Every July, both casual and hardcore fans of the Madden series patiently count down the days until its August release. As teams bring in new players through the draft, and make moves in Free Agency, a team that was a pretender the previous year can suddenly become a contender the next. As such, this year’s Madden promises not only improved gameplay and graphics, but new strategies and the use of teams that were less utilized last year. Here are some of the wildcards that you will have to take into account when you start up Madden 09 in August.

The Oakland Raiders. It would appear that gone are the days of the Silver and Black being neglected by the majority of Madden gamers. With the additions of playmakers Darren McFadden and Javon Walker on offense, as well as DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson on defense, the Raiders have the formula for an amazing return to Madden glory. Combine those players with arguably the fastest defense in the league, and the Raiders will be an explosive threat this year.

Toned down spectacular and strafe catching. While spectacular catch was a new addition to Madden 08, strafe catching has been around for a handful of Maddens. Although casual players were not as quick to master these techniques, the majority of the top ballers quickly found that by utilizing these abilities well, it was much easier to rack up the W’s. However, according to EA, both of these tactics have been greatly toned down. With the inability to constantly use these animations, a high amount of players will have to greatly adjust their gameplay in order to have the same success they did last year.

Last but certainly not least, we have the return of offensive line slide protection, and formation substitutions. As much as “nano” and other overload blitzes were used in the tournament and online scene last year, these features ensure that playing under center will be a much more realistic possibility. The potential to create game-changing mismatches is now even higher, and players on defense will either make the proper adjustments and shut the offense down, or watch as their opponent celebrates a touchdown.

Of course, this is just a sample of what Madden 09 brings to the table this year. The only ways to discover everything that the 20th installment of the Madden franchise has to offer is to go out and buy it, and to visit MaddenGurus.com, where you’ll find the best Madden 09 tips, strategies from the best of the best, and unparalleled discussion forums.