Vikings defense going back to the basics vs. Browns

WARE, ENGLAND – A year after Vikings safeties Josh Metellus and Camryn Bynum clapped hands and bumped behinds, performing the famed handshake from the movie “Parent Trap” during a win over the New York Jets in London, Metellus made sure to have something up his sleeve for last week’s Dublin game against the Steelers.

“It was Irish specific,” Metellus told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “From ’Luck of the Irish,’ a movie I used to watch on the Disney Channel when I was a kid. It was this little Irish dance I was trying to get the guys to do.

“Obviously, they didn’t turn it over,” Metellus added. “So, that didn’t work.”

The Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not commit a turnover, marking just the fifth time in 39 games under defensive coordinator Brian Flores the Vikings didn’t steal possession.

Their record in those games? 0-5.

But Flores’ focus entering Sunday’s game against the Browns lies elsewhere, even though Cleveland will have rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel make his first NFL start.

He said he’s more concerned with the Vikings’ Jekyll and Hyde run defense, which surrendered a career-high 99 rushing yards to Steelers backup Kenneth Gainwell after starter Jaylen Warren was a late scratch due to a knee injury.

“Everybody wants the sexy stuff,” Flores said about takeaways, “but we just have to do a better job at the things that aren’t; that are just boring. Those things are important, too.”

The Vikings’ proud defense feels like they have something to prove, according to Metellus, who said they’re expecting this to be a “battle of the defenses.”

Cleveland’s defense, led by perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate and All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, has allowed the fewest yards per play (4.1) through four weeks.

Yet, the Browns offense keeps coughing up the ball and the defense has allowed a high red-zone touchdown rate (75%), which helps explain why Cleveland ranks 24th in points per game allowed (25.5).

The Vikings defense has not yet allowed a foe to top 24 points. They currently rank ninth in points allowed (20 per game) and 11th in yards (4.9 per play).

“Big chip on our shoulder,” Metellus said. “Letting people know that we still the best defense in the league. We still consider ourselves the best group when we go out there and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to.”

Defenders say they have no intention of overlooking Gabriel, the third-round pick out of Oregon who is replacing veteran Joe Flacco. They’ve studied Gabriel’s college and preseason film. They see his mobility and accuracy as threats.

Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was asked by a U.K. media member if he’d “rather” see Flacco because there’s more film to study on the veteran.

Greenard, a team captain, called that a “bait-ish” question. Because, of course, they’d rather face an inexperienced rookie. He just isn’t going to say it or disrespect Gabriel.

“That’s how you get beat in this league,” Greenard said, “when you undermine your opponent.”

Judkins, a second-round pick out of Ohio State, is the first of five straight talented running backs set up to face the Vikings defense. After this week, the Vikings play the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, the Chargers’ Omarion Hampton, the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs and the Ravens’ Derrick Henry.

Judkins has already proven hard to tackle.

He has dodged and run through tacklers to the tune of 71, 95, and 115 yards from scrimmage in his first three NFL games.

Consider Flores impressed, saying Judkins is “going to be a good one.”

Greenard expects Judkins to be Gabriel’s best friend on Sunday.

Judkins “made, like, four guys miss on one play,” said Greenard, referencing a run against the Ravens. “It just shows you his contact balance. … He’s going to be their hard-nosed guy that gets grimy yards, so we have to make sure we get multiple hats on him, because obviously he can be explosive.”

The inconsistency of the Vikings’ run defense — playing well vs. the Bears’ D’Andre Swift, then giving up 143 rushing yards to the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson, then shutting down the Bengals’ Chase Brown before last week’s game by Gainwell — has not sat well with Flores.

“One week on, one week off,” Flores said. “That’s not really what we’re about. We want to be consistent in all areas. That’s really the message.”