Vikings’ shapeshifting defense ‘kept Green Bay guessing’ through three quarters

Packers quarterback Jordan Love had just 45 passing yards at halftime, a primary reason the Vikings built a 17-point lead by midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-25 win at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Yet Vikings defenders and coaches were in the locker room scheming up changes, anticipating Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Green Bay’s offense were doing the same.

“We started to basically flip what we were doing in the first half,” linebacker Blake Cashman said. “How we rotate coverage, where the [fake] pressure and all that is coming. But it’s really just a game of cat and mouse. We’ve seen it all year, where teams start to attack us because they know which way our movement is.”

Coordinator Brian Flores’ defense often wins through deception, and eventually opponents — even struggling ones like Green Bay on Sunday — pick up on how they need to attack.

“We have to be flexible,” Cashman said. “That’s the kind of scheme we have. We have to be able to make adjustments. I think we did a good job of that today. We kept Green Bay guessing, and that’s why we were pretty dominant all game. It wasn’t until late when they started throwing the ball downfield, but that had nothing to do with schematics.”

Love added just 19 yards in the third quarter, when the Packers added a quick rushing touchdown on a short field after a Sam Darnold interception. Through three quarters, Love had thrown for just 64 yards on 15 attempts.

Even with the Packers’ late flurry of two touchdown drives, the Vikings allowed just 271 yards — the fewest by a foe since they faced Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones on Nov. 10.

Much of their success against the Packers offense had to do with stopping running back Josh Jacobs, who had 69 yards on 17 carries, and then preventing Love from escaping the pocket to either run or throw.

The Vikings, a predominantly zone coverage team, also played more man-to-man coverage than they have typically put on film.

Safety Josh Metellus echoed Cashman, saying adjustments during games have been critical. Against the Packers, Vikings coaches and defenders added calls to the game plan in the middle of action even if they hadn’t spent the week preparing for those particular plays.

“Stuff from weeks ago or the first time we played them [on Sept. 29],” Metellus said. “Not many teams can do stuff like we do. Not even just halftime, but from series to series switch stuff up like, ‘All right, we’re going to do this, we’re going to do this.’ That’s just a testament to how much work these guys put in, how smart we are, how invested everyone is in the process.”

Defenders wish they hadn’t left the door open for a Packers comeback, but they’re not very concerned with Green Bay’s two late hurry-up drives that ended in 15 points.

In the fourth quarter, Love completed nine of 15 passes for 121 yards. He threw one touchdown, a 3-yard toss to receiver Malik Heath, and he handed off for another while Green Bay made it a 27-25 game with about two minutes left to play.

By design, defenders say the Vikings weren’t playing as aggressively at the line of scrimmage — both in coverage and as pass rushers — during those hurry-up situations.

“We’re playing man [coverage], they’re going hurry-up,” edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said. “We’re only rushing three at times. Our DBs are staying over the top of them instead of playing, you know, up on them. … It looks like they’re getting cooked, but at the same time we’re just standing over the top of everything.”

“We got the dub,” Greenard added, “but we hate leaving hope out there.”

The Vikings didn’t sack Love until the fourth quarter, when he was brought down three times, by Cashman (1.5 sacks), rookie Dallas Turner (one) and Andrew Van Ginkel (0.5).

They still chased around Love, who has been great this season at avoiding sacks. He scrambled just once for six yards. He was often pressured, running to either throw the ball away or, at least in one case, watch Jayden Reed drop a third-down pass.

“We were pretty tight in coverage,” safety Harrison Smith said. “I don’t know if we sacked him too many times early, but we kept him from buying too much time.”

Greenard said he was still mad about not getting a sack but that his more patient pass rushes were by design to not give Love places to escape.

“One of the best quarterbacks in the league talent-wise with his arm,” Greenard said. “He can make any throw on the field. So, when we’re going against him, we have to make sure he can’t get into a rhythm like, ‘OK, I can plant my feet, see this way, get a clean throw.’ ”

“I missed two or three [sacks],” Greenard added, “trying to keep him in the pocket, but I’m doing my job.”

Vikings defenders were already looking ahead to Ford Field, where they’re hoping to steal the NFC North title and No. 1 seed from the Lions.

They remember last year’s loss to Detroit at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Lions clinched the division title on the Vikings’ home turf.

“I’ve been waiting for this one. Biggest game of the year,” Metellus said. “Still got a bad taste in my mouth with their little hats and T-shirts in our place. So, yeah, it’s a big one.”