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	76	74	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 Rating	Comp%	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
Avg	78.8	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.