The 2003 season saw the Madden cover turn Blue and Gold. In 2002 the Rams were defeated by the upstart Patriots in a game the Rams had no business losing. EA Sports confidently signed Running Back Marshall Falk to the Madden cover. Guess what? The Rams stumbled out of the gate, QB Kurt Warner had a terrible and admittedly, injury plagued, season (it was his backup Bolger who played well), and they ended the season woefully below 50%. Even Falk had a terrible time early in the season and walked out on an interview with HBOs Bob Costas in a huff. How could this have happened to a team who, despite some personnel losses, still possessed some of the finest players currently playing football? Was it bad luck? Bad coaching? Or was it the Madden curse?