Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Chicago Bears head coach and offensive play caller Ben Johnson are two sides of the same coin when it comes to creativity and aggression. Those reflexes will be on display when they face Chicago on Sunday.
Flores doesn’t hesitate to blow the quarterback into oblivion and beat his brains out with never-before-seen coverage rotations. Johnson broke the scoring record by going for fourth down from his own 21-yard line, drawing a trick play and trying to somehow get the ball into the end zone.
Johnson faced them twice when he was offensive coordinator in Detroit and last year, and four times against former Viking Harrison Phillips. They spoke The athleticsAlec LewisThe strategies they use are as variable as the stock market, from driving to driving. You need to know when to sell and switch to a new strategy or quit.
Ben Johnson-Brian Flores chess match in week 2
Dan Widerer
Let’s take a look at the last four matches of the two idiots and how they stack up against each other.
2024 Detroit Lions
7th week
The Vikings gave up the highest percentage (19.6 percent) on Flores calling plays. In the game, Johnson made several smart plays to protect Jared Goff and get the ball up the court. Goff was excellent with his timing and decision-making. On a play, they undercut the middle linebacker with a big dig route, and the running back spills over the middle.
In the biggest game of his era, Johnson used a unique guard technique employed by the New England Patriots against the Denver Broncos. Pressure plan in 2006By involving the receiver in protection.
Second quarter, 9:11 left, second-and-11
The Vikings showed a coverage 0 blitz look (no man-to-man deep safety). Receiver Tim Patrick started on the left side but was pointed to the right in the formation.
Patrick didn’t just run to the other side to run the road; He was there to help with the pass blocking of the running back behind the guard. Because the Vikings were man-to-man, a defensive back had to follow Patrick and essentially get wasted in coverage.
A seven-man defense gave Goff enough time to look for a double move to the left before moving to Amon-Ra St-Brown to touch down the right.
Gambling dealer 😉@amonra_stbrown #DETVsMIN | 📺 Fox pic.twitter.com/vQdYNcMPr6
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 20, 2024
29-28 with 2:32 left in the game, the Lions created explosives on the ground and put them in field goal range for the win. The final score doesn’t reflect how the Vikings played in the second half; They held the Lions to just 7 points until the last field goal.
18th week
Johnson increased his tight end usage and put the Vikings in an extra base (four defensive backs). The Vikings had to respect the Lions’ running game statistically, but the Lions still dominated on the ground, rushing for 178 yards on 31 carries. Flores tried to stop the Lions’ out-zone running game on a 6-1 run, but Johnson had an answer. The Lions ran away with the game, winning 31-9.
2025 bears
Week 1
In his first game as a head coach, Johnson had to play Flores if the offense was reloaded, who pitched fairly vanilla and only swerved on 22 percent of his snaps. Maybe he thought the Bears had spent all winter preparing for the draw, so he took the opposite approach and waited for quarterback Caleb Williams to make a mistake. The Bears’ offense struggled to run the ball with a traditional run (17 carries for 53 yards), scored just 17 points (a defensive touchdown) and inefficiency cost them the game in the second half. Chicago’s offense wasn’t fully functional in Week 1, but Williams hurt the Vikings with his legs, catching six times for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Fourth quarter, 12:09 left, first-and-10
After the Vikings cut the lead to five in the fourth quarter, the Bears needed a score. It could indicate that the Vikings are going with a 3-4 defense and wrapping up their corners and bringing five. Bears called it the stick concept, which should have been easy to complete and stay on schedule.
However, after the penalty, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel dropped into coverage and hit Cole Kmet, who was running the bat route.
Williams didn’t expect the idea to be covered, and the line was defending for a quick game. Williams was sacked, the Bears didn’t score on the drive, and the Vikings completed their comeback with a 27-24 win.
11th week
Flores turned up the heat on Williams in the second matchup and flashed 63.75 percent of the shots, which was better than the rate he hit Johnson’s offense in Detroit in 2024. More bodies helped keep Williams in the pocket, and he couldn’t scramble as much as he did in the first game – just two yards for two runs. Ironically, Williams is better off throwing in the game. On the sparkling, there was an average of 0.19 EPA per drop. When not flashing, an average of 0.59 EPA was reduced per drop.
Using Kmet as a pass blocker was key in both games. Running back D’Andre Swift can be bullied in pass blocking, and you’ll want to get him out on the road anyway. In obvious passing situations, Kmet lined up as a passing running back.
The Bears wore down the Vikings defense in the run game (counting only the late runs). Through the first three quarters, the Bears ran the ball 21 times for 58 yards (2.8 yards per rush) and 42 percent rushing success. In the fourth quarter, they ran the ball 13 times for 53 yards (4.1 yards per rush) and a 69.2 percent rushing success rate. The Vikings’ offensive struggles allowed Johnson to remain patient in the running game. The Bears won 19-17 on a walk-off field goal.
What will happen in week 2?
Flores’ defense continues to add layers that make it more difficult to game plan. Flores beat Jordan Love at a historic pace in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, but he can also easily show flashes and run threes at key times. Williams and the Bears’ offense seemed to be at the top of Johnson’s Lions’ offense. Two things that set that offense apart were Detroit’s elite pass blocker, David Montgomery, and Goff, who learned to play with the Blues after struggling with the Los Angeles Rams. Flores hasn’t shown more aggressive flashes of anger toward Williams, but I have a feeling we’ll see that this week.
Williams was excellent with the Lightning last season, ranking fifth in EPA despite a 33.28 percent drop rate. However, Love ranked higher than Williams in that category last season, and that didn’t stop Flores from sending him home quickly. If Flores senses a weakness and perhaps sees an inexperienced Packers running back, he will attack him.
Week 1, 5:13 left in the fourth quarter, third and -17
On this play, the Vikings lined up three defensive linemen to the left of the formation (pictured right), but lined up two linebackers to the right of the A and B gaps. This led riders to use a four-man slide to the loaded side. In this protection, the right guard should take No. 55, and running back Chris Brooks should take No. 51.
There appears to be a miscommunication with Brooks as Brooks seeks to ban No. 55, leaving No. 51 unbanned.
Love was fired on one of the game’s most crucial plays, as Brooks looked to break free.
The primary for the Bears is their running game. Compared to other teams running the ball, they haven’t had as much success against the Vikings. An explosive running game forces Flores into more base looks and consistent fronts. He was the key to Johnson’s success against Flores during his time in Detroit.
Since it’s only week 2, we don’t know who the teams are yet, but we know that both coaches aren’t going into the game just doing what they’re doing. They both know it’s about the players and the kills, but they’re competitive and proud. You want to stand out in this chess match.
Flores told me in an interview last season that he considers himself an innovator. You don’t hear that much from defensive coaches. Vikings coaches and players have weekly meetings to make wild plans and call them. This week, they face an offense that easily put up 59 points in Week 1. Those creative meetings are sure to be very long this week. On the other hand, Johnson will have a few game designs that will have movie fans running to social media to post. Who lives with a pen?
