I have always agree that the actually "vision cone" of the mechanic was what initially turned so many off about it, never really understood why a simple "lit icon" under the receivers within the "vision" of the QB wasn't used instead. That simple adjustment in concert with the double tap would have at least been better received, imo.
That said, the lack of the receivers being untethered from the pass and ball physics was still a core issue in Madden, no matter how well QB vision would've been implemented. I never had an issue with QB skill differential in that other game, even though a better version of QB vision could have possibly been a great addition or compliment to the way that game did it but not a standalone substitute.