Ah, Madden ratings season: that blessed period on the NFL calendar when EA Sports' behemoth video game franchise releases the digital grades for every quarterback, lineman and long snapper, infuriating some to the point that they tear up the paper on which they learn that no, they are not considered a franchise player by a bunch of analytics nerds.On Wednesday, "Madden NFL 17" ratings came out. The highest-rated Raven is no surpise: guard Marshal Yanda (97 overall), a top-10 player in the "Madden"-verse.Next best are safety Eric Weddle (92), outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (90), wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (89) and outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (87).Sub-90 ratings are not what many would call elite. Quarterback Joe Flacco was an 86 in 2014 and so close to the upper crust in last year's version, an 89. So just how far has he fallen after, by one measure, one of the worst 2015 seasons under center?Well, he's also below punter Sam Koch (84), defensive tackle Brandon Williams (84), fullback Kyle Juszczyk (83), linebacker C.J. Mosley (83), kicker Justin Tucker (83) and — still with me? — running back Justin Forsett (82).Joe Flacco, one of the league's highest-paid players, a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, is an 81 -- same as the guy with the hips from hell, tight end Dennis Pitta. (And also the Giants' Eli Manning, if that's any consolation.)The list of quarterbacks better rated than Flacco is a long one, 20 players deep, so here are some of the most notable: Atlanta's Matt Ryan, Oakland's Derek Carr, Jacksonville's Blake Bortles and Buffalo's Tyrod Taylor. I suppose a Pro Bowl selection can do that for a onetime backup like Taylor.Flacco's low, low grade isn't for a lack of digital arm strength. His Throw Power rating is 97, among the league's five best. But his Throw Accuracy Short rating is an 84 (behind Arizona's Matt Barkley), his Throw Accuray Mid is an 85 (behind Miami's Ryan Tannehill), and his Throw Accuracy Deep rating is a 77 (behind San Diego's Kellen Clemens. That's 33-year-old Kellen Clemens. Last-started-a-game-in-2013 Kellen Clemens).Not that Flacco cares. When he does, we'll know because he'll probably have tweeted at an NFL Vine aggregator.