If there's one game that deserves equal time as the highly  anticipatedMadden NFL 2001for the PlayStation2, it's Sega'sNFL  2K1. Game developer Visual Concepts tweaked the artificial intelligence  and improved the gameplay of the inaugural edition while  preserving the incredibly detailed graphics of the series.We recently put a preview copy of the game through its paces and immediately saw  some major improvements overNFL 2K. Many of the bugs that hampered the earlier  installment, such as the second-player difficulty in calling a time out, have  been fixed. Also, we found no lag problems in a half dozen tests of the game's  Internet mode. Sega is claiming that gamers who playNFL 2K1on SegaNet  (its online gaming service) will have no latency problem.NFL 2K1's running attack has been tweaked, and a juke option has been  added. Beyond that, backs have been given real-world balance as they make their  way through the line of scrimmage. For instance, they shift their weight and put  their shoulders down to gain yardage and deliver a blow instead of waiting to be  tackled. The quarterback animations have been redone, too, providing smoother  movements when they tuck the ball in and fake a run or unleash a bomb to a  streaking receiver.Gamers will find the same easy-to-navigate play-calling menus with some new  plays on offense and defense. A new franchise mode allows you to play general  manager and draft, trade, and release players to free up money under the salary  cap.In terms of who will win the Lombardi Trophy for sports game of the year, it  looks like Sega'sNFL 2K1will be a good bet in the office pool.--Todd Mowatt