[div align=\\\"center\\\"]READY TO BE GRADED[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]THE OFFICIAL UNOFFICIAL DSFL S23 SEASON PREVIEW[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Disclaimer: This is not a season prediciton, this is a simple outlook on each team on paper. Obviously, the War Room and testers/strategists have a huge impact on how teams perform and having the most TPE or active locker room isnt the end-all be-all to winning --- just ask Myrtle Beach and London last season. At first this was going to lightly explain the makeup of each team, but I also decided to scope out any outliers or trends with the DSFL teams in general. I will also proclaim that we will not give spotlight to bots. Bots will likely bring most averages down and from firsthand experience, can punch way above their class. I've seen Bots set individual game records on my team last season(and in the PLAYOFFS), and against some solid(1st-2nd round pick) human players. I will John and Sara Connor any bot I see when I observe each team. This is for the HUMANS, so Hasta La Vista Baby to all bots. With that said, I will still look at inactives because circumstances change in life and players come, players go. Like I said, this is basically an outlook on the cusp of pre-season and week 1, not a prediction of how the teams will look in week 14.[/div]
Now, before we get to outlines, let me first provide explanations for the setup and key terms(what am I writing another APA college essay?):
- Roster Breakdown is simple, active players no bots. Inactive players and Bots will be noted in parentheses.
- TPE is full tpe earned for the team, ATPE is simply TPE for the active players. To determine if a player is inactive, I decided any S23 or older player that did not have an update before the preseason was inactive. For S24 players, if they joined before the preseason update and only have 50 TPE in the tracker, or did not update for more than two weeks, then they were inactive.
- Capped players is 250 TPE earned and up(doesn't mean it's all applied but it should be at this point), Potential new capped players is tricky --- I decided if a player does their Rookie Point Tasks(+8) or Wiki Tasks(+5), PT/Trivia(72-82), AC(+14), Training(+35) ---- that leaves about roughly 120 TPE to earn on a slightly above casual pace. If you're a rookie in this range already, you're not casual. If you're a vet and in this range, you either should reach this or you have stalled out to semi-active/inactive status. So any player between 130-248 TPE will be listed here. I started collecting right at this time last season at my default 50 and finished with 196 total. So it's not too late to get to a near max earner pace.
- As for the attributes, I list how many players I used for the attributes. If no player amount is listed that either means: I used the entire team or for the QB and K/P stats, there was only one player. Now kickers are important too so they will be factored into a majority of the averages(I mean, we should have fake 4th downs for them anyway, but I don't want to digress).
- To expand further: ARM and THR will only be QB's, KPOW and KACC will only be kickers/punters, TCK will only be defenders, PBLK will be all offensive players except QB and WR, RBLK will be everyone on offense except QB(for the sake of some teams likely using run heavy packages that have lead backs as blockers or backs blocking for QB runs). I decided to split HANDS and STRENGTH between the offense and defense because those attributes are important for the defense to create turnovers, that way we can point out teams likely to have higher forced turnovers or better pass defense in general.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Let me re-iterate again that this is supposed to be a season preview, not a prediction column. This was not influenced by any simulated games so far, so pretend those games did not happen yet(I forgot we don't get a second pre-season sim in DSFL). So if any GM's or War Room members peruse through and feel slighted or would like to POLITELY clarify a misconception(I'm only looking on paper, not by testing, strategy, or anything else beind the scenes) --- please feel free to do so in the comments or with a PM(if you don't want to disclose something to the public). I will annotate accordingly for each request. Otherwise, let's get to the main attraction![/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Tijuana Luchadores(15 Active, 3 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 1 RB(1 Bot), 2 WR(1 Bot), 1 TE(1 IA, 1 Bot), 1 OL(4 Bots), 0 DE(1 GM Bot), 2 DT(2 IA), 3 LB(1 Bot), 2 CB(1 GM Bot), 1 S(1 Bot), 0 K/P(1 Bot)
7 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: DL
Capped Players: 4(QB, 2 WR, CB)
Potential New Capped Players: 4(QB, RB, LB, S)
TPE 2521 / 168.067 per player
ATPE 2342 / 195.167 per player
STR 848 / 56.533 per player
OSTR 404 / 57.714 per player(7 players)
DSTR 444 / 56.5 per player(8 players)
AGI 889 / 59.267 per player
ARM 151 / 75.5 per player(2 players)
THR 154 / 77 per player(2 players)
INT 793 / 52.867 per player
TCK 420 / 52.5 per player(8 players)
SPD 1076 / 71.733 per player
OHND 265 / 53 per player(5 players)
DHND 330 / 41.25 per player(8 players)
PBLK 121 / 40.333 per player(3 players)
RBLK 153 / 30.6 per player(5 players)
END 959 / 63.933 per player
Our first team up is the defending champions from Mexico. The first item that stands out is they enter with the lowest amount of human players, and they subsequently have the lowest amount of active players. A big advantage they have is still having a capped QB and returning their powerhouse WR duo. Tijuana made their title run on a high-tempo flashy offense that attacked from anywhere and everywhere. Unfortunately, their RB core is stripped down and their speed rating as a team is one of the lowest in the league. The Luchadores do have one of the smartest teams and one of the strongest teams, but we know how much speed kills in the sim so it will be interesting to see how the Luchadores fare with a decimated backfield. Not to forget the defense which has one of the most solid LB cores, but unfortunately, are missing their entire d-line with two inactive/semi-active DT's and bots filling in the other positions.
