Frank Ragnow laughs and admits "it's a headache, for sure. You got guys like Harrison Smith who can play deep safety when he’s on the line of scrimmage. It’s crazy. Unheard of." The Vikings' defense is the Lions' final exam, and the offense only has a couple seconds to answer each question. Good thing the center and the quarterback have done their homework.
There's Jared Goff, who said last week that during his school days he liked taking tests: "I know the stuff. Let me show you I know it, do the test and move on." And there's Ragnow, who said Thursday that "one of my favorite parts of the game is being able to read defenses."
"I think it’s an awesome challenge for Jared and I to see if we can pick up anything," Ragnow said. "And if you can, it’s a very rewarding feeling."
In the first game between these two teams this season, Goff and Ragnow accounted for a blitz by bringing receiver Tim Patrick in motion before the snap, which gave Goff enough time to exploit an exposed defense over the top for a long touchdown to Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions went on to win, 31-29. The rematch will only decide the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Vikings blitz more than any team in the NFL under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and it isn't particularly close. Ragnow said it's the most exotic defense the Lions have seen this season, with the Bucs' defense, which ranks second in blitz rate under Todd Bowles, the only one that compares. Most teams melt amid the mayhem.
Not the Lions. They've scored 30-plus points in each of their three games against Flores' defense dating back to last season; the Vikings have allowed 30-plus in just three of their other 33 games in that stretch. Jared Goff has a passer rating of 118.2 against Flores' defense. All other quarterbacks: 83.8.
"I think we all try to understand that even though they’re trying to make it look chaotic, we gotta stay calm and communicate," Ragnow said. "That’s the biggest thing, because -- hats off to them -- they do a lot of crazy stuff and I feel like teams against them lose composure, miscommunicate and that’s what will get you beat."
Ben Johnson likes to call Ragnow the Lions' "code-cracker" on offense. He can solve a defense as quickly as any center in the NFL, and more quickly than most. Goff's gears are turning in kind. His processing speed has grown exponentially over his four years in Detroit. There are times when Goff spies something in the defense that Ragnow might not catch -- and vice-versa -- and "when he sees it and I miss it, it’s awesome," Ragnow laughed. "Like, 'Thank you, sir.'"
In year nine of Goff's career, Johnson explained Thursday, "the defense is moving slower, he knows where his eyes need to go, he knows what he’s trying to do. We’re really aggressive at times with what we put on his plate and he doesn’t bat an eye. He embraces it. He came in this morning, like, ‘Hey, load me up. I’m ready to go.’"
"So, that’s what we try to do and it’s a credit to him that he really wants to be able to control it," Johnson said. "He’s playing so well post-snap that there’s not enough appreciation for what he does before the snap with the cadence, the motions, the shifts, the premiere plays that we try to get into at times. That’s what really, I think, makes our offense special.”
There's no avoiding the Vikings' blitz. The key is knowing where it's coming from, and how to attack it. Extra rushers present an opportunity for the offense as much as a threat. The Vikings pressured Goff on more than half of his drop-backs in their first meeting this season, and Goff had a perfect passer rating on his 11 throws under pressure: 10 completions, 164 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.
"You have to be prepared for everything," Ragnow said. "I think the biggest thing I try to do is simplify it as much as I can, compartmentalize everything to first- and second-down looks, third-down looks, these boxes, this box, this box, and try to make it as simple as possible -- which is harder to do than say."
The Vikings have allowed the lowest passer rating in the NFL. They lead the league in picks, largely because they're second in quarterback pressures. They're third in sacks. Goff has the second highest passer rating in the NFL, and the highest of his career. The Lions have the edge Sunday night, three-point favorites for a simple reason.
"We definitely have an advantage at home," said Ragnow. "We can communicate a little bit more."
Flores and the Vikings will bring "a ton of different looks, a ton of disguises, combined with really talented players," Ragnow said. They will do everything they can to rattle the Lions' offense. Confusion is their aim. Ragnow and Goff will do their best to sift through the chaos and decipher the defense. A battle of the brains could decide the war in the North.
"We have smart players," said Johnson, from the quarterback to the offensive line to the receivers on the perimeter. "I’m so fortunate as a coordinator because when you have that, now you take the governor off and you can do almost anything you want to do.”
14-2 versus 14-2. We'll see who's sharper when the pencils are put down.