Matthew Coller: Brian Flores is pushing Vikings defense toward greatness

The Vikings are dominating behind a unique scheme and mentality that starts with their DC...

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. / Minnesota Vikings

EAGAN — Through three games, the Minnesota Vikings have allowed as many scoring drives by their opponents as they have created turnovers. They lead the NFL in sacks, rank second in points allowed and opposing QBs have a 71.5 QB rating against them. Pretty impressive stuff when you consider they faced two of 2023’s best quarterbacks.

When you ask Vikings players about why they have been so effective, you get a range of answers. For some, it’s as simple as having talent all over the field. Each week there has been a different main character of their success. Andrew Van Ginkel had a pick-six in Week 1, Blake Cashman dominated in coverage in Week 2, Jonathan Greenard had three sacks in Week 3.

Having a lot more (expensive, experienced) talent than previous years is certainly a huge part but some players have said that it’s about the attitude that the unit has taken on toward each other. Stephon Gilmore said he has noticed an unselfishness to the team and all the new players gelled together quickly. Even if a play isn’t designed to highlight a certain player, there is a do-your-job type mentality that has brought the group together.

That makes a lot of sense too but doesn’t quite fully capture it.

The gray area in explaining the Vikings’ defensive success seems to be in Flores’ personal philosophy to push players beyond what they thought capable for themselves. That’s a powerful thing — if the players can handle it.

“It takes a toll on them,” Flores said of the mental load he asks players to carry in his multi-faceted defense. “There's often conversation in the week that might be one brick too many. I tell them all the time, I'm going to push the limits in practice. I'm going to see how much they can handle.”

It isn’t a simple process to play a constant cat and mouse game with the offense. The US Bank Stadium crowd is going insane, the offense is running motions all over the places and offensive coordinators on the other side that have their own wrinkles and deceptive tactics. Head coach Kevin O’Connell explained that the trick to Flores’ defense is that it aims to make the final adjustment before the snap.

“The defense plays off of the offense,” O’Connell explained. “As long as they don't change the rules on us, we can disguise and the offense has to adjust to what we're doing. We can get to different things from everything we line up. In the end, there'll be a penalty on the field for delay of game if they take too long. We can wait until the snap and legally do anything as long as we've got 11 guys on the field.”

That’s easy to say, hard to master. For everyone to get on the same page with the checks and changes, Vikings players can’t just understand their job and their job only. They have to understand the zeitgeist of the defense in order for Flores to use every tool at his disposal.

“I’d say this is one of the smartest defenses I’ve been part of,” linebacker Blake Cashman told Purple Insider. “It seems like everyone has a great understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish and based off the play calls where we’re vulnerable. We have [a certain type of] coverage, there are the routes we’re vulnerable to, so if we get that look we can overplay it and play quicker… Like, ‘hey, let’s switch here, let’s roll the coverage this way.’ That comes from having great chemistry and we do a great job of stressing ourselves during the week so we’re prepared on gameday.”

Players have said that, to Flores, they are X’s rather than having static positions because he wants them to be flexible. Imagine a band where the drummer could jump up and play bass guitar or the singer could jump over to keyboard at any time. It takes knowing a lot of music theory but the band can play many genres.

“He does a good job of teaching everybody everybody else’s position,” linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel said. “People are lined up all over the place so if you get a grasp of that you can play faster. There’s challenges to it because every week it can be a little different. There’s a lot of tweaks and techniques that can change so you have to have an adapt mentality. Every day it’s changing and it can change on gameday on a drive or a series.”

Stephon Gilmore, who worked with Flores when they were both in New England, said that having the mentality to shape shift against whatever attack the offense is using, makes it more challenging for offenses to prepare for.

“Honestly some coordinators just run the same plays the whole game and say, ‘beat it,’ but we can change things up and you can’t really gameplan for stuff. It makes it harder on offenses,” Gilmore said. “It’s rare for sure. It’s good to have because anybody can scheme you up if you’re in the same coverage the whole game. We can switch it up.”

As much as Flores is doing something rare on defense, he isn’t doing it like the band leader in Whiplash. The Vikings’ DC has repeatedly said that he wants players to feel ownership over the scheme and have it belong to everyone rather than just be “Flores’ scheme.” Earlier this week the Star Tribune’s Mark Craig wrote about Harrison Phillips showing Flores a look on the sideline during the game and Flores welcoming that type of feedback.

“It’s an open dialogue,” Jonathan Greenard told Purple Insider. “When you can talk about things that are on your mind — and we’re all playing the same game, we’re all trying to accomplish the same thing. There are open ears. I’ve been around places and coaches who are, ‘run it my way.’ That’s not always a bad thing… I do understand it and even though it’s an open-door policy there are some things that aren’t up for discussion and it’s not fun at times but you get rewarded on the back end when… and when you see everything come to fruition, it makes you play that much harder.”

Through three weeks, the Vikings have seen everything come to fruition. They haven’t just played well, they have completely dominated. More than 20% of their plays on defense have resulted in sacks, INTs, tackles for loss, fumbles or passes defended so far.

Flores wants more, especially as the Vikings head to play against one of the best offensive coaches in the NFL in Matt LaFleur at Lambeau Field.

“I think our human nature is to [say]-- we're good,” Flores said. “And in order to be great, you almost need to be pushed a little bit. That's something that I believe in. I know I need it to be pushed….How do you reach a higher level if you don't give it a shot? That's really the message.”