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Joined by ESPN's Nate Taylor, this discussion covers every team's strengths and weaknesses for the upcoming season:

* Kansas City Chiefs: An in-depth look at the ‘efficiency monster’ and their biggest concerns, including the left tackle position, the offense managing without Rasheed Rice, and if the defense can continue its dominant play.

* Denver Broncos: Exploring if their elite defense is enough to carry them. The offense is a primary concern, with a focus on how new additions like J.K. Dobbins and Evan Ingram can help rookie quarterback Bo Nix succeed.

* Los Angeles Chargers: With Jim Harbaugh implementing a ‘punch you in the mouth’ offensive style, can Justin Herbert and a rebuilt roster overcome defensive question marks to make a playoff push?

* Las Vegas Raiders: Under new head coach Pete Carroll, the Raiders look ‘competent.’ An analysis of how quarterback Geno Smith and rookie tight end Brock Bowers will perform and whether the team has a hard ceiling due to its secondary.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:52 Denver Broncos: A Look at the Offense

10:00 Denver Broncos: Defensive Potential

17:35 Las Vegas Raiders: New Era with Pete Carroll

27:55 Los Angeles Chargers: Offensive Power, Defensive Questions

34:28 Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive Concerns

43:05 Kansas City Chiefs: Analyzing the Defense

53:24 Outro

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

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In this episode, we talk about:

* Critique of outdated ‘toughness drills’ and the common disconnect in current football strength and conditioning practices.

* Emphasis on purposeful, game-specific training methods designed for optimal player performance and sustained effort.

* The importance of recovery and building a robust conditioning base lies in moving beyond purely sprint-focused or excessively hard workouts.

* Insights on simplifying training programs to amplify results, encouraging coaches to avoid social media trends and focus on effective, fundamental principles.

* The necessity of training methods directly translates to improved game-day performance, focusing on sustained effort, speed, and recovery throughout a football match.

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Timestamps:

00:00 - The Nebraska Influence on Early Training

00:33 - Coach A’s Experience in Texas High School Football

01:45 - What Does Modern Football Conditioning Look Like?

04:20 - Replicating Game-Like Asymmetry in Conditioning

07:45 - The Problem with ‘Toughness’ Drills and Over-Distance Training

09:03 - The Importance of Purposeful and Engaging Training

12:05 - The Dangers of Overtraining Before Explosive Work

14:16 - Balancing Sprint-Based Movements with Overall Conditioning

20:41 - The Most Misunderstood Position Group: The ‘Bigs’

25:06 - How to Build a Quality Program Without a Certification

29:56 - Structuring a Year-Long High School Training Program

35:04 - Integrating Football Drills and Phasing Out Mechanical Work

36:10 - Key Data Points for High School Coaches to Track

39:20 - Structuring Practice for Optimal Learning and Recovery

45:33 - Outro/How to Connect with Terrence Kennel

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12-Week Training Template

8-Week Conditioning Protocols

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

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*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

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In this episode, we talk about:

* Houston Texans Overall Outlook: Can the offense match the defense?

* Indianapolis Colts' Defensive Revamp and QB Questions

* Jacksonville Jaguars' Offensive Strategy Under Liam Coen

* Tennessee Titans' Rookie Quarterback and Tough Schedule

* Evolving NFL Schemes: Shift from Wide Zone to gap and the growing trend of Quarters five-man pressures

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Is the AFC South the Texans' Division to Lose?

00:34 - What Went Wrong for the Texans' Offense in 2024?

02:12 - Why New OC Nick Caley is the Answer for CJ Stroud

05:09 - Coaching Trees: The Shanahan vs. McVay Philosophies

06:18 - X's and O's: How Caley Will Evolve the Texans' Run Game

11:06 - Do the Texans Have the Best Secondary in the NFL?

13:38 - Houston's Biggest Weakness: The Offensive Line

17:22 - Colts Preview: Lou Anarumo's Defensive Revolution

19:03 - Why Cam Bynum is a Crucial Signing for the Colts' Defense

22:35 - How J.T. Tuimoloau Becomes a "Force Multiplier"

24:12 - The Colts' Massive QB Problem: Richardson vs. Jones

27:17 - A Wild Theory: Are the Colts Playing the Long Game for Arch Manning?

29:12 - Jaguars Preview: Liam Coen's Split-Back Offense

31:33 - The Travis Hunter Experiment: How Will Jacksonville Use Its Two-Way Star?

36:44 - Can Liam Coen Get Trevor Lawrence Back on Track?

41:18 - Titans Preview: A Defense Overly Reliant on Jeffery Simmons

45:32 - Introducing #1 Overall Pick Cam Ward

49:24 - A Brutal Welcome: Cam Ward's Incredibly Tough Schedule

54:10 - Outro: Where to Find Guest Brett Kollmann

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

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In this episode, we talk about:

* Baltimore Ravens: An analysis of Lamar Jackson and their receiving corps, plus how their revamped defense plans to counter the Bengals' high-flying offense.

* Cincinnati Bengals: A close look at Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, addressing their offensive line concerns and the critical importance of developing a consistent run game.

* AFC North Rivalry: Why the Ravens-Bengals matchup is becoming one of the best rivalries in football.

* NFL Trends: The broader discussion on the value of running the ball in today's pass-happy league.

* Plus coverage on the Steelers and Browns situations heading into the 2025 season.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction & The Allure of the AFC North

0:48 - Baltimore Ravens: Question Marks at Wide Receiver?