Tijuana is going to need to strike gold in the waiver wire and replace their filler bots with some human players, especially at RB and S --- two crucial positions in the sim. The other three teams in the divison are eager to overthrow the Luchadores and make their reign on top as short as possible --- and the other three teams aren't set up to be forgiving either. I do expect the Luchadores to continue to have one of the best passing attacks but a precipitous drop in all other statistical categories.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Norfolk Seawolves(22 Active, 6 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 3 RB(1 IA), 2 WR, 3 TE(2 IA), 1 OL(4 Bots), 1 DE(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 3 DT(1 IA, 1 Bot), 3 LB(2 IA), 1 CB(1 Bot), 2 S(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 1 K/P
13 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: QB / Weakest Position: CB
Capped Players: 6(2 QB, WR, TE, S, CB)
Potential New Capped Players: 6(2 RB, 2 DT, LB, S)
TPE 3963 / 180.136 per player
ATPE 2937 / 185.563 per player
STR 1276 / 58 per player
OSTR 564 / 51.272 per player(11 players)
DSTR 687 / 68.7 per player(10 players)
AGI 1188 / 54 per player
ARM 154 / 77 per player(2 players)
THR 163 / 81.5 per player(2 players)
INT 1122 / 51 per player
TCK 535 / 53.5 per player(10 players)
SPD 1635 / 74.318 per player
OHND 544 / 68 per player(8 players)
DHND 372 / 37.2 per player(10 players)
PBLK 233 / 33.286 per player(7 players)
RBLK 271 / 30.111 per player(9 players)
END 1368 / 62.182 per player
KPOW 71
KACC 84
The Norfolk Seawolves, moments away from upsetting Tijuana in the Conference Finals, are the first team on the list to exact revenge on the Luchadores. On paper, Norfolk is a well built team, they are massive, with 3 active d-linemen and 3 TE on their roster. They are the only team with TWO Capped QB's, so they should have a huge advantage early in the season especially with their QB's having the strongest arm rating based on team averages. Norfolk is tied for the second most human players and has the second most send-downs so they are in position to make another deep run. Norfolk has an active player at each offensive position, in addition to having a capped WR and TE, which provides them a variety of weapons to use on offense until their RB's catch up to speed. Norfolk has the best hands rating among their skill positions and the best run blocking attribute average so they will continue their bruising on the ground but we should expect to see them elevate their passing game and unleash their QB's more, but make no mistake, this team is built to grind opponents into dirt. Their defense is the same, built to withstand the most devastating rushing attacks with the strongest defensive strength rating in the league.
Expect Norfolk to continue to force fumbles left and right and do their best to limit big plays despite their low tackling, agility, and speed ratings. Norfolk's main issue will be playing from behind as they have one of the weakest secondaries in the league, being forced to start two bots in their secondary and having two LB's that are on that inactive slide can make it hard against teams that have a developed receiving corps. Expect Norfolk to always be one of the more conservative defenses to limit mismatches with stronger passing attacks. But as I said, they are well built since most teams in the DSFL are run heavy anyway. One last note is their kicker's limited leg power, definitely something that needs to be addressed as it eliminates any long FG attempts and can be an issues when needing to flip field position out of their own end.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Myrtle Beach Buccaneers(19 Active, 3 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB(1 IA), 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 0 OL(5 Bots), 1 DE(1 GM Bot), 3 LB(1 IA), 2 CB(1 GM Bot, 1 IA), 3 S, 0 K/P(1 Bot)
10 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: DE
Capped Players: 7(QB, 2 WR, RB, 2 LB, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 5(QB, RB, WR, TE, CB)
TPE 3764 / 198.105 per player
ATPE 3139 / 196.188 per player
STR 1017 / 53.526 per player
OSTR 335 / 41.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 682 / 62 per player(11 players)
AGI 1127 / 59.316 per player
ARM 155 / 77.5 per player(2 players)
THR 156 / 78 per player(2 players)
INT 995 / 50.263 per player
TCK 644 / 58.545 per player(11 players)
SPD 1499 / 78.895 per player
OHND 369 / 61.5 per player(6 players)
DHND 399 / 36.272 per player(11 players)
PBLK 65 / 21.667 per player(3 players)
RBLK 95 / 15.833 per player(6 players)
END 1221 / 64.263 per player
The Myrtle Beach Buccaneers again enter a new season in the upper echelon of TPE. They keep the formula simple, load up speed, keep a high endurance, the defense must be strong, the offense must have good hands. Myrtle Beach is definitely an athletic team, their defense is fast, has high strength numbers, and actually has a decent investment in tackling. Expect Myrtle Beach to again battle Norfolk for the forced fumble lead. Myrtle Beach's team is built to be fundamentally sound for their roles and responsibility, yet they neglect the intelligence attribute. Expect Myrtle Beach to again have games littered with penalties and turnovers(both their own and from opponents), a rather entertaining watch for neutral parties. Myrtle Beach has several high quality send downs, the issue is that two are inactive. Their QB, Ramos, is on his 3rd season and still in the 300's for TPE, seems set to be a DSFL lifer; therefore Myrtle Beach can easily groom new QB's with the ultimate backup plan(Get it? "Backup" plan).
Meanwhile, their star LB, Mouseman, appears to have gone on hiatus. Hopefully they get him back because their defense has been decimated by call ups. Myrtle Beach is trotting out sandbags duct-taped together as a d-line and the ferocious sack attack last year has a huge hole to repair. Teams will always have to be aggressive with Myrtle Beach as their offensive skill players are all NSFL quality and can keep them in any game. With the new DSFL rule about eliminating inactive players, Myrtle Beach needs their players back ASAP, as they are the only team that drops in ATPE --- shows how valuable their inactive players are to their roster.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Dallas Birddogs(19 Active, 2 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE, 1 OL(1 GM Bot, 5 Bots), 2 DE(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 1 DT, 2 LB(1 IA, 2 Bots), 2 CB(1 IA), 4 S(1 Bot), 0 K/P(1 Bot)
12 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: TE / Weakest Position: S
Capped Players: 2(WR, TE)
Potential New Capped Players: 9(QB, RB, WR, TE, DE, DT, LB, CB, S)
TPE 2890 / 152.105 per player
ATPE 2680 / 157.647 per player
STR 1058 / 55.684 per player
OSTR 405 / 50.625 per player(8 players)
DSTR 653 / 59.363 per player(11 players)
AGI 1172 / 61.684 per player
ARM 75 / 75 per player
THR 79 / 79 per player
INT 956 / 50.316 per player
TCK 598 / 54.363 per player(11 players)
SPD 1479 / 77.842 per player
OHND 400 / 66.667 per player(6 players)
DHND 492 / 44.727 per player(11 players)
PBLK 184 / 36. per player(5 players)
RBLK 200 / 28.571 per player(7 players)
END 1226 / 64.526 per player
A team stricken with tremendous bad luck last year returns with an uphill battle this season. Dallas at the moment, had the lowest TPE and the least amount of capped players. They need to sustain a decent pace early on and hopefully put it together by the final third of the season as they have some of the highest earning rookies of S24. They are tied for having the most potential newly capped players. If they get them all, then we're talking about a very dangerous team to deal with. Dallas has a balanced build like Norfolk but they also have a huge emphasis on being fast, while building the best hands ratings for defense(2nd) and offense(1st). I wanted to place their strongest position as RB but they already have a capped TE and TE's can be mismatch nightmares for improperly developed LB's or that often weak slot position in Nickel defenses. TE's also have the luxury of being extra OL pieces which should help Dallas continue to pound thy rock as they did last year. Dallas lacks depth on defense, but even with losing Tyler Montain on defense, they still have stronger bodies in their front line than their secondary core which also got raided.
