The Current Meta Suffocating NFL Offenses

Videos like this on the 'meta' of the game take a ridiculously long time to craft (the edit alone for this was 25 hours) so if you would like us to make more, please consider subscribing on Patreon - www.patreon.com/thinkingfootball More info on quarters - https://youtu.be/jMShlZV9GLE More info on the Fangio 6 - https://youtu.be/CtWImXU_w6k More info on Cover 0 - https://youtu.be/yrU105kCW6M

Honestly, this new age of defense is so refreshing. While in other sports offensive numbers have been off the charts, football will stay balanced.

This is arguably the golden era of defense but no one realizes it because they are looking for statistical validation that isn't possible. They have never had more rules stacked against them. In reality this past decade has been bar none the hardest it has ever been to play defense successfully; but now it has gotten to the point that defenses have embraced pure assignment coverage and are EXPOSING how poor both the Offensive play-calling and QB play are in the NFL right now.

This is why I love football. Every play is like a move in chess. The coaches constantly adjusting trying to out do the opponent with the best resources they have while opponent does the same

This is so informative. I had a lot of theories about why the NFL seemed so poor this year even with so much talent. This really makes sense, and it shows why Baltimore is so good. They actually commit to running instead of running to just keep defenses honest. These defensive looks could lead to running backs making a comeback and getting better contracts. Still, it also illustrates the absolute need for a solid O-line. Either the QB needs time or the RB needs holes.

It’s not just the schemes too. The offenses have been simplified in some ways as a carryover from college. So the one read plays, RPOs, etc. are nice, but defenses have figured out how to minimize them and make QBs work through real progressions and a lot of these guys especially the younger ones are a little slow on it

Thank you for taking the time to explain these complex meta plays. As a European NFL fan who did not grow up with watching/playing football it is exactly these videos which make watching football even more fun. I won't lie and say I got all the details and nuances but I at least got a better understanding of what goes into running a top level defense in today's football.

only a few years ago people were saying that the age of the QB would take over and point averages would rise in the NFL, but the people who said that didn't account for the fact that half the people in this sport work 60-100 hours a week to figure out how to stop offenses. it is exciting to see what the next evolution of the offense will be, and then how defense responds again.

Number 1 football content on YouTube right now

I was actually getting sick to death of all these high power offenses. It's good to see defense making a comeback

Hey dude. I never paid too much attention to football as a kid, but thanks to people like you I'm starting to "get it". Your writing, annotation, and especially editing are top-notch and easy to follow even for relative novices. Keep it up.

