Moshrok

In the old days you would choose easy, medium, or hard setting. DDA is like an automatic version of that instead of manual. That's not a setting you would normally choose in a head to head type of game, but it's possible they overlooked that.   Would it matter in h2h? I'm not certain. If you are playing well you are winning games and losing DDA help. If you are playing poorly and losing games you are gaining more DDA. It sure seems like matchmaking is by division (AM2 seems much more difficult than the one above it when I'm in it). If so then you should have roughly the same DDA (you lost a lot and get lots of DDA help, or you won alot and don't, or somewhere in between). In fact, your record, division,  and DDA help would go hand in hand.   So even if there is DDA, the only way it would really impact anyone is if a player with a good record matched against a player with an awful one. In this sense you'd have the a.i. each person normally plays and the difference would be the actual skill levels of the players themselves and how they match up. And in this sense the better player should still win most of the time.

Yes it matters a ton. I dare anyone to run into my line. I love when 'Barry Sanders 7 rushes -5 yards' pops up after a play.   That said..   In Madden, just like in the NFL, there isn't a massive difference between the top guy and the bottom guy for every position. The bottom lineman is still a 320 pound guy whose actual job is lifting weights and learning how to wreck people. In the NFL, Lawrence Taylor played against worse-than-average lineman at least half the time, 60+ snaps per game. He did not average 30 sacks and 30 tackles for a loss per game.   In the draft they are going to take the top 250ish players from college football. There are certainly more than 50,000 college football players, I don't know the exact number. If you made it to the nfl at all you are already elite.   Defensive backs are WRs who can't catch, that's why they are back there. A great DB has a mid 80s catch stat. They drop uncontested balls sometimes.

Your WRs aren't dropping balls all alone out there, they are dropping contested balls while surrounded by the best players to ever play the game. Vick always made shitty throws, that's just Vick. I've always seen the 'defenders just stop' issue, maybe it just caught up to you now.    I think you are right, a break would be good. The most important player really is you, at least on offense.

Two thoughts on what to do:   1. Make tokens and sell them. 2. Put on some suntan lotion and sunglasses and crack open the curtains. Carefully.

Unfortunately the best run blocking TE isn't the one that will help you run best.   I used Wycheck for a while, as long as no one moves he's got it down, but he's so slow people run by him / around him (even the a.i.). Same with Sharpe. I used Walker for a while and he had great balance, but I don't run PTR anymore.   I now use Wycheck as my #3, Sharpe as my #2 (because Go Ravens), and Gonzales as my starter. Overall they run block as well as anyone can given the amazing defensive players available cheap. That said, having a credible passing game is more important as far as being able to run imo.

Punish it by throwing over the blitz.

Meh. My team's done for the year, plenty of 99s now and all the players I actually want.    Unless they come out with a card to rebuild around (I see that 99 Luck coming..). Even then it'd have to be beyond belief good. If they come out with a Dickerson card I'll sell my entire team for it though if I have to. Even if it's a silver.

I've got PU Jurrell Casey with Too Tall (and 94 Harrison, workin' on it), people see two red stars on the line and they just do not rush the interior. Or they do and they lose that fight.    Great pass rush for 3-4 ends too.

93 Reed originally, then 98 Reed, and 95 Renfro. So many pick sixes.   Also, Suggs (still using a nat 93) never disappoints in Madden for me.   97 Bettis has been really fun to plow through people with.

Every year is a crazy draft for the Browns. Can they draft new ownership? That might help.