Brian Flores entered his second season as Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator with a mission: make opposing quarterbacks miserable. By every available metric, he succeeded spectacularly. The 2025 Vikings defense generated pressure on 42.3% of dropbacks — the highest rate in the NFL and the third-highest single-season mark since Next Gen Stats began tracking in 2016.
What made Flores' scheme so effective was its unpredictability. The Vikings deployed a unique system where pre-snap looks bore almost no relationship to post-snap reality. Offensive linemen couldn't pattern-read the Vikings because there was no pattern to read. Flores used an average of 4.7 different rushers per game — meaning nearly half the defense took turns coming after the quarterback at some point.
What Made the Vikings' Pass Rush So Effective?
The key was Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel being unleashed simultaneously. Greenard's 13.5 sacks came on only 412 pass rush snaps — a staggering 3.3% pressure rate per rush. Van Ginkel added 6.5 sacks from the linebacker position, and his ability to blitz from multiple alignments kept tackles guessing. When Flores stacked both on the same side, the double-A gap overload created free runners to the quarterback 31% of the time. That's elite, and it's a schematic advantage few coordinators in football can replicate.
The question now: can Flores maintain this level of havoc if Greenard is traded? The saga continues. SKOL.