[shanklingill]

Hey guys,

I have put together a pass rush defence that is so mean, it should only exist in the worst nightmares of offensive lineman while they are asleep. Yet despite this, I cannot generate anything worthwhile in terms of stats. To put it simply, I have a 4-3 under with 3 front Ds having PR strength or technique at least 88 (for both for each player) and a 75 rated overall NT with 100 run stop. I then have a WLB with strong pass rush capabilities too. Overall, my roster at the end of the year ranks 100/100, and the there is no weakness anywhere else in the secondary or LB corps (in fact, my lowest ranking starting defender is still ranked 59).

Having re-run the season a few times to check how random or replicable these results are they seem consistent. Never register double digit stats. Top sacker averages usually between 5-8 sacks for the season. In game analysis, any team with a half decent line tends to reduce the rush to very little impact. And sacks come in clusters, a bad line can give up 9 sacks in a game, then you go 6 games without registering a single one.

But there are some consistent things that dont make sense....

- my run stop linebacker who is set to never rush always gets high sack numbers.
- OLBs seem to always out perform LDEs/RDEs in ratio to quality. As an example my 89 rated LDE hardly is around equal or only slightly better to my 7th worst stat based rusher set never to rush.
- Substitute players taking a few snaps seem to get abormally large sack ratios compared to starters. This is despite my reserve LDE (who in the last test got 4 sacks, and always gets 2-3 a season) being only 27 current ability.
- Cornerbacks/Safeties seem to take a unbalanced ratio of sacks.


Is it actually possible to generate realistic numbers out of the game? Considering I have at least 3 all pro caliber sack masters, and that together youd expect a qb to be like a tackle pad facing that, is there anyway to generate like 10 sacks a season each? Or do I have to live with the fact this brilliant line is just hard coded to have zero effect on the game?

Id say its the playbook, but then reading round people indicate no formation has an advantage over another for pass rush. And running 4-3 under, the front 4 shoud be rushing every play, so why are they being outsacked by coverage or run stoppers who are inferior?

Unless someone has a decent play system recommendation for formation and good pass rush plays to run in game? Or can point me towards the right place.

Seems to me though the OL is totally overpowered on this game in pass (and weirdly underpowered on the run in my experience), and the DL is totally useless. May as well pick 4 run stoppers and just spend cap on a linebackers.