Vikings’ Brian Flores Raves About Packers’ Matt LaFleur

The biggest matchup for Sunday’s NFC North showdown will be Packers coach Matt LaFleur against Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will test the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – One of the big matchups of Sunday’s showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings won’t take place between the white lines. It will take place on the sidelines.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur is coming off back-to-back wins without quarterback Jordan Love. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose unit is second in points allowed, is a big reason behind his team’s 3-0 start

Speaking to reporters in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Flores couldn’t have been any more complimentary toward LaFleur.

“We certainly got one of the best coming up as far as offensive coordinators,” Flores told reporters. “I've had my share of tough days against LeFleur and his offenses dating back to when he was in Tennessee. Had a tough day then a few years back and, quite honestly, we have to do everything we can to stay ahead of a guy like Matt.

“I don't think he's being talked about enough (about) what's going on over there with Malik Willis. I think for Matt to go in his bag and be a West Coast guy and then turn around and he's got this whole zone read, RPO, counter read, I mean, that's pretty impressive. 

“I don't think it's being talked about enough. It's impressive to watch. He's obviously a very, very good coach, one of the best in the league. This will certainly be a challenge, regardless of who the quarterback is.”

LaFleur has been on top of his game. He worked all offseason to adapt last year’s offense to what works best for Love and the rest of the offense. He put all that aside for Malik Willis’ first start, when he pivoted to a misdirection-based run game to beat the Colts two weeks ago. He then switched directions again to beat the Titans last week.

“You know, he's just got great acumen,” Flores said. “Obviously, he's got a menu of different styles of play. He tries to stay ahead of the defense clearly. They run it, they screen it, they drop back, they play action, they RPO. They've got everything, which can try to keep you off-balance. And then he's just, I think some guys just have a knack for calling the game a certain way, and he's done a great job with that for a long time.”

Winning with a backup quarterback is hard. Since 2021, backups in their first start went 29-57-1; in their second start, they went 16-30. Even last year, when established veteran Joe Flacco rescued the Browns, he lost his first start.

The Packers won both starts with Willis – against lesser competition, to be sure, but with him having less than a month in the offense.

“The adaptability to me is [impressive],” Flores wrote. “I learned a long time ago, great coaches are able to adapt. There's so many injuries in the National Football League. This is going back [to his time in New England with] Bill Belichick, there's so many injuries that you have to be able to coach and play at a high level regardless of what the situation is.

“Obviously, Matt's had Aaron Rodgers, and they had a lot of success there. Jordan Love comes in, and we've all seen what he's done there. And then Malik Willis comes in, and we see what he's doing there. So obviously, Matt's done a great job. Again, this should be talked about a little bit more than it is, in my opinion.”

Love is expected to be back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game. Whoever the quarterback is for the Packers, he will face an enormous challenge.

So will LaFleur in providing answers.

With Flores pulling the strings, Minnesota is allowing 10.0 points per game. In huge home wins the past two weeks against the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans – two of the best teams and best offenses in the NFL – the Vikings gave up 17 points against the Niners and seven points against the Texans.

“Your scheme is crazy,” 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy told Flores after a game in which he was sacked six times.

As venerable Vikings safety Harrison Smith told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer after Minnesota dismantled Houston:

“Flo’s philosophy, coupled with the mix of guys that we have, allows us to be pretty multiple. We have things we like to run, like most defenses. We can morph week to week a little more than most defenses and just make things where you’re really not sure what we’re doing. …

“We just try to match what the offense we’re playing does best instead of saying, This is who we are. Who we are is whatever we need to be.”

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