DSFL offenses are notoriously run heavy. That's clear to anyone who looks at a DSFL index. Most quarterbacks will fail to average more than 200 yards or 1 passing touchdown per game. A 1000 yard receiver is a rarity. Meanwhile it's not uncommon for teams to have two 1000 yard rushers. For as long as I've been in the league, it's just been accepted. You have to run the ball in the DSFL. Quarterbacks just aren't good enough, even at the max 250 TPE.
But why? Does it have to be this way? Of course not!
Before I get into the solution, let's identify the problem. Let's take a look at some numbers:
So yeah, even compared to the ISFL, which one could argue is also a run heavy league, DSFL passing offenses are anemic. Fewer yards, worse efficiency, and as a result, lower scores. Now for even more context:
ISFL passing offenses may be a step ahead of the DSFL, but real life pro and college offenses are even better.
The biggest difference seems to lie in completion percentage. ISFL and DSFL seems to hover around 55-56%, while in real life the numbers are at least 5% higher. Plus, when a pass is completed, it goes for about 1 yard shorter in the DSFL than elsewhere. This means passing in the DSFL both high risk and low reward. No wonder teams run the ball more.
OK, we get it. What's there to do about it?
Well I don't have a solution for better completion percentages. That would probably require a widespread change to QB, WR, and DB base attributes at the very least. But even if we can't stop the incompletions, we can make the completions more worthwhile.
How?
Have you even seen this little guy?
Hidden away in the games Advanced Settings, these sliders seem to dictate the yards gained per play. By the way, joke's on you, warning caption. I have no idea what I'm doing!
By default, we have the passing slider set a bit to the left of center. This setting is the same in the DSFL as it is in the ISFL. But it doesn't have to be! These are two different leagues with two different talent levels. What I'm proposing is to bump that Passing Yards Modifier a few ticks to the right.
What will that do though?
Well I ran a few tests of course.
Those are league numbers across a few season sims with the slider turned 4 ticks to the right. This resulted in Yards/Completion, Yards/Attempt, TD/Int, and QB Rating pretty much in line with what the ISFL gets. Teams still ran the ball a lot, because I didn't touch strategies at all, so most teams were probably running Power 30.
Here are tests with the slider 11 ticks to the right (in line with the Rushing Yards one)
Ok yeah this one is pretty extreme, with better yards per attempt than even college teams. But with the completion percentage still relatively low, QB rating is still not as high as real life.
So what are you proposing
Let's move that slider! I would be OK with getting DSFL numbers in line with ISFL with the 4 ticks test. I honestly wouldn't mind the more extreme option though. Yeah, the lower league would have better passing stats than the higher league, but isn't that realistic? Have you seen the numbers that good college QBs get?
Why make this change though? How does it help the league?
I understand that we don't have to make things as realistic as possible here, but I think it does have benefits. Heck, let's go position by position
Quarterbacks
Pretty self evident that this would help quarterbacks. Let's be honest, making a QB can be very unforgiving. Even 250 TPE builds struggle. Then you're probably not useful in the ISFL until you're almost halfway to regression, and even veterans can put up bad numbers. Why do we have to make their DSFL careers awful too?
Running Backs
With more efficient passing would come more frequent passing. So obviously less rushing stats to go around. But it's not like RBs struggle in the ISFL. Plus, with more passing comes more receiving stats for RBs.
Wide Receivers
Also self evident. Keep in mind too, we get more WR creates than RB. More passing gives more stats to more people. Stats are good for engagement, and engagement is the goal of the DSFL. I forgot this was supposed to be kind of my whole point and I just snuck it in here. Oh well.
Tight Ends
See above. Also, see below.
Offensive Line
More passing mean more pancakes (I tested that because I wasn't positive, but its true)
Defense
More sacks, more interceptions, more pass deflections. Fewer TFLs though.
GMs
Yes, even GMs get a mention. Better passing allows more game planning creativity. Lets people get better at making new gameplans rather than just setting Power 30 for half of the strategy.
But why? Does it have to be this way? Of course not!
Before I get into the solution, let's identify the problem. Let's take a look at some numbers:
So yeah, even compared to the ISFL, which one could argue is also a run heavy league, DSFL passing offenses are anemic. Fewer yards, worse efficiency, and as a result, lower scores. Now for even more context:
ISFL passing offenses may be a step ahead of the DSFL, but real life pro and college offenses are even better.
The biggest difference seems to lie in completion percentage. ISFL and DSFL seems to hover around 55-56%, while in real life the numbers are at least 5% higher. Plus, when a pass is completed, it goes for about 1 yard shorter in the DSFL than elsewhere. This means passing in the DSFL both high risk and low reward. No wonder teams run the ball more.
OK, we get it. What's there to do about it?
Well I don't have a solution for better completion percentages. That would probably require a widespread change to QB, WR, and DB base attributes at the very least. But even if we can't stop the incompletions, we can make the completions more worthwhile.
How?
Have you even seen this little guy?
Hidden away in the games Advanced Settings, these sliders seem to dictate the yards gained per play. By the way, joke's on you, warning caption. I have no idea what I'm doing!
By default, we have the passing slider set a bit to the left of center. This setting is the same in the DSFL as it is in the ISFL. But it doesn't have to be! These are two different leagues with two different talent levels. What I'm proposing is to bump that Passing Yards Modifier a few ticks to the right.
What will that do though?
Well I ran a few tests of course.
Those are league numbers across a few season sims with the slider turned 4 ticks to the right. This resulted in Yards/Completion, Yards/Attempt, TD/Int, and QB Rating pretty much in line with what the ISFL gets. Teams still ran the ball a lot, because I didn't touch strategies at all, so most teams were probably running Power 30.
Here are tests with the slider 11 ticks to the right (in line with the Rushing Yards one)
Ok yeah this one is pretty extreme, with better yards per attempt than even college teams. But with the completion percentage still relatively low, QB rating is still not as high as real life.
So what are you proposing
Let's move that slider! I would be OK with getting DSFL numbers in line with ISFL with the 4 ticks test. I honestly wouldn't mind the more extreme option though. Yeah, the lower league would have better passing stats than the higher league, but isn't that realistic? Have you seen the numbers that good college QBs get?
Why make this change though? How does it help the league?
I understand that we don't have to make things as realistic as possible here, but I think it does have benefits. Heck, let's go position by position
Quarterbacks
Pretty self evident that this would help quarterbacks. Let's be honest, making a QB can be very unforgiving. Even 250 TPE builds struggle. Then you're probably not useful in the ISFL until you're almost halfway to regression, and even veterans can put up bad numbers. Why do we have to make their DSFL careers awful too?
Running Backs
With more efficient passing would come more frequent passing. So obviously less rushing stats to go around. But it's not like RBs struggle in the ISFL. Plus, with more passing comes more receiving stats for RBs.
Wide Receivers
Also self evident. Keep in mind too, we get more WR creates than RB. More passing gives more stats to more people. Stats are good for engagement, and engagement is the goal of the DSFL. I forgot this was supposed to be kind of my whole point and I just snuck it in here. Oh well.
Tight Ends
See above. Also, see below.
Offensive Line
More passing mean more pancakes (I tested that because I wasn't positive, but its true)
Defense
More sacks, more interceptions, more pass deflections. Fewer TFLs though.
GMs
Yes, even GMs get a mention. Better passing allows more game planning creativity. Lets people get better at making new gameplans rather than just setting Power 30 for half of the strategy.