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Josh Allen's History vs. Vikings' Defensive Coordinator Presents Clear Expectations

Josh Allen has faced Vikings DC Brian Flores six times in his career, and the results paint a clear picture of what to expect on Monday night.

Nov 1, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at New Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brian Flores is known for producing some of the best defenses in football, and on Monday Night Football, the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen will face a Minnesota Vikings stop unit that ranks first in EPA per play and pressure rate.

Allen knows the Vikings' defensive coordinator very well from when he faced the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, when Flores was their head coach. If past results are any indication, Allen should have no problems picking up where he left off.

The Bills were 6-0 against the Dolphins in those three seasons, and they won those games by an average margin of about 18 points. Given how weak the Vikings' offense is (28th in EPA per play), Allen and Co. may not need to do much to reach that threshold.

How has Josh Allen fared vs. Brian Flores' defenses?

Oct 18, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Allen had yet to break out as a superstar in the league when he began facing Flores, and in his six games against him, he completed 64.4% of his passes for 1,525 yards and a 16-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He added 200 yards and two more scores on the ground in those contests.

These stats do not account for Allen sitting the entire second half of Buffalo's meaningless Week 17 contest against Miami in 2020, so these stats technically span five and a half games.

Though Allen has had success against Flores in the past, there is plenty more talent for the defensive wizard to work with in Minnesota to try to befuddle Allen than he ever had in Miami.

Flores in Miami vs. Flores in Minnesota

Nov 1, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43) during the first quarter at Ford Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is one player Allen will know well from his matchups against the Dolphins. He's a do-it-all defender for Flores, as he leads the Vikings with 6.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. In the four games he played under Flores against Allen, he registered 13 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

Flores did not have another elite edge defender in Miami, but Dallas Turner, with six sacks and 8.5 TFLs, is blossoming in his third season as that piece. Both Van Ginkel and Turner rank in the top 10 in the NFL in sacks.

In the linebacking core, veteran Blake Cashman is another chess piece for Flores to use, as he leads the Vikings with 64 tackles and also has 4.5 sacks and five passes defensed.

Oct 11, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) goes against Vikings cornerbacks Byron Murphy (7) and Isaiah Rodgers (2) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cornerback Xavien Howard was the only All-Pro Flores had in Miami, but Isaiah Rodgers, Byron Murphy and James Pierre have combined for six of the Vikings' eight interceptions this season, forming a trio that is hard to complete passes against.

Safety Joshua Metellus is another versatile piece, as he often plays in the box or in the slot to shut down opposing playmakers.

Despite such a talented group of defenders, Allen has a couple of advantages he'll need to emphasize if the Bills are to win their seventh game of the season.

Keys to victory

The Vikings blitz on 72.8% of defensive plays, by far the most in the NFL by about 30 percentage points. They also lead the league with an 11% sack rate. Fortunately for Buffalo, Allen doesn't take a nosedive against pressure. In fact, he's one of the league's better quarterbacks against extra rushers.

Allen has an overall rate of 0.22 EPA per play, fourth-best among quarterbacks with at least 100 snaps. His 0.11 EPA per play against the blitz is 10th in the league and -0.03 EPA per play against pressure is third-best.

For reference, the seven quarterbacks Minnesota has faced so far have combined for 0.15 EPA per play against the blitz and -2.72 EPA per play against pressure.

Allen can also lean on James Cook and the running game to settle down the pass rush and keep it honest. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 153 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Minnesota on Sunday, so Cook having a similar performance will help massively.

Going against Flores' defense is a tough task for any quarterback, but if anyone can overcome it, Allen can.

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