The clever designs of Matt LaFleur will face the hidden aggression of Brian Flores on Sunday in what should prove to be a heavyweight fight.
EAGAN, Minn. — Midway through the third quarter Sunday, Packers quarterback Malik Willis was standing in shotgun formation when he put receiver Bo Melton into motion.
The second-year pass catcher slid in front of Willis before the snap, then turned to try to sell the handoff to set a screen. Melton took four Tennessee defenders with him as Willis threw a pass to running back Emanuel Wilson, who then trotted 37 yards — almost untouched — into the end zone.
Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores had just put the finishing touches on a first-half shutout after Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel weaved through the offensive line to beat the Houston quarterback CJ Stroud in the final seconds.
Stroud, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, was troubled all afternoon. He entered the game with a streak of 266 passes without an interception, but on Sunday he had two, including one on the field. the very first pass of the game. The Texans finally got on the board in the third quarter, but Flores’ tactical stunts created constant confusion for Stroud and the offense.
This weekend, LaFleur’s clever designs will face Flores’ hidden aggression in what should prove to be a heavyweight fight between two of the best in the business.
“We definitely have one of the best in terms of coordinators,” Flores said of the Packers head coach. “I’ve had my share of tough days against LaFleur and his offenses, going back to his days with Tennessee.”
LaFleur’s experience comes from the West Coast offense – short, methodical, high-percentage passes to ultimately set up the deep ball. What LaFleur is doing this season, primarily with Willis, is different. It instills plenty of gimmicks with run-pass options (RPO), zone reads, meter reads, and more. to help his young quarterback flourish – and it worked.
The Packers are 2-1 and 2-0 since starting quarterback Jordan Love went down late in his season opener with a sprained MCL. Willis won both starts completing 25 of 33 (75.7%) for 324 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 114 yards and a score, getting on a RPO Sunday against the Titans.
Love could very well return to the lineup this weekend, but what LaFleur was able to accomplish with a recently acquired quarterback shouldn’t go unnoticed.
“I don’t think we talk enough about what’s going on over there with Malik Willis. … It’s impressive to watch,” Flores said. “He’s obviously a very, very good coach – one of the best in the league – and it will certainly be a challenge.”
Flores remade a defense that was among the worst in the league before his arrival in 2023. His relentless pressure – blitzing on more than 50% of snaps – and his deceptive disguises made Minnesota’s defense competitive in 2023.
This year it’s taken to a whole new level.
The season is still young, but the Vikings have allowed the second fewest points while sacking the quarterback more than any other team in the NFL. They’re also tied for the second-fewest rushing yards allowed this season, which will be put to the test this weekend when they face an offense that’s averaging a career-best 204 rushing yards per game of the league.
“He does a good job, especially this year, of establishing the running game and creating plays off of that,” said veteran safety Harrison Smith, who has plenty of experience facing LaFleur’s offense . “The changes, the movements… they do a really good job and it’s hard to match them.”
LaFleur and Flores split last season, with Minnesota’s defense dominating the first meeting and Green Bay’s offense running wild in the New Year’s Eve rematch. Sunday’s showdown should be a tough test for both coaches , with the winner having the advantage from the start in what could prove to be a close race until the very end.
“We’re constantly evolving. We were last year, we are this year,” Smith said. “We’re always trying to push the limits and find different ways of doing things. Ultimately it comes down to setting edges, tackling, running to the ball – as long as we do that and we can do it all mentally manage what we do, I love our group.
