Respect is a two-way street, and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has plenty of it for Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Flores, now in his second season as Vikings DC, has orchestrated the NFL’s 10th-ranked defense and fourth-ranked scoring unit. And the tape tells a clear tale about Flores’ preferred style as a play-caller.
It tends to be all of nothing.
“Obviously, he’s gonna he’s going to blitz you. He’s the king of cover zero blitz and finding a bunch of different ways to do it. And then you know they’ll switch it up and just fly 22 [Harrison Smith] out from two yards away from me and fly him all the way back to the safety and things like that,” Williams told reporters on November 20.
The Vikings blitz at the NFL’s highest rate at 37.7%, per Pro Football Reference. Unsurprisingly, they also boast the top pressure rate at 29.6%, the sixth-highest sack rate at 8.7%, and rank third in the league with 35 sacks through 11 weeks.
Flores and the Vikings’ defense have also held opposing quarterbacks to the fifth-lowest passer rating with a 79.4 mark.
There are, however, some weak spots that Williams and the Bears can take advantage of.
Caleb Williams, Bears Plan to Exploit Vikings’ Blitz
GettyMinnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores on the field after facing the Houston Texans.
Tennesse Titans QB Will Levis completed 58.8% of his passes against the Vikings’ blitz in Week 11, per Pro Football Focus.
He still connected big plays, including a 98-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
“Us being decisive, us having a plan for all of that [is key]. And then from there, get the ball to your playmakers, run the ball well and efficiently. And from there, when they give you shots and give you explosive plays, you make those plays,” Williams said.
“It affects the, I guess you can say, play calling for the defense when you’re able to hit explosive plays or when you’re able to get the ball out and be decisive when they’re sending all these different exotic blitzes and things like that. I think it affects the play-caller on the other side, and you got to find other ways to attack.”
Williams has completed 55.9% of his throws against the blitz this season, and 41.7% when he is under pressure, per PFF.
However, he has a 4:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio against the blitz.
Williams was 8-for-10 for 87 yards against the blitz in the Bears’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 11. But the Packers blitz at the seventh-lowest rate, making for a notable flip in approach from one opponent to the next for the rookie.
Vikings Must Avoid Big Plays in Week 12
GettyHarrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before the game against the New York Giants.
Despite the Vikings’ favorable sack and pressure numbers, their pass defense ranks 28th in yards and 19th in touchdowns allowed. They have the eighth-highest average depth of target and the fifth-most air yards on completions.
Williams’ time-to-throw remains on the higher end of the QB spectrum at 2.86 seconds, per NFL Next Gen Stats. But he is showing progress there.
The Bears’ offensive line has earned solid pass-blocking efficiency grades, too.
It could come down to how long the Vikings can hold up on the back end. Their veteran-laded group is often left on an island in Flores’ scheme. But the Vikings have playmakers at every position. So they are in no way at a disadvantage.
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