Brian Flores hasn't shied away from blitzing since being hired as the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator in 2023. But he's amped up the pressure even more in Year 4, sending blitzes on 73.6% of dropbacks, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert.
The aggressive strategy leaves the defense vulnerable to big plays, such as Packers wide receiver Christian Watson's 81-yard touchdown. But the potential for an occasional explosive play won't scare Flores away from staying true to his approach.
"I certainly want to be aggressive. I've said that many times," Flores told the media on Tuesday. "And that's our play style. We'll throw a change-up every now and again. Our fastball is: try to be aggressive and be physical; play with the fundamentals."
And if an opponent
takes advantage of the Vikings' approach?
"I tell our guys all the time, 'If we're going to go down, we're going to go down a certain way,'" Flores said later.
Minnesota's defense has been on fire over the past five quarters. They held the Chicago Bears to three points one week after scoring 59. Weather played a factor, but so did an aggressive approach that flustered Caleb Williams.
Blitzing at a 73.6% rate may not be sustainable, but don't expect Flores to become conservative if he gets beat every once in a while, either.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Brian Flores on Vikings blitzing: 'I certainly want to be aggressive'