Dallas needs someone to step up and emerge as a leader in their depleted pass defense. Expect Dallas to grind games out like Norfolk and play with a conservative defense to limit big plays. Despite their kicking woes last year, Dallas elected to not go with a human kicker this year. Time will tell if their risk pays off this season. Speaking of which, that's what Dallas' main enemy is: time. Will they be able to build their team up quick enough to make a big push for the playoffs in the same division as Myrtle Beach and Norfolk? Two of the highest TPE teams coming into the season and destined for fast starts?
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Kansas City Coyotes(23 Active, 7 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 2 RB, 4 WR(2 IA), 2 TE(1 IA), 0 OL(2 GM bots, 3 Bots), 2 DE(1 IA), 2 DT, 2 LB, 3 CB(1 IA), 3 S(1 IA), 1 K/P
15 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: DE/DT Weakest Position: CB
Capped Players: 4(QB, WR, DT, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 9(2 RB, 2 WR, TE, DE, CB, S, K/P)
TPE 3755 / 163.26 per player
ATPE 4382 / 176.75 per player
STR 1251 / 54.391 per player
OSTR 492 / 49.2 per player(9 players)
DSTR 744 / 62 per player(12 players)
AGI 1324 / 57.565 per player
ARM 138 / 69 per player(2 players)
THR 151 / 75.5 per player(2 players)
INT 1168 / 50.783 per player
TCK 647 / 53.917 per player(12 players)
SPD 1743 / 75.783 per player
OHND 511 / 63.875 per player(8 players)
DHND 529 / 44.083 per player(12 players)
PBLK 150 / 37.5 per player(4 players)
RBLK 196 / 24.5 per player(8 players)
END 1484 / 64.522 per player
KPOW 71
KACC 92
So the first thing to be noted about Kansas City is that they have the most human players and a league-leading 15 send downs. This can bode well for them if they can gain a TPE advantage over other teams throughout the season. Kansas City is not necessarily strong in any areas. They have one of the stronger starting QB's but have a very weak backup at the moment, but the team has invested into pass blocking and their offensive hands to keep their pass attack respectable and mitigate the backfield deficiency. Otherwise, the Coyotes will rely on their defense to lead the way for a majority of the season. With the addition of #1 overall pick, the highest TPE earner, Asher Montain, the Coyotes have fortified a hounding front four that will terrorize opposing backfields. With 3 high earning d-linemen, the Coyotes should be able to control most battles in the trenches but they wont be able to load up against the run as they have leaks in their back seven. They have two corners that have appeared to stalled on production and will force their safeties to slide outside or play deep and not provide assistance to the shallow LB core.
The Coyotes likely will be a high risk-high reward defense as their is no point trying to force action to a second level that is non-existent if they can overload and stop the action at the point of attack. Kansas City likely will struggle in the turnover differential category until they can get their RB's and backup QB to a level to be more featured in the offense. Their kicker, also like Norfolk's kicker, has a high emphasis on accuracy over power. Will field position come back to hurt the Coyotes with an offense that hasn't fully developed yet?
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Portland Pythons(20 Active, 1 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 1 QB, 3 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 0 OL(GM Bot, 5 Bots), 2 DE, 1 DT(1 IA, 1 GM Bot), 2 LB(1 LB), 1 CB, 4 S, 2 K/P
7 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: RB/WR / Weakest Position: Defense Sans LB
Capped Players: 3(2 WR, RB)
Potential New Capped Players: 8(QB, 2 RB, WR, TE, DE, LB, K/P)
TPE 3135 / 156.75 per player
ATPE 3076 / 161.844 per player
STR 931 / 46.55 per player
OSTR 327 / 40.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 564 / 56.4 per player(10 players)
AGI 1164 / 58.2 per player
ARM 78 / 78 per player
THR 79 / 79 per player
INT 978 / 48.9 per player
TCK 545 / 54.5 per player(10 players)
SPD 1499 / 74.95 per player
OHND 414 / 59.143 per player(8 players)
DHND 433 / 43.3 per player(10 players)
PBLK 105 / 26.25 per player(4 players)
RBLK 139 / 19.857 per player(7 players)
END 1310 / 65.5 per player
KPOW 150 / 75 per player
KACC 163 / 81.5 per player
Portland is loaded with the second-most active players, but they are tied for the fewest amount of send-downs. Portland has a ton of young budding talent, but they might be a year away from seriously competing. Portland is very unique, as they appear to be copying Myrtle Beach's formula. They are the fastest team, they have the second best endurance, but they are by far the weakest team, the least intelligent team, and have the worst human block ratings aside from Myrtle Beach. Portland has one of the most stacked offensive skill groups, with high earning rookies added to their 2 capped WR's and capped RB. However, they have a single rookie QB and like Dallas, will need that production to pick up as fast as possible.
