Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings lead the NFL in Blitz Rate by pairing traditional five-man fire zone paths with disguised backend coverages rather than relying on simulated pressures. By rotating between Quarters, Cover 2 “Roll”, and traditional Cover 3 shells behind identical pressure paths, Minnesota caps downfield vertical shots while staying gap-sound against early-down run schemes. In this film breakdown, we detail the front mechanics, coverage rules, and Edge drop mechanics that let the Vikings compress space and dictate terms to opposing offenses.
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Film Library
Here are a few clips from the Vikings-Colts matchup that show their use of Quarters or split-field five-man pressures. Over the first seven weeks, Minnesota has used split-field coverages behind its pressures on about 40% of its calls, 30% of which are Quarters. The next closest team is the Rams, 10 points lower. A resource section with links follows the clips.
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Other Resources
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