I agree not having competition is a problem for us the consumer because they can take the approach of not letting us customize the rosters and share them the way you can with other games. You have to buy the next game to get different rosters and they can milk us for every game they can sell. I think the two points, yours and mine, are related in that sense.
I do disagree with the no drive. I think it has to do with a lack of proper direction. Franchise mode this year(year and a half development as well as the entire Head Coach game which I believe was a minor league testing ground for this step) and presentation/commentary(which I put in because of the year and half dev. time and will be done next year) are indications of drive that is properly channeled. Or maybe they had lacked drive and now it is back. But I do see drive now.