The Minnesota Vikings will have to put their Week 8 loss behind them as they now have to focus on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 to avoid losing back-to-back games.
Moreover, the Vikings defense will have a major challenge dealing with Allen, who has a passer rating of 101.1 with 1,793 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games, per StatMuse.
Ahead of the Week 9 game against the Bills, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores spoke about facing Allen and the challenges that the quarterback brings to an opposing defense.
“This is the most, or one of the most, dynamic players in our league,” Flores told reporters on Nov. 3. “He makes a lot of people miss. He breaks a lot of tackles: Big, strong quarterback, huge arm. There’s risk-reward. Pressuring people all the time, every week, and so that’s certainly our play style. I don’t know if we’re going to go too far away from it, but we’re not going to be reckless.
“We’re going to understand that with a guy like this, you can have an unblocked defender, and he can make that guy miss. The rest of the coverage, the rest of the rush, we’ve got to do a great job of working through some extended plays because we’re going to have those. You kind of know that going in. But Josh is one of the best players in our league. This is a testament to his work.”
Brian Flores on Bills’ Josh Allen’s Growth Over the Years
Furthermore, Flores noted the growth that he’s seen from Allen over the years, from the first time he went up against the Bills star while being a coach with the New England Patriots.
“I’ve seen him develop,” Flores added. “I was in New England when he started, when he was a rookie and a second-year player. At that time, it was, ‘Hey, keep him in the pocket and make him throw from the pocket because he’s not really that accurate.’ That is certainly not the case anymore.
“It’s fun to watch his growth and development, from where he was as a rookie and second-year player to being in the MVP race yearly and having one win, probably likely to win some more. Just one of the best players in our league. So, definitely a major, major challenge.”
Should the Vikings Make a Change at QB Ahead of Week 9?
Meanwhile, on the offensive side, there are talks about what the Vikings should do at QB, as former NFL CB Bryant McFadden believes it might be time for a change under center.
“It felt like even though Carson Wentz is not going to wow you, and I don’t think he’s the answer for the future, but right now, with their defense, I think he gives them more structure within the offense to play in rhythm, where they can be more consistent,” McFadden said in a Nov. 3 video from CBS Sports. “So if Kyler Murray is not prepared to go, I’m okay with seeing Carson Wentz.”
Vikings DC Brian Flores Gets Candid on Facing Bills QB Josh Allen