The SPD Rating and What It Means to You - Video

@MaddenUniversity 

Really interesting analysis of speed in game. The biggest takeaway I got out of it was making sure you don't throw the ball too late or else you sacrifice the higher rated speed of a receiver. I guess there really isn't a huge difference in speed when it comes to running shorter routes too, so those possession type of stats really do make a huge factor differentiating one player from another.

@EA_Blueberry As you can imagine, making the video left me with a lot of unused footage and the takeaways that come with it.

First, we've put way too much faith in the SPD rating as the end all be all. While I didn't manipulate the ACC ratings (set at 99 in the video), I can easily see how a player with high SPD and low ACC could finish the 40 in the same time as a lower SPD guy with high ACC.

Second, after I made the video, I went started throwing the ball earlier... The opening sequence with Tyreek Hill is an example. Before this project, I'd have waited for Hill to clear both the linebacker and the safety - giving the safety a chance to get back into the play. After reviewing some game footage, my early season INTs were virtually all a symptom of my throwing too late and receivers outrunning my arm.

Third... although I didn't include it in this video, I learned that taller players are faster than shorter players with identical ratings. For one of these races, I changed Variable's height to 5'5" but left his SPD, ACC, AGI, and RTE all at 99. Control ran the 40 in 3.95 seconds (237 frames) and the much shorter Variable ran the 40 in 4.05 seconds (243 frames). The separation was created within the first 5 yards of the line of scrimmage... Not sure if that is intended or not...

Later