Here's how it worked:
Madden 2001 (2000 season) Eddie George. Curse didn't really affect him that season, he had a big year offensively. The Titans had the best record in the NFL...and lost their only playoff game to the Ravens. As for George, he never made it back to the Pro Bowl. Hmmm.
Madden 2002 (2001 season) Daunte Culpepper. Missed 5 games, had a TD/INT ratio of 14/13, and the Vikings finished 5-11. The previous year, the Vikings were 11-5 and Culpepper was a Pro Bowler. Unlike George, Culpepper returned to the Pro Bowl a few more times in his career. Alas, now he's part of the soon to be 0-16 Detroit Lions.
Madden 2003 (2002 season) Marshall Faulk. Just the guy you want on the cover after an epic Super Bowl defeat! Made it to the Pro Bowl on name reputation alone, but never ran for 1,000 yards again and the Rams missed the playoffs.
Madden 2004 (2003 season) Michael Vick. Gets on the cover, five days later, injured in a preseason game, misses most of the season, Falcons miss the playoffs after making it the previous year. Vick is now in jail.
Madden 2005 (2004 season) Ray Lewis. Performed admirably while battling injury, but the Ravens miss the playoffs by 1 game.
Madden 06 (2005 season) Donovan McNabb. Went to the Super Bowl the previous year. Then goes on the cover, suffers a sports hernia injury, and goes on injured reserve through midseason. The Eagles miss the playoffs.
Madden 07 (2006 season) Shaun Alexander. Coming off an MVP season, Alexander's performance suffers significant. LaDainian Tomlinson breaks the rushing TD record that Alexander had just set the previous year. Alexander is now out of the league.
Madden 08 (2007 season) Vince Young. Sucks, teams makes the playoffs only by the grace of the Dungy/Fisher gropefest in Week 17, gets beat by the Chargers first round. Now the clipboard holder for Kerry Collins.
And of course, you have Favre, who may take down two franchises at the same time.
Also, I could have saved a lot of time typing if I had found
this earlier. But anyway, there you have it.