I think part of the problem is the rating system altogether. I think it would be so awesome if they scrapped everything they had now and did something like NBA 2K11, with four categories for players. (Offensive skills, Defensive skills, Physical, Mental)
OFFENSIVE SKILLS
-Throw Power
-Throw Accuracy
-Touch (Some QBs are accurate but throw a very ugly ball, making it tough to catch, Drew Stanton comes to mind)
-Break Tackle (Power)*
-Elude Tackle (Finesse) *
-Carrying or Ball Security
-Hands (Certain hands ratings would make player more likely to make a spectacular catch. Also, this would affect a player's ability to pick up a fumble, making lineman hands ratings not totally useless
)
-Catch In Traffic (Great addition to the ratings about 2 years ago, and it needs to be more noticeable)
-Route Running
-Run Block
-Pass Block
-Blocking Power**
-Blocking Technique**
DEFENSIVE SKILLS
-Wrap Tackle
-Shoulder Tackle
-Low Tackle
Tackling is the MOST important defensive skill, therefore it should come first, also, this fits with people's ideas of different tackling styles.
-Pass Rush (Should be boiled down to one stat, and tendencies should decide how the player actually plays)
-Break Double Team
-Pursuit
-Play Recognition (Some may think these are mental, but they are entirely defensive skills. Mental will be a different thing altogether. Big stat for a LB in terms of them finding the ball)
-Man Coverage (Coverage styles could also be added into the game, making Press Coverage unnecessary as a rating)
-Zone Coverage
-Locate Ball (Now there could be a rating responsible for a defender ignoring or not ignoring a pass)
-Defend Pass (would work in with a players "Catch" rating to determine likelihood of INT or Breakup)
PHYSICAL SKILLS
-Speed
-Acceleration
-Quickness (If I rename this stat will you make it matter EA?)
-Jumping
-Stamina
-Durability
-Strength (Ah, Strength. The seemingly most useless physical attribute in the game. I really don't know how to make it work in the gameplay because it really is important in the game of football. Possibly a rating cap for power related attributes based on player's strength?)
MENTAL
-Offensive Awareness
-Defensive Awareness
(These would be a players ability to line up correctly, run the correct plays, and react to certain things like tipped passes, fumbles, etc.) NO MORE CHEESING BY LOWERING AWARENESS
-Clutch (A player's ability (or inability) to make plays in GAME CHANGING SITUATIONS (not just the 4th Q)
-Discipline (This would be not only a player's off the field stat in terms of them causing you trouble, but it would also work on the field. Penalties would come from players with low discipline much more often (true freshman anyone?))
-Emotion (Player's ability to play better based on Home Field Advantage or through positive momentum)
-Composure (Players ability to not play worse based on HFA or through a negative momentum swing)
*Side-note: I feel that the current rating system literally does nothing to determine the style of running back that a player actually is. In fact, I am willing to go deeper and go with a "play style" page after the ratings. I'll make another comment describing it. Also, the break tackle rating would affect all moves that have to do with that (stiff arm and trucking) while the Elude Tackle rating would deal with all moves that involve elusiveness (spin and juke, or even the overall slipperiness of the player).
OK That is all I have in terms of ratings. I will be posting a Tendency/Play Style comment later, but let me know what you all think about this. I would really appreciate constructive comments or new ideas. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION