(02-07-2022, 05:22 PM)Michiganonymous Wrote:(02-01-2022, 07:47 PM)infinitempg Wrote: *dusts off old Specialist.png NFT*
good article! i'm curious if there's a difference in how this was recorded between DDSPF16 and DDSPF21. I've done (a lot) of punting data mining in the past yet never thought about this, but it might explain why 21 has so many more punts inside the 20, even when we consider they gave punters brains in the new sim.
So I charted a game from back in Season 15. In Philadelphia's S15, W1 16-22 loss to San Jose, Liberty punter Kulture Fulture punted 9 times.
Statline: 9 punts, 371 yards, 4 punts Inside 20
I might chart another game or two just to make sure I'm right, but I think you're correct that the new sim is simply more generous in handing out Inside 20s. It apparently calculates at the point of the catch, whereas the old sim apparently calculated at the final spot. One could argue that return yards are probably more a reflection of the coverage rather than the kick, so you could say that the new sim's calculation is giving punters more credit for their abilities. In my opinion though I prefer the old sim's calculation; ball placement is an important punter skill, so punters do have some ability to influence how "returnable" their kicks are. I wonder if there's a way to modify the settings to restore the old way of calculating.
- Own 45, 55-yard punt, touchback -- The punt distance was measured from the LOS to the goal line and the touchback distance was not subtracted. The only difference here is that touchbacks in the new sim come out to the 25 instead of the 20. Measurement is the same in the new sim.
- Own 9, 31-yard punt, 3-yard return -- Punt fielded at the 40 and returned to the 37. Return yardage was not subtracted from recorded punt distance. Measurement is the same in the new sim.
- Own 40, 42-yard punt, no return -- Punt downed at the 18: Inside 20 #1
- Own 42, 40-yard punt, no return -- Punt downed at the 18: Inside 20 #2
- Own 14, 67-yard punt, 14-yard return -- Punt fielded at the 19 and returned to the 33. Found the difference! In the new sim, as far as I can tell, this would count as an Inside 20. In the old sim it did not!
- Own 25, 60-yard punt, no return -- Punt downed at the 15: Inside 20 #3
- Punt BLOCKED -- recorded as a punt of 0 yards.
- Own 41, 31-yard punt, no return -- Punt downed at the 28
- Own 36, 45-yard punt, no return -- Punt downed at the 19: Inside 20 #4
Wow, this is awesome! I mean, not for the old day punters like myself, but good to know. If I have time one of these days I might dig into the archives and see what information I can find and see if, including this new knowledge, the new sim is still more generous or less generous on average.