How Brian Flores Breaks Offenses with Controlled Chaos

[@ThinkingFootball]

These videos take forever to make, so if you would like to support us ---> www.patreon.com/thinkingfootball Let us know what you want to see a video on next!

[@playthatagainbruh394]

New to the channel are you a former player or coach or enthusiast?

[@alvinwitherspoon5960]

Do a video about Brian Flores’ run defense

[@Ze_Moose]

I'm gonna miss Flores when he leaves next year. 😔

[@eaparks8]

What happened in the second half of the Green Bay game?

[@stephenc6185]

could you please do a scoring drive beginning to end? I am trying to improve what to look for while watching a game.

[@EAGLESTRASH721]

blitzing out of qtrs is diabolical then it looking like 0 vs trips sets is even more crazy

[@treyaintserious]

Spags has done it for years, but it’s now catching on across the league as a great way to send pressure against Shanahan tree coaches

[@barlab-w3p]

@@treyaintseriousfacts especially the NYG 2016 SZN ! they were a top 5 defense

[@defunctchannel942]

@@treyaintserious this

[@RAFAKAUST]

Remember that time when the Brian Flores lead Dolphins blitzed Lamar Jackson on literally every single defensive snap and totally wrecked his game?? Pepperidge Farms remembers....

[@isaacm1168]

yuuuup, turns out to be an extremely effective meta, sim pressure is taking over the nfl

[@jessehudson1318]

Harry the Hitman at 35 sprinting 25yds backwards to go from blitzed to deep safety is remarkable.

[@austincosman2907]

Harry is still such a dog

[@Samtember14]

He's been playing the past 8 years with a non-healed fracture femur

[@mailiam1]

Thanks for actually explaining a lot of these concepts. Most of the in-depth football content on KZbin just assumes you know what all these football terms mean, but it’s a nice change of pace to hear you explain them

[@olddustyboner2318]

Love the videos, you explain it all really well!

[@brabhamfreaman166]

‘Nuff said.❤

[@marcopolo3722]

This is the perfect example why rookies struggle in the nfl on offense and defense. I don’t care what school you played ball at, they are not running anything like this lol

[@miketemple7686]

I wish I could’ve hit the thumbs 👍 up button ten times. You’re exactly right. It can take anywhere from three to five years for these QBs to catch on.

[@malrulesall9669]

Fax

[@nathanaeld.striker7191]

Aye. And teams these days (aside from Green Bay) expect them to be their saviors.

[@BlazeSLK]

So this is what Mel Kiper’s all worked up about

[@Dawg-Bone]

Lol

[@mrtheminecraftminer1]

As a vikings fan this is so fuckin cool! This is exactly what ive wanted, a competent, very well explained showing of the NEW Purple People Eaters !

[@xedofy598]

Purple HAZE baby!

[@YaBummyTaMe]

@@xedofy598 skol

[@ozziecomedy5907]

nah its Purple Haze.... u get confused in the mist of greatness

[@Vainglory14]

I think one thing that's been underdiscussed about this Vikings defense is the players' ability to play these varying roles at such an elite level. You often hear people talk about DBs particularly as exclusively a boundary or slot corner, or being a box safety, and if they're put somewhere else they'll get smoked. Flores had one play where he played Tampa 2 with the deep halves played by the CB1/CB2. Takes an incredible level of trust to start with, but also intelligence from the players and good coaching from the staff to get everyone to an NFL standard. There's been a couple of interviews with Flores where he's talked about how much he's "putting on a guys plate" and I think this is what he's talking about. We know Harry is crazy and will play wherever you ask him to, but are your corners comfortable in deep middlefield zones, are your linebackers comfortable shuttling out to the flats, do they know what they need to do when they get out there based on what the receivers are doing?

[@fries6402]

great comment

[@suspiciousactivity4266]

Exactly! This is the difference between last year and this year. This year they went out and got alot of pieces for him. Last year he inherited the defense and tried to make it work by blitzing all day.

[@travisoshea]

This is great. Cody Alexander has been talking about this for years now. It’s awesome to see that the NFL is using it more and more now.

