Vikings Move to Extend Brian Flores After Defense Overwhelms Lions

Overview

• Minnesota beat Detroit 23-10 on Dec. 25 as the defense forced six turnovers, sacked Jared Goff five times, and delivered the first double-digit win in 47 years with fewer than 10 net passing yards.
• The victory was the Vikings’ fourth straight, while analyses questioned the Lions’ near-term competitiveness given a reported cap squeeze led by Jared Goff’s projected roughly $70 million hit and about $5 million in free-agent room.
• Yahoo Sports reports the Vikings are working to extend defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who is in the final year of his contract.
• Even with an extension, Flores could still pursue head-coaching opportunities, and reporting notes his pending arbitration and litigation could complicate hiring decisions.
• Veterans Harrison Smith and Andrew Van Ginkel headlined the defensive effort with impact plays, including Smith’s interception and sack and Van Ginkel’s forced-and-recovered fumble.