I disagree, this game is completely about football. It's ALL about schemes, gameplan, and matchups. If you play it like Madden, where all you have to do is pick a play and make one basic adjustment, you will get burnt. You need to keep a close eye on your matchups, shading inside/outside helps a lot, and the shells you're running can also make a difference.
There is not a handful of plays that are the be all, end all in this game. Nor is there a set of plays that can be applied repeatedly. Each person you face, you're going to have to adjust the plays you're calling, and against good players you'll be adjusting throughout the game.
Also, there's no magic defenders in this game. Unlike Madden you can't expect a DB to lock down a defender one on one for an entire game. Unless, it's an extremely favorable matchup. That's why it's important to have help over the top if they're going deep. Or, bump off the line to slow the WR down, with zone help deep. The possibilities and strategies you can use are endless. It just takes time to adjust.