Cody Alexander and Felix Johnson break down the shocking firing of Kevin Stefanski and the 2026 NFL coaching carousel before diving into a schematic preview of every Wild Card Weekend matchup. From the Seahawks' defensive dominance to the Eagles vs. 49ers rematch, get expert analysis and predictions for the first round of the NFL playoffs.
—
In this episode:
Reactions to Major Firings: Cody and Felix debate the logic behind the “shocking” firing of Kevin Stefanski by the Cleveland Browns and the expected departure of Pete Carroll from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Coaching Carousel: The duo analyzes potential landing spots for top candidates, identifying the Atlanta Falcons as a perfect fit for Stefanski while discussing openings for names like Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick.
Defensive Deep Dives: Cody breaks down the “Legion of Boom 2.0” in Seattle, detailing how their zone-heavy scheme dominates the middle of the field, and examines the blitz-heavy nature of the Broncos’ defense.
Wild Card Matchup Previews: The hosts discuss the “Paper Tiger Bowl” between the Patriots and Chargers and explain why Vic Fangio and the Eagles’ defense are uniquely suited to stop the 49ers’ offense in their rematch.
Playoff Predictions: Predictions for the weekend slate include the Texans winning a low-scoring slugfest against the Steelers and the Jaguars potentially upsetting the Bills by controlling the ground game.
—
Timestamps:
The Coaching Carousel
00:00 Intro: Draft season vs. Playoff season
00:38 Raiders fire Pete Carroll: Was it the meddling? Plus, Patrick Graham’s future
02:12 Jonathan Gannon out in Arizona: Why the scheme never gelled
03:54 The Stefanski Shocker: Why the Browns fired him and why it’s a mistake
05:07 The Falcons Opening: Is Stefanski the perfect bridge for Cousins and Penix?
08:58 Titans & Giants: Vrabel’s exit and the strange stability of NYG’s front office
14:26 The Dolphins: Why Mike McDaniel is safe for now
16:54 NFC East Shakeup: Cowboys/Commanders firing; DC candidates for Dallas
19:34 Coordinator Candidates: Jesse Minter and Chris Shula are ready for the jump
Defensive Trends & Regular Season Review
22:53 Defense wasn’t the problem: Analyzing the Lions and Colts
26:55 “Paper Tiger” Defenses: Why the Patriots and Chargers are deceiving
30:06 49ers Defense: The “Mosquito Defense” Bend but don’t break
33:08 Seahawks Defense: How Mike Macdonald recreated the Legion of Boom
Wild Card Weekend Previews
36:16 Steelers vs. Texans: A low-scoring slugfest & the Texans’ “ass-whooper” scheme
39:40 Jaguars vs. Bills: Can Jacksonville control the clock and upset Josh Allen?
42:58 Patriots vs. Chargers: The “Paper Tiger Bowl”
44:57 Panthers vs. Rams: Can Carolina run the ball enough to keep Stafford off the field?
47:58 Eagles vs. 49ers: Why Fangio and the Eagles are the worst matchup for Kittle & Purdy
51:08 Bears vs. Packers: Caleb Williams vs. a suspect Packers defense
54:59 Broncos Analysis: Heavy blitz dependency and offensive limitations
57:42 The Dream Super Bowl? A Seahawks vs. Broncos defensive battle
—
» 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
Popular Podcasts
Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb
Joy is essential. And it's also elusive. You can't order it, borrow it, or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence: The Joy 101 Podcast with Hoda! Best known for her Emmy-winning work and co-anchoring Today, Hoda Kotb infuses her authenticity, curiosity, and warmth into conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sport icons, wellness experts, and everyday folks will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. Hoda will offer her own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced, harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune in to these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty-nester, joy after loss, joy as a caretaker — Hoda's new podcast will speak to you. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, an iHeartPodcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com