2:15 - Lamar Jackson's Development & Supporting Cast

4:49 - Ravens' Secondary Reinforcements & Defensive Strategy

6:30 - Containing Burrow, Chase & Higgins: Ravens' Defensive Plan

9:25 - Cincinnati Bengals: Offensive Line & Run Game Concerns

11:00 - Bengals' Coaching Philosophy on the Run Game

13:32 - Bengals' Historical Physicality & Scheme Adaptation

14:50 - Joe Burrow's Preferences & The Shotgun Dilemma

16:07 - Why the Run Game Still Matters in a Passing League

16:56 - The Intense Ravens-Bengals Rivalry

17:38 - Bengals' Defensive Challenges & Al Golden's Role

19:03 - Evolution of Bengals' Defense After Lou Anarumo

22:55 - Outlook for Bengals' Secondary & Defensive Line

25:17 - Lessons from the Kansas City Chiefs' Roster Building

26:05 - Cleveland Browns Defense: Concerns & Adjustments

31:08 - The Cleveland Browns' Quarterback Conundrum

33:18 - Evaluating Kevin Stefanski's Coaching Legacy

36:26 - Pittsburgh Steelers Offense: QB & Coordinator Outlook

39:10 - Justin Fields' Fit with Steelers

41:20 - AFC North Power Rankings & Playoff Projections

44:13 - Concluding Remarks & Where to Find Joe Goodberry

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

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In this episode, we talk about:

* An in-depth preview of the AFC East division.

* Analyze the Buffalo Bills, discussing their defense and the pivotal role of Josh Allen.

* The Miami Dolphins are evaluated, highlighting their offense, defense, and coaching concerns.

* A detailed look at the New England Patriots covers Mike Vrabel's impact, Drake May's development, and the team's offensive and defensive outlook.

* Discuss the New York Jets, focusing on their strong offensive line, run game, and potential to be a surprise team in the division.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction & AFC East Overview

00:15 - Buffalo Bills Analysis: Defense and Josh Allen's Impact

10:50 - Miami Dolphins Deep Dive: Offense, Defense & Coaching Concerns

18:00 - New England Patriots: Vrabel's Influence, Drake May & Roster Outlook

30:00 - New York Jets: Offensive Line, Run Game & Surprise Potential

41:20 - Conclusion

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

In this episode, we talk about:

* Importance of "soul" and effective analogies in sports analysis, moving beyond mere numbers.

* Debate on the role of running the ball in modern football, contrasting traditional views on physicality with analytics-driven efficiency.

* Discuss the evolving nature of quarterback play and the balance between passing and running in offensive strategies.

* Highlight the significance of coaching and discuss how good coaches simplify complex ideas and develop schemes to maximize player versatility.

* Explore the concept of a "coach tree" and the essential traits of effective teaching in football.

Timestamps:

00:08 - Introduction: The Soul of Sports Analysis and Analogies

00:38 - The Running Game: Physicality vs. Efficiency in Modern Football

01:05 - Quantifying Football: Analytics, Fantasy, and Detachment from Numbers

03:03 - Why We Watch: Gambling's Influence and Cultivating Curiosity

09:38 - The Evolution of Scheme: When the "Machine" Wins in the NFL

11:15 - Quarterback Dominance: Elite QBs and the Path to Super Bowl Wins

20:45 - Player Versatility: Spreading Value Across the Offense and Defense

23:51 - Coaching as Teaching: Schematic Fluidity and "Spatial Darwinism"

27:08 - The Modern Athlete: Versatility and Learning the "Why"

39:09 - Conclusion

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

In this episode, we talk about:

* Analysis of NFL defensive efficiency using the DVOA metric.

* Detailed defensive strategies and player personnel breakdown for key teams like the Seahawks, Chargers, Steelers, and Packers.

* Discussion of various defensive coverages, including Zone Coverage, Cover 3, Tampa 2, and Man-Match Quarters.

* Insights into how teams are building their defensive rosters and acquiring talent.

* The evolving role of defensive linemen, specifically the potential resurgence of the two-gapping nose tackle.

Timestamps:

0:15 - Open

0:44 - 10. Seahawks

3:15 - 9. Chargers

6:00 - 8. Steelers

12:54 - 7. Ravens & 6. Packers

14:30 - 5. Lions

18:07 - 4. Broncos

20:00 - 3. Texans

22:50 - 2. Vikings

26:07 - 1. Eagles

28:30 - Who to watch for in 2025: Cardinals, Patriots, Colts, Bears, Rams

—

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.

*Please follow us on YouTube, subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple and Spotify.

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In this episode, we discuss:

* Minicamp and OTA Stats Are Bogus

* Trey Hendrickson & Shemar Stewart Contract Situation

* Running Back Longevity and Usage and the Need for Two Running Backs

* Defensive Coverage Disguises

* "Frankenstein" Coverages

* Evolution of Defensive Fronts and Packages

* ...and more!

Timestamps:

1:05 - End of Minicamp/beginning of OTAs

2:08 - Hendrickson and Bengals resume talks

4:55 - RBs extending primes

10:00 - Coverage Disguises

13:32 - Frankenstein Coverages in Buffalo

15:20 - Wide 9s/More 4-down front/Penny Front

19:00 - Spags' 3 Safety looks

22:58 - Personnel changes on the D-line

24:30 - Rams 'Cheetah' package

25:55 - Creativity explosion on defense

26:48 - Hybrid athletes on defense/adding value

29:50 - Josh Metellus and Brian Flores

32:50 - Bigger players/LBs versatility

36:00 - Slot corners taking over

40:00 - Blitzing on early downs

44:33 - The Wave concept

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» Full Trends Playlist:

- College Defenses with Tyler Manes

- College Offenses with Dan Casey

- NFL Offenses with Bobby Peters

—

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

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© 2025 MatchQuarters | Cody Alexander | All rights reserved.