[@Ender-x2n]

Plenty of Saban disciples -players and coaches - in the NFL now

[@camdencapps6894]

Spags also deserves some credit for 5 man quarters pressures taking nothing from Flores both are dudes as DCs

[@ThinkingFootball]

1000% He's been using this for a while as a change up blitz

[@kghostthegreat]

I Spags definitely has a hand with the C2 stuff for sure

[@treyaintserious]

@@kghostthegreatKghost my boyyy!! I swear I find you everywhere 😭, I just watched 2 of your games

[@kghostthegreat]

@@treyaintserious man it’s crazy, and yeah I been getting beat bad

[@treyaintserious]

@@kghostthegreat everyone has bad stretches bro, ik you’ll be alright.. I’m about to watch your other two when I get the chance

[@Detroit-gx5nd]

Ben Johnson vs Flores coming up on Sunday. Will be fun

[@NonnyStrikes]

Man, it's kinda messed up how much Madden helped me understand coverages and everything related to "assignments" via offense and defense. It's nice having a content creator that TRULY understands the game. That's what I watch football for. The INSANE chess game that is played. I feel the other 75-80 percent of viewers do it just to yell and drink. Ironic.

[@jsilva7005]

At the end of the day, it’s a game not applied physics. Stop trying to act like you’re more intelligent than other fans because you view football as a chess game. It’s football, you’re not a genius.

[@NonnyStrikes]

🙄@@jsilva7005

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@NonnyStrikes I also like the chess tournament that gridiron football is.

[@slave2allah]

@@jsilva7005At the end of the day, it’s a game that applies physics, math, and psychoanalytic strategy to complete a team based objective. No need to be insecure about it. It’s a game that can be enjoyed by casual fans and in-depth analysts.

[@jsilva7005]

@@slave2allah I’m insecure about? I’m not the one making football out to be this intellectual pursuit that needs to higher thinking to be appreciated. It’s a GAME. It’s not the complicated, and it doesn’t take high intellect to appreciate it.

[@treyaintserious]

I like how he streamlined his system. He was heavy in single high useage specifically Cover 3 and Tampa 2 while using his hot coverage (quarters adjacent matching) on early down to stop the run. This year he has the personnel needed to develop his quarters system by working it from his hot coverage

[@mrjinglejonny]

to the average football person, this seems complicated but to Brian Flores, this is football 101

[@Ze_Moose]

I'm gonna miss Flores when he leaves next year. 😔

[@brabhamfreaman166]

6:31 As a Giants fan, this confused the hell outta me! However, you have a unique talent for explaining everything, comprehensively, but without losing the viewer. Diagrams are simple yet deep: stepping through each level of defence carefully, only moving on when thorough. Leverage, for example, is a difficult concept to grasp: you drive it home with several good case studies.👍👊

[@300jet]

Man you just keep delivering! I keep saying this, but it's true: OUTSTANDING!!

[@econhelp583]

This is the best channel I’ve found for in depth football analysis!

[@cialnorthall8796]

Bflo's defence is so fun to watch week in week out. He does bail into prevent a bit early sometimes like the packers game but when hes dialling up something crazy its always fun.

[@daltonemery]

This is the best intro to match and palms that I’ve seen. Thanks a lot!

[@Yatazachqa-S-E]

Bruuuh👏🏿 This is work you’re breaking this down better than my high school coach did.I knew Flores was doing a helluva coaching job on defense but dayum not this great of a job but that being said there’s two ways of beating it.See this is what fans need so they can stop making these ridiculous novice comments..Phenomenal job we should all want to be a students of the game.🏈🥇🎬📽️🎥📹This video should go viral Bro great job.. I’m subscribing now and I’m gonna get my guys to subscribe.

[@PNW_STEFF]

Block the rb run double post or slants

[@Yatazachqa-S-E]

@@PNW_STEFF running the ball is good but slants will be difficult because the way Flores gives his linebackers two keys to look for.

[@PNW_STEFF]

@@Yatazachqa-S-E slant flats

[@CMCFLYYY]

Phenomenal video. Match Quarters is currently the best innovation in coverage schemes. Allows you to have 4 deep defenders when you need to cover 4 verts, while also having 5 underneath defenders depending on WR releases. Its ability to be multiple is what makes it so useful. If we assume for the most part that the MLB takes the #3/RB (which as mentioned is often blitzed in Flores' packages) that leaves 6 defenders to cover 4 WRs, which leads to the 2 triangles mentioned in the vid. 3 over 2 on each side of the field, where any 2 of those 3 defenders can be deep and defend verticals if need be. Switch releases and bunches don't matter (typical Man beaters), because Quarters can just pass them off wherever they end up. Running Crossers or Shallows don't matter because they can just pass you off to the MLB and switch off the #3. It's essentially like playing 2-Man but with the ability to pass off typical Man beaters like a normal Zone defense would. Then you can do as Flores does and work in the 5th pass-rusher, and attempt to speed up the offense into making bad decisions.

[@khalilwilliams3176]

Thanks for the explanation. Been tryna explain to my boy why Flores defense scheme so creative without showing a whole video.

