Halfway through season 37...

[Jerry-Redskins]

It is not an individual position attribute, but the overall creep up of the players overall. Takes a look at say 2020 CB rosters and today's rosters. CB3 or CB4 on most teams would be a free agent today. In other words our rosters today are full of CB1's compared to years back

[Mitch-Oilers]

@Jerry - that makes sense. Lack of rating differentiation has come up several times in the offseason as well.

[Charlie-49ers]

Maybe 84 DI max is too low...

But it's not just that. We can solve this problem easily, restrict 2-DL defenses to PL and PRD categories only, and relax the overly restrictive "zone" passing rules like Steve did in XFBS to encourage innovation in new passing plays.

Both issues (zone rules and nerfing QB IN/DI) were over-reactions to then higher passing stats...

Well, without screwing around with attributes outside of the Draft, my solution is to limit the 2-DL defenses to Pass Long and Pass Dazzle, which is where they are used in the NFL. Now, I need to spend time thinking about how you can beat that system since one or more of you will start working on that as soon as you read this posting

[Mitch-Oilers]

Move 2-DL plays to PL and PRD. Restrict the use of PL and PRD in the following categories: 1 & 6-10 and 2 & 0-10.

[Steve-LA Chargers]

Limiting 2-DL to PL or PRD won't achieve much so long as we can call any category on any down on defense. Nothing stops coaches from making 2-DLs for PL and going with a 100% PL heavy profile and selecting their best 2-DL PL plays. You must reduce the wide-open category flexibility or eliminate 2-DLs entirely.

When it comes to categories on defense, instead of requiring categories to be called on certain downs, we should simplify and specify allowed usage such as:

ALLOWED USAGE (Proposed)
RR, RM, RL, PS - Any down
PM - 1st 10+, 2nd 6+, 3rd 6+
PL - 1st 10+, 2nd 10+, 3rd 10+
PRD - Any down < 2 min in the half
RRD - Any down < 5 yards to go

If we had these requirements then removing 2-DLs from PS eliminates any chance 2-DLs are used on 1st down 0-10. You would also not be able to use 2-DLs (available in the PM categories) until 2nd down 6+.

[Dean-Atlanta]

Are DLs used for pass coverage in the NFL? If the answer is no, ban it here too, and ban the use of any logic not available to DLs in the play editor to DLs without using the switching trick.

I agree with most of what Steve proposed but I think PM defenses should be used on any 1st and 2nd 601- since PM offenses are commonly used in those situations.

I think we should have a balanced trade-off here...restrict 2-DL defenses to PRD and PL, and adopt the more lenient zone passing rules Steve used in XFBS, this would lead to new innovation on both medium and short passing (which we badly need) and defense as well.

[Charlie-49ers]

I think we should have a balanced trade-off here...restrict 2-DL defenses to PRD and PL, and adopt the more lenient zone passing rules Steve used in XFBS, this would lead to new innovation on both medium and short passing (which we badly need) and defense as well.

I need to see the "more lenient zone passing rules Steve used in XFBS" before I can judge this trade-off.

[Charlie-49ers]

ALLOWED USAGE (Proposed)
RR, RM, RL, PS - Any down
PM - 1st 10+, 2nd 6+, 3rd 6+
PL - 1st 10+, 2nd 10+, 3rd 10+
PRD - Any down < 2 min in the half
RRD - Any down < 5 yards to go

If we had these requirements then removing 2-DLs from PS eliminates any chance 2-DLs are used on 1st down 0-10. You would also not be able to use 2-DLs (available in the PM categories) until 2nd down 6+.

Steve, I think that this has some real possibilities, where 2-DL plays are only in the PRD category!

RR, RM, RL, PS - (on any down, or distance, or score, or any time on the clock);
PM - 1st 10+, 2nd 6+, 3rd 6+ (PM might also need to be in the first category as the score and clock might dictate otherwise);
PL - 1st >10, 2nd >10, 3rd >10 (or any 4th >10)
PRD - Any down < 2 min in the half (this is the winner with 2 DLs only allowed in the PRD category)
RRD - Any down < 5 yards to go (this one has to be 5-yards or less)

Question: Is there an offset for the offense that I do not see?

[Dean-Atlanta]

Here it is:

In the Pass Medium categories: [33% THE SAME AS THE PNFL RULE - OUR SECONDARY RECEIVER LIMIT AND PMR LIMIT ARE UNIQUE TO THE XFBS]

The Primary (white) receiver path and end spot must stay within (not on, at, or beyond) 20-yards of the LOS, the zone
The Secondary (yellow) receiver path and end spot must stay within (not on, at, or beyond) 25-yards of the LOS, the zone.
A third, fourth, or fifth receiver can have their pattern go longer than 25 yards, but must have "Look for Pass" logic before they touch 25-yards from the LOS. Their path can take them anywhere.
For plays saved as PMR, the end spot of the Primary receiver's route should be 5 or more yards from the LOS unless it is a screen (as the purpose of the PMR category is to get at least 10 yards).

This is from:

http://www.xfbsfootball.net/play-design.html

[Steve-LA Chargers]

ALLOWED USAGE (Proposed)
RR, RM, RL, PS - Any down
PM - 1st 10+, 2nd 6+, 3rd 6+
PL - 1st 10+, 2nd 10+, 3rd 10+
PRD - Any down < 2 min in the half
RRD - Any down < 5 yards to go

If we had these requirements then removing 2-DLs from PS eliminates any chance 2-DLs are used on 1st down 0-10. You would also not be able to use 2-DLs (available in the PM categories) until 2nd down 6+.

Steve, I think that this has some real possibilities, where 2-DL plays are only in the PRD category!

RR, RM, RL, PS - (on any down, or distance, or score, or any time on the clock);
PM - 1st 10+, 2nd 6+, 3rd 6+ (PM might also need to be in the first category as the score and clock might dictate otherwise);
PL - 1st >10, 2nd >10, 3rd >10 (or any 4th >10)
PRD - Any down < 2 min in the half (this is the winner with 2 DLs only allowed in the PRD category)
RRD - Any down < 5 yards to go (this one has to be 5-yards or less)

Question: Is there an offset for the offense that I do not see?

I think you nailed it. This actually lets you keep 2 DL in PRD and PL. Might even be able to keep them in PM because it no longer is allowed in 1st 6-10. Most of the 3 or 4 DL PS plays suck so my idea of differentiating RL and PS might be worthy of consideration if we kill those 2 DLs.