That is probably the problem to be honest. I doubt that the main menu sliders have any effect on an online franchise which could drastically change how it's played. I personally have been getting crushed as the Browns, started 0-4 and had basically no offense any of those games.
I played the Pats game 5 and it was a shootout surprisingly. Kessler had 4 TDS to 7 Int entering the game yet I threw 3 TD and 1 Int. Had 432 Yards on 17 of 24. Gordon, Pryor (until he got hurt) and Duke all had huge games catching the ball and Crowell had a breakout 22 carry, 141 yards to boot. Had 4 mins and down 3, threw an out route to Gordon who took it 75 yards for a score due to a missed Int by Butler. I went up 45-41. I left a little over 2 mins on the clock worried Brady would keep torching me, but on 3rd an 8 I got a huge pick from my LB over the middle. First win of the season and I truly had to work for it. Btw seems my Browns always beat Pats, even in real life lol