[@TheAnon232]

One of my favorite KZbin channels. This was fascinating

[@IamDevron]

One of my favorite breakdowns you’ve done

[@aeropb]

This is such great work.

[@dpbuc32]

Discovered your channel not long ago and subscribed. Love your content, you are very knowledgeable and make the x and o's of football very intriguing. Keep up the good work!

[@ClearAutumnFestival]

Keep up the good work.

[@Dlarek]

im fairly new to football. i love how informative and concise this video is. ty

[@jacksonmillikan749]

Best analysis and break down I have ever seen. Excellent work. One point...There is no beater for this D. Everything looks the same till it's too late. You just need D backs that can learn and stick to the system. Skol Viks.

[@RobertSeemann]

Excellent breakdown of Vikings defense! Good content

[@mr.fibonacci6292]

just discovered this channel - absolutely flawless analysis. Can you do a video of how Kevin O’connell is dominating the NFL with a “has-been” QB in Sam Darnold? Especially if they beat the Lions this weekend 🙃 Keep up the great work man!

[@alect1953]

As a packer fan I'm hyped for this game

[@8998steveo]

Me too should be fun

[@michaeldewitt5229]

What a great job breaking down the game film and explaining this defensive scheme. Being a Vikings for over 50 years simply made me like it even more.

[@eliasgaltok]

Man, I've only got into football since two years ago. I really enjoy seeing the games and all, but since I came across your content I've discover a new way to enjoy everything about the sport, the strategy above all. I catch myself more attentive and aware when I'm seeing ANY game. Even though I still feel like your content is above my understanding, specially because English isn't my first language (s/o to my mexican paisanos), I still feel like I learn a loooot watching your videos. Great content, great way to explain things and awesome analysis. Cheers!

[@dreamer5687]

never forget that game vs the ravens lol when he was still the HC. hectic match too esp with a lineman catching a td at least; it was close.

[@DoubleHelixStrand]

Hell yeah dude, great video. Subscribed.

[@treyaintserious]

Spags has led the charge over the past few years in terms of using these quarters concepts behind him pressures, but they are now catching in NFL and I expect alot more teams to use them in the next coming seasons

[@mjack96]

Need an addendum to this video to talk about that Van Ginkel pick 6 against Rodgers from a zero look… diabolical lol

[@kashshhds8824]

Mike Macdonald the creator of sim pressure is taking over

[@WinJennings]

This is incredible. Great video.

[@dfabiano11]

Im happy flores found a good home with Minnesota. Dude is a maniac and I love it

[@matten_zero]

Flores plays Madden for sure. Some of these ideas come straight from gaming

[@mroverdose14]

Crazy that in college we ran palm like 50% of the time but the DC didn't understand he had great Man corners and a weak D-line. We went coverage when he would've been better off playing zero and getting pressure and stopping the run. He didn't trust his DBs cause some of the starters got hurt. Half his back-ups became NFL level players....... It's so important to understand your personnel and not marry yourself to a scheme.

[@jerrycastaneda5262]

Awesome video again 🙏 can you add a small amount of stats to the videos about the coverage % & their success

[@mbrick2]

Best channel

[@dragondrew2000]

Ready for the Ben Johnson v Brian Flores matchup.

[@realjcoop182]

You're the goat at this bro!!!

[@philiphahn6086]

"Chaos isn't a pit, chaos is a ladder"- brian flores(probably)

[@GH-xy4zz]

My man you earned a subscribe from me…

[@BruceWaynesFactory]

Bro ran with the poet status of the videos 🔥

[@OlinKreutzRules]

I’ve recently discovered this and I have to say, the way you break things down is so damn good. And you do 2 things for me. 1) you are confirming things I already know and 2)you show things that I THOUGHT I knew. You have such a great way of breaking things down for any/all level(s) for us who love this game as well as the newest person who might show interest in becoming a fan!!!!! I know it’s a few silly things but I have liked this and every other video I’ve seen, I’m clearly commenting on this and I’m sharing with other fans/former players. I know it’s a big ask but…..can you possibly do a video on the Bears defense. How do you feel about Flus? Personally, I know they’ve showed flashes of being a top defense but I’m just not convinced that they are. Johnson is an ELITE corner and they have some really nice pieces(Edwards) but I’m missing something that I just can’t put my fingers on. I know they need someone to take some attention away from Sweat, for sure!!!! Just interested in your opinion(s). Again, great stuff, dude!!! Appreciate you.

[@chrisz7083]

Yeah, this is badass. The defenses are catching up to the offenses and causing issues. Get the right players and scheme and it will make defense more dominate again, allow teams to win playing defense.

