Awareness: How Important is It?

[specopbookie]

The Question: For What Positions Does Awareness Contribute to Field Play?

I know, I know; We've talked about this quite a bit. but I've searched the forums and can not find a definitive answer.

Firstly, we all know Awareness is the most substantial trait when determining Overall. But for players like me, we don't really care what the Overall of the player is, we just want him to play well.

After reading a little; the general theory is that Awareness for defensive positions is useless because of the Play Recognition attribute. Until EA flat out tells us, or an in depth study is conducted, we'll really never know. I'm going to avoid including Awareness in any of my decisions in my defensive players until a more valid source comes along and tells me otherwise.

The general consensus for Offensive players:

QBs: No effect if you're user controlling them; for simming, the ability to see receivers, make decisions quickly, and predict a defensive player's movement

HBs: No effect if you're user controlling them; For Simming; little to nothing again, Ball Carrier Vision is an HB's awareness

TE and WR: The time it takes to become available to receive a pass, the ability to react to an incoming pass, and ability to react to the defense while the ball is in the air

Oline: This, i Have NO IDEA. I cannot find any literature on anyone's theory's or small studies they've done to see how AWR affects the O-line. It has been stated a few times that it's perceived that AWR directly relates to the O-Line player's ability to see an incoming defender and make a block, or, if low awareness, miss a block entirely. Can anyone confirm this? If so, what is their pass and run block attributes for? How long they can hold a block? And Strength? Ability to push a defender back or keep a defender from pushing them back during a block possibly?

This is all I have for now. When we get the ability to edit players, I'll be conducting an AWR experiment to further get a grasp on what it does for each position.

Lastly, does anyone have any advice on boosting a player's Awareness? Should I for certain positions or just leave it alone entirely? Maybe a happy medium?

[CheesHd09]

Second this discussion

[Jimi XIII]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

Yeah, I used to think AWR for WRs made them more aware of the sidelines and stuff like that but now with the trait for those types of catches I have no clue what it's really for. It's weird especially since it has such a dramatic effect on OVR ratings.

[vrock627]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

i always figured oline awareness helped them pickup blitz's

[maltliquor84]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

AWR does make a difference, but don't confuse it with play recognition.

AWR on defense, based on my experience, is a players ability to read where the ball is at all times and make plays accordingly.

Play Recognition on the other hand, if high, allows for defenders to not get fooled on draws or play action as well as determine if it's run or pass, and because of this you see players with higher PR jumping routes or hitting running lanes because they know whats going on.

But both of those are purely for the CPU and have no effect when you're in control.

[Frenchy180]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

Awareness and PRC are what I try and improve most with my safeties, since it's rare that I ever control them... If I don't control a position, I care about their awareness, if I do, it can be low and I don't mind.

[KBLover]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

The general consensus for Offensive players:

QBs: No effect if you're user controlling them; for simming, the ability to see receivers, make decisions quickly, and predict a defensive player's movement

HBs: No effect if you're user controlling them; For Simming; little to nothing again, Ball Carrier Vision is an HB's awareness

TE and WR: The time it takes to become available to receive a pass, the ability to react to an incoming pass, and ability to react to the defense while the ball is in the air

Oline: This, i Have NO IDEA. I cannot find any literature on anyone's theory's or small studies they've done to see how AWR affects the O-line. It has been stated a few times that it's perceived that AWR directly relates to the O-Line player's ability to see an incoming defender and make a block, or, if low awareness, miss a block entirely. Can anyone confirm this? If so, what is their pass and run block attributes for? How long they can hold a block? And Strength? Ability to push a defender back or keep a defender from pushing them back during a block possibly?

Must be different in M13.

In M12 - QB AWR impacted me in what "I could get away with" as well as how well the defenders reacted to my passes (that ball awareness someone else mentioned). Seemed like my QB AWR vs defender(s) AWR. I know when I switched to my high AWR but otherwise raw young QB in my Tampa franchise, I could "get away with" more throws than when I had an aging Gabbert, who had better accuracy, but like half (almost literally) the AWR.

