Tarantism's NFL Experience

[tarantism]

Tarantism's NFL Experience

[tarantism]

13 Min. Quarters, 32 Team Control, All-Madden, Custom Sliders, Custom Coaching Scheme Sliders.
Injuries ON, Pre-Existing Injuries ON, Player Editor ON

Goal: To create a fun and realistic simulation of NFL football while controlling all 32 teams fairly. I use only stats to determine the value of players and the depth charts, not ratings. For example, if a guy who is a 66 OVR has a huge season the in the offseason he will get a huge deal from somebody. Also, highly drafted players will get a chance to start regardless of their ratings, unless they get naturally buried on the depth chart. This is to reflect the fact that my team or whatever team drafted the player does have an OVR rating and thus they don't know how good he is yet. In addition, if a 66 OVR rated player has a great statistical season, and I do not see his OVR rating appropriately improve, I will manually edit his ratings until they are in my opinion fair. I will do this for all 32 teams, not just the team that I play games with. Also, if a team changes defensive schemes and players have to change position, I will edit their OVR until I feel like it is fair. This is to reflect what I feel their rating would be if they changed in real life, as opposed to the overly inflated or unfairly decreased ratings that you get in the game sometimes if a player changes positions.

In addition, my regular season roster will be set up as follow: 45 "active" gameday players + the 3rd quarterback and 8 "practice squad" inactive players. All practice squad players are ineligible to play on game day and must have three years of NFL experience or less. The point of the practice squad is to force me to make tougher choices on cut days and also force me to have a more realistic game day roster. I only do this for the team that I control, because doing it for all 32 teams would be way too much work that would be fairly pointless.

Before the start of preseason I am going through every team and deleting UDFA's until the team has only 5 on the roster. I also delete any UDFA that is rated above an 80? because this seems to confuse the CPU and cause them to release legit NFL players sometimes. I do this UDFA deleting because team's DO have these players in real life but too often the CPU keeps too many of the players on the roster during the regular season. Then, after preseason is over I go over every single UDFA that still remains on a team's roster and check if he is going to be a "hidden gem". I do this by going to the online random rumba generator and setting it to give me a number between 1 and 100. If the number lands on between 30 and 40, then the player receives a 10 point ratings increase, relevant to whatever style he may play. If the number lands on 42 then the player receives a 25 point ratings increase. This is to reflect the fact that teams find average players in UDFA every once in a while, and then very rarely they find a player that could be a star in the league.

I use CPU generated draft classes because I do not own NCAA. I go through and I edit the names of these players after the draft because, quite frankly, some of those names are very stupid. Also, if a team drafts a player that does not fit their preference for that position then I edit that players position to make it more appropriate. I do not edit the ratings of incoming rookies ever.

The team that I will be playing games for the the Atlanta Falcons. I am going to be simulating the 2011 NFL season and starting in the offseason.

[tarantism]

Atlanta Falcons 2011 PreSeason Schedule (Results):
Week 1: vs. Dolphins: W, 15-0
Week 2: @ Jaguars: W, 31-17
Week 3: @ Steelers: L, 24-13
Week 4: vs. Ravens: W, 27-17

Atlanta Falcons 2011 Regular Season Schedule (Results):
Week 1: @ Chicago: L, 24-17
Week 2: vs. Eagles: W, 36-29
Week 3: @ Tampa Bay: L, 22-21
Week 4: @ Seattle: W, 36-17
Week 5: vs. Packers: L, 27-20
Week 6: vs. Panthers: W, 29-17
Week 7: @ Detroit: W, 30-10
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: @ Indianapolis: W, 33-23
Week 10: vs. Saints: L, 27-24
Week 11: vs. Titans: W, 29-10
Week 12: vs. Vikings: W, 22-16
Week 13: @ Houston: W, 20-12
Week 14: @ Carolina: L, 23-17
Week 15: vs. Jaguars: W, 31-13
Week 16: @ New Orleans: L, 38-0
Week 17: vs. Buccaneers: W, 17-12

[tarantism]

So, I decided to start this franchise over. I am editing the above posts before I get started and will be updating the season record in the third post as I go along. I have decided that instead of simulating the entire first season I am just going to pick up where we are in real life, and get the records correct to this point.

[tarantism]

Falcons Win Third Straight Against Plummeting Colts

Impact Play: An Eric Weems 3rd Quarter Kickoff Return Seals the Game

(Sunday, November 6th, 2011) The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday 33-23, a victory that allowed Atlanta to clinch their third straight victory after getting off to a slow start. Atlanta was able to overcome a poor performance from quarterback Matt Ryan thanks to a gritty rushing effort that was spearheaded by halfback Michael Turner. Turner had a season high 145 rushing yards and his resurgence after a slow start seems to directly link up to the reversion in philosophy by the Falcons brass. "We feel like over the last few games we have really gotten back to Falcons football", said head coach Mike Smith following Atlanta's fifth victory of the season, "As the season continues we will look continue gathering momentum, and hopefully we can keep having this kind of success running the football".

