Eh...some more good and bad.
CPU ball/clock management seems to finally be fixed. After getting the ball back with less than 2:00 in the half, the CPU started running a no huddle as they should. Now, they did have all 3 timeouts left, but ended up punting the ball before using any of them. Not sure if this means they'll use no huddle instead of timeouts..or if they were just saving them until they got further down the field. Needs more research. Another positive, down 14-3, GB scored a TD to make it 14-9. They went for the 2 point conversion to pull within a FG. I can't say for certain if the CPU would do that in the past, but I'll give EA a slow clap for that one.
On the bad side, coverage seems to be pretty much the same as last year. Players get open fairly easily. I can't say for certain that TEs have an advantage, but it definitely didn't feel any different from last year. Again, time will tell.
Injuries also seem way too high. I saw 4 injuries in my first game. I played as Seattle..and injured both Aaron Rodgers AND Graham Harrell in the game. Antoine Winfield was also injured for me...as well as another player I can't remember. So far, this is the most glaring "expect an announcement from EA" issue that will be changed in the first patch.
I had a thought that between the weird punting snafoo at the beginning and the weak coverage, maybe for once All Madden difficulty would be an option. I played the 2nd half on All Madden, and holy crap, yeah, forget that. It's the same old CPU cheating as always. It's not "harder". Your skills just don't work as well. I had Eddie Lacy...the Packers 76 OVR starting RB lit up in the backfield simultaneously by KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner, and he just rolled through the hit and gained 7 yards. I don't care who you are. That's garbage gameplay. I'd love to have the improved AI brain of All Madden difficulty...but not at that cost. Also, on All Pro, Aaron Rodgers was 6-10 for 60 yds in the 1st half. On All Madden, Graham Harrell went 5-6 for 61 yds in the 3rd quarter. That's the difference between a 98 OVR QB and a 62 OVR QB thanks to difficulty level. GTFO, lol.