Where Dallas boasts a more balanced lineup, Portland is one of the most imbalanced rosters in the league. Almost all of their heavy lifting will be done by their offense, and they will need every point as they only have THREE defensive players with TPE in triple digits. The defense has holes bigger than the Titanic and no lead will be safe for the Pythons. Expect Portland's season to be a big sinusoidal curve as they resemble the Saints before Drew Brees: shootouts every week where the last team holding the ball wins(likely being the other team). It's also interesting that Portland is the only team with two kickers. Maybe if a team gets burnt by a bot kicker enough, Portland can swing a trade for some defensive help.
Minnesota Grey Ducks(16 Active, 3 Inactive)
ROSTER: 2 QB(1 IA), 2 RB(1 IA), 2 WR(1 Bot), 0 TE(2 Bots), 2 OL(1 IA, 3 Bots), 2 DE(1 Bot), 1 DT(2 Bots), 2 LB(2 Bots), 2 CB(1 Bot), 1 S(1 GM Bot, 2 Bots), 0 K/P(1 GM Bot)
10 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: QB
Capped Players: 6(RB, 2 WR, OL, CB, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 4(QB, DT, 2 LB)
TPE 3052 / 190.75 per player
ATPE 2861 / 220.077 per player
STR 974 / 60.875 per player
OSTR 455 / 56.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 519 / 64.875 per player(8 players)
AGI 920 / 57.5 per player
ARM 140 / 70 per player(2 players)
THR 151 / 75 per player(2 players)
INT 829 / 51.813 per player
TCK 436 / 54.5 per player(8 players)
SPD 1208 / 75.5 per player
OHND 275 / 68.75 per player(4 players)
DHND 350 / 43.75 per player(8 players)
PBLK 175 / 43.75 per player(4 players)
RBLK 225 / 37.5 per player(6 players)
END 1030 / 64.375 per player
The team probably hit the hardest by call ups. Minnesota has the second fewest human players, but they have 10 send-downs, and they have highest ATPE rating. They are one of two teams with two human OL which would explain their lead in both blocking categories and overall strength. Unfortunately for Minnesota, their offense is as imbalanced as Portland's defense. They return two of their three starting receivers, which attributes to their high hands ratings, and already have a capped RB. However, Minnesota has no TE, an inactive backup RB, and one of their OL is inactive. Now this creates a paradox because these problems can be mitigated with a solid QB but that is Minnesota's biggest problem --- they have a QB that should've been capped already(hopefully that's not an issue, but it might be costly until he is) and their backup QB appears to be inactive or on hiatus which means they'll have to trot out a traffic cone at QB to split duties per DSFL rules. It does not matter how developed your offense is, if the QB is a dud, the offense is dead. Same for their backup RB, at some point he has to relieve Keppler and will also provide huge problems.
As if that wasn't rough enough, the Grey Ducks main issue isn't even on offense. Minnesota's defense was obliterated by the draft and NSFL call-ups --- leaving the team with 9 bots to go with the 8 humans. Minnesota might be the most top heavy team in the league, all of their TPE is locked up in their star players, and their depth players are all paltry save for their two linebackers. Minnesota, like Tijuana, needs to hit the waiver wire hard and get active bodies in the locker room as the sim will punish them the moment their reserve players touch the field. And on defense, their star players may lock up one half of the field, but that leaves another half completely barren like a tundra. Minnesota might not be as fortunate this year to have another slow start and barrel their way into a division crown at the end of the season.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] London Royals(22 Active, 1 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 OL, 4 DE(1 IA), 3 LB, 2 CB, 3 S, 1 K/P, 4 OL Bots(2 GM Bots)
11 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: S/CB / Weakest Position: DE
Capped Players: 8(QB, WR, RB, 2 S, 2 CB, K/P)
Potential New Capped Players: 5(QB, RB, WR, LB, S)
TPE 4439 / 201.772 per player
ATPE 4382 / 208.667 per player
STR 1232 / 56 per player
OSTR 452 / 50.222 per player(9 players)
DSTR 823 / 68.583 per player(12 players)
AGI 1284 / 58.818 per player
ARM 152 / 76 per player(2 players)
THR 150 / 75 per player(2 players)
INT 1164 / 52.909 per player
TCK 695 / 57.917 per player(12 players)
SPD 1647 / 74.864 per player
OHND 369 / 61.5 per player(6 players)
DHND 546 / 45.5 per player(12 players)
PBLK 145 / 36.25 per player(4 players)
RBLK 179 / 25.571 per player(7 players)
END 1445 / 65.682 per player
KPOW 90
KACC 83
The surprise story of last season, the London Royals. In their second year, battling all the way to the Ultimini, look to finish the job this season. They have the highest total TPE, the most active players, have the highest rated kicker, the highest rated QB, one of the highest rated WR's, and 4 capped secondary players. Based on that alone, London should have favorable win probabilities in every matchup but there are some issues on the roster that must be addressed. For one, London is replacing two WR's and their big-game TE in the offense with all brand new players. Thankfully they have two solid RB's that should alleviate the pressure while those new players develop; even allowing London to perhaps shift from being such a pass-happy team and not finish dead last in rushing. With the addition of an o-lineman, London hopes to not finish last in sacks allowed again. Now as a team, London's offense is definitely weaker than their defense, but I put DE as their weakest position because it's the only spot with an inactive player.
The team will feel more struggles on offense than defense as they boast the best secondary in the league. They have the smartest team, the highest endurance rating, and the second strongest defense. Expect London to put up ridiculous stat-lines on defense throughout the entire season. They should lead the league in interceptions and pass deflections again. Whereas there will be days the offense will suffer growing pains with their new players, the defense is set up to cover up the loss of LB Eric Richards and their underdeveloped defensive line. London was last in sacks last year and that is unlikely to repeat this season with 3 active linemen. London is set up to win ugly and win pretty. Moreover, they can withstand early blows better than most teams waiting for new players to develop into impact players.
It's not a formality they will make the title game, but if they can balance their offense and find a proper equilibrium, then it's as close to a formality as a limit with a trig function approaching infinity.
