Cody Alexander
@The_Coach_A • 71,918 subscribers
Solving defensive problems with data and film. MatchQuarters | Let’s Talk Ball! Pod | 6x Author No Frills Daily Football Clips
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Arguably the most popular pressure in the NFL last season and a staple within the Ravens' system. "Sand Deuce" is a weak overload pressure with Quarters or Cover 2 behind it. The Chargers initially show a basic Cover 3 contour vs. the 49ers' 2x2 set. Post-snap, the Down Safety and Will LB will blitz through the A & B gaps. The goal is to create a 2-on-1 vs. the RB. San Francisco chip-releases their RB away from the pressure, leaving the LG to take the Will and no one on the blitzing Safety. Behind the pressure, the Chargers build two triangles on top of the three receivers running routes. At the bottom, we get a great example of "shoving" the coverage, too. Learn why the Ravens' pressure system is one of the most efficient in the league, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander478,445 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
The Saints consistently attacked the Ravens' early down offense with boundary or open-side vertical pressures (Orton). In Clip 1, New Orleans attacks the open A-gap with tempo. Kaden Elliss is able to slip past the RG's block and secure the tackle before Derrick Henry can get momentum. The pressure also allows the Edge to climb, forcing a "give" read and funneling the play to the pressure. In Clip 2, the pressure again attacks the open-side, but this time against an under-center play-action. Lamar is blind to the pressure, and the five-man front in Base (3-4) creates man blocking. The RB is responsible for the play fake and blocking the LB. For Baltimore, the RG "posts" the Nose, which makes him late picking up the 5t. Elliss again makes a play in the backfield off the same pressure path. Learn how to build an early down pressure system, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander136,497 görüntüleme • 28 gün önce
If you are looking for the next Anthony Campanile, Rob Leonard might be this year's example of building a defense with a diverse background. "Pick" pressures are a large part of how the Ravens' system coaches attack protections. The Raiders illustrated a Guard pick against the Dolphins. Quay Walker (7) will blitz to the hip of Miami's LG while Kwity Paye (95) works to his face. The RB is responsible for Walker, who will attempt to get a 2-for-1 by bringing the back with him. Walker knocks the LG off, and the RB isn't prepared to pick up Paye; a classic example of how these pressures work. Learn more about how this system uses picks to create sacks, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander93,981 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
The Broncos have a very specific scheme they like to use on heavy run downs. Against LA, they used it in the 2nd Half to shut down the Rams' 13 pers. run game. When facing the 49ers' 22 pers., the scheme was used again to stifle their run game. Vance Joseph's scheme uses two LB inserts with a TON (DT + Nose) stunt to Alex Singleton's (49). But San Francisco ended the game with a TE screen to Kittle against this exact scheme. DBs still have to play their man... Learn more about this scheme and how it shuts down heavy run games, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander35,919 görüntüleme • 14 gün önce
Excellent 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. Once back, you can see Dre'Mont Jones (5) give Christian Elliss (53) a thumbs-up; he's got the RB. The Patriots' "Boss" or Load alignment forces the Center turn to go toward the field, leaving New England with a three-on-two to the boundary. Post-snap, the RB will flare, and Jones will peel. Jones's initial vertical steps draw the RT's attention to him, leaving the RG to defend two players. With the RT focused on Jones and the RG taking Elliss, there is no one left for Spillane. Find more ways to manipulate coverage in the MatchQuarters Clinic Archive: --
Cody Alexander58,937 görüntüleme • 26 gün önce
Anthony Campanile unleashed Antonio Johnson (6) in the Jaguars' Big Nickel package last weekend. When the Bengals were in 12 personnel, Jacksonville used Johnson to attack the B-gap bubble with pressure. Clip 1: Toss Clip 2: Duo Learn how other teams are attacking TEs, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander20,961 görüntüleme • 11 gün önce
