The Case Against User Defensive Line

The argument around user D-Line has never been about winning and losing. Allowing users to play as a defensive lineman has been the single biggest change to Red Zone gameplay since I have been a part of this league. (6+ years, if you’re wondering) Here's why:

First, the difference between user pass rush and CPU ability is so great (because the user can create animations the CPU cannot, which have no counters) that not playing on d-line at least part time, puts your team at a disadvantage. This is obvious both by seeing the increase in users spending more and more snaps at d-line, as well as what Ram pointed out today that several users made a significant jump once they embraced using the d-line. I have no issue with this, by the way. People have tools at their disposal and should use them.

This brings us to the second point, playing against users that primarily stay on the d-line is less engaging (dare I say, less fun) because the number of potential situations is greatly reduced. The reason we love playing in a 32-user league is because of the chess match each game creates. However, when a user sticks to the d-line, it is more akin to checkers than chess. I play 15-20 minutes of practice mode before every game (there is my secret if anyone actually reads this) and I can tell you that this is FAR more beneficial for playing d-line users than those who play all over the field. It's simple -- coverage is predictable (it's a video game after all) and when all you have to worry about is if someone breaks through quickly or not, the game is far less engaging. Compared to when a user lines up at safety, corner, and LB, then you're dealing with a human and how he might react to different situations while you have to be ready to counter his decisions. The game within the game, if you will. This is a more dynamic experience. For some, it may be more frustrating. But for others, it creates a more rich experience.

My third point is based on how things have developed in the league. Due in some part to users being able to play d-line, defensive lineman have progressed at a much higher rate than offensive lineman. The balance of highly rated offensive lineman to d-lineman is staggering. My team, (Falcons) have one of the best (if not the best) offensive lines in the league. Here are my ratings: 84, 89, 90, 86, 79. Compare that to a handful of teams who have 4 ss/xf d-lineman, all above 90. We can blame EA to a degree (no dev upgrades for o-line, bad draft classes for o-line, crappy abilities, no dev games, etc.) but that ignores what we can control. We can change XP sliders, we can do manual dev increases, we can edit drafted lineman, we can be creative. Regardless, the widening gap between o-lineman and d-lineman has made the problem worse. The better defensive lineman get and the more star/ss/xf offensive lineman that are retiring, the more it makes sense to take advantage by usering these players and initiating the animations mentioned above. All this, and I didn't even bring up specialists. How many 90 pmv/fmv players are being used just to user rush in specific situations. While the NFL does have specialists, they are nowhere near as common as they have become in Red Zone.

Third, by giving a single pass rusher the ability to generate sacks irrespective of what the other d-lineman are doing, we have incentivized the strategy to play maximum coverage. Blitzing has significantly dropped across the league. 3-man rush is used much more often. This is not as unsim as everyone makes it out to be (NFL teams use 3-man rush regularly in 3rd down situations) but what is unsim is the pressure that is generated in these scenarios. The league is at its best when strategy varies from users to user. Zone, man, coverage, blitz, etc. With user d-line being so prolific, that variation has dropped significantly.

My last point is this: if we ban user d-line, I will be negatively affected. It is not in my personal interest to move away from usering d-lineman. Not because I make heavy use of it (I estimate 60/40 user DL vs. coverage) but rather because of how I have adapted on offense. Many people have struggled to adapt to facing instant pressure. I do not buy into the argument that there is no combating it... I have beat the Steelers in two Super Bowls after all. Having a once in a generation talent like Magatron helps, but so does sitting in practice mode for hours each season getting used to quick releases and having a checkdown plan on every play. On the one hand, that's football and users should be punished for not being prepared. On the other, it's not balanced. Yes, IRL QBs have to be ready to check down, but they do not get instant pressure 10-times a game with no blitzing. NFL guards get pancaked a couple times a season, not 4 times a game. Other than Aaron Donald, great defensive lineman do not consistently beat double teams. I love the challenge of finding a game plan that works against any and all kinds of defense, but what we're seeing today is not representative of what we see on Sunday.

When we go back to no user d-line, I recommend we lower pass rush sliders. I do not want to go back to the days of people waiting 5-seconds in the pocket for a deep cross to get behind purple zones 4 times a drive. But even then, people were enjoying the game more and no one was leaving the league because the game wasn't fun. Astin was not the first to leave due to user pass-rush. Based on the survey Adel put out, he likely wouldn't have been the last. Most notable, there are at least a few people who advocated for user pass rush earlier in the cycle who are now on board with changes.

No, user d-line did not break the league. But it fundamentally changed how Red Zone games are played in both subtle and obvious ways. It is clear now that the experience is much less enjoyable for many. While I do not like user d-line play and would like it to go the way of the Dodo, I still enjoy the game and will continue to play so long as we have a league to play in.

TL;DR

When we get rid of user d-line play, it will hurt me; I will not be as successful. I still want us to change for a better, more engaging gameplay experience and the betterment of the league.