To jog your memory, the Vikings had a solid defense last year. After going from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold at quarterback, the roster under the defense coordinator Brian Flores maintained its grace. Darnold became the fourth QB in the franchise to lead the team to a 3-0 start with both offense and defense in the spotlight. The team’s defense ranked 16th per FOX, allowing 335.4 yards (on average). The defense was enough to rattle some of their strong opponents, such as the 49ers. The Vikings’ 34-7 win over the Texans is another such instance. And Flores had much to do with this success. He is doing it again in an even more classic fashion during the latest display at JJ McCarthy’s Vikings camp.

The starting defense was once again impressive. And they quite clearly outperformed the starting offense. In just 8 plays, the defense managed to get at least two sacks. As Kevin Siefert reported on his X, “The Vikings first-teams defense just absolutely destroyed the first-team offense in a full team drill. At least 2 sacks in 8 plays. Only one of the plays went for positive yardage. A theme of camp.” As seen earlier, this has been a pattern for JJ McCarthy’s team.

What’s more interesting here is one instance where the defense didn’t hesitate to let the offense know that they are dominating on the field. This was when Dwight McGlother ran across the field and went on to hand the ball to Justin Jefferson. As Seifert reported, “And defenders are letting the offense know. CB Dwight McGlothern ran all the way across the field to hand the ball to Justin Jefferson, who was watching from the sideline, after an interception.”

The game is on the Vikings, and this was the shining example to say that defense wins championships. Jalen Nailor, Tai Felton, and more of Jefferson’s squad’s stars put up their best performance to keep up, but it would be safe to say that Flores’ defense overwhelmed the offense in 11-on-11 team drills for the second consecutive padded practice.

Think Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Dallas Turner, Jonathan Greenard, and more in full power. There were even moments when the new shiny star of the Vikings was seen struggling. Through two consecutive padded practices, Flores’ unit has made it difficult for rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy. He was out there struggling to make each snap.

When asked about the defense, McCarthy didn’t hide his feelings. “What I learned from that is in those situations, they’re so impeccable to get early on, especially in this camp like setting, because there’s no consequences to it. There’s so much learning involved. And with those front seven guys and that rush, it’s tremendous to feel that early on and be able to make quicker decisions, get to my back, maybe find an escape lane here or there when they’re playing man on the back end. But, yeah, it was just another great example for me to see and, you know, experience,” he said.

As miserable as it might be, these growing pains might be a blessing in disguise. Flores’ defense is arguably the most complex and aggressive, the Vikings# 9 will face all year. If he can survive this menace now, Sundays could start feeling slower. And while the spirit in defense is high, not everyone sees the rookie quarterback’s struggles as a bad sign.

JJ McCarthy receives love from former Michigan Star

McCarthy hasn’t taken a single NFL snap yet. However, he’s already earned a vote of confidence from a trusted voice in the Minnesota Vikings locker room. Safety and team captain Josh Metellus, who is a former Michigan Wolverine himself, recently praised the rookie quarterback.

Metellus made it clear, he expects big things from McCarthy this year. Metellus, who is entering his sixth season in Minnesota, emphasized that McCarthy doesn’t need to play hero football. McCarthy will get to learn more while playing alongside Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason. The Vikings# 9 has stepped into one of the most balanced offensive arsenals in the league.

During his appearance on  ‘NFL Spotlight With Ari Meirov,‘ he praised the QB. “He’s definitely due for a big year. And I know he’s excited to get back out there. I just was talking to him. He spent some good time this offseason, getting away, but making sure his mind was still right. So, I’m excited to see what he’s going to do this year. I know he’s going to do good things. We got a great coach for him. He doesn’t have to do too much, but besides just get the ball to the guys we need to get the ball to and do him.”

Amid the deep, struggling moments on the field, McCarthy might find some peace in the veteran’s words. He will have support playing under the system of coach Kevin O’Connell. And well, the miseries, thanks to Flores’ defense, are just the cherry on top.