Well that was helpful.
EDIT: My bad mavsman, I didn't realize you were the same person who posted up at the top. You gave some good insight into both games in your first post, so i apoligize for ^ that....
Anyway,
Coming from a fellow 2ker, I must say this game overall is good. Are the tackling animations up to par with those of 2k5? No. Is the presentation as good as 2k5? No. All of that was known since 2002. However, the precision passing (maximum passing) and the cone made it worth it for me. I know Sarah mentioned earlier that it wasn't very good, so it is just a matter of personal preference. I would suggest renting it from blockbuster first to see if you want it or not. Personally, I think it is more realistic than 2k5 and, atleast to me, is more fun.
Just my .02