WC: 4517, 25212 characters
50-50 for @The_Kidd (writing, formatting, and data collection) and @Z-Whiz (data compiling)
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]THE OFFICIAL UNOFFICIAL DSFL S23 SEASON PREVIEW[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Disclaimer: This is not a season prediciton, this is a simple outlook on each team on paper. Obviously, the War Room and testers/strategists have a huge impact on how teams perform and having the most TPE or active locker room isnt the end-all be-all to winning --- just ask Myrtle Beach and London last season. At first this was going to lightly explain the makeup of each team, but I also decided to scope out any outliers or trends with the DSFL teams in general. I will also proclaim that we will not give spotlight to bots. Bots will likely bring most averages down and from firsthand experience, can punch way above their class. I've seen Bots set individual game records on my team last season(and in the PLAYOFFS), and against some solid(1st-2nd round pick) human players. I will John and Sara Connor any bot I see when I observe each team. This is for the HUMANS, so Hasta La Vista Baby to all bots. With that said, I will still look at inactives because circumstances change in life and players come, players go. Like I said, this is basically an outlook on the cusp of pre-season and week 1, not a prediction of how the teams will look in week 14.[/div]
Now, before we get to outlines, let me first provide explanations for the setup and key terms(what am I writing another APA college essay?):
- Roster Breakdown is simple, active players no bots. Inactive players and Bots will be noted in parentheses.
- TPE is full tpe earned for the team, ATPE is simply TPE for the active players. To determine if a player is inactive, I decided any S23 or older player that did not have an update before the preseason was inactive. For S24 players, if they joined before the preseason update and only have 50 TPE in the tracker, or did not update for more than two weeks, then they were inactive.
- Capped players is 250 TPE earned and up(doesn't mean it's all applied but it should be at this point), Potential new capped players is tricky --- I decided if a player does their Rookie Point Tasks(+8) or Wiki Tasks(+5), PT/Trivia(72-82), AC(+14), Training(+35) ---- that leaves about roughly 120 TPE to earn on a slightly above casual pace. If you're a rookie in this range already, you're not casual. If you're a vet and in this range, you either should reach this or you have stalled out to semi-active/inactive status. So any player between 130-248 TPE will be listed here. I started collecting right at this time last season at my default 50 and finished with 196 total. So it's not too late to get to a near max earner pace.
- As for the attributes, I list how many players I used for the attributes. If no player amount is listed that either means: I used the entire team or for the QB and K/P stats, there was only one player. Now kickers are important too so they will be factored into a majority of the averages(I mean, we should have fake 4th downs for them anyway, but I don't want to digress).
- To expand further: ARM and THR will only be QB's, KPOW and KACC will only be kickers/punters, TCK will only be defenders, PBLK will be all offensive players except QB and WR, RBLK will be everyone on offense except QB(for the sake of some teams likely using run heavy packages that have lead backs as blockers or backs blocking for QB runs). I decided to split HANDS and STRENGTH between the offense and defense because those attributes are important for the defense to create turnovers, that way we can point out teams likely to have higher forced turnovers or better pass defense in general.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Let me re-iterate again that this is supposed to be a season preview, not a prediction column. This was not influenced by any simulated games so far, so pretend those games did not happen yet(I forgot we don't get a second pre-season sim in DSFL). So if any GM's or War Room members peruse through and feel slighted or would like to POLITELY clarify a misconception(I'm only looking on paper, not by testing, strategy, or anything else beind the scenes) --- please feel free to do so in the comments or with a PM(if you don't want to disclose something to the public). I will annotate accordingly for each request. Otherwise, let's get to the main attraction![/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Tijuana Luchadores(15 Active, 3 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 1 RB(1 Bot), 2 WR(1 Bot), 1 TE(1 IA, 1 Bot), 1 OL(4 Bots), 0 DE(1 GM Bot), 2 DT(2 IA), 3 LB(1 Bot), 2 CB(1 GM Bot), 1 S(1 Bot), 0 K/P(1 Bot)
7 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: DL
Capped Players: 4(QB, 2 WR, CB)
Potential New Capped Players: 4(QB, RB, LB, S)
TPE 2521 / 168.067 per player
ATPE 2342 / 195.167 per player
STR 848 / 56.533 per player
OSTR 404 / 57.714 per player(7 players)
DSTR 444 / 56.5 per player(8 players)
AGI 889 / 59.267 per player
ARM 151 / 75.5 per player(2 players)
THR 154 / 77 per player(2 players)
INT 793 / 52.867 per player
TCK 420 / 52.5 per player(8 players)
SPD 1076 / 71.733 per player
OHND 265 / 53 per player(5 players)
DHND 330 / 41.25 per player(8 players)
PBLK 121 / 40.333 per player(3 players)
RBLK 153 / 30.6 per player(5 players)
END 959 / 63.933 per player
Our first team up is the defending champions from Mexico. The first item that stands out is they enter with the lowest amount of human players, and they subsequently have the lowest amount of active players. A big advantage they have is still having a capped QB and returning their powerhouse WR duo. Tijuana made their title run on a high-tempo flashy offense that attacked from anywhere and everywhere. Unfortunately, their RB core is stripped down and their speed rating as a team is one of the lowest in the league. The Luchadores do have one of the smartest teams and one of the strongest teams, but we know how much speed kills in the sim so it will be interesting to see how the Luchadores fare with a decimated backfield. Not to forget the defense which has one of the most solid LB cores, but unfortunately, are missing their entire d-line with two inactive/semi-active DT's and bots filling in the other positions.