This is the best video I've ever seen on this topic. I've done a bunch of reading into Match Quarters stuff, but finding a video to break down most of it while also including the progression from Cover-6 is incredible. Should also be noted that, with all those rules for passing off 1s/2s/3s in Match Quarters, not only is it tough for QBs to diagnose and break down within 2.5s seconds, it's tricky for defenses to consistently do it 100% correctly every snap. Every snap the DBs and Apex defenders need to all be on the same page as far as where the 2 is going and whose assignment the 1 is etc. And it's tough to be 100% correct with this on every snap with so many rules to process instantly while reading WR releases. It's what leads to all the big busted play TDs we see from otherwise great defenses. Because it relies on all 7 coverage defenders to be on the same page mentally, and it only takes 1 guy being on the wrong page to result in a 60yd free TD. The Bengals had one of these in the Chiefs game last week, when they gave up the 61yder to Rice late in the 3rd Q. They lined up in a Cover-3 look but blitzed the weak side Apex and dropped a DE, and dropped into a Tampa-2 coverage. The only problem is, despite the other 6 coverage defenders getting their jobs right it only took the 1 safety to mess up his assignment. The Tampa-2 disguise involved the strong side CB to drop into a deep half zone, with the FS rolling left into the other deep half and the weak side CB in a cloud flat coverage. But that FS instead was assuming the opposite - that the weak side CB would drop deep and the strong side CB would stay in the cloud flat, and he rolled to his right instead. This left the weak side cloud flat CB with ZERO over the top help on a deep route after he bumped the WR at the LOS. At first glance it looks like the CB's fault for allowing the deep ball, but film review shows it was instead the safety who blew is assignment. This wasn't a Match Quarters look, but it's this kind of stuff that happens in those Match Quarters defenses that allow big plays. It only takes 1 out of 7 guys effing up their assignment to blow the entire play. Defenses need to be intelligent and play with great chemistry and communication. You can't have any "dumb" players in these systems. The entire point of these defenses (and that Vikings Cover-0) is to be able to always have enough defenders to match vertical routes, while converting underneath (or blitzing) if their guy doesn't go vertical. These Match Quarters defenses can play like a straight Cover-2, Cover-3, or Cover-4 depending on how the WRs release. They can wind up looking like straight Man or basic Cover-2. The intention is for defenders to quickly read routes and be able to play vertical or underneath, wherever they are needed, instead of basic zones that are static and only guard grass until a WR runs through. And as mentioned in the video you also need a lot of team speed especially with the Apex defenders to be able to close down on stuff in the flats. If the goal is to play Off and have as many as 4 guys play over the top, there's going to be gaping holes underneath and especially the flats. That is the weakness of Cover-4 after all. So you better have the team speed and tackling to close on those routes and shut them down to avoid giving up chunks to the flats. I've also watched quite a bit of tape on the Vikings defense as the Bengals just played them too. As mentioned their defense is just a different flavor of the Match Quarters. They line up with 4 guys in Off coverage, and all 4 can be over the top of Verticals just like Quarters. But instead of lining up any help underneath, they just blitz everyone to force a free rusher and shorten the QBs timer. Can't get beat deep if the QB only has 1.5 seconds to throw and then the 4 DBs can sit on and jump underneath stuff. Plus as mentioned they can drop into literally ANY coverage from that Zero look. Whether it's just rat defenders underneath to help with crossers, or into full-blown Tampa-2, as a QB you literally have no clue what you're going to get on any snap. They line up in that Punt Block look with 8 guys on the LOS and can drop into anything, but you also know you might only have 1.5 seconds to figure it out. And that's what makes these defenses truly tough to decipher within 2-3 seconds. Because even as complicated as they are, all defenses are based on "rules", even complicated ones like Match Quarters. So if you know those rules you know how to send out route patterns to poke holes in it. But all the defense has to do is throw in some basic Cover-6 or Tampa-2 where those rules are flipped on their head and it totally throws off the QB. Again, excellent video. I've been a subscriber for a while - this is one of your best vids IMO. Also I fully agree with having an entirely separate video break down how to run against these Match Quarters looks, especially with the Counter.

Last night's Texans-Colts game really showed how far defense has come. So many times the game was threatening to turn into a shootout and yet both defenses kept a relatively solid lid over things. Credit to the Colts despite that heartbreaking loss, Stroud was so close to breaking that game wide open.

Dude your videos are a blessing. I genuinely hate when those media guys just tell you how this guy sucks this year and that guy sucks this year, but they're not even remotely close to understanding why.

The same thing happens in Soccer - you get a few years of Defensive dominance but then a new breed of players and coach styles come along then you have Offensive dominance until the D learns how to counteract that. And so on... Obviously the information process speeds up so now the turnover is monthly or even weekly or actually in-game.

Also gotta add that while the injuries for QB1s mount, teams aren't really putting capable replacements behind them either. It took the Browns till December to find Joe Flacco after playing DTR and PJ Walker after Watson officially went out. Many teams are playing younger guys hoping to discover a value QB1/QB2 from the day 3 draft they got. But in reality they aren't ready for these exotic post snap looks especially if the offense gets put on a early pass script. Especially with no working run game to break at the defense playing soft on the box. But also good point on how many of the young guys on defense coming up in the league now have been seeing shotgun RPO stuff since their youth. Some of these QBs are more comfy playing that and if they aren't ready to make the right read post snap on an opportunistic defense, they are getting their bell rung.

Very nice. I've called 2023 the "return of D" for the NFL. This is the most thorough and clear description of modern defensive concepts that I have seen. It's a great primer for folks that like to watch all of the QB debrief videos out there.

Return of the running game and under center offenses. I like it.

Excellent video and explanation. That’s exactly why Eagles fans are screaming to run the ball! Sirianni is enamored with the “explosive” plays and you have given a master class on why he’s failing on offense. Our defense doesn’t communicate well and with so many new defensive players they don’t always know their assignments. In addition to that, they often tackle on the level of first year pee wee players. Baltimore and San Francisco are looking more like they understand the the concepts that you described. Well done video, it was interesting, informative and entertaining.

Nice video, I love it! As a Spaniard, I have never experienced the game from the inside, so these videos help me a lot, as they offer a clear explanation of advanced concepts such as pattern match schemes.