[@maevethefox5912]

Coordinators might figure out the gaps in this kind of scheme, but getting to the point where the QB is processing it quick enough to get the ball to the right place is another beast entirely. Not saying it can't/won't happen, but in a league that's currently loaded with young QBs still adjusting to NFL coverages, it's easier said than done.

[@t4d0W]

See this is what I thought Flores' long play is going to be. AFC is sorta established as a QB power house conference with some young prospects coming up and just needing to be coached efficiently. NFC not so much. Even if Flores' division has two up and coming QB prospects and a veteran in Goff playing with better athletes and friendlier system, pressure at the right time can still scare them. Flores has faced DJ (Giants), Purdy, Stroud and Jordan Love in those games and his designed looks/blitzes still got to those guys at the right time. Even if some smart play callers were attached to those guys, the QB has to be like a play caller themselves to recognize it pre and post snap and quickly find the weakness.

[@danielehiagwina]

I love the complexities of NFL defences a lot. It's what made me fall in love with the sport. Derrick Brooks and Ray Lewis were the first great defensive teams I watched. On a side note, Kiper should be sacked for calling for the ban of two high safeties. Defenses are getting more limited already 😏

[@CadeRathbone]

Fantastic video!!

[@patsnation1402]

I cant tell you how much I miss B Flo... I wish he never left NE and we made him the successor... with so many teams running the wide zone scheme, Bill and B Flo designed the ultimate game plan in superbowl 53 and he knows how to shut it down. doesnt hurt to run against it every day in practice as well.

[@Jackson-zu5ny]

Keep making these great videos!

[@WhatIfBrigade]

So few defense film breakdowns. Thank you!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Good breakdowns. Thanks.

[@thematrix29]

Flores is brilliant! He has learned some good stuff from his teacher Belichick.

[@Ace-rb4hv]

id love to see a video on jessie minter, their schemes have a lot of similarities. I would also like to say, please look at the jags coverage splits, it's comical

[@shawngreene1225]

I loved it when ran our defense in New England. I hope we can bring him or Vrabel to New England

[@EmmaBonn96]

I love the Flores system as an alternative to the cover 6 employed by most teams these days

[@davecolvin310]

When he was with Pittsburgh for one year I thought we should have kept him for Tomlin's future replacement

[@rltrotter]

We ran cover 4 at w&j college from 2000-2003. Probably still run it there. IMO best defense for covering the player not the grass while still maintaining zone leverage.

[@chedbeckford8067]

Packers will need to rely on cadences and motion to try to see what coverage is being played. I also think they'll have to go up tempo and run the ball at a high clip. Matt Lafluer I'm sure has some tricks up his sleeve.

[@Love2Musgrave]

watching this before we expose the vikings

[@Love2Musgrave]

I was wrong

[@Love2Musgrave]

I'll admit I was wrong

[@ThinkingFootball]

Dammit! it's no fun pinning people when they're so objective Shame on us for having smart fans

[@DribbleEditz]

​@@Love2Musgrave😂😂😂

[@t4d0W]

With the influx of young QBs thrusted by teams to see if they can be franchise players, these changes definitely plays into Flores' chaos theory. Even if some of these QBs are attached to smart offensive play callers, the QB on the field still has to be confident on that post-snap read and executing the counter punch. As impressive as Mike MacDonald was last season on defense for disguising his coverage looks against offenses but only sending 4, Flores achieved a similar success with how threatening his blitz looks are. But will just drop back guys just to screw with O-line assignments and still be sound on the back end. Also at some point these young QBs will get impatient trying to move the ball all game just by settling for passes to the flat. In which cases Flores is waiting on that impatience for his secondary to make the play.

[@SkolMN18]

Match Coverage seems so easy to understand for me. I’m a coach of a professional team in Germany and this is basically our defense

[@ChicagoPatriot123]

Ever since Brian was, in NE he's a bill belichick genius the man who beat ur favorite team over and over

[@SkiDaBird]

Great video here!

[@jacobkroehler9083]

difference between this defense and our defense the last 2 years is those extra vets at corner, along with younger more athletic and versatile linebackers.

[@andujo211]

Similar to a 5-2 defense or 3-4 . But not the same. Nice breakdown 👌

[@swaslaukinonome]

Nice video, thanks! 👍

[@rgk99]

👍👍 Grest video!! if you don’t mind me asking, What program or tool do you use to draw on the video?

[@twelve-gatesii6056]

Excellent 👍🏾

[@danfrimeth2732]

Great video as always. Is this type of scheme susceptible to being gashed in the run game?