Tijuana is going to need to strike gold in the waiver wire and replace their filler bots with some human players, especially at RB and S --- two crucial positions in the sim. The other three teams in the divison are eager to overthrow the Luchadores and make their reign on top as short as possible --- and the other three teams aren't set up to be forgiving either. I do expect the Luchadores to continue to have one of the best passing attacks but a precipitous drop in all other statistical categories.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Norfolk Seawolves(22 Active, 6 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 3 RB(1 IA), 2 WR, 3 TE(2 IA), 1 OL(4 Bots), 1 DE(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 3 DT(1 IA, 1 Bot), 3 LB(2 IA), 1 CB(1 Bot), 2 S(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 1 K/P
13 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: QB / Weakest Position: CB
Capped Players: 6(2 QB, WR, TE, S, CB)
Potential New Capped Players: 6(2 RB, 2 DT, LB, S)
TPE 3963 / 180.136 per player
ATPE 2937 / 185.563 per player
STR 1276 / 58 per player
OSTR 564 / 51.272 per player(11 players)
DSTR 687 / 68.7 per player(10 players)
AGI 1188 / 54 per player
ARM 154 / 77 per player(2 players)
THR 163 / 81.5 per player(2 players)
INT 1122 / 51 per player
TCK 535 / 53.5 per player(10 players)
SPD 1635 / 74.318 per player
OHND 544 / 68 per player(8 players)
DHND 372 / 37.2 per player(10 players)
PBLK 233 / 33.286 per player(7 players)
RBLK 271 / 30.111 per player(9 players)
END 1368 / 62.182 per player
KPOW 71
KACC 84
The Norfolk Seawolves, moments away from upsetting Tijuana in the Conference Finals, are the first team on the list to exact revenge on the Luchadores. On paper, Norfolk is a well built team, they are massive, with 3 active d-linemen and 3 TE on their roster. They are the only team with TWO Capped QB's, so they should have a huge advantage early in the season especially with their QB's having the strongest arm rating based on team averages. Norfolk is tied for the second most human players and has the second most send-downs so they are in position to make another deep run. Norfolk has an active player at each offensive position, in addition to having a capped WR and TE, which provides them a variety of weapons to use on offense until their RB's catch up to speed. Norfolk has the best hands rating among their skill positions and the best run blocking attribute average so they will continue their bruising on the ground but we should expect to see them elevate their passing game and unleash their QB's more, but make no mistake, this team is built to grind opponents into dirt. Their defense is the same, built to withstand the most devastating rushing attacks with the strongest defensive strength rating in the league.
Expect Norfolk to continue to force fumbles left and right and do their best to limit big plays despite their low tackling, agility, and speed ratings. Norfolk's main issue will be playing from behind as they have one of the weakest secondaries in the league, being forced to start two bots in their secondary and having two LB's that are on that inactive slide can make it hard against teams that have a developed receiving corps. Expect Norfolk to always be one of the more conservative defenses to limit mismatches with stronger passing attacks. But as I said, they are well built since most teams in the DSFL are run heavy anyway. One last note is their kicker's limited leg power, definitely something that needs to be addressed as it eliminates any long FG attempts and can be an issues when needing to flip field position out of their own end.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Myrtle Beach Buccaneers(19 Active, 3 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB(1 IA), 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 0 OL(5 Bots), 1 DE(1 GM Bot), 3 LB(1 IA), 2 CB(1 GM Bot, 1 IA), 3 S, 0 K/P(1 Bot)
10 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: DE
Capped Players: 7(QB, 2 WR, RB, 2 LB, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 5(QB, RB, WR, TE, CB)
TPE 3764 / 198.105 per player
ATPE 3139 / 196.188 per player
STR 1017 / 53.526 per player
OSTR 335 / 41.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 682 / 62 per player(11 players)
AGI 1127 / 59.316 per player
ARM 155 / 77.5 per player(2 players)
THR 156 / 78 per player(2 players)
INT 995 / 50.263 per player
TCK 644 / 58.545 per player(11 players)
SPD 1499 / 78.895 per player
OHND 369 / 61.5 per player(6 players)
DHND 399 / 36.272 per player(11 players)
PBLK 65 / 21.667 per player(3 players)
RBLK 95 / 15.833 per player(6 players)
END 1221 / 64.263 per player
The Myrtle Beach Buccaneers again enter a new season in the upper echelon of TPE. They keep the formula simple, load up speed, keep a high endurance, the defense must be strong, the offense must have good hands. Myrtle Beach is definitely an athletic team, their defense is fast, has high strength numbers, and actually has a decent investment in tackling. Expect Myrtle Beach to again battle Norfolk for the forced fumble lead. Myrtle Beach's team is built to be fundamentally sound for their roles and responsibility, yet they neglect the intelligence attribute. Expect Myrtle Beach to again have games littered with penalties and turnovers(both their own and from opponents), a rather entertaining watch for neutral parties. Myrtle Beach has several high quality send downs, the issue is that two are inactive. Their QB, Ramos, is on his 3rd season and still in the 300's for TPE, seems set to be a DSFL lifer; therefore Myrtle Beach can easily groom new QB's with the ultimate backup plan(Get it? "Backup" plan).
Meanwhile, their star LB, Mouseman, appears to have gone on hiatus. Hopefully they get him back because their defense has been decimated by call ups. Myrtle Beach is trotting out sandbags duct-taped together as a d-line and the ferocious sack attack last year has a huge hole to repair. Teams will always have to be aggressive with Myrtle Beach as their offensive skill players are all NSFL quality and can keep them in any game. With the new DSFL rule about eliminating inactive players, Myrtle Beach needs their players back ASAP, as they are the only team that drops in ATPE --- shows how valuable their inactive players are to their roster.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Dallas Birddogs(19 Active, 2 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE, 1 OL(1 GM Bot, 5 Bots), 2 DE(1 GM Bot, 1 Bot), 1 DT, 2 LB(1 IA, 2 Bots), 2 CB(1 IA), 4 S(1 Bot), 0 K/P(1 Bot)
12 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: TE / Weakest Position: S
Capped Players: 2(WR, TE)
Potential New Capped Players: 9(QB, RB, WR, TE, DE, DT, LB, CB, S)
TPE 2890 / 152.105 per player
ATPE 2680 / 157.647 per player
STR 1058 / 55.684 per player
OSTR 405 / 50.625 per player(8 players)
DSTR 653 / 59.363 per player(11 players)
AGI 1172 / 61.684 per player
ARM 75 / 75 per player
THR 79 / 79 per player
INT 956 / 50.316 per player
TCK 598 / 54.363 per player(11 players)
SPD 1479 / 77.842 per player
OHND 400 / 66.667 per player(6 players)
DHND 492 / 44.727 per player(11 players)
PBLK 184 / 36. per player(5 players)
RBLK 200 / 28.571 per player(7 players)
END 1226 / 64.526 per player
A team stricken with tremendous bad luck last year returns with an uphill battle this season. Dallas at the moment, had the lowest TPE and the least amount of capped players. They need to sustain a decent pace early on and hopefully put it together by the final third of the season as they have some of the highest earning rookies of S24. They are tied for having the most potential newly capped players. If they get them all, then we're talking about a very dangerous team to deal with. Dallas has a balanced build like Norfolk but they also have a huge emphasis on being fast, while building the best hands ratings for defense(2nd) and offense(1st). I wanted to place their strongest position as RB but they already have a capped TE and TE's can be mismatch nightmares for improperly developed LB's or that often weak slot position in Nickel defenses. TE's also have the luxury of being extra OL pieces which should help Dallas continue to pound thy rock as they did last year. Dallas lacks depth on defense, but even with losing Tyler Montain on defense, they still have stronger bodies in their front line than their secondary core which also got raided.
