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Let's Talk Ball!

Let's Talk Ball!

By: Cody Alexander & Felix Johnson
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 High-level football discussion for coaches and serious fans. Join Cody Alexander of MatchQuarters and Felix Johnson as they break down defensive schemes, offensive trends, and interview the best minds in the game — the home for real X's and O's talk.

www.matchquarters.comCody Alexander Football (American)
Episodes
  • Championship Reactions: Indiana National Champions, McCarthy to Steelers, & Super Bowl Matchup Set

    Championship Reactions: Indiana National Champions, McCarthy to Steelers, & Super Bowl Matchup Set
    Jan 28 2026

    We break down Indiana's "perfect" National Championship run and the schematic evolution of the NFL run game from Wide Zone back to Duo. Plus, we react to the Steelers' controversial hiring of Mike McCarthy and analyze how the Patriots and Seahawks punched their tickets to the Super Bowl.

    In this episode:

    Break down Indiana’s “perfect” National Championship victory and the fundamental-heavy approach that defined their historic season.

    React to the latest NFL coaching hires, including why Mike McCarthy to the Steelers feels like the “worst hire” of the cycle.

    Analyze the AFC Championship game, questioning the Broncos’ aggressive 4th-down decision-making in severe weather conditions.

    Recap the Seahawks’ win over the Rams, focusing on Sam Darnold’s surprising efficiency and the Rams’ passive defensive strategy.

    Detail the schematic evolution of the NFL run game as offenses shift from Wide Zone back to Duo to punish lighter defensive fronts.

    —

    Timestamps:

    00:00 - Intro: Indiana as the "Perfect" College Football Story

    06:52 - Cignetti’s Philosophy: Being an "A**hole" About Fundamentals

    13:21 - Schematic Breakdown: How Indiana’s "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing" Defense Stifled Miami

    19:15 - NFL Coaching Carousel: Stefanski & Harbaugh Staff Moves

    21:40 - Hafley to Miami & The End of Tua?

    23:45 - Jesse Minter to the Ravens

    25:50 - Robert Saleh to the Titans

    27:39 - Mike McCarthy to Pittsburgh: The "Worst Hire" of the Cycle?

    32:01 - Eric Bieniemy Returns to KC (The "Soft Firing")

    35:03 - The Buffalo Bills: The Most Dysfunctional Job in the NFL

    40:36 - AFC Championship: Broncos vs. Patriots & The Weather Factor

    44:34 - Is Christian Gonzalez Actually a Lockdown Corner?

    52:08 - NFC Championship: Rams vs. Seahawks Recap

    01:02:25 - Schematic Trends: The Shift from Wide Zone Back to Duo

    01:05:40 - The Cardinals Vacancy & Prediction for Chris Shula

    01:10:02 - Outro

    —

    » Join Felix and Cody each Wednesday as we dive deep into the game we love!

    MatchQuarters is a reader-supported publication. So, make sure to subscribe.

    —

    © 2026 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.matchquarters.com/subscribe
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Divisional Reactions: Sean McDermott Fired, John Harbaugh to Giants & Championship Sunday Previews

