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THE WIRE
TEAM ARCHETYPES
Mtb · what each roster is actually built to do, measured against this league
49ers SF
OFFENCE
West Coast

Short, accurate, catch-and-run. Tackling in space is the whole game against them.

DEFENCE
Leans Blitz Package

Speed at linebacker, brought from everywhere. Beat the first wave and there is grass behind it.

Close to Front Four — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Bears CHI
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to Air Raid — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Blitz Package — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Bengals CIN
OFFENCE
West Coast

Short, accurate, catch-and-run. Tackling in space is the whole game against them.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Bills BUF
OFFENCE
Leans Air Raid

Throws it deep and has the speed to run under it. Make them hold the ball — pressure hurts this team more than coverage.

Close to Spread Option — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Blitz Package

Speed at linebacker, brought from everywhere. Beat the first wave and there is grass behind it.

Close to Front Four — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Broncos DEN
OFFENCE
Leans Ground and Pound

Built front-to-back to run it. If they are behind by two scores they are playing somebody else's game.

Close to Spread Option — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Press Man — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Browns CLE
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Leans Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Close to Blitz Package — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Buccaneers TB
OFFENCE
Leans Air Raid

Throws it deep and has the speed to run under it. Make them hold the ball — pressure hurts this team more than coverage.

Close to Spread Option — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Cardinals AZ
OFFENCE
Leans Ground and Pound

Built front-to-back to run it. If they are behind by two scores they are playing somebody else's game.

Close to West Coast — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Chargers LAC
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to West Coast — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Front Four — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Chiefs KC
OFFENCE
Leans Air Raid

Throws it deep and has the speed to run under it. Make them hold the ball — pressure hurts this team more than coverage.

Close to West Coast — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Colts IND
OFFENCE
Ground and Pound

Built front-to-back to run it. If they are behind by two scores they are playing somebody else's game.

DEFENCE
Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Commanders WAS
OFFENCE
Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Cowboys DAL
OFFENCE
Leans West Coast

Short, accurate, catch-and-run. Tackling in space is the whole game against them.

Close to Air Raid — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Close to Zone Coverage — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Dolphins MIA
OFFENCE
Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Eagles PHI
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to Ground and Pound — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Close to Zone Coverage — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Falcons ATL
OFFENCE
Leans Ground and Pound

Built front-to-back to run it. If they are behind by two scores they are playing somebody else's game.

Close to Spread Option — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Press Man — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Giants NYG
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Jaguars JAX
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to West Coast — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Close to Front Four — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Jets NYJ
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Lions DET
OFFENCE
West Coast

Short, accurate, catch-and-run. Tackling in space is the whole game against them.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Run Wall — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Packers GB
OFFENCE
Leans Air Raid

Throws it deep and has the speed to run under it. Make them hold the ball — pressure hurts this team more than coverage.

Close to Ground and Pound — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Front Four

Gets there with four. They can rush and cover at the same time, which is the hardest thing to plan around.

Close to Blitz Package — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Panthers CAR
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to Ground and Pound — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Blitz Package

Speed at linebacker, brought from everywhere. Beat the first wave and there is grass behind it.

Close to Run Wall — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Patriots NE
OFFENCE
Leans Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

Close to Air Raid — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Raiders LV
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Leans Front Four

Gets there with four. They can rush and cover at the same time, which is the hardest thing to plan around.

Close to Blitz Package — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Rams LAR
OFFENCE
Leans West Coast

Short, accurate, catch-and-run. Tackling in space is the whole game against them.

Close to Ground and Pound — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Front Four

Gets there with four. They can rush and cover at the same time, which is the hardest thing to plan around.

Ravens BAL
OFFENCE
Spread Option

The quarterback is a runner and the back is a threat in space. Discipline beats aggression here.

DEFENCE
Leans Press Man

Corners who will line up on you. Motion and stacks are the answer, not deeper routes.

Close to Run Wall — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Saints NO
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Seahawks SEA
OFFENCE
Leans Air Raid

Throws it deep and has the speed to run under it. Make them hold the ball — pressure hurts this team more than coverage.

Close to West Coast — not enough daylight to call it either way.

DEFENCE
Leans Run Wall

Heavy, hard to move, hard to run at. Throw it.

Close to Zone Coverage — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Steelers PIT
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Leans Front Four

Gets there with four. They can rush and cover at the same time, which is the hardest thing to plan around.

Close to Run Wall — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Texans HOU
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Leans Zone Coverage

Reads the quarterback, not the receiver. Patience and the underneath throw; forcing it is how they eat.

Close to Front Four — not enough daylight to call it either way.

Titans TEN only 0 rated players — reading lightly
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

Vikings MIN only 0 rated players — reading lightly
OFFENCE
Balanced

No single thing this roster does better than the league. That is a scheme choice as much as a shortcoming.

DEFENCE
Balanced

Nothing this front or secondary does stands out against the league, for better or worse.

HOW THIS IS READ

Every signal is measured against this league's own average, not a fixed bar. An Air Raid team is one whose deep passing and receiver speed stand out among the teams it actually plays — so an all-time pool where everybody is 90-plus still separates, and a rebuilding league doesn't come back thirty-two times "balanced". The labels redistribute themselves as the league progresses.

Madden exports no depth chart, so "starter" here means highest rated at the position. It is the same compromise the ratings page makes. When two archetypes finish close together the team is said to lean one way rather than be one — calling a scheme off a rounding error is how a scouting report stops being believed.

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