To me having the game missing the cpu sliders really is the same as having a car that is missing the 4th tire: the game is not playable offline vs cpu and the car can't be driven. I know my copy of Madden has been collecting dust while it waits for the cpu sliders being added back in.
I think it comes down to this: the hardcore sim players need all the features and we need them to work properly. If you are a casual arcade video football gamer then the game probably does seem fine to you with the work arounds that somewhat fix the problems.