Which players have the ability to alter their team's DNA this season? @davehelman.bsky.social and @qbklass.bsky.social highlight 9 guys in the latest episode of TAFS! youtu.be/sfqeT9h5LBk

studying 1st & 10 from some of the best defenses and losing my mind again because it has led me here

Derrik Klassen@qbklass.bsky.social · 9mo ago

I feel completely unwell every time I have to watch the Broncos linebackers

Explosive-saving effort from Talanoa Hufanga DAL get DEN to flip the rotation of their safeties with the motion, but Hufanga keeps a sharp eye out for the run action instead of just flying to a landmark. Recovers in time to make the tackle (also what a lead block from Luepke)

New Ringer NFL Show! @diantelee.bsky.social and I rank our top-10 offenses going into the 2026 NFL season. This was hard! Felt like there were 15-to-20 you could really make a case for (not true for defenses!). open.spotify.com/episode/2jRO...

Ranking the Top 10 NFL Offenses for the 2026 Season!

The Ringer NFL Show · Episode

open.spotify.com

This + elite college run + early SB appearance have given him armor to criticism. He’s obviously very good, it’s just interesting to me how much gets pushed to the side with him vs the following 5~ QBs on that list

Conor Sewell@ccsewell.bsky.social · yesterday

I feel like he weirdly benefits in the public perception from being injured so often - people see the highlight plays and when the end of season record isn’t great, they chalk it up to injuries

Stafford on the Bengals

Fredo van Houten@hofschneider.bsky.social · yesterday

Who would do better: current Borrow on the Rams or current Stafford on the Bengals? These rankings are inherently stupid, but especially when they are treated with this mindset of „in a vacuum everything is a binary“. It’s not.

Joe Burrow has the best PR of any player in league history

The Athletic@theathletic.com · yesterday

Our 2026 NFL Quarterback Tiers results are here. The panel this year consisted of 21 execs and 29 coaches overall. Each voter placed 35 veteran QBs into five tiers, from best (Tier 1) to worst (Tier 5). nyti.ms/4yYcfln

Often times that is the case! And can be even for very good QBs. Joe Burrow throws early a lot in part because his arm is pretty average by NFL standards, he’s just wrong less.

Josh Yourish@jyourish3.bsky.social · 2d ago

Would you say it’s also something that has to happen a bit more often for a QB with more arm strength limitations? Maybe this throw isn’t the right example but to the point of a QB like Purdy needing to anticipate more than others and it, at times, leading to trouble.

Yes but that's common and often necessary on these "pick a side" quick game concepts. Problem is he's locking onto that decision based on the motion/flat route immediately removing the flat player from the slant window. Does not respect the CB playing inside leverage ready to take the slant away

Airedmania@airedmania.bsky.social · 2d ago

Was there some pre-determining here from Purdy? Once that back foot hit, left side of the field did not exist.

clear as day example of why the QB needs to not only read the depth of the corner, but their leverage

Drake Maye: same concept, two different answers First is a 1st-and-10. Iso WR has free release on the post. Weak S is playing to poach the strong side so Maye takes the shot Second is 3rd-and-8 w/ press on the backside WR w/ weak S still playing high on the poach so he throws crosser at the sticks

pleased to report League Classic is a blast much slower, simpler game chock full of nostalgia, overpowered kits, clunky yet charming mechanics. it’s both an incredibly satisfying time machine and window with which to appreciate how far the game has come nowadays, for the better

Manipulating defenses ✅ Peaking at 38 ✅ Being free after Rams trade ✅ Rams QB Matthew Stafford sits down for an exclusive interview with @robertmays.bsky.social on TAFS! youtu.be/FyejOXRk26Y

What Year 2 players will become X Factors in 2026? @robertmays.bsky.social, @davehelman.bsky.social and @qbklass.bsky.social highlight a few players on the latest episode of TAFS! youtu.be/duM4zedwhE4

The Titans screen game was haunting x.com/billbarnwell...

Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) on X

One example. They ran five screens for eight yards against the Raiders. Here's three. In each case, the Titans have a numbers advantage when Ward decides to throw. These should be easy yards. They all...

x.com

Derwin James welcoming Chimere Dike to the NFL

hiding the safety rotation is all fun and games until you get caught rotating away from the play and your LBs are out leveraged with no help

Who has the most at stake in the 2026 NFL season? @robertmays.bsky.social, @davehelman.bsky.social and @qbklass.bsky.social identify some names on this episode of TAFS! youtu.be/Ix32K8kBlvA

Todd Bowles defense only really works if they are dominant in run defense on early downs. Without Vea I don't see how that's remotely possible

NFL Daily News@insidenflnews.bsky.social · last wk.

Garafolo: DT Vita Vea requests trade from the Bucs.

Matt LaFleur manufacturing explosives w/ formation GB in 12p, but go empty and split out the back into the boundary with the two TEs. Both WRs to the field with #1 outside the numbers. Strength into the boundary makes the pole runner open to that side; FS has to bail and pay respect to #1 deep

The Athletic Football Show live is BACK. Tuesday, September 1st — Lincoln Hall in Chicago. We're doing the Wins Pool draft live this year, with you guys. Great way to kick off the season. Tickets are available now. lh-st.com/shows/09-01-...

09-01-2026 The Athletic Football Show with Robert Mays

lh-st.com

next layer of the same concept: boundary WR runs a deep comeback, QB can't drive the ball to get it there

Derrik Klassen@qbklass.bsky.social · 2w ago

I wager Justin Herbert makes this throw

I wager Justin Herbert tries to throw the deep over behind the weak S who is put in a bind with the #1 running a corner route

Derrik Klassen@qbklass.bsky.social · 2w ago

I wager Justin Herbert makes this throw

Mike McDaniel was just doing shit man. this looks like NFL Gus Malzahn

random offseason data find: the Houston Texans faced 18 first down runs vs the Tennessee Titans last season (not including scrambles). they had a 100% defensive success rate on those plays

League Classic showmatch everyone tap in www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldf7...

LCS League Classic Showmatch / TSM vs CLG

YouTube video by LCS

youtube.com

Sheldon Rankins (90) one step ahead of the trap

Why playing the right front for the situation matters Rankins (90) is the weak DT, but playing a head-up 2-tech vs this 3x1 tight bunch rather than a standard 1-t/shade. This alignment makes it easier for Rankins to get upfield vs the C trying to reach him on weak zone and cut off the play early

Good PA discipline and play recognition from Henry To'o To'o (39). Knows the over is coming from the tight bunch, flies to his landmark to cut it off. Also a good example of gun PA being less effective/convincing because of how the QB handles the ball compared to UC runs

Cowboys OC Klayton Adams joined @robertmays.bsky.social today on The Athletic Football Show to discuss all things offense, Cowboys and otherwise: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CN_...