The Miami Dolphins' Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings will likely mean a little more to the Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Flores was, of course, the Dolphins' head coach from 2019–2021 before an unceremonious firing that left accusations and still-unresolved lawsuits in its wake. Through it all, it's the fans who drew the short end of the stick, as the organization was harshly punished after a league investigation into some of Flores' claims.
While in Miami, Flores became renowned for the mayhem his defense created. With him at the controls, the unit was liable to send extra defenders at the quarterback on nearly every play. It was scintillating when it worked. However, Dolphins fans are all too familiar with how things unfolded when the pressure didn't get home.
Ever since arriving in Minnesota, Flores has imported his rush-happy scheme to the delight of Vikings fans everywhere. Minnesota currently leads the league with a 68.4 percent blitz rate. That has led many to count the Dolphins out of Sunday's matchup, though a brief history lesson tells us why that shouldn't be the case.
Former Miami Dolphins HC Brian Flores' defense preys on offensive coordinators' egos more than anything else
If you want to see Flores' defense poetically executed in Miami, two matchups stick out.
In 2020, the Dolphins faced the Los Angeles Rams at Hard Rock Stadium. The upstart Rams were in their first year under offensive whiz Sean McVay, and Flores served him a bountiful helping of humble pie. Despite the Rams' 31 first downs to the Dolphins' eight and being outgained on offense 471 yards to 145, Miami won comfortably, 28–17.
They did it by blitzing then-second-year pro quarterback Jared Goff relentlessly. They sacked him twice, forcing two fumbles that Miami recovered — one of which was returned for a 78-yard touchdown by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who has since rejoined Flores in Minnesota. They also intercepted Goff twice.
Despite Goff finishing the day with 355 yards, 167 of them came in garbage time in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.
Fast-forward to 2021, and things were not going well in Miami. The Dolphins drew a matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens just four days after ending a seven-game losing streak with a win against the Houston Texans. Miami's defense swarmed the former (and future) MVP to a miserable day passing the football.
Jackson would finish the day with 238 passing yards as Baltimore could not provide him with any answers. He was sacked four times, fumbled twice, and was intercepted. The Ravens had just 132 total yards in the first half. It was a suffocation.
These games represent the pinnacle of the scheme. When a team insists on attacking deep down the field despite overwhelming pressure looks, they're playing right into Flores' hands. It's like the allure of man-to-man coverage is simply too much to overcome, and offensive coordinators (or quarterbacks) can't help themselves.
Choosing my words carefully here, Flores' scheme is not a gimmick. It's legit. It's also not unbeatable. Matthew Stafford (3–0 against Flores-coordinated defenses), Josh Allen (6–1), Baker Mayfield (3–1), Jalen Hurts (2–0), and Ryan Tannehill (2–1) are just some quarterbacks who've had success against it. Something they have in common is the ability to stand in under pressure, extend plays, and deliver an accurate ball anyway.
What's more, they are also patient enough to take checkdowns and pick their spots to take a shot down the field. Conversely, gunslingers who love the deep ball à la Jordan Love (2–4), Caleb Williams (1–4), and Joe Flacco (0–2) seem to play right into the defense's strength more often than not.
Miami's chances on Sunday will come down to whether Malik Willis can be patient and not get frustrated with constant blitzes. Screen passes, short routes, and running the ball effectively will keep the Dolphins in it. It's also the perfect opportunity for Willis to use his superpower of extending plays to take a few calculated shots when the time calls for them.
The Vikings' offense ranks 16th in points scored, 32nd in yards, and 32nd in first downs. It's the opposition's insistence on fitting a square peg into a round hole offensively that has kept Minnesota undefeated through three weeks. Despite what the doubters are saying, the Dolphins have a chance on Sunday.
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