Chaos: What Giants Offense Will Be Facing Against Vikings Defense in Week 16

The New York Giants offense has had its fair share of ups and downs in 2025. It will be facing a Minnesota Vikings defense that is not easy to succeed against.

“Just chaos--chaos just trying to disguise different looks and bring a whole bunch of different pressures,” quarterback Jaxson Dart said when asked about Brian Flores’s unit.

“But they're organized in the back end too, so they do it soundly.”

That has meant a LOT of studying for the Giants’ young quarterback and his offensive teammates.

“You definitely have to go further back into what he does, because his bag is deep, and you have to be prepared for it,” Dart said.

“It's not like different teams, where you can kind of watch more of the most recent games to see how they've been calling it. He'll go all the way back to how he schemed something up against this offense years ago, and where he found success.

“So, you definitely have to go back in the archives a little bit, but at the same time, you can't crowd your mind too much. Eventually, you've got to go out there and play ball.”

Personnel

The edge trio of Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and Dallas Turner has wreaked havoc for opposing offenses when they’re all healthy.

Unfortunately for Minnesota, that hasn’t been the case with Turner playing all 14 games, Greenard playing in 12 games, and Van Ginkel playing in just nine.

Greenard is the most well-rounded defender of the bunch, playing stout run defense on the edge while also leading the team in pressures with 47.

Van Ginkel and Turner are better coverage defenders, but neither presents the pass-rush production that Greenard brings to the table.

On the interior of the defensive line, Jonathan Allen, Jalen Redmond, Javon Hargrave, Levi Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins make up the rotation.

Allen is a shell of his former self, making more negative plays than positive ones, but the scheme has helped him be productive.

Hargrave and Rodriguez will see most of the snaps at 0-tech or 1-tech, though Hargrave is the more explosive gap-shooter, while Rodriguez is a space-eater.

Redmond plays a more hybrid role on the interior, moving from nose tackle to a “big end” five-technique.

Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson are the off-ball linebackers who will play the vast majority of defensive snaps for Minnesota, both with the skill set to contribute in pass coverage, run defense, and, for Wilson, rushing the passer.

Wilson has been productive and effective as a rusher; his 31 pressures are the fourth-most on the team and the first by a non-defensive lineman.

The Vikings' cornerback room will feature Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers as the starters on the outside. However, Murphy will play nickel with Fabian Moreau outside when the defense goes to nickel.

Rodgers has a nose for the ball like nobody else in the NFL and a penchant for the endzone, with an interception, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and two defensive touchdowns.

Harrison Smith has been a mainstay in the secondary for the Vikings since 2012, and while he isn’t the player that he used to be, he’s still making an impact consistently.

Smith’s counterpart at safety is Josh Metellus, who still struggles in coverage, but his run defense makes him valuable to the defense.

Scheme

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Flores has established himself as the most aggressive defensive coordinator in the NFL with a blitz rate of 46.3% on pass-defense snaps in 2025. For comparison purposes, the second-highest blitz rate is 38.7%.

The Vikings are also the most exotic defense up front with how often they bring off-ball defenders up to the line of scrimmage, whether that’s into the A-gap or off the edge.

What makes the Vikings' defense so unpredictable is that they show exotic looks all game long, sometimes resulting in an all-out blitz and other times in a rush-three, drop-eight defense.

This means offenses will need to be prepared for rushes from any defender, as well as to switch at the drop of a hat when up-front defenders drop into coverage.

Smith’s usage under Flores has turned him into a complete weapon despite not being the player that he once was.

Smith plays everywhere on the defense except for the interior of the defensive line, but his snap count on the edge of the line of scrimmage has increased in recent weeks.

Eric Wilson is another defender who lines up often as an off-ball linebacker, but, especially with injuries to Greenard and Van Ginkel throughout the year, has come down to play the edge.

The Vikings' defense is anything but static up front or in the secondary, often switching between single-high and two-high safety looks pre-snap and switching to a different coverage post-snap.

On the back end, the Vikings will play mostly Cover 2or Cover 3, but will also play their fair share of quarters coverage, which Cody Alexander of MatchQuarters.com calls “Hot Quarters.”

Overview

This Vikings defense is one of the best in the NFL at limiting yards after catch. With how often the Vikings blitz, opposing offenses try to get rid of the ball quickly, and the Vikings' back seven flies down to finish plays.

Against the run, the Vikings are one of the best teams at meeting backs early in the play, but allow some of the most yards after contact per carry.

It’s not going to be easy for the Giants' offense to move the ball consistently, but Dart’s legs should help keep the defense honest.

Unfortunately, the Giants don’t have dynamic enough playmakers to force many missed tackles against this defense.

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Personnel

Scheme

Overview

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