Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman spoke highly of defensive coordinator Brian Flores on a podcast this week, praising the scheme behind a defense that has allowed five offensive touchdowns during the team’s 5-0 start.

Cashman broke down how Flores attacks opposing offenses while the Vikings sit on their Week 6 bye after Sunday’s 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints. Flores is in his fourth season running Minnesota’s defense, and the Vikings have allowed 64 points through five games.

Blake Cashman Credits Brian Flores for Minnesota Vikings’ Pressure-Heavy Defense

During a conversation with Ari Meirov, Cashman said:

“Organized chaos. Flo is a brilliant, innovative coach. He understands how to limit an offense’s menu and then just always stress offensive line, quarterbacks, running back with his pressure presentation. He’s going to go down one way, and that way is pressure and blitzing.”

“I would say for how well guys are in tune with our scheme, I don’t think it’s too much, but I’ll have to give a lot of credit to us players, really the guys out there, because the coaches did a great job, teaching the scheme and saying, ‘Hey, I know this looks crazy, but trust it.’ And the guys on our defense do exactly that,” Cashman added. “That’s why it works, because of the guys on the field trusting the coaching, trusting the scheme, and executing it.”

Flores took over a defense that ranked 31st overall in 2022, and opponents averaged 19.2 points per game against Minnesota in his first three seasons, the second-fewest in the NFL.

He was a finalist for The Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2024, when the Vikings went 14-3, and the unit finished third in the league in yards allowed in 2025.

Cashman has been a fixture in that defense, with 42 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks through five games, including nine tackles in Sunday’s win. Pro Football Network’s NFL LB Impact Grade has him at 83.9 through Week 5, 12th of 73 graded linebackers. Talking about Flores on the podcast, Cashman described the coordinator and the defense he runs.

Minnesota has 17 sacks through five games and has recorded at least one sack in 33 consecutive games.

Cashman Explains Why Flores’ Scheme Works as Opponents Struggle to Score

Opponents have converted 14 of 63 third downs against Minnesota this season, and the Vikings have forced at least one turnover in every game, with 10 in all. They have allowed three fourth-quarter points, all on a Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal in Week 3.

In Sunday’s win, the Saints finished with 142 total yards and nine first downs, while quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 96 yards and two interceptions, both to cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Cashman explained why Flores’ approach works against opposing offenses.

“And I think when you can do a really good job defensively trying to dictate the game and just keep 100% stressed on the offense, it’s just very challenging for offenses, for the play callers, the quarterbacks, the offensive line, because there’s just so many moving parts.”

Flores, however, has pointed the credit elsewhere. Before the Saints game, he said the key to the unit’s success had been its personnel and called it the players’ defense rather than his own.

The Vikings, 5-0 for the second time in three seasons, will now face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7 on Oct. 25 at U.S. Bank Stadium after their bye.