Brian Flores Claims a Running Back for The Vikings’ Defense
Every defensive coordinator loves having a dynamic rushing attack (just ask Zim). After all, churning out first downs on the ground is a proven way of controlling the clock and keeping the opposing offense off the field.
Brian Flores’ words should therefore come as little surprise.
Minnesota’s defensive coordinator took some time for the Minnesota media earlier in the week. Flores tends to be a pretty chatty guy, and that played out in a lengthy conversation that went beyond the twenty-minute mark. When asked about Jones, Flores began by saying, “I’m glad he’s on our team.” The DC went on to unpack the initial thought in a way that illuminates how Jones can impact the game as a whole.
Brian Flores, Aaron Jones, & The Vikings’ Defense
Brock Purdy & Co. represent a difficult challenge.
True, Christian McCaffrey could be limited or altogether absent, but the challenge is still formidable. Kyle Shanahan is a brilliant offensive mind and his skill is second to none: Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk, and George Kittle. Oh, and having Trent Williams at left tackle doesn’t hurt.
Any defense would struggle to compete with that crew. Maybe the best way to win isn’t to directly compete. Or, put differently, to not have the defense be on the field against those players with quite as much regularity. Withstanding the onslaught becomes easier if the reps against those guys are more limited.
Mr. Jones thus has a role to play.
“He’s been doing it a long time,” Flores went on to explain about the running back, “he’s obviously very gifted. And has had a lot of success. That’s a testament to the way he works.” The DC continued to discuss the RB, explaining that “he and I have conversations pretty much every couple days about running the football.”
Flores’ main point: “I call him a defensive player because when he’s running it out there, we’re sitting on the bench. They’re picking up first downs, everybody’s happy. Yeah, excited that he’s here.”
In Week 1, the Vikings didn’t do great job when it comes to winning the time of possession battle. The Vikings held onto the football for just 27:34 while the Giants were sitting at 32:26. Not a backbreaking discrepancy but something to monitor.
Against the 49ers, the Vikings will be looking for Aaron Jones to carry a heavier burden. The veteran runner had 14 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. There were also a pair of catches for 15 yards. So, not a huge workload, but ultra efficient. Can the efficiency remain across a larger workload?
Signed to a one-year, $7 million deal, Aaron Jones is coming in as the top runner on PFF with a blistering 90.9 grade. The 49ers defense is going to be quite motivated in Week 2 since they’re coming off a playoffs when Jones turned 18 carries into 108 yards. Plus, Minnesota beat them at U.S. Bank Stadium last year.
Brian Flores’ defense is coming off holding its opponent to a measly 6 points. Such a modest number likely isn’t feasible against San Francisco, but the total can be kept to a more modest number if Mr. Jones — an honorary defensive player — puts together a monster performance.
Kickoff takes place at 12 CT on Sunday, September 15th.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.