In addition to a bruising rushing attack, the Falcons boasted their first two special teams touchdowns so far this season. The first occurred when Colts punt returner Blair White failed to call a fair catch on a punt and veteran reserve linebacker Mike Peterson clobbered him to force a fumble. The ball was then recovered by Jason Snelling for an Atlanta touchdown, making the score 7-0 in the first quarter. "I thought I had more space", said White following the game, "I really felt like he came out of nowhere. It's the kind of metal mistake that you really hate to make". The second came when 2010 Pro Bowl kick returner Eric Weems took a kickoff 99 yards for a score in the third quarter. It was his first return touchdown of the season.

Stats and Notes:

• Colts WR Pierre Garcon finished the game with 191 yards on 11 receptions, with 1 touchdown. It was a career high in yards for Garcon.
• Halfback Michael Turner logged a season best 145 yards on 25 carries. Turner also had 1 touchdown.
• Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan went just 19/44 for 225 yards, a completion percentage of 43%. Falcons receivers had 4 drops.
• Falcons defensive linemen Cory Peters had the team's only two sacks.
• Veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez left the game briefly during the fourth quarter with cramps, but returned and said following the game that he "feels great".

[tarantism]

Around the League, Week 9 Edition:

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers bested San Diego in Week 9

Player of the Week:
Aaron Rodgers (GB) - 25/43 for 314 yards and 2 TD

• Buccaneers 24, Saints 19
• Seahawks 20, Cowboys 10
• Steelers 33, Ravens 12
• Matt Schaub out 3-5 weeks with herniated disk.
• Raiders rookie WR Denarius Moore out for season with PCL tear.
• CB Joe Haden to miss extended time with broken collarbone.

[tarantism]

Falcons Lose Heartbreaker to Division Leading Saints 27-24

Drew Brees fires a strike to Devery Henderson.

(Sunday, November 13th, 2011) When the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons meet you always know you are in for a wild ride and a good look at one of the most heated rivalries in today's NFL. Whether it be the emotional post-Hurricane Katrina Monday Night Football game that drove Bobby Petrino from the NFL or 2010's overtime thriller that saw the Falcons win after Garrett Heartley missed what seemed to be a chip shot field goal to end it in regulation. In their first meeting of 2011 these two teams, both thought the be contenders for the Lombardi trophy at the beginning of the season, did not disappoint. On the first offensive play from scrimmage Saints WR Robert Meachem caught a slant pass from Drew Brees, broke a Thomas DeCoud tackle and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. "I beat my guy out of press coverage and Drew put the pass right there for me" said Meachem after the game, "After that it was just a matter of using my skills to go all the way".

A pair of John Kasay field goals put the Saints up 13-0 by the mid second quarter. It was then, however, that the Falcons rushing attack came alive and a series of power runs took chunks out of the Saints defense en route to a Jason Snelling 4 yard touchdown run. Atlanta continued to show that they wouldn't just fade away when they capped off another long drive with a Matt Bryant field goal to make it 13-10 with just 1:45 remaining in the second. But the New Orleans offense isn't used to taking their time and they quickly marched down the field and added Brees' second passing touchdown of the game with 21 seconds left in the first half to make it 20-10.

After another Drew Brees touchdown in the third (this time a 53 yard strike to Devery Henderson) the Saints led 27-13 and all hope seemed to be dwindling for an Atlanta team that had struggled to get anything going on offense, mostly due to an "ice cold" performance from QB Matt Ryan. Still the Atlanta Falcons refused to go away and, after some very stout defense, Ryan was able to spearhead a resurgence during which the Falcons scored 11 unanswered fourth quarter points (due to a successful two point conversion). With another stout showing from the young Falcons defense, the offense got the ball back on their own 36 yard line. Ryan, with just 1:45 left in the game and only one timeout remaining, failed to complete a single pass on four downs. "I take full responsibility" said Ryan following the game, "This one rests on my shoulders. No excuses. I need to play better".

Stats and Notes:

• QB Matt Ryan went just 19/48 for 220 yards and 1 INT. Falcons receivers dropped 9 passes total.
• Turner achieved his second straight 100 yard game, rushing for 135 yards on 21 carries.
• QB Drew Brees finished the game 17/30 for 338 yards and 3 TD.
• Maques Colston (100), Devery Henderson (113) and Robert Meachem (100) all topped the century mark for New Orleans.
• LB Curtis Lofton tallied 11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 pass defensed. DE Ray Edwards notched 2 sacks.

Next Game: 11/20 against Tennessee at the Georgia Dome.

[tarantism]

Around the League, Week 10 Edition:

Sam Bradford torched Cleveland in Week 10

Player of the Week:
Sam Bradford (STL) - 28/38 for 353 yards and 3 TD

• Raiders 29, Chargers 10
• Jets 27, Patriots 17
• Bears 30, Lions 10
• QBs Flacco, Taylor injured loss to Seahawks
• Packers G Josh Sitton out for year with Achilles Tear