NFL Week 1 Preview: Macdonald's Defense, Maye's Deep Ball, & Division Picks

Mike Macdonald’s Seattle defense takes on Drake Maye’s vertical passing attack in Week 1, testing whether split-safety caps and interior B-gap pressure can shut down New England’s downfield shot rate for a second straight time. Felix and Cody break down the schematic details of that matchup, examine key under-center offensive shifts around the league, and project divisional races through a defensive lens. Dive into tape-backed analysis of backend coverage rotations, front-seven rebuilds, and structural scheme fits heading into the 2026 NFL season.—Timestamps:—» 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