Before each football video game is released to the masses, one of the most requested searches on the internet is what do all the player ratings mean. Of course each player ratings are based off each player’s individual attributes.
The biggest question we get is what does all these video football game player attributes really mean? In this X’s O’s Football video football game article we give a brief description of what each attribute means and their effect in one of more popular football games.
A great way to view player rosters and attributes in the game is to go to NFL Rosters on the main menu and select Player Management or Depth Chart.
Player Ratings and Player Attributes Definitions
Acceleration (ACC): Determines how fast a player can reach his top speed.
Agility (AGI): The player’s ability to move laterally and avoid tacklers.
Awareness (AWR): Football intelligence. Higher AWR players react more quickly to plays and are less likely to be fooled by misdirection or put themselves in better position while in zone coverage.
Ball Carrier Vision (BCV): The ball carrier’s ability to spot the open hole.
Block Shedding (BSH): The defender’s ability to shed a blocker against the pass or run.
Break Tackle (BTK): The player’s ability to break a tackles.
Carrying (CAR): The ball carrier’s ability to carry the ball without fumbling.
Catch (CTH): The player’s ability to catch the football and hold on.
Catch in Traffic (CIT): The receiver’s ability to make tough catches over the middle in traffic.
Deep Throw Accuracy (DAC): Determines how accurate the quarterback is when making deep throws.
Elusiveness (ELU): The ball carrier’s ability to avoid being tackled.
Finesse Move (FMV): The defender’s ability to go around a run or pass blocker.
Hit Power (POW): The defender’s ability to use the hit stick to make a tackle or cause a fumble.
Impact Blocking (IBL): Reflects the player’s ability to place a strong block on a defender.
Injury (INJ): How injury-prone a player is. Higher-rated players are less likely to get hurt.
Juke Move (JKM): The ball carrier’s ability to perform a juke move.
Jumping (JMP): The player’s ability to jump or leap vertically.
Kicking Accuracy (KAC): The ability of a player to aim and kick or punt a football.
Kicking Power (KPW): How far a player is able to kick or punt a football.
Man Coverage (MCV): The ability of a defender to play man coverage on a receiver.
Medium Throw Accuracy (MAC): Determines how accurate the quarterback is when making medium throws.
Overall (OVR): Player’s overall ability. The exact formula used to reach this rating is an industry secret.
Pass Block Footwork (PBF): The pass blocker’s ability to use his feet to run block.
Pass Blocking (PBK): The pass blockers ability to pass block.
Pass Block Strength (PBS): The blocker’s ability to use his strength to pass block.
Play Action (PAC): Plays an important role determining how effective the quarterback is with his play action fakes.
Play Recognition (PRC): The defender’s ability to read the play once the ball is snapped.
Power Move (PMV): The defender’s ability to use a power move to disengage from a run or pass blocker.
Press (PRS): The defender’s ability to jam the receiver at the line of scrimmage. The higher the rating, the longer the jam.
Pursuit (PRS): The defender’s ability to pursue the ball carrier.
Release (RLS): The receiver’s ability to beat press (bump-n-run) coverage. The higher the rating, the quicker the receiver will beat the jam.
Return (RET): The ability of a punt or kick returner to return the ball.
Route Running (RTE): The receiver’s ability to run precise pass routes.
Run Block Footwork (RBF): The run blocker’s ability to use his feet to run block.
Run Blocking (RBK): The run blocker’s ability to run block.
Run Block Strength (RBS): The run blockers ability to use his strength to run block.
Short Throw Accuracy (SAC): Determines how accurate the quarterback is when making short throws.
Spectacular Catch (SPC): The ability of the receiver to make spectacular catches. Only receivers with a high SPC can make these types of catches.
Speed (SPD): Is used to measure the player’s top end and overall speed.
Spin Move (SPM): The player’s ability of the ball carrier to use the spin move.
Stamina (STA): The ability of a player to regain energy after each play. Players with low stamina will have to be subbed more often to perform at peak levels.
Stiff Arm (SFA): The ball carrier’s ability to shove a would-be tackler away using a stiff arm.
Strength (STR): Measure of a player’s upper-body strength.
Swagger (SWG): Determines the likelihood of a player to celebrate on the way to the endzone, or after a touchdown.
Tackle (TAC): The player’s ability to make tackles.
Throwing Accuracy (THA): The ability of a quarterback to hit his receiver and complete passes into tight spaces. A QB with a high THA rating can also throw better on the run.
Throwing Power (THP): The ability of a QB to throw the ball for distance and velocity.
Throw on the Run (RUN): Takes into account how accurate a QB is while throwing on the run.
Toughness (TGH): The player’s ability to recover from injuries.
Trucking (TRK): The ball carrier’s ability to run over a defender.
Zone Coverage (ZCV): The defender’s ability to play zone coverage.
