Football fans often debate the relative importance of the positions on a team. Can a great QB make the receivers around him better? Can marquee receivers make a mediocre QB look good? Does an ineffective pass rush doom even the most skilled corners?

"Madden NFL 11" spurs a similar kind of discussion based on the features it has chosen to address for its latest iteration vs. those that have remained unchanged.

Does the inclusion of online co-op play trump a bare-bones online franchise mode? Is making a stud running back such as Chris Johnson feel like a world-beater more important than not cleaning up past AI issues?

The answers to these kinds of questions are up to you as a Madden player. I like a lot of the new additions to this year's game, but the lack of progress in some areas is unfortunate.

"Madden NFL 11" features a new motion engine that makes running with the ball a dream. Subtle cuts, bursts of speed (without the turbo button), sheer physical power and other characteristics make NFL players come alive and showcase the abilities that make some of them stand out from the crowd.

The game makes you feel as if you have unprecedented control over the runner, and every run feels different, particularly in the tackles or the lack thereof. Because of all the different factors that go into a player's running and tackling, you have to watch that your defenders wrap up the ball carrier; otherwise it's common for a guy to get loose after a couple of sloppy tackles.

I love the varied outcomes in tackling and animations, but inconsistency elsewhere in the game play is maddening.

The passing game shows flaws. Players can be shockingly unaware of the ball as it sails by. You also see players standing around without a clue of whom to block or tackle. This is conspicuous when such great work has been done to highlight receivers' tracking of the ball for sideline catches and grabs in the back of the end zone. For every cool catch you see, you'll also see the ball suction into a receiver's hands or vice versa (where it looks as if a player shoots forward suddenly to catch a ball otherwise out of his reach), as well as old staples such as dropped gimme interceptions.

Similar to last year, not every area of the game has been improved. What we gain in the new locomotion the game loses in yet another stalled year for Franchise mode. The worst part is some of the mistakes remain, such as the broken logic behind staff contracts.

Online Team Play -- the new three-vs.-three co-op feature that lets each of your team members control a specific unit such as linebackers or wide receivers -- is fun, but the fact that it lacks any overall structure such as persistent teams means that its games you are one-offs. Online Team Play doesn't fill the void of the gimped Online Franchise mode, which still lacks free agency.

Finally, I love the concept of the card-based Ultimate Team mode, even if your starting team is bad.

I enjoy a lot of the new features in "Madden NFL 11." Things such as game planning in conjunction with the automated GameFlow play-calling feature (which works a lot better for offense than defense) have changed the way that I play the game. I don't want to sound greedy or ungrateful, but I feel as if adding new features isn't the only job of the development team when there are other areas that need to be addressed.

"Madden NFL 11" is a clear step forward for the franchise, but as fun as the additions are, the fact that some of its glaring mistakes remain is like getting a new stud quarterback even though the offensive line still needs an upgrade. You're going to score, but you're still a team with weaknesses.