I was using Yatzr's game analyzer in an attempt to figure out why my team had only completed 29% of it's passes during the first half of the game, and came across something interesting. I noticed that on multiple plays, I had 2 different wide receivers covered by the same defensive back. 4 plays are shown below. In the first two plays, my WRs are in different zones being covered by the same DB. For example, in the first play, my opponents DB Myers is covering my WR Kramer in a long zone and also covering my TE Leland in a medium zone. Additionally, his DB Gonzalez is covering my WR May in a long zone and my TE Leland in a medium zone. Anybody have an explanation for this? I understand how it could happen when the receivers are in the same zone, but not in different zones.


Defense lines up for a pass with a cover Medium. Patrick White takes the snap and drops back to pass. Stout (Robinson) is covered at the RU 40 (Medium). May (Gonzalez) is covered at the RU 32 (Long). Kramer (Myers) is covered at the RU 36 (Long). White throws to a covered Leland (Myers,Gonzalez) at the RU 42 (Medium). Pass is overthrown. Incomplete.

Defense lines up for a run. Patrick White takes the snap and drops back to pass. White can't get the pass off to Craig (Rivera) at the TEN 37 (Long). White throws to Stout (Rivera) at the TEN 28 (Medium). Pass is overthrown. Incomplete.

Defense lines up for a run. Patrick White takes the snap and drops back to pass. The defensive line gets a good first step. White can't get the pass off to Baker (Myers) at the RU 37 (Medium). May (Cook) is covered at the RU 38 (Medium). White throws to a covered Leland (Myers,Cook) at the RU 37 (Medium). Pass is knocked down by Myers.

Defense lines up for a run. Patrick White takes the snap and drops back to pass. White can't get the pass off to Stout (Rivera) at the RU 15 (Long). White throws to Baker (Rivera) at the RU 15 (Long). Pass is overthrown. Incomplete.

I would like to hear other opinions on this one, but here is mine. I do not believe that the engine "truly" creates one-on-one matchups. I think the engine simply "picks" a name from the defensive players in the "area".

On offense you can much more clearly see the relationship of your playmaker to the PBP. On defense, not so much.

Interested to hear answers to this one.

An offtopic question.
If I drop LBs into coverage do they help at all with passes to WRs (particularly against Trips), or is it just RB/TE as noted in the formation screen?
- That is, in the hypothetical instance that a team never passes to the TE/RB is there any point in dropping LB into coverage?

Currently, DBs cover all depths and the entire width of the field on the same play. Will this be addressed? (slid64er - Hall of Famer - 6:52 PM)

Yes, the Play by Play is showing that each DB can cover the entire field. This is partially true in that the DB has an influence in each target zone, but the Play by Play will soon use the most influential at that location when fixed.

And

Recognizing that all pass defenses are zone-based, how does the engine determine which receivers are in which DB's zone? Ultimately, is there a way for me to target or create a match up with individual defensive backs? (helgi - Hall of Famer - 3:14 PM)

Currently there is no way to put a DB on a specific receiver. The coverage is based on the zone and the defenders are chosen randomly if they are in the coverage zone.

Posted by rusticity on 9/24/2016 3:42:00 PM (view original):
Interested to hear answers to this one.

An offtopic question.
If I drop LBs into coverage do they help at all with passes to WRs (particularly against Trips), or is it just RB/TE as noted in the formation screen?
- That is, in the hypothetical instance that a team never passes to the TE/RB is there any point in dropping LB into coverage?

LB's can make the tackles if the wr catches the ball. But standardly do not cover wr's. If a team were to pass to wr's only(and never run the ball), I would play a dime with 1 lb on the line and the 2nd lb set to blitz 100% of the time.

Thanks tigerpark!

Follow-up. Is there a difference between putting a LB on the line vs dropping him into coverage but blitzing 100pct?

I assume you are talking about setting your playbook to blitz 100%, and setting your formation so that LB blitzes 100%? That's an interesting question.

Correct. Is a blitzing linebacker treated differently than one assigned to the line?

I run a 3-4 and always have a minimum of 4 men at the line, either by lining a LB up at the line, blitzing or both. I don't know how much difference there is but I do know a LB will get more sacks blitzing than when at the line, though he will get some both ways...

In the not so distant past...the developers said there was no difference between a blitz and set to "line".

The only "difference" was in being able to control the % of blitz.....

Is there a difference between a LB set to line and a LB who blitzes? It seems so based on the small sample I have so far. I've been burned on blitz plays, but not nearly as often when the same person is set to line. (noah23 - Hall of Famer - 7:20 PM)

No difference. The only difference is that if a LB would have been in coverage and is set to blitz he will now be added to the line. Just sample size problem that you are seeing.

Thanks guys. This is a good reminder to reread the Dev chats. Really appreciate the info Harris and nitro.

No worries. Don't take my cut and pastes in a negative way. I just find the answer and post it if I can.

I'd take all of the Dev Chat responses with a grain of salt. With history as our guide, we've seen behaviors that directly contradict the information they've given us.

I, for one, do not believe for a second that a LB who is blitzing 100% gets treated as a LB who is set to Line. Other effects come into play that give those two situations different results on average.