Two problems, trading and running

[Erithtotl]

Possibly people have already brought these up but I didn't see where so I thought I'd mention it here.

I've noticed that FOF 2004 has killed the running game. I'm pretty sure the league average for yards per rush is about 4.1 or 4.2 per game. In my league usually only 4 or 5 teams a season average this high, with many in the low-3s area. Completion percentages and QB ratings also seem a bit high, but that was also the case in the last version.

2nd, the AI seems to trade much less frequently than the last version. I used to get two or three trade offers every season. Now I think I've gotten 2 or 3 in 5 seasons. And looking at the transaction log, I don't see ANY other trades going on the league. It would be nice if we could adjust this upwards a bit.

[Sidhe]

You know, I just saw a trade during the draft. Did that happen in FOF4? I was shocked.. it happened at about the fourth or fifth pick. Two teams that year had two picks in the first round, so there are some trades occurring. But I haven't kept tabs on it.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Erithtotl
Possibly people have already brought these up but I didn't see where so I thought I'd mention it here.

I've noticed that FOF 2004 has killed the running game. I'm pretty sure the league average for yards per rush is about 4.1 or 4.2 per game. In my league usually only 4 or 5 teams a season average this high, with many in the low-3s area. Completion percentages and QB ratings also seem a bit high, but that was also the case in the last version.

2nd, the AI seems to trade much less frequently than the last version. I used to get two or three trade offers every season. Now I think I've gotten 2 or 3 in 5 seasons. And looking at the transaction log, I don't see ANY other trades going on the league. It would be nice if we could adjust this upwards a bit.

so, you're upset because the first thing doesn't mimic the NFL, and because the 2nd thing does?

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Sidhe
You know, I just saw a trade during the draft. Did that happen in FOF4? I was shocked.. it happened at about the fourth or fifth pick. Two teams that year had two picks in the first round, so there are some trades occurring. But I haven't kept tabs on it.

This has been in place since at least FOF2001, and may have been earlier (I didn't own anything before then).

[Ben E Lou]

The running game issue, for some reason, isn't showing up everywhere. My league has consistently been averaging 3.9-4.2 yards per carry, but I know some others have seen a lot worse.

[Erithtotl]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
so, you're upset because the first thing doesn't mimic the NFL, and because the 2nd thing does?

There aren't a LOT of trades in the NFL, but I would guess that there are at least a dozen or more small trades every year, while I've gone several seasons without seeing a trade involving a team other than my own. Of course, its hard to tell, since the trades are very difficult to locate on the transaction screen.

[Kodos]

Is your name supposed to be pronounced like "Aristotle" with a lisp?

[JonInMiddleGA]

1) Echo what SkyDog said, I'm seeing high 3 to low 4 ypc numbers.

2) And LMAO at Kodos.

[RPI-Fan]

From what I've read, everyone gets similar rushing numbers, just some people think that because last year the league wide average was 4.2 that the FOF2004 range should be 4.2-4.5, which would in no way model the NFL and its history.

[Ben E Lou]

One other important thing to note: there is a rounding issue with rushing yardage. If your league average is 3.97 yards per carry, it will say 3.9 on the team stats page, rather than round to 4.0.

[Erithtotl]

Originally posted by Kodos
Is your name supposed to be pronounced like "Aristotle" with a lisp?

Yep! Good catch!


As for rushing averages, I've already cleared my last season so I'll have to wait another year to update for my league, but I had 5 or 6 teams with averages BELOW 3 yards per carry. Including my own. In addition I'm seeing teams put up extremely good passing efficiency numbers despite very low ypc, which I'm guessing is an unlikely outcome, since the other team SHOULD adjust to the fact that my team is totally ineffective at running the ball.

I'll post some more numbers after I do another season.

Where could I find yards per carry averages for the league year-by-year? And remember, we're not simulating yards per carry of 1983, we're simulating them for this year and beyond (using the default rosters). If the NFL history ypc is 3.5 but the last 5 years has been 4.1, then we should be averaging closer to 4.1 than 3.5.

[Erithtotl]

Ok I just ran another season. The league average was 3.6 ypc, with only 2 teams averaging more than 4.


Passing, the league averages 7.7 yards per attempt. Currently in the NFL only 4 teams have an average that high. League completion percentage is .621, only 7 NFL teams have a completion percentage that high. Average passing yards per game, 269.4. Only TWO NFL teams have an average over that.

I invite people to post examples contrary or supportive of this, but in general, I think the game favors the run too little, and the pass too much.

Don't get me wrong, I love the game, I'd just like to see something a little closer to real life.

[GabeRivers]

Erithotl, your experiences are mirroring my own.

[Erithtotl]

I just ran another season, and my results were almost identical, including the 3.6 ypc and the .622 completion percentage, so it doesn't look like a one year fluke.

[Pacersfan46]

I've seen other teams run too little. My team however, does not have this issue. I make sure of that.

Secondly, I regularly see trades during the draft. I also get offered a trade between just about every phase in the offseason.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Erithtotl
I just ran another season, and my results were almost identical, including the 3.6 ypc and the .622 completion percentage, so it doesn't look like a one year fluke. I wonder what is causing such a huge ypc variance. From everything I've been reading, it isn't a case of "blip" seasons either. It seems that people are consistently getting 3.9-4.1 or they are consistently getting around 3.6. Odd.