Vikings defense leaves former NFL stars confused in film study session

It looks like it's nearly impossible to predict what Minnesota's defense is doing until the ball is snapped.

Brian Flores on the sideline during Minnesota's 34-7 win over the Texans. / Minnesota Vikings

A cornerback is a cornerback if he presents as a cornerback, right? Not if he's playing in Brian Flores' defense with the Minnesota Vikings.

As 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy said, "Scheme is crazy." That quote by itself is intriguing, but what did Purdy mean by it? Maybe his reaction had something to do with the disguising nature of the defense that left three former NFL players with their jaws on the floor when they studied game film on Tuesday.

Emmanuel Acho, James Jones and LeSean McCoy were working on ESPN and Acho presented a play that had Jones and McCoy believing the Vikings were in a man-to-man defense. But as Acho hit play on the clip, the Vikings rapidly moved into a Cover 2 zone defense.

Even crazier is that cornerbacks shifted to safety roles and safeties shifted to cornerback roles.

"They showed you a man-to-man picture," Acho explained. "C.J. Stroud, a second year player, surely is going to think it's man because I got an all-time rushing leader (McCoy) who thinks its man and I got a nine-year receiver (Jones) who thinks its man. So surely C.J. Stroud is going to think it's man."

Flores disguised the defense as man-to-man coverage until the ball was snapped, at which point it was a dramatic transition to zone.

"Brian Flores is running a masterful defense right now. Absolutely brilliant," Acho said.

This Vikings defense had 9 year NFL vet, James James, confused— and he’s sitting behind a desk.

Now imagine how confusing this is for a QB, in real time.

Look at how ridiculous this Vikings defense is. 🔥🔥🔥#Skol #AchoAnalysis pic.twitter.com/CvaClarYJc

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 24, 2024