Disclaimer: Dogwood just posted a very good article you should read about how defensive statistics have been distributed overall, beating me to this a little. I think there's still some valuable stuff in here though and I'm getting paid so I'm posting anyway. 1135 words from this point.
I think we need to talk about defensive tackles. In DDSPF16, the commonly accepted description of defensive line statistics was that defensive ends get tackles for loss and defensive tackles get sacks. Through 9 (I really should've written this after 8 or 10 weeks to help with rounding) weeks I feel like defensive ends get TFLs and defensive ends get sacks in DDSPF21. So let's find out if the numbers back that up.
Methodology
I compiled the stats of everyone listed at defensive end and defensive tackle in S26 and S27 to see how the two positions compare with each other, and how they compare with how they performed in DDSPF16. Rather than looking at their stats as a percentage of the total accumulated defensive stats I looked at defensive ends and defensive tackles on a per-game basis and if the mean defensive lineman played a 16 game season.
A few things mean that the methodology is a little off. Maybe more than a little.
1) Not every player plays at their listed position, and some players moved around during the season. So that I could release this article today rather than spending dozens of hours checking DCs from every week to ensure accuracy, I made the assumption that DEs played DE and DTs played DT. The DE who had an interception in S26 was definitely playing linebacker on that snap.
2) I excluded players who averaged fewer than 1 tackle per game on the basis that they didn't seem to be playing many snaps and would bring down the averages.
3) There's more variety in defensive formations in DDSPF21. In S26, every team played some combination of 3-4 and nickel. In S27 some teams play exclusively using the 3-4 and 3-3-5 playbooks, some play 4-3 and nickel, and some teams play a mixture. It may be that some positions perform better in different playbooks.
4) I only calculated mean averages, there's some places where median numbers would be useful. A more in-depth analysis would look at how players at different TPE ranges or possibly different builds perform.
5) The sample size is smaller for S27 compared with S26.
6) The usual disclaimer that new sim is new and our builds and strats aren't optimised yet. It may be that the current meta favours DEs rather than the sim itself.
S26
Please excuse the lack of pretty colours on my spreadsheet.
I thought that DT sack numbers would be a little higher than they were, but the adage is mostly true. The most obvious difference between DTs and DEs is that DEs would get lots of TFLs and DTs wouldn't. It'd be interesting to see the median numbers, and to break this down by TPE and see how elite DT play and elite DE play compared.
S27
I'll start by comparing S26 DTs to S27 DTs. Tackles went up, by about 10 over the course of a 16 game season. DTs can expect to see their TFL numbers increase too, from about 1.6 per season to 3.3 per season. Many more fumbles are being forced too, with the mean DT now forcing about 1.6 fumbles a season where previously it'd take around nine seasons of play to reach this mark. Fumble recoveries are up too, which makes sense given that fumbles are up league-wide. Sacks are down fairly significantly though, with the average DT accumulating 3.3 sacks per season rather than 4.8. Safeties and blocked punts/field goals/extra points appear to be slightly up, but are rare enough that drawing any conclusions about it feels sketchy.
On the TFL:sack split, defensive tackles basically exchanged 1.5 fewer sacks for 1.7 more TFLs over the course of a season. Fumbles are up, as they are for everyone. Now to talk about where they might have gained those 10 extra tackles.
DTs v DEs
Comparing S27 DTs and S27 DEs is where I start straying into Dogwood territory. There are similar numbers of DEs and DTs so for simplicity's sake I'm going to compare the two directly. In S26, the mean DT and mean DE combined for 85.0 tackles in a 16 game season. The S27 mean DT and DE combine for 86.0, so they've racked up almost identical tackle numbers. The difference is how they're shared out. DTs gained about 10 tackles and DEs lost about 9, the missing tackle being explained by the positions combining for about one more tackle between them.
The positions combined for 12.2 TFLs per season, with 1.6 belonging to the DTs and 10.6 to the DEs. In S27 that number is down to 9.8 combined, of which defensive tackles are taking a higher share.
Forced fumbles and fumble recoveries are up for both positions. While DEs previously dominated in this category, they're now shared relatively evenly.
DEs have seen their sack numbers increase by more than 75%, sacking the quarterback around 9.0 times per season rather than 5.1 times as they did in S26. Sacks are up league-wide, but DTs have seen their overall sack numbers and share of total sacks decrease, managing about two-thirds of the sacks they did in S26.
Impact plays
I'm going to go into some football value judgement here, which may be slightly more contentious. Sacks kill drives. So do turnovers. TFLs are helpful, but can be overcome much more easily by the offence. Combining sacks and turnovers, DTs contributed about 5 of these impact plays per season in S26. DEs contributed about 5.4, more if we take into account that their forced fumbles could have been recovered by a linebacker or another member of the defence.
