Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 7hThe Jaguars used an internal twist against the Patriots' heavy personnel under-center run game. In Base, Jacksonville used a TON stunt to the open side to gain a free defender on the RB. The initial stunt from the 3-technique (Tam) knocks the LG off the Nose. ... 161
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 7hSeeing this weak-side stunt more and more as a change-up to under-center runs. Weak-side Nose + Rip stunt to create a "jam" or "feed" the movement of a Wide Zone. The Texans attack the B-gap bubble weak, and the "Rip" stunt shortens the edge for the Will LB. ... 142
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 8hMeet one of the NFL’s best interior blitzers... Kaden Elliss is unique in the way he aligns and attacks the offense, which is why he is a perfect fit in New Orleans. Last season, the Falcons had Kaden align in the B-gap on 34 of his rushes, the most in the NFL. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 8hUnder Minter, the Chargers used a 3-Safety system on 3rd & XL downs, but this is a great way to play 2-Man with what is essentially a vision "post" player. The 3rd Down versions still use a four-man rush. ... 160
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026"I passed the TE off to Jesus to cover him." - Talanoa Hufanga (9) 🙏😂 -- 0151
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026Last year, the Chargers were one of the few teams that used open-post alignments to rotate into Cover 2 schemes. Against LA in Week 3, the Bills used an open-post contour to "rotate" into an Inverted Cover 2. Most QB's are now accustomed to seeing closed-post to Cover 2 rotations (NTTs). ... 150
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026Pick pressures are a great way to use the RB in pass protection against the offense. Instead of attacking the back directly with pressure, the Panthers use his block to help set a "pick" on the Browns' LG. Post-snap, the blitzer will aim for the hip of the LG, bringing the RB with him. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026If looking for a pressure that kills under-center runs, these A-gap punctures are a best-practice path. Clip 1 hits the field-side A-gap against a weak-side run, while Clip 2 attacks the boundary against a strong-side Counter GF. ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026Vertical "Dog" blitzes usually attack the B-gap against under-center offenses. Brandon Staley attacks the A-gap instead. From a Nickel Bench (boundary) Front, the Saints use LB Kaden Elliss on weak-side "plugs" against play-action. ... 111
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026The "Wrap" stunt, a three-man game, is a best-practice option for defenses that want to force protections wide and then attack the interior gap. Most often, the path starts from a Boss or Load alignment. ... 110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026Ulbrich added Hot Blitzes to the mix last season in Atlanta to leverage his aggressive front. Those have shown up early in the '26 season. Typically, defenses want to run Hot Blitzes when an offense is backed up and on 3rd & Long. ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026Last season, Jacksonville's defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile was an unknown commodity. This year, everyone is looking to see if he can repeat his top-10 defensive performance from '25. One feature of his defense is the use of Quarters Pressures. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026The Packers sit 7th in Quarters usage through three weeks (21%) and sit right at 49% open-post usage for the season. Since his time in Philadelphia, Jonathan Gannon has used Quarters as a primary coverage tool rather than opting for more Cover 6. ... 131
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026Most NFL defenses use hybrid off-ball LBs off the edge. Brandon Staley attacks through the interior. Kaden Elliss generated a ~32% Pressure Rate over the first two weeks by lining up over the Guard. ... 122
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 27/09/2026Anthony Campanile’s Guard-Read Scheme: Breaking Pass Protection With Double-Mugs Against Denver in Week 2, Campanile used a Guard-Read mugged pressure to attack one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. ... 131
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 27/09/2026How Brian Flores Uses Pressure to Kill the Run The Mechanics Behind the Vikings' 80%+ Early-Down Blitz Rate The defense’s main goal is to apply pressure on every down and in every gap to create a “flinch effect.” It’s an extreme fight to constrain space. ... 1174
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026Over two weeks, the Raiders' defense ranks 8th in DVOA (FTN). DC Rob Leonard has a diverse defensive background, having coached under Flores, Macdonald, and Graham. Las Vegas's defense has schemes and structures that pull from all these playbooks. ... 112
