Nine lessons we learned from the NFL's best defenses

Last season marked the third-straight year in which a team driven by its defense won the Super Bowl. What can the success of last year's Seahawks—not to mention the Texans, Eagles, Vikings and Broncos—teach us about the NFL in 2026? Cody Alexander from Match Quarters joins Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen to share the lessons learned from last season's best defenses on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.

0:00 Welcome to the show
2:43 Run defense
4:00 Run defense on first down
19:44 Edge-linebacker hybrid
28:17 Base defense
30:00 Nickel defense
38:38 Zone coverage
45:35 Weaponizing dime
50:34 Blitz efficiency
58:52 Split-field coverages

Host: Robert Mays
Co-Hosts: Derrik Klassen
Executive Producer: Michael Beller
Senior Producer: Katy Duffy
Social Producer: Scott Krinch

Follow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.social
Follow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.social
Follow Robert on X: @RobertMays

Theme song: Haunted
Written by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love Songs
Courtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC
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