Packers’ inconsistent group holds the key to slowing down Brian Flores’ newest defensive strategy
Interior of the offensive line has to perform at a high level to stop what the Vikings have done this season.
Brian Flores has been with the Minnesota Vikings since 2023. Therefore, the Green Bay Packers already have familiarity with his scheme, with his principles, and what he intends to do as a defensive play-designer and play-caller.
But don’t expect everything to feel the same on Sunday, when the Packers face the Vikings for the first time in 2025. It’s a different version of the defense, with more emphasis on the interior.
How the Vikings have changed on defense
There is a significant difference for the Vikings this season. Last year, the team didn’t have much production from their defensive tackles — just four sacks from interior defensive linemen in 2024. This year, Jalen Redmond himself, who is arguably the best story in the division, has that amount, and the unit has 11.5 of the Vikings’ 26 sacks.
They use a lot of base 3-4 looks and send all five players on the line of scrimmage, plus they use simulated pressures with the edge rushers and don’t send anyone from outside of the tackles, putting a lot of pressure on the interior. The key with this unit, as it is with any Flores’ defense, is preventing pressure.
Pressure over the Packers’ IOL
The Packers lost center Elgton Jenkins, likely for the rest of the season, with a low-leg injury. The team is still adapting to the new formation and had mixed results against a strong New York Giants’ defensive front.
Overall, amongst 77 qualifying guards, Aaron Banks is 37th in PFF blocking grade, and Jordan Morgan is 41st. Sean Rhyan still qualifies as a guard, and is 75th, but he’s now moved to center and has had a much higher blocking efficiency in a limited sample size.
Against the Giants, Banks allowed two pressures but had his best game as a Packer. Morgan also allowed two pressures, and Rhyan allowed one.
At center, Rhyan is still getting used to snap the ball to Jordan Love, but the early results are fairly promising for a backup.
“It’s obviously something we just got to keep getting more reps from Sean, and he’s been doing a great job, but things like that might happen,” Love said after the Giants game about some bad snaps. “I do think the wind was playing a little part in some of those shotgun snaps for sure, so something we’ll take a look at, keep improving on. But I think other than that, he did a great job.”
The Packers might be without Josh Jacobs, who’s day-to-day with a knee contusion. Either way, third-string running back Chris Brooks might be a big tool to stop or limit the Vikings’ interior pressure.
Brooks is one of the top pass-protecting running backs in football, and while he’s not necessarily an explosive or efficient runner, he can have an impactful role on passing downs.
Brian Flores will always offer a significant schematic challenge for Matt LaFleur, and the performance of the interior of the offensive line could dictate who effective this offense will be in the huge divisional matchup.
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