I have NFL 2K3 and believe me, it beats Madden 2003 on almost every level. The only thing it lacks is depth in the franchise mode. But you can still do pretty much whatever you want, just not as many things as in Madden.
But the graphics are top-notch, the sounds are great, and the ESPN presentation totally owns. And its $20 less than Madden. Believe me, Sega knows sports.