EA Sports created Player Traits for Madden NFL 12. The idea was to inject a unique nature and a sense of personality into the players in ways that traditional attribute categories had been unable to achieve. The most intriguing one since it was first introduced has been the designation of a player as "Clutch."
Players with the "Clutch" trait receive a ratings boost in high-pressure situations. EA has rightfully been stingy in handing it out; only 34 to 38 players have possessed it at a given time.
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The best example of the impact of the "Clutch" trait was when Tim Tebow acquired it during the 2011 season.
Tebow struggled until the final minutes of games and then somehow would pull them out in the end. The "Clutch" trait represented a way to reflect that in Madden. His ratings could remain low, but his skill level would rise in the big moments.
Only six NFL quarterbacks are considered "Clutch" in Madden NFL 15: Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, Joe Flacco and Eli Manning.
After a miraculous late-game comeback victory by the Seahawks that included three consecutive touchdown drives in the final minutes and overtime, the case for Russell Wilson to join that group has only been strengthened. Marshawn Lynch is the only player currently on the defending Super Bowl champions with the "Clutch" designation.
Wilson has completed the most fourth-quarter comebacks (10) and game-winning drives (15) since the start of the 2012 season. That's more than Luck, who has the "Clutch" trait despite turning the ball over 13 times in six postseason games. Wilson has thrown game-winning touchdowns in both NFC Championship game appearances.
Wilson would seem a lock to receive the "Clutch" trait. It's just a matter of whether that happens in this week's roster update for the game, the one that follows the Super Bowl, or going into Madden NFL 16.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is a regular participant in the Press Row Podcast and Press Row Hangout shows, and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.