Route Running Rating

[LocDawg5050]

Hello guys!
So I was sitting here taking a look at the "workings" of rating and there is yet another rating that has me scratching my head. ROUTE RUNNING. At first glance this seems to be common sense, however....im having trouble visually seeing the difference between a 80 route running reciver vs a 90 plus route running receiver. Is it their ability to get open while running their route? Is it the sharpness of their cuts? Their ability to find a hole in coverage and sit in it? To date the only thing I see that is noticeable would be the RELEASE. Getting off the line of scrimmage after the snap while being covered in man press.

Anyway fellas, just looking to get some more insight on what elements of route running this is measuring and why. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[Playmakers]

Short Route Running
The ability of a player to create separation when they break on short routes (slant, short dig, etc.)
Medium Route Running
The ability of a player to create separation when they break on medium routes (Standard Out, Standard In, etc.)
Deep Route Running
The ability of a player to create separation when they break on deep routes (deep post, various play action routes)


Keep in mind this doesn't take into account the DB's man and zone coverage rating


Here's what I read from EA a few years back

In Madden NFL 16, man press made defensive backs stick to receivers effortlessly. It forced guys to resort to motion routes, and the same type of routes, to beat it. This year, an enhanced Win/Loss system has been created to ensure that any route with a cut has the potential to get open against this coverage. Man press is a two part battle and it all starts with the chuck. Using a slant as an example, when the receiver wins, he’ll successfully fight off the corner to gain inside leverage. Just like previous years, this part of the interaction is dictated by “Press” and “Release” ratings. The second portion of this change is the cut move. In the case of a slant, if the receiver wins here, he’ll get enough separation when he cuts toward the middle of the field for the quarterback to complete the throw. How often the receiver wins the cut is still based off of “Route Running” ability versus the corner’s “Man Coverage.” Keep in mind that a receiver who loses the chuck can still win on the cut, and vice versa. Also, just as you can use any route with a cut to beat man now, routes that seemed to get open more often before can easily get locked down. This places an emphasis on a player’s ability to quickly recognize if there’s enough space following the cut to zip the pass to their guy. The new man coverage system overall results in it being more balanced and true to ratings in Madden NFL 17.

[Dagan]

I almost started a thread on this because after this last patch, I think this rating actually matters more. Guys that I always had do just fine on quick slants and comeback routes are suddenly looking like clueless rookies and nowhere near where they should be. I checked their ratings, and sure enough, they had low numbers for short and medium route running. 50-65 rating range is what I'm talking about.

I'll have to keep an eye on other ratings for changes, of course, now. This patch definitely changed things more than what they mentioned.

[CM Hooe]

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but - I have always been under the impression that the route running ratings only matter if there is a defender in man coverage against the receiver running his route, be it from a called man coverage (ex. Cover 2 Man) or a defender matching into man coverage (ex. Cover 4 Quarters). The route running rating vs the defender’s Man Coverage rating would determine how much separation is achieved by the receiver from the defender at the final cut of the route.

If you’re just testing receivers’ route running ratings against zone coverage or against air, I don’t think you will notice much difference, if any at all.

[Dagan]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but - I have always been under the impression that the route running ratings only matter if there is a defender in man coverage against the receiver running his route, be it from a called man coverage (ex. Cover 2 Man) or a defender matching into man coverage (ex. Cover 4 Quarters). The route running rating vs the defender’s Man Coverage rating would determine how much separation is achieved by the receiver from the defender at the final cut of the route. If you’re just testing receivers’ route running ratings against zone coverage or against air, I don’t think you will notice much difference, if any at all.

The differences I have been seeing are, in fact, against man coverage.

[PhillyPhanatic14]

This was something they made a big deal about on next gen last year so the effect everyone is seeing probably will differ depending on the console you're playing on. I'm not sure where their writeup on that is at but I think for next gen it relates to sharpness and precision on routes.

[khaliib]

In NG M21 they introduced the Next-Gen Stat application as it pertains to differing Run Cycle Animations for Route Running.

Previously Route separation was very "formula" dependent (still is on Last Gen), but for NG they transitioned to more "Animation" base to dictate the Tier Separation Amount on a Cut_Move.

I tried to get Clint to reference some different players so we can link different Route Run ratings to their triggering Animation types.... no go. lol

There is some under-the-hood info in a thread I started.

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but - I have always been under the impression that the route running ratings only matter if there is a defender in man coverage against the receiver running his route, be it from a called man coverage (ex. Cover 2 Man) or a defender matching into man coverage (ex. Cover 4 Quarters). The route running rating vs the defender’s Man Coverage rating would determine how much separation is achieved by the receiver from the defender at the final cut of the route. If you’re just testing receivers’ route running ratings against zone coverage or against air, I don’t think you will notice much difference, if any at all.

This would explain a lot, if true, and while I can't see under the hood, it seems to me like certain match coverages operate without a clear correlation between a WR's RR (and AWR, CTH, CIT) ratings and the coverage ratings of a given defender. I say this because it often happens that the top of route face-off between superior RR for me and the coverage ratings of disadvantaged safeties doesn't play out how I'd guess it would, which could be partially explained if the defender were not directly "facing off" against my RR rating due to coverage type.

Would love to know more!