Phins old coach faces the Phins new coach for the first time
The Miami Dolphins head into Week 4 looking for their first win but waiting for them is a familiar face who may present one of their toughest offensive challenges of the young season: former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
Flores’ Minnesota Vikings are 3-0, and it certainly isn’t because of their offense.
Through three games, Minnesota ranks dead last in the NFL in total offense with just 715 yards and 32nd in passing with only 411 yards. The Vikings have struggled to sustain drives and have increasingly relied on their defense and special teams to control games.
That defense, however, is a completely different story.
And Flores will again be the talk this week in Dolphins news.
Flores’s Defense Will be Tough Sledding
Flores continues to create havoc with one of the NFL’s most aggressive pressure packages. Against Chicago, Minnesota blitzed on an extraordinary 75.9% of dropbacks, using different defenders and pre-snap presentations to create confusion in protection. That sort of defensive chaos could be a major problem for a Miami offense still trying to establish consistency.
And one of the players Miami will have to account for is someone Dolphins fans know very well.
Andrew Van Ginkel has become perhaps the ultimate example of “the one who got away” from the Chris Grier era. After leaving Miami following the 2023 season, Van Ginkel exploded for 11.5 sacks with Minnesota in 2024 and added seven more in 2025. He already has three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble through three games this season.
For Miami offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, this game therefore needs to be about more than replacing De’Von Achane.
It needs to be about changing the offense to fit Ollie Gordon and Jaylen Wright.
Miami MUST Lean into the Identity they Promised
Achane’s explosiveness made outside zone, stretch concepts and getting defenders moving laterally particularly dangerous. Gordon is a different kind of runner. Miami should be looking to get him downhill, attacking between the tackles with inside zone and more straightforward concepts that allow his size and power to become an asset.
Wright can complement that approach, but Miami cannot simply plug different backs into an Achane-centered rushing scheme and expect identical results.
That means Slowik has to adapt—not only his play selection, but potentially the blocking structure underneath it.
And you can bet with the best pay per head that against Flores, establishing that run game becomes even more important.
The best way to deal with exotic pressure packages is to avoid living in obvious passing situations. If Miami can consistently create manageable second and third downs by running Gordon and Wright inside, Flores cannot simply spend the afternoon unloading his pressure menu on Malik Willis.
Minnesota’s offense gives Miami an opportunity.
Minnesota’s defense makes taking advantage of it extremely difficult.
This may be the week where we find out just how adaptable Slowik’s offense really is.
Go Phins!!!