    Divisional Reactions: Sean McDermott Fired, John Harbaugh to Giants & Championship Sunday Previews
    Jan 21 2026
    We break down the Bills' firing of Sean McDermott after their loss to the Broncos, analyze the hire of John Harbaugh to the Giants, and preview the Championship Sunday matchups: Patriots vs. Broncos and Rams vs. Seahawks. Plus, was that the best throw of Caleb Williams' life?—In this episode:The McDermott Firing & Coaching Carousel: We analyze the Bills’ decision to move on from Sean McDermott, the hiring of John Harbaugh by the Giants, and Kevin Stefanski landing in Atlanta.Playoff Recap & Controversy: We break down the controversial finish to the Bills-Broncos game, the “meta” flip that doomed Buffalo’s roster construction, and Caleb Williams’ insane throw in the Bears’ loss.The CJ Stroud Dilemma: We discuss the Texans’ offensive collapse against New England and debate whether Houston is stuck in “quarterback purgatory” regarding Stroud’s next contract.AFC Championship Preview (Patriots vs. Broncos): We look at how the Patriots can attack Denver’s pass rush and how the Broncos will adjust with Jared Stidham stepping in for the injured Bo Nix.NFC Championship Preview (Rams vs. Seahawks): We preview the Round 3 matchup between Seattle and LA, focusing on the Stafford vs. Darnold quarterback battle and the Jaxon Smith-Njigba X-factor.—Timestamps:» Part I: The Coaching Carousel & Front Office00:00 The Bills Clean House Discussion on the firing of Sean McDermott and the promotion of GM Brandon Beane.00:47 Roster vs. The Meta Analysis of how the Bills built a roster to beat the Chiefs/Bengals but failed to adjust to the league-wide shift toward 12 personnel.05:43 The “Intellectual” Defensive Coach: A look at candidates like Brian Daboll and the trend toward hiring “intellectual” defensive minds similar to Mike Macdonald and Brandon Staley.07:53 Stefanski to Atlanta Breakdown of the potential fit for Kevin Stefanski with the Falcons’ offensive weapons (Bijan Robinson, Drake London).10:38 Ulbrich & The Wide-9 Shift: Why keeping Jeff Ulbrich signals a commitment to the Wide-9/Quarters-heavy defensive structures popularized by the Saleh tree.12:50 The Harbaugh Clause: John Harbaugh to the Giants, and the unique contract clause stating he answers only to the owner.» Part II: Schematic Analysis & Game Recaps21:03 Gap Schemes vs. Speed: How the Bills utilized Pin-Pull concepts to exploit Denver’s speed, noting Denver’s 20th rank against Duo runs.22:33 Motion to Disrupt Coverage Denver used motion on 75% of plays (a season-high) to force communication checks and disrupt Buffalo’s split-field rotations.24:22 Erasing the Deep Ball Denver’s secondary held Josh Allen to 0-for-6 passing with 2 INTs on attempts of 20+ yards.27:03 Texans Offensive Collaps:e A breakdown of C.J. Stroud’s struggles and the Texans’ inability to counter the Patriots’ game plan.30:08 Patriots MOFO Spike The Patriots increased their Middle of Field Open (MOFO) usage to 60%, using weak rotation vs. 3x1 and split-field vs. 2x2 to eliminate crossing routes.» Part III: Previews & Adjustments32:59 Patriots vs. Broncos Preview: The matchup of the Patriots’ Man-Blocking/Duo schemes against the Broncos’ fast-flow defense.40:35 The Caleb Williams Throw Reaction to the 45-yard cross-body throw from Caleb Williams in the Rams-Bears game.46:02 Pressure vs. Condensed Sets Dennis Allen’s adjustment to blitz the edges and use DB pressure specifically against 12/13 personnel condensed formations, forcing the Rams into spread looks.» Part IV: NFC Championship Preview48:41 #1 Offense vs. #1 Defense Setting the stage for the Rams (Outside Zone) vs. Seahawks (Wide-9/Cover 2).50:00 The Schematic Conflict The clash between the Rams’ outside run game and the Seahawks’ defensive front is designed to force runs inside.51:27 The Cover 2 Weakness Identifying the Seahawks’ 16th-ranked DVOA vs. Tight Ends as the key area for Stafford to attack the interior of the Cover 2.55:53 The JSN Factor: Why Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the X-factor for breaking down zone coverages in this matchup.—» Join Felix and Cody each Wednesday as we dive deep into the game we love!MatchQuarters is a reader-supported publication. So, make sure to subscribe.—© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.matchquarters.com/subscribe
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    59 mins
  • Wild Card Reactions: Indiana vs. Miami, Buffalo's Cover 2 Scheme, & The Eagles' Collapse

    Wild Card Reactions: Indiana vs. Miami, Buffalo's Cover 2 Scheme, & The Eagles' Collapse
    Jan 14 2026

    We break down the X's and O's behind the NFL's record-breaking Wild Card weekend, analyzing how Buffalo's disguised coverages and the Eagles' collapse defined the slate. Plus, we preview the National Championship clash between Indiana and Miami, explaining why the title will be decided by 'movement-based' defense versus raw trench power.

    —

    In this episode:

    The “Cignetti Bowl” Preview: We analyze the National Championship matchup, highlighting the shared James Madison roots of the defensive coordinators and contrasting Miami’s physical, NFL-prototype front with Indiana’s movement-based, stunt-heavy scheme.

    Historic Wild Card Weekend: We recap a record-breaking opening round of the playoffs that featured more lead changes than the entire past postseason combined, headlined by Caleb Williams and the Bears rallying late to knock off the Packers.

    Buffalo’s Cover 2 Masterclass: We break down how the Bills confused Trevor Lawrence by running “all the Cover 2s”—mixing various hybrid coverages and rotations to force mistakes despite playing a simple structure on paper.

    The Eagles’ Statistical Anomaly: We discuss the Philadelphia Eagles' collapse and the heat on Nick Sirianni, noting the rarity of a team losing a playoff game despite being +2 in turnover margin and +65 in rushing yards.

    The “Anti-Defense” Philosophy: We examine the modern defensive approach used by the Texans and 49ers, which relies less on exotic schemes and more on elite linebacker depth and precise vertical drops to shut down the intermediate passing game.

    —

    Timestamps:

    0:00 Intro: A Historic Wild Card Weekend

    2:10 National Championship Preview: The "Cignetti Bowl"

    5:00 Miami’s NFL Prototype Front vs. Indiana’s Movement-Based Defense

    11:06 Natty Predictions: Why Mendoza Fits the Hoosiers

    17:31 Rams vs. Panthers: Puka Nacua & The "Dome Quarterback" Dilemma

    23:17 Bears vs. Packers: Caleb Williams Arrives in the 4th Quarter

    28:36 Bills vs. Jaguars: Josh Allen’s Perfection vs. Trevor Lawrence’s Mistakes

    31:37 Scheme Breakdown: How Buffalo Ran "All the Cover 2s"

    33:20 49ers vs. Eagles: The Coaching Mismatch

    35:35 The "Weak Hook" & The Value of Modern Linebackers

    39:56 The Eagles' Collapse: Losing Despite Winning the Stats

    45:40 Patriots vs. Chargers: The "Show Zone, Play Man" Game Plan

    49:48 Texans vs. Steelers: The Nuance of "Anti-Defense"

    53:01 The Coaching Carousel: Underrated Candidates & Predictions

    —

    » Join Felix and Cody each Wednesday as we dive deep into the game we love!

    MatchQuarters is a reader-supported publication. So, make sure to subscribe.

    —

    © 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.matchquarters.com/subscribe
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
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