In S27, DTs are on pace for about 3.8, slightly down on their S26 total. DEs, by comparison, have seen this number rise to 9.8. Defensive ends sack the quarterback almost 3x as much as defensive tackles do, and force more fumbles in addition. Defensive tackles are tackling the ball carrier more often, but defensive ends still manage almost double the number of TFLs that defensive tackles do.
Conclusions through 9 weeks of S27
1) Defensive tackles are having more of an impact in the run game, with more total tackles and more TFLs than previously. Defensive ends still dominate the TFL standings, though.
2) Defensive tackles have benefitted from the increase in fumbles, but defensive ends still force and recover more fumbles.
3) Whereas previously sacks were split fairly evenly between defensive tackles and defensive ends, defensive ends now manage 2.86x as many sacks as defensive tackles.
4) Where previously big, drive-ending plays were shared almost equally between DTs and DEs, defensive end is now the big-play position. DEs get about 2.56x as many of these plays compared with DTs.
5) The above is all subject to change so we shouldn't get too carried away yet.
I think we need to talk about defensive tackles. In DDSPF16, the commonly accepted description of defensive line statistics was that defensive ends get tackles for loss and defensive tackles get sacks. Through 9 (I really should've written this after 8 or 10 weeks to help with rounding) weeks I feel like defensive ends get TFLs and defensive ends get sacks in DDSPF21. So let's find out if the numbers back that up.
Methodology
I compiled the stats of everyone listed at defensive end and defensive tackle in S26 and S27 to see how the two positions compare with each other, and how they compare with how they performed in DDSPF16. Rather than looking at their stats as a percentage of the total accumulated defensive stats I looked at defensive ends and defensive tackles on a per-game basis and if the mean defensive lineman played a 16 game season.
A few things mean that the methodology is a little off. Maybe more than a little.
1) Not every player plays at their listed position, and some players moved around during the season. So that I could release this article today rather than spending dozens of hours checking DCs from every week to ensure accuracy, I made the assumption that DEs played DE and DTs played DT. The DE who had an interception in S26 was definitely playing linebacker on that snap.
2) I excluded players who averaged fewer than 1 tackle per game on the basis that they didn't seem to be playing many snaps and would bring down the averages.
3) There's more variety in defensive formations in DDSPF21. In S26, every team played some combination of 3-4 and nickel. In S27 some teams play exclusively using the 3-4 and 3-3-5 playbooks, some play 4-3 and nickel, and some teams play a mixture. It may be that some positions perform better in different playbooks.
4) I only calculated mean averages, there's some places where median numbers would be useful. A more in-depth analysis would look at how players at different TPE ranges or possibly different builds perform.
5) The sample size is smaller for S27 compared with S26.
6) The usual disclaimer that new sim is new and our builds and strats aren't optimised yet. It may be that the current meta favours DEs rather than the sim itself.
S26
Please excuse the lack of pretty colours on my spreadsheet.
I thought that DT sack numbers would be a little higher than they were, but the adage is mostly true. The most obvious difference between DTs and DEs is that DEs would get lots of TFLs and DTs wouldn't. It'd be interesting to see the median numbers, and to break this down by TPE and see how elite DT play and elite DE play compared.
S27
I'll start by comparing S26 DTs to S27 DTs. Tackles went up, by about 10 over the course of a 16 game season. DTs can expect to see their TFL numbers increase too, from about 1.6 per season to 3.3 per season. Many more fumbles are being forced too, with the mean DT now forcing about 1.6 fumbles a season where previously it'd take around nine seasons of play to reach this mark. Fumble recoveries are up too, which makes sense given that fumbles are up league-wide. Sacks are down fairly significantly though, with the average DT accumulating 3.3 sacks per season rather than 4.8. Safeties and blocked punts/field goals/extra points appear to be slightly up, but are rare enough that drawing any conclusions about it feels sketchy.
On the TFL:sack split, defensive tackles basically exchanged 1.5 fewer sacks for 1.7 more TFLs over the course of a season. Fumbles are up, as they are for everyone. Now to talk about where they might have gained those 10 extra tackles.
DTs v DEs
Comparing S27 DTs and S27 DEs is where I start straying into Dogwood territory. There are similar numbers of DEs and DTs so for simplicity's sake I'm going to compare the two directly. In S26, the mean DT and mean DE combined for 85.0 tackles in a 16 game season. The S27 mean DT and DE combine for 86.0, so they've racked up almost identical tackle numbers. The difference is how they're shared out. DTs gained about 10 tackles and DEs lost about 9, the missing tackle being explained by the positions combining for about one more tackle between them.