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026Seattle likes to attack early down under-center runs with vertical pressure. In Clip 1, the Seahawks align in their "Walk" Front that morphs the defense into a 5-1. The Ni, Witherspoon, will then blitz the TE-side A-gap. ... 131
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026Pairing five-man pressures with split-field coverage allows defenses to overload the protection without isolating DBs against vertical shots. Against Denver, the Jaguars' Anthony Campanile used a Boss (Load) Front with a double-mug to force man protection and a predictable Center turn. ... 110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026The Jaguars' DC, Anthony Campanile, has a diverse background to pull from when it comes to scheme. His defense is mostly based on his time under Hafley, but his time with Flores often pops up. Here is a look at an All-Up pressure similar to what you often see in Minnesota. ... 150
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026The Jets hold the fifth-highest Blitz Rate after two weeks (42%). Aaron Glenn and newly appointed DC Brian Duker are amping up the aggression in '26. Last season, the Jets held a Blitz Rate of ~27%. Against the Packers, Duker ran a classic 3-thru concept to create a free lane to Jordan Love. ... 191
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026Robert Saleh has been one of the leaders of open-post coverage growth in the NFL since 2018. Last year, Saleh used the Quarters, along with a weak-side rotation Cover 3, to keep a cap on opposing teams after his star players went down early in the season. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026When offenses condense their formations in 12 personnel, it can challenge the spacing of split-field Quarters. One of the most popular ways to do this is using a 2x2 double-slot alignment. Proximity blinds Safeties versus common deep crossing routes if they lock onto their primary threat. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026The Bengals lead the NFL through two weeks in QB Hurries with 44 and are 3rd in total pressures (PFF). Against the Texans, Cincinnati featured one of the more popular pressure paths in the NFL. DC Al Golden attacks the boundary with an "inside" Fire Zone, overloading Houston's protection. ... 230
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026Anthony Campanile is evolving his pressure system in Jacksonville. Last year, his Quarters pressures featured mostly traditional Fire Zone tracks, but against the Broncos, the Jaguars unveiled a different look. ... 110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 24/09/2026Seeing more weak-side stunts and pressure on early downs to disrupt under-center runs. Here's a great example from the Eagles versus a weak-side run by the Titans. The Edge is able to rip, ricochet, and make the tackle while the Will scrapes exchange to ensure the back is tackled. ... 241
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 24/09/2026Patriots recorded three sacks against the Steelers, two of which came from their pick-pressure menu. Pick pressures are a great way to create free runners to the QB, and most times, it's the pick-man who comes free. ... 130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 24/09/2026When offenses condense formations, which they often do in the NFL, Brian Flores weaponizes his CBs as perimeter-leveraging tools. In its Chucky or double-CB blitz concept, Minnesota compresses a double-condensed set to vise the box. ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 24/09/2026Excellent example of manipulating the protection to create a free runner. In fact, over two weeks, Robert Spillane (14) has the most unabated pressures (UBP) of any LB. Rogers motions the RB out as a coverage ID check. ... 1203
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 24/09/2026Defending 12-personnel condensed sets in Base split-field Quarters can force Safeties to process space differently. Proximity can blind DBs if they focus on their primary receiver in a true split-field system, leaving the secondary vulnerable to popular Cross-Country concepts. ... 151
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 23/09/2026The Bengals' defense was ACTIVE versus the Texans in Week 2. DC Al Golden even tried his hand at his own version of the "Glitch" blitz (or tag pressure) popularized by the Ravens' system. ... 100
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 23/09/2026The Saints consistently attacked the interior of the Ravens' protection. Here, Pete Werner (20), opposite the RB, will attack the field-side A-gap. Kaden Elliss (55) will "green dog" the RB, meaning that if he blocks, he will add in. ... 180
