Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores blitzes at a higher rate than any other play caller, but there may not be a quarterback more battle-tested for what's coming than New Orleans Saints passer Tyler Shough. According to Pro Football Focus charting, Shough has faced the most blitzes in the league through four weeks (74). Part of that is due to the high volume of passes New Orleans has asked Shough to throw, but he still has more reps against the blitz than any other quarterback this season. Maybe that gives him an edge.
Or maybe it doesn't. Flores is bringing extra pressure on 66.9% of Minnesota's snaps, nearly twice as often as the next-closest defense (the Washington Commanders, at 36.8%). That has powered the Vikings to the most
sacks (16) and the NFL's highest pressure rate (39%), ranking second in hurry rate (16.9%) and seventh in knockdowns (13.7%). Shough will have his hands full correctly reading the defense and setting protections with his offensive line before the snap. More experience helps, sure, but it's not a perfect comparison when you're putting volume against frequency.
So how has Shough performed against the blitz? PFF charting has him at 46-of-64 for 442 yards with a scramble and nine sacks, scoring four touchdown passes while throwing an interception. He's made some of his best plays when the defense sends extra pressure. PFF credits him with six "big time throws" against the blitz, most in the NFL, which they define as "a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window." That's encouraging. Shough's NFL passer rating against the blitz is 105.1, seventh-best at his position. A big part of his success against blitzing defenders is a quick windup -- Shough's average time to throw is 2.41 seconds, second-best behind Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Love ranks eighth in NFL passer rating against the blitz, second to Shough.
And that brings us full-circle. Shough isn't actually the sole leader in snaps against the blitz through four games; he's tied with Love. It was Love who faced Flores and the Vikings in Week 1. How did he do? The Packers quarterback went 21-of-37 for 387 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while taking three sacks and losing a fumble. It was enough to engineer a 22-0 lead in Green Bay's favor, but Love wilted down the stretch as the Vikings kept bringing pressure. Minnesota shut them out on the Packers' finial four possessions: a turnover on downs, a fumble, an interception, and another turnover on downs. If the Saints are going to pull off a win, they'll need Shough to stand tall under pressure for all sixty minutes.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: How will Saints QB Tyler Shough fare vs. Vikings DC Brian Flores?