Dallas needs someone to step up and emerge as a leader in their depleted pass defense. Expect Dallas to grind games out like Norfolk and play with a conservative defense to limit big plays. Despite their kicking woes last year, Dallas elected to not go with a human kicker this year. Time will tell if their risk pays off this season. Speaking of which, that's what Dallas' main enemy is: time. Will they be able to build their team up quick enough to make a big push for the playoffs in the same division as Myrtle Beach and Norfolk? Two of the highest TPE teams coming into the season and destined for fast starts?
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Kansas City Coyotes(23 Active, 7 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 2 RB, 4 WR(2 IA), 2 TE(1 IA), 0 OL(2 GM bots, 3 Bots), 2 DE(1 IA), 2 DT, 2 LB, 3 CB(1 IA), 3 S(1 IA), 1 K/P
15 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: DE/DT Weakest Position: CB
Capped Players: 4(QB, WR, DT, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 9(2 RB, 2 WR, TE, DE, CB, S, K/P)
TPE 3755 / 163.26 per player
ATPE 4382 / 176.75 per player
STR 1251 / 54.391 per player
OSTR 492 / 49.2 per player(9 players)
DSTR 744 / 62 per player(12 players)
AGI 1324 / 57.565 per player
ARM 138 / 69 per player(2 players)
THR 151 / 75.5 per player(2 players)
INT 1168 / 50.783 per player
TCK 647 / 53.917 per player(12 players)
SPD 1743 / 75.783 per player
OHND 511 / 63.875 per player(8 players)
DHND 529 / 44.083 per player(12 players)
PBLK 150 / 37.5 per player(4 players)
RBLK 196 / 24.5 per player(8 players)
END 1484 / 64.522 per player
KPOW 71
KACC 92
So the first thing to be noted about Kansas City is that they have the most human players and a league-leading 15 send downs. This can bode well for them if they can gain a TPE advantage over other teams throughout the season. Kansas City is not necessarily strong in any areas. They have one of the stronger starting QB's but have a very weak backup at the moment, but the team has invested into pass blocking and their offensive hands to keep their pass attack respectable and mitigate the backfield deficiency. Otherwise, the Coyotes will rely on their defense to lead the way for a majority of the season. With the addition of #1 overall pick, the highest TPE earner, Asher Montain, the Coyotes have fortified a hounding front four that will terrorize opposing backfields. With 3 high earning d-linemen, the Coyotes should be able to control most battles in the trenches but they wont be able to load up against the run as they have leaks in their back seven. They have two corners that have appeared to stalled on production and will force their safeties to slide outside or play deep and not provide assistance to the shallow LB core.
The Coyotes likely will be a high risk-high reward defense as their is no point trying to force action to a second level that is non-existent if they can overload and stop the action at the point of attack. Kansas City likely will struggle in the turnover differential category until they can get their RB's and backup QB to a level to be more featured in the offense. Their kicker, also like Norfolk's kicker, has a high emphasis on accuracy over power. Will field position come back to hurt the Coyotes with an offense that hasn't fully developed yet?
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Portland Pythons(20 Active, 1 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 1 QB, 3 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 0 OL(GM Bot, 5 Bots), 2 DE, 1 DT(1 IA, 1 GM Bot), 2 LB(1 LB), 1 CB, 4 S, 2 K/P
7 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: RB/WR / Weakest Position: Defense Sans LB
Capped Players: 3(2 WR, RB)
Potential New Capped Players: 8(QB, 2 RB, WR, TE, DE, LB, K/P)
TPE 3135 / 156.75 per player
ATPE 3076 / 161.844 per player
STR 931 / 46.55 per player
OSTR 327 / 40.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 564 / 56.4 per player(10 players)
AGI 1164 / 58.2 per player
ARM 78 / 78 per player
THR 79 / 79 per player
INT 978 / 48.9 per player
TCK 545 / 54.5 per player(10 players)
SPD 1499 / 74.95 per player
OHND 414 / 59.143 per player(8 players)
DHND 433 / 43.3 per player(10 players)
PBLK 105 / 26.25 per player(4 players)
RBLK 139 / 19.857 per player(7 players)
END 1310 / 65.5 per player
KPOW 150 / 75 per player
KACC 163 / 81.5 per player
Portland is loaded with the second-most active players, but they are tied for the fewest amount of send-downs. Portland has a ton of young budding talent, but they might be a year away from seriously competing. Portland is very unique, as they appear to be copying Myrtle Beach's formula. They are the fastest team, they have the second best endurance, but they are by far the weakest team, the least intelligent team, and have the worst human block ratings aside from Myrtle Beach. Portland has one of the most stacked offensive skill groups, with high earning rookies added to their 2 capped WR's and capped RB. However, they have a single rookie QB and like Dallas, will need that production to pick up as fast as possible.
Where Dallas boasts a more balanced lineup, Portland is one of the most imbalanced rosters in the league. Almost all of their heavy lifting will be done by their offense, and they will need every point as they only have THREE defensive players with TPE in triple digits. The defense has holes bigger than the Titanic and no lead will be safe for the Pythons. Expect Portland's season to be a big sinusoidal curve as they resemble the Saints before Drew Brees: shootouts every week where the last team holding the ball wins(likely being the other team). It's also interesting that Portland is the only team with two kickers. Maybe if a team gets burnt by a bot kicker enough, Portland can swing a trade for some defensive help.
