Vikings film review: How the pass rush and a sneaky secondary befuddled the Bengals

A week after the Falcons waltzed into U.S. Bank Stadium and had the franchise’s best pass-rushing game since 2018, the Vikings defense responded with its own seven-year high in Sunday’s blowout win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Led by defensive linemen Dallas Turner (5 pressures), Jonathan Greenard (4) and Jalen Redmond (4), the Vikings defense thrashed Bengals blockers. Quarterback Jake Browning often felt heat before he had a chance to target star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who combined for six catches and 65 yards.

The Vikings pressured Browning on 58% of his dropbacks, marking Minnesota’s most effective pass-rushing game since 2018, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

A proud defense needed that kind of bounce-back game after giving too much ground to Bijan Robinson in Week 2 and nearly letting Caleb Williams escape in Week 1. It was the kind of performance this veteran-laden defense envisioned after they assembled in the spring.

Greenard made his presence felt from the first snap, chasing down Bengals running back Chase Brown from the back side for a run stop. Safety Harrison Smith and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel returned, sparking the varied schemes of defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Smith blitzed on his second snap. On his third play in the game, Smith tipped Browning’s pass into cornerback Isaiah Rodgers’ pick six.

“The disguises, the timing of certain things, the synced-up feeling of our defense all day,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I thought Flo called a great game as well, and Harry being out there probably led to some of that.”

Through three weeks, the Vikings field a top-10 defense ranking sixth in yards per play (4.6), sixth in yards per game (271) and ninth in points allowed (18.6).

A year after leading the NFL in interceptions, Vikings defensive backs are once again meshing well under the demands of Flores and Daronte Jones, the Vikings’ pass game coordinator and DBs coach. Smith returning with his 14 years of NFL experience helped them get back to their deceiving ways with pre-snap alignments that hide what they’re planning to do after the snap.

“A lot of that credit goes to Daronte Jones,” Flores said Tuesday. “He and [safeties coach] Mike Hutchings spend the lion’s share of the time with the group and that’s really where a lot of the disguises show up. So, no, I don’t know a lot of the time what they’re doing.”

For example, take this third-and-8 play in the first quarter.

Below you’ll see a 14-second display of incredible pre-snap work by the secondary. They initially show a Cover-0 look, or an all-out blitz that leaves only solo man coverage with no safety help. They drop into a Cover-1 formation with safety Theo Jackson in center field.

With two seconds left on the play clock, Smith drops all the way from the line of scrimmage into his deep-half assignment for the final Cover-2 man coverage that they eventually run.

This year’s Vikings have leaned on cloud coverages like Cover 2, with two deep defenders, and Cover 6, which is a three-deep look with two defenders aligned toward the passing strength of the offense. Like they’ve done for three years under Flores, they’re taking quarterbacks on confusing paths to get there.

For the first time since 2009, the Vikings defense has not allowed 200 net passing yards to an opponent through the first three weeks.

Even without Javon Hargrave, who exited after 11 snaps with a rib injury but is expected to play this week, the Vikings generated interior pressure with Redmond, Allen and Levi Drake Rodriguez.

On the edge, Greenard and Turner wrecked plays. Here’s the end-zone view of the third-and-8 snap. Watch the staged hand motions and communication as defenders do their best acting jobs before settling into a four-man rush. Greenard spins past Bengals tackle Orlando Brown Jr. like a screen door.

The Vikings’ pressure forced Bengals coach Zac Taylor to dig into his bag of quick passing plays and handoffs to get the ball out of Browning’s hands.

Turner, a 2024 first-round pick, was among many defenders to play well.

In this first-and-10 below, a handoff to Chase goes for just 2 yards. Turner (15), cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) and Jackson (26) each disrupt the play in their own ways with physical, fast pursuit.

Is a similar script going to play out next Sunday? The Vikings should expect more quick-passing ways from Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has the NFL’s worst completion percentage (6 of 22; 27.3%) this season while under pressure, per PFF.

At 41 years old, Rodgers has not appeared interested in taking hits. His 2.56-second average time to throw through three games is the league’s second fastest behind only the Rams’ Matthew Stafford.

The Vikings’ Rodgers, Isaiah, had the historic game with two defensive touchdowns and two forced fumbles in the first half. While teammates fanned him on the sidelines after his second touchdown, there was another play that was at least up for debate as his best.

“The punch-out was probably the best play,” Smith said, “but that PBU [pass breakup] was very good especially against a guy like Tee Higgins, who is normally coming down with that ball.”

“He’s been making PBUs and plays like that all offseason,” safety Josh Metellus said. “He had a chance in camp to get a lot of plays like that, where they just throw it up to the best receiver and he’s got to find a way.”