Brian Flores' defense saves the Vikings again, this time against Aaron Rodgers and Jets in London

LONDON – Over on the Minnesota Vikings sideline, the defensive backs sat on the bench at the start of Sunday's game against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, chatting like pitchers in a bullpen during a baseball game.

“You have to make a choice today,” one said to Stephon Gilmore.

“Yes, Steph,” said another. “What are you waiting for?”

Maybe it was a foreshadowing of how the Vikings' 23-17 victory over the Jets would end. Or maybe it was just Brian Flores' defenders doing what they do: picking on each other, enjoying their time overseas and wanting to win.

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Gilmore was the only regular starting defender without an interception before Sunday. His teammates made fun of him even though they recognized his importance. As the Vikings edged out Super Bowl contenders en route to a 4-0 start, Gilmore had one side of the field covered each week. Interceptions were less important to Gilmore than victories, so he listened and laughed but paid little attention to the commentary.

He was preparing for a test against the most experienced quarterback the Flores defense has faced this season. Safety Cam Bynum summed up the challenge of facing Aaron Rodgers succinctly: “He trusts his arm. He's one of the greatest to ever do it, but because he has that talent, he tries to throw it when people are covered.” The answer was clear: Stick like glue to the Jets' receivers.

“You respect a player like that,” defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard said of Rodgers, “but it doesn’t make you change your identity.”

Flores' defense in Minnesota was a boa constrictor. The unit was ranked #1 in DVOA entering the game after eliminating Daniel Jones, harassing Brock Purdy, suffocating CJ Stroud and harassing Jordan Love. Players like Brian Daboll, Kyle Shanahan, Bobby Slowik and Matt LaFleur have all talked about preparing to defend Flores the way you would talk about preparing to climb Mount Everest.

The Vikings' defensive stranglehold is evident every week when you watch the expression on the opposing quarterback's face. If there was an exception to the rule, Rodgers would probably be the exception. But in the first quarter on Sunday, edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel broke away from the line of scrimmage and intercepted a Rodgers pass.

Van Ginkel's 63-yard return for a touchdown, with stiff arms and blocks from teammates, caused Rodgers to unbuckle his helmet and stare at the replay on the giant television screens. As Rodgers watched the play again, he shook his head the way you do when you think: I'm so much better than this.

Mr. Pick 6@AndrewVanGinkel

📺: @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/u9mFg6d4EE

– Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2024

This is how it usually starts. Jones, Purdy, Stroud and Love got it too receive. Each of them missed gimme shots and released passes they wanted as the ball left their hands. They also viewed these incompletions or turnovers as mere errors in thought. Against Flores' defense, however, these are often harbingers of what's to come.

Like the others, Rodgers then trotted to the sideline, ready to shake off the memory and clear the air. A Jets employee handed him a tablet. He scrolled through snapshots of the Vikings' defenses before and after the snap, nodding his head because he thought he understood what he was dealing with.

The next stage is perhaps the most thoughtful. The quarterback thinks he understands what Flores wanted to do to him and falls back with new faith. Then Flores flips the script the other way – and Rodgers recognized this on possession after Van Ginkel picked the six. He dropped back, saw the defensive backs man covering his receivers, and threw a pass across the middle of the field.

There was just one problem: The Vikings were in man coverage and had two deep zone defenders behind the play. Rodgers sailed over the pass, and Bynum dove and snatched it.

.@Cambeezy_!!!

📺: @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/EcrsFRBong

– Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2024

While Bynum sprinted toward the end zone a choreographed celebration Mimicking a scene from the movie “Parent Trap,” Rodgers leaned back his helmet and stuck out his tongue. Next came the frustrated plonk of the tablet, then the angry signal for the sideline to speed up the play call, and then the brutal slam into the pocket that left Rodgers on his hands and knees.

Rodgers may not be as mobile as he once was, but the Vikings still hit him 11 times and sacked him twice.

“The defense went crazy,” Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold said.

For the Vikings to leave London 5-0 and enter the bye week with their undefeated record, the defense had no other choice. The offense, which missed running back Aaron Jones in the first half with a hip injury, sputtered throughout the game. Coach Kevin O'Connell explained afterwards that the Jets' strategy of pressuring elite cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed limited his team's short passing game.

This led, on several occasions, to Gardner and Reed reaching for Justin Jefferson's purple jersey as the superstar receiver floated downfield. The referees flagged the Jets' defensive backs for two pass interference calls and a hold on just one drive, but New York continued to pressure.

“We tried to live in a world where we could maybe use that against them,” O'Connell said afterward.

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Darnold, back down to earth with a mediocre 14-for-31 passing performance for 179 yards and an interception, showed off his skills, often attempting high-flying passes to Jefferson and Jordan Addison as they raced down the sideline. Few were completed, leaving the Vikings in second-and-long and third-and-long situations, allowing the Jets' defensive front to tee off on the Minnesota offensive line.

Although kicker Will Reichard sank three key field goals, including two 50-yarders, the Vikings' punt coverage put the defense in difficult situations. Gunners Jay Ward and Akayleb Evans were charged with penalties for punts. In the third quarter, with the Jets punting near their goal line and Minnesota on its way to gaining solid field position, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. screamed in to try to block the kick but fell under the Jets' feet -Punter Thomas Morstead, who fell to Pace. The 15-yard roughing-the-kicker penalty spurred a New York field goal drive and set the game up for a tricky finish.

What were the Vikings thinking as they jogged onto the field to secure the final possession of the Jets, who had a 6-point lead and needed a stop?

“We were happy to have the game in our hands,” Bynum said.

Even when the Jets reached the 28-yard line, Bynum said, the Vikings' defense felt like it was in the driver's seat. With the Jets facing a third-and-10 just outside the red zone, Flores decided to leave Gilmore in single coverage at the back of a formation against receiver Mike Williams.

Last season, the Vikings would have fallen apart at this moment. Gilmore was brought in for situations like this, to put the game away when it needed to be put away. Rodgers tried him and Gilmore grabbed the game-winning interception. His fellow defenders surrounded him and cheered.

BALL GAME!

📺: @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/wzT1WdC9wB

– Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2024

On the sideline, O'Connell hugged Flores. Flores later wrapped his arms around Gilmore. Rodgers stood there and watched everything, the cheers and the reaction of the raucous crowd. He put his hands on his hips and surveyed the fans with an expression that could best be described as defeated.

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(Photo: Julian Finney / Getty Images)