https://www.whatifsports.com/gd/GameResults/BoxScore.aspx?gid=9806106
I know I sound dramatic, but what the heck?

I looked at the game analysis and I had Run defense on 34/56 runs for 61%.. AND STILL GAVE up 285 yards rushing to the 274th best RB on next guess and their best OL is ranked 270.

I fully admit my defense is not great - several younger players that lack some formation IQ and development, but jeez.

I also thought, I would be able to run the ball at least somewhat successfully and was completely shutdown until I switched to some air raid.

I know my team has some issues for sure, but is my gameplanning that bad to get blown out by every user and lose to a "worse" sim?

I'll add that I know the score was close, but if some of their FG's are TD's.. It is a complete blowout. I will take any mentoring anyone wants to give. I had a good run at this game years ago, but it is different than before or I have lost my mojo. Thanks everyone for letting me rant some.

The more I play this game the more I think that game planning has very little to do with the results. Having your defense set to run when they run and set to pass when they pass seems to do little from what I have seen. BUT, I am not very experienced at this game and these guys with 50+ NCs would be the ones to ask/.

I know “talent matters most” but man

In the previous version of the game (Version 2, like 10 years ago now), if you matched up on defense with run v run or pass v pass, it DEFINITELY was a net positive for the defense. In this version of the game, I do NOT find that to be true all the time. It does seem to be a factor SOME of the time, with specific formations driving the success rate.

I would still assume that matching run D to run O and pass D to pass O is almost always going to have some sort of positive effect for the defense, but that many other factors also need to be accounted for to determine the ultimate outcome of a single given play: talent(#1 factor no doubt), IQ, formations, run direction/pass depth/ pass distribution, coverages, line/cover/blitz calls, etc. etc. etc.

And RNG of course.

Thats a lot of variables to account for. In effect like a lot of things in the game it is a bit nebulous, without access to the code or a hardcore statistical analysis it's hard to say what impact the correct defensive run/pass calls actually have on a play...plus or minus 2%? 5%? 10%? 20%?. Who knows?