2025 NFL Defensive Schematic Review: Analyzing the League's Bottom Tier

Analyzing schematic failures, the decline of the Pete Carroll system, and 2026 coaching pivots for the NFL's bottom-tier units.

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In this episode:

Examine the league’s bottom-tier defenses, which struggled to execute complex, positionless systems they did not fundamentally understand.

Why the blueprint of the Pete Carroll defensive system has officially reached its end as a winning model in 2026.

Explain the Dallas Cowboys pivot to Christian Parker’s 3-4 base Fangio scheme that utilizes 4-3 spacing and shades.

How the Cincinnati Bengals stabilized their season by shifting toward five-man pressures and multiple fronts after the bye week.

Dissect how the New York Jets reached a historical low by failing to record a single turnover despite employing a defensive head coach.

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Timestamps:

00:01 Introduction: NFL Defensive Dumpsters

01:31 Dallas Cowboys: The End of the Carroll System

10:33 Washington Commanders: Restructuring and Outliers

15:15 Cincinnati Bengals: A Tale of Two Halves

26:08 New York Jets: The Improbable Turnover Drought

34:49 Tennessee Titans: Robert Saleh’s Wide-Nine

39:33 San Francisco 49ers: Personnel Struggles and Transition

43:37 New York Giants: Recreating the Ravens Model

54:02 Chicago Bears: Volatility and Secondary Decisions

55:02 Conclusion: Offseason Outlook

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

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