The positions combined for 12.2 TFLs per season, with 1.6 belonging to the DTs and 10.6 to the DEs. In S27 that number is down to 9.8 combined, of which defensive tackles are taking a higher share.
Forced fumbles and fumble recoveries are up for both positions. While DEs previously dominated in this category, they're now shared relatively evenly.
DEs have seen their sack numbers increase by more than 75%, sacking the quarterback around 9.0 times per season rather than 5.1 times as they did in S26. Sacks are up league-wide, but DTs have seen their overall sack numbers and share of total sacks decrease, managing about two-thirds of the sacks they did in S26.
Impact plays
I'm going to go into some football value judgement here, which may be slightly more contentious. Sacks kill drives. So do turnovers. TFLs are helpful, but can be overcome much more easily by the offence. Combining sacks and turnovers, DTs contributed about 5 of these impact plays per season in S26. DEs contributed about 5.4, more if we take into account that their forced fumbles could have been recovered by a linebacker or another member of the defence.
In S27, DTs are on pace for about 3.8, slightly down on their S26 total. DEs, by comparison, have seen this number rise to 9.8. Defensive ends sack the quarterback almost 3x as much as defensive tackles do, and force more fumbles in addition. Defensive tackles are tackling the ball carrier more often, but defensive ends still manage almost double the number of TFLs that defensive tackles do.
Conclusions through 9 weeks of S27
1) Defensive tackles are having more of an impact in the run game, with more total tackles and more TFLs than previously. Defensive ends still dominate the TFL standings, though.
2) Defensive tackles have benefitted from the increase in fumbles, but defensive ends still force and recover more fumbles.
3) Whereas previously sacks were split fairly evenly between defensive tackles and defensive ends, defensive ends now manage 2.86x as many sacks as defensive tackles.
4) Where previously big, drive-ending plays were shared almost equally between DTs and DEs, defensive end is now the big-play position. DEs get about 2.56x as many of these plays compared with DTs.
5) The above is all subject to change so we shouldn't get too carried away yet.
[OPTION]S24 (PHI): 16 GP, 73 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 FF, 3 sacks, 5 INTs, 10 PDs, 2 TDs
[OPTION]S25 (PHI): 16 GP, 67 tackles, 4 INTs, 13 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S26 (OCO): 16 GP, 68 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 10 PDs
[OPTION]S27 (OCO): 16 GP, 116 tackles, 4 INTs, 23 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S28 (OCO): 16 GP, 84 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 INTs, 20 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S29 (OCO): 16 GP, 99 tackles, 3 FF, 1 FR, 5 INTs, 23 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]=============================================================
[OPTION]ISFL Playoff Stats:
[OPTION]S23 (PHI): 1 GP, 2 tackles
[OPTION]S26 (OCO): 1 GP, 5 tackles, 2 PDs
[OPTION]=============================================================
[OPTION]Trophies and Achievements:
[OPTION]Drafted 35th Overall by Myrtle Beach in the S21 DSFL Draft
[OPTION]S21 Ultimini Champion
[OPTION]S21 DSFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S21 DSFL Defensive Back of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]Drafted 4th Overall by Philadelphia in the S22 ISFL Draft
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Defensive Performance of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S24 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S24 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S25 (PHI): 16 GP, 67 tackles, 4 INTs, 13 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S26 (OCO): 16 GP, 68 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 10 PDs
[OPTION]S27 (OCO): 16 GP, 116 tackles, 4 INTs, 23 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S28 (OCO): 16 GP, 84 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 INTs, 20 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]S29 (OCO): 16 GP, 99 tackles, 3 FF, 1 FR, 5 INTs, 23 PDs, 1 TD
[OPTION]=============================================================
[OPTION]ISFL Playoff Stats:
[OPTION]S23 (PHI): 1 GP, 2 tackles
[OPTION]S26 (OCO): 1 GP, 5 tackles, 2 PDs
[OPTION]=============================================================
[OPTION]Trophies and Achievements:
[OPTION]Drafted 35th Overall by Myrtle Beach in the S21 DSFL Draft
[OPTION]S21 Ultimini Champion
[OPTION]S21 DSFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S21 DSFL Defensive Back of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]Drafted 4th Overall by Philadelphia in the S22 ISFL Draft
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S23 ISFL Defensive Performance of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S24 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S24 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S26 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S26 ISFL Returner of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S29 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S29 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]=============================================================
Player | Update | Wiki | Twitter
[OPTION]S26 ISFL Returner of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]S29 ISFL Pro Bowl Selection
[OPTION]S29 ISFL Cornerback of the Year Nominee
[OPTION]=============================================================
Player | Update | Wiki | Twitter