The Vikings defense led by Brian Flores once again allowed Minnesota to win Sunday in the game against the Jets in London. This time, even the very experienced Aaron Rodgers could not cope with the variations and adjustments of the Vikes. The proof: three interceptions for him including one returned for a touchdown by Andrew Van Ginkel and one which sealed the match at the last second by Stephon Gilmore.
Obviously, during the post-match conferences, the Minnesota men were questioned on this subject. And the name of Brian Flores, defensive coordinator of the Vikings, was on everyone's lips, starting with those of head coach Kevin O'Connell.
“I love coaching with Brian,” assures the former Patriots player. “Sometimes I take risks in attack because I know they can pay off. But also because I have complete confidence in our defense. Brian Flores is leading our offense at a world class level, I love it! »
An element that often comes up when praising Flores' scheme is the versatility of the players. Notably defenders like Joshua Metellus or Andrew Van Ginkel, officially safety and linebacker respectively. However, they are aligned in very different positions during the match. Which the latter confirms.
“Coach Flores always has a great overview,” explains Van Ginkel. “Joshua Metellus or I, we can play in lots of different positions but ultimately, we do the same thing. In his scheme, we are X's that he can move anywhere on the field as needed. There or here, even on the defensive line, it's just positioning on the field. And then, the coach always encourages us to see this sport as a joy, as a game. We play a game in the end, if we don't like the game, we have nothing to do there. »
Chaos yes, but organized for Brian Flores!
In this ambient joy, things can seem somewhat chaotic for NFL observers. Let them be reassured, for the players too sometimes as linebacker Jonathan Greenard explained after the match.
“People ask us how we do it. But even I don’t know,” laughs Greenard. “When I think of Coach Flores, I think of chaos. Organized chaos as we both like to say. I'm not going to give you all the secrets but the main thing is to trust what he puts in place. We see it with players like Andrew Van Ginkel, he’s a real Swiss army knife. He can play in all positions and he knows the coach having played with him before. This is a real plus for understanding opposing attacks. »
Van Ginkel actually played under Flores for the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021. This year, the defender already has 15 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 interceptions on the clock. And overall, the Vikings are the second-best rushing defense and fourth-best in points allowed. They are also leaders in interceptions and second in sacks completed. We have not yet found a more suitable definition than “total defense”.
STEPHON GILMORE SEALS THE WIN WITH A PICK.#NYJvsMIN pic.twitter.com/3Li9D2uZw1
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
Comments collected in London.
