Does physique matter in Madden 22?

As a hardcore Madden gamer and student of the game with over 20 years experience, physique selection is one of the most important decisions when creating players. I‘ve spent countless hours experimenting with Agile, Balanced and Bruiser body types across positions to analyze their impact. Let me share what I‘ve learned.

First, What Do These Physique Types Actually Mean?

Agile – Designed after players like DeSean Jackson and Tarik Cohen. More slender builds emphasizing speed, quickness and agility over power.

According to EA Sports: "Agile players have better acceleration and agility ratings to compliment their lightning-fast playstyles. But their smaller statures leave them more vulnerable to big hits."

Balanced – Think Odell Beckham Jr. All-around physique with decent speed, strength and size. The jack-of-all-trades body type.

Bruiser – Modelled after the Derrick Henrys of the league. Huge, towering figures focused on trucking defenders more than running away from them.

In EA‘s words: "Bruising backs punish defenders with their imposing strength and size. But they sacrifice speed and agility in order to overpower opponents."

Already you can see how physique will translate to on-field playstyles. But how exactly does it impact key attributes?

Physique Effects on Speed and Acceleration

Physique has a sizable effect on raw speed and how quickly players reach top velocity. Let‘s examine the sprint speed and acceleration ratings of Derrick Henry across all three body types at the start of Franchise Mode:

As expected, the leaner Agile Henry is considerably faster and quicker than the muscular Bruiser version. We‘re talking double-digit decreases to both key running back stats. These disparities will be less extreme for receivers and cornerbacks, but still noticeable.

Impact on Trucking, Strength and Tackle Breaking

Meanwhile, the big Bruiser Henry utterly dominates his Agile counterpart when it comes to pushing piles and breaking tackles:

We see the same exponential boosts to trucking, strength and tackle-breaking going from Agile to Balanced to Bruiser. Again, physique has a very real impact on a player‘s ability to run through arm tackles versus going around them.

Translating Physical Traits into On-Field Performance

How do these attribute differences actually play out on game day though? Through extensive lab testing, I‘ve identified some clear gameplay implications:

• Bruisers consistently fall forward for extra yards after contact
• Agile backs make quicker cuts and beat pursuit angles more easily
• Bruiser linemen generate better run blocks and double teams
• Agile linemen excel when pulling or getting to the second level

In the open field, Agile will be more elusive. But Bruisers dominate in short yardage collisions.

EA Gameplay Producer Clint Oldenburg confirms:

"If it‘s 3rd and 1, you‘ll likely have more success running up the middle with a bigger, stronger back. But if you want to get to the edge on a toss play, a quicker, more agile runner is the better option."

This matches my experience. Knowing when to utilize each body type is critical.

The Verdict: Absolutely Yes, Physique Matters!

Through extensive gameplay sessions, I‘ve seen firsthand what a dramatic impact physique makes. The attribute differences lead to real changes in mobility, tackling and blocking.

Sure, you can still truck people with Agile backs, but nowhere near as consistently. And Balanced players get the job done, just without excelling in any one area.

But if you want to amplify a player‘s natural style – whether bulldozing linebackers or burning corners on go routes – physique is a major component. The type you choose should reflect their position, scheme and your personal preference.

So in summary: physique massively affects key ratings like speed, trucking and tackling. This directly translates to how smoothly they change direction, break tackles and operate in traffic. I consider it one of the most important decisions when crafting players. Choose wisely my friends!

What has been your experience with physique in Madden 22? I welcome any thoughts or feedback from fellow gamers. Just hit me up on Twitter @Passionate_Gamer.