Daronte Jones and the Defensive Staffing Thread

Desert Deception: Inside the NFL's Most Unpredictable Defense​

Armed with a rebuilt front and the versatile Budda Baker, Jonathan Gannon's unique system of hybrid fronts and college-style coverages is finally ready to dominate.​


The scheme for the Cardinals is unique to them. Jonathan Gannon transitioned to a Fangio-adjacent system when he took over as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator in 2021. One of his key departures from Fango himself was the use of Quarters instead of the Cover 6 (Stuff)/8 system preferred by Fangio.

Gannon worked for Mike Zimmer in Minnesota and then Matt Eberflus (Cowboys DC) in Indianapolis before moving to Philadelphia. Neither one of those coaches is seen as a split-field coach.

Zimmer is multiple, but static, and is known more for his double A-gap pressure package. Eberflus is a traditional 4-3 Cover 3/Tampa coach, again, nothing even close to resembling what the Cardinals are doing now.

The past two years have been defined by the high use of Quarters while utilizing a five-man front. In 2023, the Cardinals led the league in Quarters usage at just over 30%. The defense used the extreme talents of All-Pro Safety Budda Baker, moving him around and placing him in their three-high structure as the Middle Safety. Nickel Garrett Williams' hybrid ability allowed him to morph into a box overhang or deep Safety, depending on the call.

The lack of overall talent forced the defense to be relatively vanilla in every other aspect. In 2023, the Cardinals had one of the worst pressure percentages and were in the lower third in the league in pass blitz percentages. Though they were above league average in coverage disguise, the defense couldn’t stop anybody and finished dead last in DVOA.

With additions like hybrid off-ball linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (Patriots) and the emergence of Max Melton at CB, the Cardinals’ defense rose to 14th in DVOA in ‘24. Statistically, the Cardinals were middle of the league in almost everything last season.

Schematically, the Cardinals were still using their unique three-safety alignment, but were adding more pressure and more disguises. 2024 saw the Cardinals jump to seventh in Blitz Rate (31.8%) and fourth in coverage disguise. The defense was becoming more complex, but still lacked a solid front that could consistently hold up against the run.

Although Arizona was top ten in sacks (41), their Pass Rush Production was 24th overall (according to PFF). It’s not surprising the front office leaned heavily into rebuilding the entire front. The current trend in the NFL is to build from the front, adding premium talent on the line of scrimmage to enhance the coverage ability (or lack thereof) of the secondary.

www.matchquarters.com

Desert Deception: Inside the NFL's Most Unpredictable Defense

A deep dive into the 2025 Arizona Cardinals defense. See how Jonathan Gannon's unique scheme, new talent, and Budda Baker are creating the NFL's most complex and unpredictable D.
www.matchquarters.com www.matchquarters.com

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How Jonathan Gannon’s Fangio influenced system benefits Eagles safeties​


The Philadelphia Eagles not only have one of the league’s top offenses guided by the decision-making, athleticism, and arm of MVP candidate Jalen Hurts. They also have one of the league’s top defenses.

This is due in no small part to the successful adoption of coach Vic Fangio’s defensive philosophy. Fangio was recently hired as an Eagles consultant and his blueprint and his fingerprints are obvious watching Philadelphia’s film this season.

Jonathan Gannon’s usage of his safeties is one of the aspects of his defensive philosophy that mirror what we’ve seen Fangio do so brilliantly. As a matter of fact, the Eagles are executing Fangio’s system so much better than the eight or so other teams in the NFL who are currently running the same scheme.

Here’s a deeper dive into how the Philadelphia Eagles are using their safeties.​

Like so many other coordinators who have adopted Fangio’s scheme, Jonathan Gannon uses a split-safety two-high shell on defense. Unlike a single-high defense where the post safety (the free safety) is often aligned 20 yards off of the line of scrimmage at the snap, Gannon’s safeties are aligned more often about 12 yards from the line of scrimmage at the snap.

The purpose of this alignment is to disguise what the defense is doing. From this alignment, one or both safeties can play downhill in run support (or neither of them can do it). They can also be given deep responsibility in coverage. Fangio loves to run Cover 6 or Quarter-Quarter-Half. He also loves aligning his quarters side to the strong side of the formation, i.e., the passing strength with more receivers.