Someone in New England has been watching the Vikings play defense... To classic reps of Brian Flores's "Bengals Hawk," a staple call in Minnesota. Load the box, stack the receivers. All eyes on the QB and "pop" to the slide. The DBs are "anchored" and will trigger on the QB's vision. For more resources on this pressure and others that Flores has developed, visit MatchQuarters' resource page dedicated to this unique scheme: --
Cody Alexander33,269 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Brian Flores lives in a paradox: A 50%+ Blitz Rate paired with zone coverage on over 80% of his play calls. "All-Up" presentations are a critical part of Minnesota's scheme and create empty protection, freeing edge rushers while the secondary plays "anchored" vision coverage at the sticks. The front dictates the protections; the shell dictates the throw's location. Flores is funneling the ball and the QB into a "kill box" on every snap. The full breakdown of Minnesota's pressure coverage rules and blitz designs is only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander25,899 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Most 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. Baltimore aligns in a "Quarters" structure, but post-snap will morph into a Tampa 2, with the Field Safety as the Middle Run Through (MRT). The MRT works off the QB's vision while the rest of the coverage builds their respective Triangles. To the Field, the Nickel "pops" into the Deep Half. Similar to Cover 3, Quarters shows a soft flat, which creates post-snap conflict when the defense suddenly has a trap CB. Learn more about Minter's signature NTT, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander15,801 görüntüleme • 28 gün önce
The biggest coverage adjustment on 3rd & Long (7+) from '24 to '25: The rise of Cover 3-Seam, or "Buzz" mechanics. 3-Seam is tagged when the Nickel matches the slot’s vertical release (PFF). While pure Cover 1 numbers declined, open-to-closed 3-Seam volume doubled, rising from 4% to 8% of all disguise calls. Over 70% of all 3-Seam calls in '25 came from a 2-High shell. Defenses wanted closed-post spacing that let them backstop deep crossers or protect the weak-side seam from depth. The Packers clip perfectly shows this trend, with a fake Cover 2 look before the Weak Safety rotates back into the Vertical Hook. Learn more about this coverage trend and how it works, only on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander25,000 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Most Cover 8 clips show the coverage versus 3x1 alignments. Against that set, the Trix Safety has a naturally aggressive poach action because he's in charge of the vertical of #3. Against 2x2 sets, the Weak Safety has to be more patient, but can use context clues to quickly work to the high intermediate. With a slotted TE & a reduced X, there is likely to be a chip, which allows the Safety to transfer his eyes to the Post. The mechanism also allows the front side Safety to stay high and cap any deep verticals. Learn more about the Fangio system on MatchQuarters: --
Cody Alexander35,674 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Most defenses sacrifice execution for complexity. 👉 Brent Venables defies the rule. Oklahoma is an absolute outlier—running a massive volume of coverages/pressures while staying elite at all of them. felix johnson & I previewed the CFP Playoffs & more. Links below. ...
Cody Alexander55,769 görüntüleme • 10 ay önce
Xavier McKinney creates open windows just to slam them shut. 💥 --
Cody Alexander38,400 görüntüleme • 9 ay önce
For the most part, the Cardinals are a "Build a 3-4" defense from their 3-High structure. One of the Safeties will drop down and become the "Will" LB on most downs. Below is an example of a "Build a 4-2" rotation vs. the Cowboys. This is a true hybrid defense. --
Cody Alexander24,313 görüntüleme • 5 ay önce
Cover 3 is the most run coverage in the NFL, appearing on over 35% of standard downs. But in the Two-Minute Drill, that usage plummets to 18%. When offenses pick up the tempo, standard Cover 3 gives away too much predictable space. Modern passing systems are structurally designed to hunt the clear vertical seams & outside isolations inherent to the shell. Learn how NFL defenses are adjusting in the 2-Minute Drill in this week's Let's Talk Ball! Listen wherever you pod: --
Cody Alexander15,250 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
If you've been following along, I've detailed how the Vikings have taken advantage of opponents' weak side B-gaps in their protection schemes. The Lions were having none of it, & one of the big reasons they were so successful last Sunday was their ability to pick these up. --
Cody Alexander16,397 görüntüleme • 2 yıl önce