[@lemonadesqueeze6899]

Aye man how do you get this film? Do you have any sort of subscriptions or anything to get it? I'm inspired by your work and I want to try it out myself

[@Beenwiththevibe]

This was really good and helpful for me to run Match in Madden lol

[@benbot2.087]

Great video

[@donnelljunior4198]

One route combination against this is Drive. #1 runs a dig, #2 runs a go route, and #3 runs a shoot route

[@ThinkingFootball]

Corner has off coverage on the Dig so can easily break on it Safety has vertical leverage against the vertical from 2 Bump call from the mike pushes the overhang defender out to the shoot route smothering the horizontal space

[@21Kolb]

Got to do a steelers video next. Their defense is top tier as well.

[@ThinkingFootball]

Been working on it

[@danieledgell7465]

Love McDaniel, but i miss Flores. And van Ginkel, while we’re reminiscing…

[@nichodemus10]

This is a fantasitc video. You do a great job of explaining the Xs and Os in a broken down way that is not too nuanced that it becomes uninteligible.

[@xpradaGx]

Brian Flores deserves another head coaching job

[@treyaintserious]

Their all out pressure lock isn’t man match either, it’s more of a vision zone. The defenders are reading the qbs eyes to rally to the ball rather than watching the release of the receivers to determine who to take

[@blackitachi6935]

Very cool. Apparently he said it's designed to counter the Shanahan offense so abusing their protection schemes is a good start other than just outright confusing the QB haha.

[@cool6742]

I was madden logic plays quarter & palms like this.

[@TheeRobertPhoenix]

How do you think a no huddle offense with quick count tempo would work against when the Vikes are on the road?

[@ThinkingFootball]

Apart from the refs and sightlines, playing on the road as a defense isn't much of a disadvantage - This also isn't too difficult to call against hurry up because the backers can alternate blitzing, and the triangles just need to give eachother a hand signal for whether it's qtrs or palms. Although I agree that hurry up puts tremendous stress generally on a defense, and more people should do it.

[@justincase3108]

@@ThinkingFootballexcellent analysis!! I’m a Vikings fan (since ~85, I’ve felt the pain), so I’m hoping any rust or immobility from Love (as he returns) today will give the Vikes an advantage. While I respect what Love can do, if I were the Packers/fans I’d be very nervous about Love standing back there today.

[@TheyCallHimMarvelous]

Houston tried that and received 4 penalties against the vikes with illegal formations

[@t4d0W]

They should try, particularly on 2nd and long passing downs. Flores is aggressive enough to start blitzing in those situations.

[@kaolee3270]

Simple. Our front 7 has been as good as it ever has in years. And the big 3 LB we picked up were all great signing. Van gankiel has a chance to be all pro this season if he keeps playing at this rate.

[@azraelfirstofhisname8695]

Couldn’t screens and or throwing to the flat with TE protection work against it. You would just need to have a great run offense to keep the Run D honest tho. Mixed in with a little bit of intermediate play action and be patient it could work

[@Ender-x2n]

TE off a leak still keeps things underneath but great point about the run game. I think that’s why we’re seeing more 2 TE hand heavier personnel from teams like the 49ers and Ravens. Seems like the offensive counter is shifting the game back to the ground to combat the defensive shift

[@ACMFORALL]

Hell of a video :)

[@ChilleBruh]

BFlo and KO might both be Top 10 active coaches in the NFL rn. They have an injured squad balling out, they are going to be a BIG problem if they get healthy.

[@jacksonmillikan749]

Best inside look I've ever seen......However, you have not shown how the run game and play action and motion F this thing up.....More please

[@OneKavious]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why we're seeing a return of the fullback position! 😂

[@RomanPhilosopher]

?

[@nichodemus10]

I am with roman philosopher...the best fullback in the league plays on sanfranscico and that is one of the teams that the system was crazy against.

[@OneKavious]

@@nichodemus10 I meant generally 2 high safeties is becoming a normal thing so a lot of teams have started using full backs, true in-line tight ends, sniffers, etc to attack against these shells.

[@OneKavious]

@@RomanPhilosopher 4 deep means you can only have 7 underneath - 12 personnel against a box of 6-7, is a nightmare for defenses typically

[@jameshoops10]

since he knows sabanese and he has his own pressure scheme makes his defense diabolical

[@mjciavola]

It would be interesting to know how Flores decides which side will be the palms and which will be the quarters.

[@radicalneptunemusic]

It's great to see a black person breaking down the NFL meta

[@Jeromethedp]

NFL Defenses are chess matches, the games are mostly about checks, simple concepts that have the worlds best athletes executing, love pressure defenses it’s better to anticipate the response than to stay on your heels and wait…