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 23/09/2026How Brian Flores Uses Pressure to Kill the Run The Mechanics Behind the Vikings' 80%+ Early-Down Blitz Rate Most analysts and fans will see the Blitz Rate number and imagine exotic pressures, with defenders moving towards the line of scrimmage while others drop out. That just isn’t the case. ... 180
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 23/09/2026Brandon Staley needed a weapon at Will LB, so they brought back Kaden Elliss from the Falcons. What makes 55 so special? He's a hybrid LB, but not the typical Edge-hybrid we see on most teams. Elliss is special because he lines up mostly in the interior (B-gap) and can take on a Guard. ... 110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 23/09/2026PUNCH THE POCKET!!! The Peanut Punch strikes again... Hunt the ball. -- 030
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026When Myles Garrett comes back, the Rams' Cheetah package will be a problem... Get into passing downs at your own peril. -- 070
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026Most NFL teams use split-field contours to disguise Cover 3 variations. For Tampa rotations, most defenses show a single-high alignment pre-snap. The Ravens' Jesse Minter is one of the few who use an open-to-open disguise when running Tampa 2. ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026The Saints consistently attacked the Ravens' early down offense with boundary or open-side vertical pressures (Orton). ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026Brian Flores' high blitz rate isn’t an exotic pass-rush package. It’s an early-down run cutoff. Minnesota’s pressure paths are built to suffocate under-center runs before the back can reach the line of scrimmage. ... 162
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026NFL offenses like the Falcons use 12p to get defenses to match with Base, only to align in 4-open "spread" formations. The space forces defenders who are traditionally on the line of scrimmage or near the box into primary coverage roles. ... 130
Reposted by Cody AlexanderGregg Rosenthal @greggrosenthal.bsky.social · 22/09/2026it’s a little nuts Aaron Donald is on the field in an NFL game tonight. can’t wait to talk about it live postgame with @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social and @matchquarters.com youtube.com/live/ESROD_L...youtube.comGiants at Rams MNF RecapYouTube video by NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal 1253
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 22/09/2026PUNCH THE POCKET!!! The Giants' Jevon Holland (8) had a "Peanut Punch," a strip, and an interception, while also leading the team in tackles in a losing effort against the Rams. -- 3123
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026What do you even tell the RG here...? What a menace. Dex in a tilt is unfair. 😂 -- 080
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026The Bills have the NFL's sack leader in Greg Rousseau and an interior D-Lineman in Deone Walker, who is 8th in hurries. Buffalo gets interior pressure through stunts on passing downs. DC Jim Leonhard is using pass stunts at nearly a 40% rate, which ranks third behind the 49ers and Seahawks. ... 270
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026One feature of the Jim Leonhard system, present since his Wisconsin days, is the use of Safeties in his pressure package. Buffalo attacks the open-side (away from the TE) of the Lions' formation with a Safety pressure. Placing the Nose head up on the RG naturally has him "lag" into the B-gap. ... 131
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026Cover 6 rates are on the rise in the NFL. Drake Maye struggles vs. Cover 6. Seattle spammed the coverage not only in the Super Bowl but also in Week 1. There's nuance to the issue, which I broke down in last Friday's article. ... 2101
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026The Bills have 7 sacks in two games and are third in passing down Stunt% behind the 49ers and Seahawks. DC Jim Leonhard is using a "speed" package on passing downs, amplified by movement, to wreak havoc on opponents' pass protections. ... 181
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21/09/2026Brian Flores blitzed the Packers on over 80% of their downs, holding Green Bay to 48 rushing yards against pressure (3.0 YPC). Against the Bears and Caleb Williams, the same blitz-centric style continued at a 65% rate (PFF). ... 250
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 19/09/2026The Commanders' DC, Daronte Jones, is coming from the Brian Flores tree. That means pressure is a built-in factor for offenses. Last week, the Vikings had an 80%+ Blitz Rate; #2 in that metric was Washington at ~50%. ... 120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 19/09/2026Mike Macdonald’s rotational split-field coverage package was designed to completely eliminate vertical explosives against New England's AJ Brown. It also built a box around Drake Maye's secondary read once he identified the "double" on Brown. ... 2102