Minnesota Grey Ducks(16 Active, 3 Inactive)
ROSTER: 2 QB(1 IA), 2 RB(1 IA), 2 WR(1 Bot), 0 TE(2 Bots), 2 OL(1 IA, 3 Bots), 2 DE(1 Bot), 1 DT(2 Bots), 2 LB(2 Bots), 2 CB(1 Bot), 1 S(1 GM Bot, 2 Bots), 0 K/P(1 GM Bot)
10 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: WR / Weakest Position: QB
Capped Players: 6(RB, 2 WR, OL, CB, S)
Potential New Capped Players: 4(QB, DT, 2 LB)
TPE 3052 / 190.75 per player
ATPE 2861 / 220.077 per player
STR 974 / 60.875 per player
OSTR 455 / 56.875 per player(8 players)
DSTR 519 / 64.875 per player(8 players)
AGI 920 / 57.5 per player
ARM 140 / 70 per player(2 players)
THR 151 / 75 per player(2 players)
INT 829 / 51.813 per player
TCK 436 / 54.5 per player(8 players)
SPD 1208 / 75.5 per player
OHND 275 / 68.75 per player(4 players)
DHND 350 / 43.75 per player(8 players)
PBLK 175 / 43.75 per player(4 players)
RBLK 225 / 37.5 per player(6 players)
END 1030 / 64.375 per player
The team probably hit the hardest by call ups. Minnesota has the second fewest human players, but they have 10 send-downs, and they have highest ATPE rating. They are one of two teams with two human OL which would explain their lead in both blocking categories and overall strength. Unfortunately for Minnesota, their offense is as imbalanced as Portland's defense. They return two of their three starting receivers, which attributes to their high hands ratings, and already have a capped RB. However, Minnesota has no TE, an inactive backup RB, and one of their OL is inactive. Now this creates a paradox because these problems can be mitigated with a solid QB but that is Minnesota's biggest problem --- they have a QB that should've been capped already(hopefully that's not an issue, but it might be costly until he is) and their backup QB appears to be inactive or on hiatus which means they'll have to trot out a traffic cone at QB to split duties per DSFL rules. It does not matter how developed your offense is, if the QB is a dud, the offense is dead. Same for their backup RB, at some point he has to relieve Keppler and will also provide huge problems.
As if that wasn't rough enough, the Grey Ducks main issue isn't even on offense. Minnesota's defense was obliterated by the draft and NSFL call-ups --- leaving the team with 9 bots to go with the 8 humans. Minnesota might be the most top heavy team in the league, all of their TPE is locked up in their star players, and their depth players are all paltry save for their two linebackers. Minnesota, like Tijuana, needs to hit the waiver wire hard and get active bodies in the locker room as the sim will punish them the moment their reserve players touch the field. And on defense, their star players may lock up one half of the field, but that leaves another half completely barren like a tundra. Minnesota might not be as fortunate this year to have another slow start and barrel their way into a division crown at the end of the season.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] London Royals(22 Active, 1 Inactive) [/div]
ROSTER: 2 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 OL, 4 DE(1 IA), 3 LB, 2 CB, 3 S, 1 K/P, 4 OL Bots(2 GM Bots)
11 Send-Downs / Strongest Position: S/CB / Weakest Position: DE
Capped Players: 8(QB, WR, RB, 2 S, 2 CB, K/P)
Potential New Capped Players: 5(QB, RB, WR, LB, S)
TPE 4439 / 201.772 per player
ATPE 4382 / 208.667 per player
STR 1232 / 56 per player
OSTR 452 / 50.222 per player(9 players)
DSTR 823 / 68.583 per player(12 players)
AGI 1284 / 58.818 per player
ARM 152 / 76 per player(2 players)
THR 150 / 75 per player(2 players)
INT 1164 / 52.909 per player
TCK 695 / 57.917 per player(12 players)
SPD 1647 / 74.864 per player
OHND 369 / 61.5 per player(6 players)
DHND 546 / 45.5 per player(12 players)
PBLK 145 / 36.25 per player(4 players)
RBLK 179 / 25.571 per player(7 players)
END 1445 / 65.682 per player
KPOW 90
KACC 83
The surprise story of last season, the London Royals. In their second year, battling all the way to the Ultimini, look to finish the job this season. They have the highest total TPE, the most active players, have the highest rated kicker, the highest rated QB, one of the highest rated WR's, and 4 capped secondary players. Based on that alone, London should have favorable win probabilities in every matchup but there are some issues on the roster that must be addressed. For one, London is replacing two WR's and their big-game TE in the offense with all brand new players. Thankfully they have two solid RB's that should alleviate the pressure while those new players develop; even allowing London to perhaps shift from being such a pass-happy team and not finish dead last in rushing. With the addition of an o-lineman, London hopes to not finish last in sacks allowed again. Now as a team, London's offense is definitely weaker than their defense, but I put DE as their weakest position because it's the only spot with an inactive player.
The team will feel more struggles on offense than defense as they boast the best secondary in the league. They have the smartest team, the highest endurance rating, and the second strongest defense. Expect London to put up ridiculous stat-lines on defense throughout the entire season. They should lead the league in interceptions and pass deflections again. Whereas there will be days the offense will suffer growing pains with their new players, the defense is set up to cover up the loss of LB Eric Richards and their underdeveloped defensive line. London was last in sacks last year and that is unlikely to repeat this season with 3 active linemen. London is set up to win ugly and win pretty. Moreover, they can withstand early blows better than most teams waiting for new players to develop into impact players.
It's not a formality they will make the title game, but if they can balance their offense and find a proper equilibrium, then it's as close to a formality as a limit with a trig function approaching infinity.
WC: 4517, 25212 characters
50-50 for @The_Kidd (writing, formatting, and data collection) and @Z-Whiz (data compiling)