For HBs - seemed to impact blocking (picking up blitzes/free runners/giving help and blocking more "correctly" on run plays and downfield for a ball carrier. BCV does help the back read space/daylight for CPU runners. For both - either BCV/AWR might give a "boost" to the OL/blockers, much like the KR rating.

For TE/WR - Maybe ball awareness like defenders? Do more aware receivers read space better? Make better reads on option routes? Comeback to the QB/read space when the QB is scrambling?

In M12 - OL awareness seemed to impact blitz pickup and moving to make the block (i.e. "I need to block this guy", then it was said PBF determined if they could get there and PBS determined if they could hold the block - and likewise for run plays, except using RBS/F, of course).

[specopbookie]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

Great stuff guys. I'm beginning to think that Awareness is detrimental for the O-Line. I have a couple young studs with amazing block and strength ratings, but their Awareness is in the 50s and they slip their blocks frequently. It's a cheap attribute to upgrade, so for any position, getting it to sub 80s shouldn't take long, however, I often wonder if I would be better off spending those points on Block Shedding and Play Recognition for my defense, and other intangibles for my offense. Maybe, just maybe, Awareness does matter alot, thus being the contributing factor to a player's OVR, and we're all over looking it. I can't wait to be able to edit my rosters and do some season long tests.

[KBLover]

Re: Awareness: How Important is It?

Great stuff guys. I'm beginning to think that Awareness is detrimental for the O-Line. I have a couple young studs with amazing block and strength ratings, but their Awareness is in the 50s and they slip their blocks frequently.

I wonder if AWR for OL helps them detect changes in directions and/or the move used by the DL. So a more aware lineman will detect the defender is using a rip or a swim or whatever and then get a "bonus" to sustain the block.

It would make sense - I mean if I'm blocking someone like Freeney, I would need to be able to react to what he's doing when he suddenly changes his rush angle, etc. If I can't see what he's planning while engaged, the move is going to beat me/make me cause a hold.

It's a cheap attribute to upgrade, so for any position, getting it to sub 80s shouldn't take long, however, I often wonder if I would be better off spending those points on Block Shedding and Play Recognition for my defense, and other intangibles for my offense. Maybe, just maybe, Awareness does matter alot, thus being the contributing factor to a player's OVR, and we're all over looking it. I can't wait to be able to edit my rosters and do some season long tests.

Depends the position on defense, imo.

For LBs and DBs, I would not skimp on AWR. Even if you user one of them, you'll still want the others to have a shot of making the correct play/have good ball awareness. LBs do need BSH too, and PRC (I think PRC is underweighted in OVR, unless it's as high as AWR), and you don't want them too clueless on coverage, though that is probably the one that can lag without too much harm (except on the MLB, especially if you run the classic Cover 2 where the MLB needs to take the deep middle zone or you like to leave the MLB to patrol the intermediate middle in your scheme while the Sam and Will bring pressure/cover man).

For the DL, AWR is still useful, but I would favor BSH and PRC over AWR. DL tend not to need to be super aware of the ball, mostly just ferocious about occupying blockers (so the LBs and Ss, the ones who need to be heavily ball aware can flow and penetrate) and breaking down the pocket so you can lighten up on the blitzes/use blitz as a change of pace instead of a requirement to get pressure.

On offense, QB, OL, and FB, I like solid AWR if I can get it. A good blocking RB can be big in protections (especially even how it can play out in Madden - I don't know if DTs are too good at pass rushing in M13, but in M12, it could be vital, especially until you wear them down. TE/WR - I'll take if I get it, but I think hands (CTH/CIT/SPC) and good routes are more important. Breakaway speed and blocking are nice bonuses (though I tend to run a short pass type offense with a few shots or bubble screens)

I do think it takes large differences to really matter on the field (sadly). Going from 70 to 80 - might not see a big deal, but 60 to 90 would probably show up consistently, especially depending on your slider settings.