Think of credit card status levels as gift status. Getting silver status from the credit card is basically the same thing as higher status member using one of their annual choice benefits to gift silver elite status to a family member or a friend. Gift status gives you the benefits of a status level, but not the requisite number of elite qualifying nights.

So someone with gift silver status would start the year as Silver Elite and 0 EQN total. (And require 25 nights to get Gold)

The old card gave 15 EQN + Silver gift status, so people would start the year being Silver Elite with 15 EQN total.

With the changes, people with this card would start the year being Silver Elite with 5 EQN total. (And require 20 additional nights to get gold)