This requires versatile safeties as opposed to safeties that are purely box safeties, players that play great downhill and in a ‘phone booth’. It also requires post safeties, players that have deep coverage responsibilities and are good at staying in phase with their receivers.

insidetheiggles.com

How Jonathan Gannon’s Fangio influenced system benefits Eagles safeties

Jonathan Gannon's Vic-Fangio-influenced defense has benefited his players at the Eagles' safety position. Here's an in-depth look at why that's the case.
insidetheiggles.com insidetheiggles.com
 
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Reactions: RWJ
The emphasis on safety play reminds me some of Gregg Williams albiet in a different scheme. Reed Blankenship played under him and is a FA. And lol maybe it would mean welcome to the Commanders, Caleb Downs. Smart safeties who are multi-faceted and are good at disguising coverage.
 
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skinsinparadise said:
I am not getting my hopes up but wow what a get that would be. Supposedly Dallas is especially hot for him
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Yeah to your point, I think it is his agent floating this out there. I don’t remember Keim mentioning him as a likely option in his recent pods
 
I do love the fact they're interviewing a lot of candidates outside Quinn's tree. We might have little chance to hire Flores, but picking is brain, we can incorporate aspects of his defenses.
 
Rapoport’s tweet stated that they ‘are hoping’ to interview Flores. Don’t make me bring up the quote about hope again. 🙂
 
Chris said:
Rapoport’s tweet stated that they ‘are hoping’ to interview Flores. Don’t make me bring up the quote about hope again. 🙂
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Hope is a good thing, Red.
 
skinsinparadise said:
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Washington make him the highest paid DC in the NFL it might change his mind about Minny. Just saying! :biggrin: Minny may match it though. I am holding out hope. The names for DC continue to get better. Maybe we can work out way up to Schwartz or Ulbrich. Wishful thinking but hey! :)
 
RWJ said:
Washington make him the highest paid DC in the NFL it might change his mind about Minny. Just saying! :biggrin:
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Doubt they would outbid everyone for starters.

Also I keep reading he will only leave for a HC job. And on the off chance its DC, Dallas really really really wants him -- and considering Dallas' talent on defense >> Washington. Feels like a crazy long shot.
 
During O'Connell's PC he said unless Flores gets a HC Job, he'll be back in Minnesota. That they've been aggressive in wanting to keep him as a DC. It could be Flores making the rounds to pump up his price to Minnesota too.

 
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Riggo44 said:
I do love the fact they're interviewing a lot of candidates outside Quinn's tree. We might have little chance to hire Flores, but picking is brain, we can incorporate aspects of his defenses.
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It would be an amazing get but I can't help but wonder.... why would he want to coach this defense?
 
skinsinparadise said:
I am not getting my hopes up but wow what a get that would be. Supposedly Dallas is especially hot for him
Click to expand...

Interesting twist on this story—Flores sued the league and the owners. Jerry is one of the lead owners just by nature of who he is and his position in the league hierarchy (and a known POS, obviously).

You know who the only owner is who wasn’t part of that lawsuit because he’s new to the league, and has a fresh positive rep? Harris 👀

If he wants to leave MIN, of course. Which seems unlikely if he doesn’t get a HC job.
 
Mike tomlin stepping down as coach of the steelers.
Not that I think he'd ever take a defensive coordinator role but what does that do to his ability to take another job.
He wasn't fired so I'd imagine he'd need to be released from his contract to take a job anywhere even as a head coach.
 
heisenberg said:
Mike tomlin stepping down as coach of the steelers.
Not that I think he'd ever take a defensive coordinator role but what does that do to his ability to take another job.
He wasn't fired so I'd imagine he'd need to be released from his contract to take a job anywhere even as a head coach.
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Yeah, it’s being reported that the Steelers still hold his rights and he’d need to be traded for like Sean Payton was. Allbright says he has a job with FOX lined up if he wants it, so if he takes a year in the media this may be more of a conversation for next year.

I’d have no interest in him even if Quinn was out on his ass, I’ve followed the Steelers struggles for years and Tomlin’s archaic decision-making is the heart of it even though he’s a good coach. But I’m sure he’ll have interest next year from teams, if he does take a gap year at FOX.
 
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