry Bradden. --The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a pair of coaching moves, promoting Skyler Fulton to wide receivers coach and announcing Todd Monken will focus exclusively on his offensive coordinator responsibilities. Fulton spent last season as an offensive assistant coach while Monken was responsible for calling the plays on offense and coaching the wide receivers. Fulton played three seasons for Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter at Arizona State. Monken has spent the last two seasons as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach after going 13-25 in three seasons as the head coach of Southern Mississippi. --The Carolina Panthers re-signed reserve offensive lineman Greg Van Roten to a two-year deal. Van Roten signed on the eve of training camp last July and made the team after playing well during the preseason, especially at left guard. During the regular season, Van Roten appeared in 10 games, mostly on special teams. He received nine of his 10 snaps on offense as a center in Carolina's win over the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 13.