Sign in

Cody Alexander

@matchquarters.com
34K followers 168 following 7.2K posts

Solving defensive problems with data and film. MatchQuarters | Let’s Talk Ball! Pod | 6x Author No Frills Daily Football Clips

PostsRepliesMedia
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 20h
Post-snap, the Nose steps to the LG, allowing the Center to "knock" him before he climbs to the ILB. Once the DT tags the LG, the Nose loops back behind the Center. The pressure puts the RB in a phone booth with the Nose. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 20h
The 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 · 20h
Notice how the Will (51) is already tilted for the scrape-exchange. Indy's DE does a great job of using the LG's momentum to ricochet back down the line of scrimmage. Learn more about run down stunts, only on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/ton-stunt-... --
010
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 20h
Seeing 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 · 21h
The Falcons had Elliss rush the passer on 174 snaps in '25, ranking fourth among LBs, behind hybrids Frankie Luvu (WAS), Derrick Barnes (DET), and Eric Wilson (MIN). Only Wilson was used in a similar fashion (interior), and his volume is mostly due to Brian Flores’s blitz-centric style. ...
110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21h
Meet 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. ...
140
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21h
LA is playing man underneath on all five receivers with a Flush stunt that will attempt to get Allen going to his left. As Allen turns to his right, both the Middle Safety and Hash Safety cut to his vision. Away, the Hash Safety maintains his presence over his "unit". ...
130
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 21h
Under 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. ...
170
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 · 29/09/2026
Using open-post alignments and then rotating into Cover 2 can keep the Safeties relatively static. That can be unnerving for a QB who is trying to figure out where the space is going to open up as the pass rush closes in. Buffalo adds a nice Boss Front Ton stunt to apply pressure. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026
Last 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 · 29/09/2026
Once the blitzer makes contact, the D-lineman will wrap inside. The scheme creates an open lane directly to the QB's face. Though this clip doesn't show it, the "pick-man" is often the one who comes free. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026
Pick 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 · 29/09/2026
The blitz acts as a cut-off to the RB's path, making it impossible for him to get vertical. Against under-center runs, the defense's ability to force the RB to go horizontal or change direction is vital to stopping the play. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026
If 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 · 29/09/2026
Elliss attacks the A-gap to the run-action side, beats the Center with leverage, and is in Lamar Jackson's face immediately out of his blind fake. Elliss flushes the mobile QB to the boundary, eliminating the primary read and forcing an incompletion. ...
210
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 29/09/2026
Vertical "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 · 28/09/2026
Atlanta takes this simple game and amplifies it by running it as an off-ball pressure. The design stays the same, but the pre-snap presentation changes. Learn more about this popular game, only on MatchQuarters. www.matchquarters.com/p/vegas-raid... --
000
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
The two interior defenders work to the face of the Guard and Tackle, allowing the edge defender to wrap back inside. When used with a 5-O alignment, the opposite Guard and Tackle are occupied with their own defenders. The scheme creates an alley directly in front of the QB. ...
100
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
The "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 · 28/09/2026
With Green Bay inside their 15, Atlanta decides to bring a 6-man blitz. The Packers RG takes on the rush of 92, and the RB picks up Bates (3), which keeps Divine Deablo (0) free to the face of Jordan Love. ...
110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
Ulbrich 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 · 28/09/2026
Against the Broncos, he used one to make Denver's All-Pro Guard wrong in protection. Learn more about Campanile's unique system, only on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/campanile-... --
000
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
Last 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 · 28/09/2026
Once he comes back, McKinney triggers on the in-breaking route. Learn more about Gannon's ability to design unique systems, only on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/arizona-ca... --
020
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
Though considered a Fangio-adjacent coach, he's unique in the way he implements his coverage system compared to others in the tree. Xavier McKinney (29) does an excellent job of nailing down on the Post for the interception. Penix looks to the top side first, then comes back to his Dig. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
The 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 · 28/09/2026
Full front philosophy, internal paths, and pick-pressure rules are up now on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/brandon-st... --
000
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
When the offense slides away from the weak-side Elliss, the RB is forced to handle a downhill blitz with no help. Entering Week 3, Elliss ranked 4th in Pass Rush Win Rate (21%) among off-ball LBs. Staley consistently isolates Guards instead of fighting better blocking Tackles on the outside. ...
100
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
Against Baltimore, the Saints leaned on their Base 3-4 front (37% usage) to shape early-down pass-protection rules. A five-man surface forces man blocking, leaving the back responsible for an off-ball blitz. ...
100
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 28/09/2026
Most 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 · 27/09/2026
Anthony 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 · 27/09/2026
How 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 · 26/09/2026
The Vikings' Brian Flores loves to attack the edges against condensed under-center (UTC) runs, a strategy that showed up multiple times against the Chargers. "Chucky," or a double-CB blitz, is a great way to attack traditional UTC run games with non-traditional blitzers. ...
221
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026
Over 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 · 26/09/2026
Clip 2 illustrates Mike Macdonald's favorite way to attack offensive run games through the weak-side B-gap. These Will "stabs" have become a critical tool within the Seattle system. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026
Seattle 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 · 26/09/2026
The scheme freed up the Dime, Antonio Johnson, on a Guard-Read blitz. Behind it, Jacksonville built two coverage triangles: - Palms over the field Sail concept - Sky (Quarters) to the boundary ...
110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026
Pairing 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 · 26/09/2026
The goal is to force the QB to panic, which Nix does in this clip. Denver actually picks the pressure up nicely, but Nix fades and forces the ball to the Corner route, which is intercepted in the end zone. That "flinch" effect is why these pressures are popular in some systems. ...
241
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 26/09/2026
The 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 · 25/09/2026
The double-mug alignment forces the RB to step up into the protection. Sending both interior defenders causes both the back and the Center to take their man, leaving an alley for Andre Cisco (8) to disrupt the play. ...
120
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026
The 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 · 25/09/2026
Robert 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 · 25/09/2026
This can keep the "cap" low, leaving space behind them. Against Boise State, Oregon counters this look from their Base 3-4 by cross-keying the Safeties post-snap to layer the intermediate. ...
110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026
When 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 · 25/09/2026
Learn more about this pressure pattern (Sand) and the split-field coverage behind it (Deuce), only on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/seahawks-c... --
110
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026
Setting the 3-technique to the pressure side grabs the LG, clearing the path for both blitzers. The concept shows a closed-post coverage, but snaps into Quarters post-snap. ...
100
Cody Alexander @matchquarters.com · 25/09/2026
The 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 · 25/09/2026
To add a layer to the blitz, Edge Dennis Gardeck wrapped into the A-gap from the opposite side. My full breakdown on Campanile's mugged pressures and Quarters rotations versus the Broncos is only on MatchQuarters: www.matchquarters.com/p/campanile-... --
020