Interceptions Happen Too Easily (a list of reasons why)
For the longest I attributed this to my own skill issue, but after I've spent some time getting a lot better at passing. I'm in my 6th season with USC. Won the natty last year while throwing fewer than 10 picks for the first time. It was generally 20ish in years prior. I'm beginning to realize that no amount of improvement or sliding can make up for how some of the defensive A.I. is just insane in this regard. I have a list of observations below. Let me know if you guys experience any of these or if you disagree. I just needed to get this off my chest!!
1) Defenders have hands that are as good as the damn receivers. It's insane. Linebackers almost never drop picks. DBs make over the shoulder grabs WAY too often. Makes no sense. I understand that balls get underthrown; it happens, especially in college. But simultaneously those are some of the hardest plays to defend. Defenders are taught to react to the receiver. Here, they just have eyes in the back of their heads. In reality there's a lot more flailing by the DB trying to make a play on something he can't really see. Here, it's like they're so confident about where the ball is while they're head is turned. Need more of those flailing animations.
2) Receivers rarely fight for the ball. 50/50 balls aren't just meant for fades downfield. They can happen anywhere on the field. There are so many occasions where a receiver runs a curl or deep in, with both he and the DB being aware that the ball is being thrown, and ONLY the DB makes a play on it. That's so annoying. I feel like when the WR is facing the QB that he should lunge for it, or attack the ball at its highest point (taught to WRs btw), instead of just standing there and watching a defender go catch it.
3) Too often defenders play like they're 7 feet tall with a 50-foot vertical and 40-inch wingspan. And it doesn't help that sometimes QBs refuse to throw the ball over them. I'm cool with being penalized for not seeing a linebacker that was right there. That happens. I'm not cool with going out of my way to throw it over his head, only for the defender to 1) Somehow see it even though he's facing the other way and 2) Leap like five feet into the air to pick off a pass that I wanted to go higher in the first place.
4) It's not often enough that a QB throws the ball in a way where the defender can't make a play. QBs are too okay with throwing * right into a defender's hands. Does it happen irl sometimes? Of course. But if we're not careful in this game it can somehow happen ALL of the time. Things are too convenient for defenders.
5) Sometimes defenders, including LBs, break on the ball in ways that I swear break physics.
6) Some defenders in zone coverage can play like three routes at the same time and I can't trust my QB not to throw it right to him. Too often a LB miraculously defends a curl, flat route, and an in, perfectly. And when I throw to the flat he's basically already broken on it and stops the play for minimal gain. Give me a break. (If I throw the curl it's likely to be picked with no contest by the receiver.)
7) Pretty much every defender, no matter how big or small the school is, can make an amazing play and not drop the interception.
I'm not necessarily saying that the passing game in general needs to be easier. Outside of the ridiculous interceptions I think it's pretty awesome. This is essentially a nitpick. I'm just tired of watching impossible interception after impossible interception over and over again. Not only does it take me out of the game, but they're also costly. Interceptions should happen because:
1) I made a terrible read or decision.
2) I just didn't see a guy.
2) The ball wasn't thrown well and the defender was the closest.
3) I took a risk and it didn't work out.
4) The ball was tipped. Bad luck.
5) A rare case of a defender making a truly amazing play.
But hey, maybe it's still just a skill issue. An yes, my interception slider is way down - to like 20ish.
