Spotlight - Cornerback (CB) Tackle (TAK) attribute

    This is going to be the first in a series of posts that will focus on the tackle (TAK) attribute in Madden 12.  My plan is to do every defensive position and then maybe have one final tackle (TAK) blog that wraps them all together.  Cornerback (CB) is the first position I decided to look at.  I selected 29 CBs in Madden, from some of the best in TAK attribute to some of the worst.  I intentionally selected big name CBs and have included some rookies as well.

    I started out by looking at their solo tackle stats and missed tackle stats up to week 16 of 2011 through 2009.  I used stats from ProFootballFocus.com to get missed tackles (MT) and solo tackles (Solo).  PFF does not include sacks in their solo tackles stat, so I added any sacks a player had to their solo tackles for my tables.  I decided to use the MT information and solo tackle information to come up with a MT%.  A percentage is a better figure to use than just the total MTs.  To come up with this percentage, I divided MTs by (Solo + MTs).  It should be noted, that I did not include tackle assists for this calculation.  I have emailed PFF to see if they count MTs on attempted assists or just solo tackle attempts.  I have yet to receive a reply.  After looking at all the stats for CBs, most of them have very few assists.  Even without the tackle assists, I believe this MT% gives us a good idea of how well each player performs the act of tackling.   I will admit that it's not an exact science.  That said,  I believe using something like MT% is a more accurate way to rate the TAK attribute for Madden 12 players.  Of course, we have no idea what the current procedure is for determining the TAK rating in Madden 12.

    The following is two of my tables, one is for 2011 and one is a 3 year total (2009 -  Week 16, 2011):

TAK = Madden 12 tackle attribute as of Week 16 roster update

Solo = ProFootballFocus solo tackles + sacks (PFF does not record a solo tackle for sacks)

MT = Missed tackles per ProFootballFocus

MT% = MTs/(SoloTak + MTs)

* = Rookie or 1st year player

2011 Season		2011	2011	2011
CB's	TAK	Solo	MT	MT%
Winfield	86	37	2	5%
Haden	58	55	3	5%
Browner*	65	49	3	6%
Newman	42	45	3	6%
Sherman*	53	43	3	7%
C.Harris*	62	56	4	7%
A. Williams*	70	26	2	7%
A.Jefferson*	63	64	5	7%
Taylor	66	34	3	8%
Revis	64	44	4	8%
Gilchrist*	70	21	2	9%
Tillman	70	88	9	9%
Rogers	65	37	4	10%
Webb	62	59	7	11%
Jammer	63	42	5	11%
Routt	55	45	6	12%
Clements	72	52	7	12%
Grimes	53	42	6	13%
Joseph	52	44	7	14%
P. Peterson*	66	39	7	15%
Cromartie	54	36	7	16%
Woodson	66	69	15	18%
Bailey	66	34	8	19%
Talib	52	34	8	19%
Greer	56	65	17	21%
Gamble	55	36	10	22%
D. Robinson	64	42	12	22%
Asomugha	57	35	11	24%
Barber	66	67	22	25%
Average	61.83	46.21	6.97	13%
Totals		1340	202	13%

3 year MT%		09'-11'	09'-11'	09'-11'
CB's	TAK	Solo	MT	MT%
Haden	58	107	5	4%	10'-11'
Browner*	65	49	3	6%
Winfield	86	165	11	6%
Sherman*	53	43	3	7%
C.Harris*	62	56	4	7%
Newman	42	175	13	7%
A. Williams*	70	26	2	7%
A.Jefferson*	63	64	5	7%
Tillman	70	229	19	8%
Routt	55	118	11	9%
Gilchrist*	70	21	2	9%
Taylor	66	141	14	9%
Bailey	66	141	14	9%
Revis	64	118	12	9%
Webb	62	137	14	9%
Clements	72	154	17	10%
Joseph	52	150	18	11%
Rogers	65	120	15	11%
Talib	52	127	17	12%
Jammer	63	131	20	13%
Woodson	66	215	35	14%
Cromartie	54	109	18	14%
Grimes	53	172	29	14%
P. Peterson*	66	39	7	15%
D. Robinson	64	148	27	15%
Greer	56	164	31	16%
Barber	66	207	50	19%
Gamble	55	70	18	20%
Asomugha	57	84	24	22%
Total		3480	458	12%
Average	61.8			12%

Final thoughts and observations:

1.  The cumulative 3 year MT% (12%) for these 29 CBs and the 2011 MT% (13%) are very similar.  As a group, these 29 CBs are pretty consistent.

2.  For many of these CB's their individual 2011 MT% is very similar to their 3 year MT%.  Does 3 years of data give us a good indication of how well a player performs the act of tackling?  I believe it does.

3.  Should Newman, Webb, Revis, Routt, and Haden really be rated lower in the tackle (TAK) attribute than some like Barber or even Charles Woodson (14% MTs in the last 3 years).  I know, Woodson is a shocker.  Since he is on my IDP fantasy team, I have had the "pleasure" of watching Woodson whiff  on many tackles this season.

4.  The really interesting part of this table, is that it actually shows some accurate ratings as well.  Asomugha,   Gamble, Grimes, and Greer are correctly rated below average.  You could argue that Asomugha and Gamble could actually be lower.  Than you have the Newman/Barber issue, which tops the list of inaccurate ratings.

Thanks for following my blogs.  I hope you enjoy this one.  Remember, this is the first in a series of tackle (TAK) attribute blogs.  I plan to do either safeties or ILB next.  Happy New Year.  Please, "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE" tonight (or any night for that matter) and don't let anyone else drink and drive.