Monday, December 19, 2011

Inconsistencies - Madden 12 QB accuracy rating and attributes.

     For years I have thought that accuracy ratings and attributes for quarterbacks in Madden have been inconsistent based on statistics. This year it seemed to stand out more with some high profile rookies and certain quarterbacks that continue to be flat out overrated.

     Below are three tables I put together using the most current Madden 12 ratings (as of 12/19/11), and the most current quarterback statistics (12/19/11). The statistics were gathered from www.nfl.com and www.sports.yahoo.com, both websites had the same stats for each player. I selected 14 quarterbacks to compare and I added four starting rookie quarterbacks for the first comparison. I have compared the completion percentage and quarterback rating of this season, 3-year average, and career for the 14 main quarterbacks. These quarterbacks would be considered good to average by most people, with the exception of Eli Manning. Eli seems a little out of place on this list, but you will see that when it comes to career completion percentage he fits.

     Please note that Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford are only in their second seasons, but I did include them into the 3 year average comparison. I thought it was important for them to be compared to the others in the 3 years average because they really standout as overrated quarterbacks in this group.

     I put the table in order by completion percentage since this blog is focused on accuracy ratings and attributes. I included the quarterback rating because I was curious if it had an impact on how accuracy was determined by EA.

%Deep = Percentage of pass attempts >15 yards (www.advancednflstats.com)

2011 Stats Current Madden 12 attributes
Name QB Rating Comp% THA SAC MAC DAC PAC %Deep
Fitzpatrick 80.8 62.3 85 89 82 69 77 17.9
Smith 91.5 61.7 83 88 82 75 74 17.0
E. Manning 91.7 61.6 89 91 89 85 90 29.0
Freeman 73.5 61.3 80 86 76 74 67 13.5
Moore 88.7 60.8 81 86 79 73 70 25.4
Jackson 79.2 60.7 75 77 74 73 56 20.2
Vick 80.6 59.9 82 84 85 85 79 22.2
Palmer 77.7 59.8 84 83 81 85 82 29.3
Newton 82.3 59.6 85 88 82 83 74 27.2
Cassel 76.6 59.5 83 87 82 70 81 22.7
Dalton 81.0 59.0 85 87 81 82 81 19.3
Cutler 85.7 58.0 84 88 84 87 71 18.2
Kolb 81.1 57.7 77 84 77 69 72 16.6
McCoy 74.6 57.2 84 86 79 64 63 14.0
Sanchez 82.2 56.9 83 88 84 76 81 21.5
Ponder 72.3 54.5 85 87 84 72 75 21.3
Bradford 70.5 53.5 85 90 80 73 76 22.5
Gabbert 65.6 50.6 77 86 74 64 69 18.5
Avg 79.8 58.6 82.6 86.4 80.8 75.5 74.3
2009-2011 Stats (3yr avg) Current Madden 12 attributes
Name QB Rating Comp% THA SAC MAC DAC PAC
E. Manning 90.0 62.3 89 91 89 85 90
Vick 90.7 61.1 82 84 85 85 79
Palmer 81.9 60.9 84 83 81 85 82
Jackson 78.9 60.7 75 77 74 73 56
Smith 85.0 60.6 83 88 82 75 74
Kolb 80.7 60.0 77 84 77 69 72
Cutler 82.1 59.9 84 88 84 87 71
Freeman 78.9 59.8 80 86 7674 67
Moore 82.7 59.6 81 86 79 73 70
Fitzpatrick 79.0 59.4 85 89 82 69 77
McCoy 74.5 58.4 84 86 79 64 63
Bradford 74.2 57.6 85 90 80 73 76
Cassel 80.0 57.2 83 87 82 70 81
Sanchez 74.3 55.3 83 88 84 76 81
Avg 80.9 59.5 82.5 86.2 81.0 75.6 74.2
Career Stats Current Madden 12 attributes
Name QB RatingComp% THA SAC MAC DAC PAC
Palmer 86.2 62.7 84 83 81 85 82
Cutler 84.5 61.1 84 88 84 87 71
Freeman 78.9 59.8 80 86 76 74 67
Jackson 77.6 59.5 75 77 74 73 56
Kolb 76.7 59.4 77 84 77 69 72
Moore 80.1 59.1 81 86 79 73 70
Fitzpatrick 75.3 59.1 85 89 82 69 77
Cassel 82.5 59.0 83 87 82 70 81
E. Manning 81.8 58.5 89 91 89 85 90
McCoy 74.5 58.4 84 86 79 64 63
Smith 75.9 58.0 83 88 82 75 74
Bradford 74.2 57.6 85 90 80 73 76
Vick 80.2 55.9 82 84 85 85 79
Sanchez 74.3 55.3 83 88 84 76 81
Avg78.8 58.8 82.5 86.2 81.0 75.6 74.2


    There are several things that stand out in these tables.  None of those things show any kind of consistency in how EA rates quarterback accuracy in Madden 12 when it comes to non-elite quarterbacks.  To be far, I have not found a website that breaks down quarterback accuracy by SAC, MAC, DAC, and PAC.  I did find that www.advancednflstats.com provides the percent of pass attempts thrown over 15 yards, not the percentage completed.  According to www.advancednflstats.com, Josh Freeman and Colt McCoy attempt the fewest percentage of passes over 15 yards on this list.  You can draw some asumptions from the percent of passes thrown over 15 yards, but nothing concrete about how well they thrown deep passes.

    Below are some things that jumped out at me after reviewing the tables:

- QB rating does not seem to be a consistent factor in rating passing attributes.

- Current season, 3-year average, and career completion percentage does not appear to be a consistent factor in rating passing attributes.

- What have Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and Sam Bradford done to show they deserves their current attributes?  According to the table, nothing.

- Christian Ponder is extremely overrated based on what he has done this year.

- Blaine Gabbert has no business having a SAC of 86 when he completes 50.6% percent of his passes and according to AFS, 81.5% of his pass attempts are less than 15 yards.

- While Eli Manning's 3-year average supports him being rated high this year, Mark Sanchez  is dead last in 3-years average and is rated above average in all passing attributes. (Update:  To be clear, I am saying that Manning has earned his rating based on the last 3 seasons, but Sanchez has not.  Sorry if that was confusing.)

- Besides being on a team that is not very popular, what has Tavaris Jackson done this year or over his career that supports him having the lowest THA of this group.  In all of the tables he stands out as being neglected by EA.

    I do not claim to be a professional statistician, but I believe these numbers show a clear inconsistency in the THA attribute, as well as all other passing attributes.  If I find some statistics to show NFL quarterback accuracy in the SAC, MAC, DAC, and PAC areas, I will incorporate that into these tables.  Please comment if you think I am way off base here, or if you have any other input.

1 comment: