So I've heard it thrown around a few times that the new sim hurt DE a bunch, but no one ahs really said why exactly. When you compare the position as a whole pre and post sim switch, Defensive Ends went from being tackle and TFL focused to much better pass rushers. Heck, going back a few seasons pre-switch, you would see one, sometimes two, DE get double digit sacks in a season (a lot of times no DE would break 10 in a season) as opposed to now where it is commonplace to see multiple DE getting 12+ sacks in a season.
I think the belief that somehow they're worse comes down to a few things: 1) not every team runs a four man front anymore, and when DE are put more on the interior is changes their impact on the game and 2) the league is much much much more of a pass-happy league now, meaning that there are just less chances for TFL in general - for reference, in S22 the lowest rushing attempts by a team was 344. That would have been good enough for 8th most in S30. Arizona led the league with 437 rushing attempts this season, and in S22 there would have been 6 out of the 12 teams that had more carries than that.
Do DE stats look different? Of course. I can understand that being a bit of a system shock when their stats were pretty static for 26 seasons. But now instead of being the big, nasty run stuffers that get lots of tackles and TFL, they've shifted into more pass rushers that get sacks and force fumbles. Different doesn't mean worse.
I think the belief that somehow they're worse comes down to a few things: 1) not every team runs a four man front anymore, and when DE are put more on the interior is changes their impact on the game and 2) the league is much much much more of a pass-happy league now, meaning that there are just less chances for TFL in general - for reference, in S22 the lowest rushing attempts by a team was 344. That would have been good enough for 8th most in S30. Arizona led the league with 437 rushing attempts this season, and in S22 there would have been 6 out of the 12 teams that had more carries than that.
Do DE stats look different? Of course. I can understand that being a bit of a system shock when their stats were pretty static for 26 seasons. But now instead of being the big, nasty run stuffers that get lots of tackles and TFL, they've shifted into more pass rushers that get sacks and force fumbles. Different doesn't mean worse.
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