Prediction for Vikings Bounce Back Game vs. Colts
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Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight finish T.J. Hockenson (87) makes a catch whereas New York Jets linebacker Kwon Alexander (9) defends in the course of the first quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
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Indianapolis Colts Coach Shane Steichen’s determination to bench second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and begin 39-year-old Joe Flacco on Sunday evening in opposition to the Vikings creates a good-news-bad-news state of affairs for Brian Flores and his protection.
Prediction for Vikings Bounce Back Game vs. Colts
The excellent news: Flacco is far much less prone to take off operating (28 dashing yards on six carries in two plus 2024 video games) than the extremely athletic Richardson, who has 242 dashing yards and one TD in his six begins this season.
However I believe Flores would a lot choose to face Richardson, who has the league’s worst passer ranking (57.2), largely as a result of being the NFL’s most inaccurate passer at an terrible 44.4%.
” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/floresyes.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=640,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/floresyes.jpg” tabindex=”0″ role=”button” alt=”prediction” class=”wp-image-133874″/> Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Thus, the unhealthy information is taking over Flacco as a way more environment friendly passer. He ranks ninth in passer ranking at 102.2. He’s accomplished 65.7% of his passes with seven TDs and just one interception in his two begins this season (a 37-34 loss at Jacksonville and a 20-17 win at Tennessee plus he relieved the injured Richardson within the Colts Week 4 win over Pittsburgh).
Flacco was the NFL Comeback Participant of the Yr final season when he had a 4-1 report as Cleveland’s starter and led the Browns to a wildcard spot. He’ll face the present favourite for 2024 Comeback Participant of the Yr—Sam Darnold.
The poised Flacco led Baltimore to a Tremendous Bowl victory within the 2012 season. He gained’t be as prone to be rattled by the boisterous Vikings crowd at an evening sport or by Flores’ aggressive defensive scheme, which makes use of plenty of blitzes and pretend blitzes and is particularly efficient in opposition to younger quarterbacks, similar to within the Week 2 and three wins over San Francisco’s Brock Purdy and Houston’s C.J. Stroud.
They’re two of the league’s finest younger quarterbacks. Purdy was sacked six instances, threw one interception, and misplaced a fumble within the Vikings’ 23-17 Week 2 win, whereas the Vikings sacked Stroud 4 instances and picked him off twice within the 34-7 Week 3 romp.
The Vikings D, together with Richardson’s shaky play these days, led Steichen to decide on Flacco over the fourth total decide within the 2023 draft in Richardson. Steichen mentioned, “Tough decision, but one I felt was in the best interest of our football team. Feel that Joe gives us the best chance to win right now.”
” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/USATSI_24483288.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=787,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/USATSI_24483288.jpg” tabindex=”0″ role=”button” alt=”” class=”wp-image-133932″/>Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) reacts after the Colts defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-17 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
It ought to be an entertaining Sunday evening sport earlier than a raucous Vikings crowd hoping to see an finish to the two-game shedding skid. The Vikings want this win to remain within the combine for the NFC North title with Detroit and Inexperienced Bay (who face one another at Lambeau earlier on Sunday afternoon).
The Vikings hope it’s simpler to get the victory than the final time the Colts had been on the town in 2022. The Vikings needed to make the largest comeback in NFL historical past from a 33-0 halftime deficit to win 39-36 in extra time. Kirk Cousins threw for 460 yards and 4 TDs to guide the rally.
Maybe it’s a very good omen that the Colts’ QB that day was 37-year-old Matt Ryan, who, like Flacco, was an elder statesman within the NFL on the time.
One other sub-plot on this sport is whether or not newly acquired OT Cam Robinson will see any playtime as a possible alternative for injured star OT Christian Darrisaw. Robinson is a stable participant with 91 profession begins in Jacksonville as their second-round decide in 2017.
T.J. Hockenson’s return to the lineup after his restoration from ACL surgical procedure additionally will probably be fascinating to see how he performs and the way nicely he and Darnold join.
Listed below are my keys to a Vikings victory over the Colts to achieve 6-2 at roughly the midway level within the 17-game common season:
1. Run the ball: The Colts have the league’s Thirtieth-ranked run protection and gave up 102 yards to Joe Mixon final week in Houston’s 23-20 win. This can be a good week to get Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, and maybe Cam Akers rolling on the bottom, which is able to arrange play-action passes to Jefferson, Hockenson, Jordan Addison, and Jalen Nailor.
2. Defend Darnold so he can hit massive performs downfield: with the O-line adjusting to the lack of Darrisaw, cross safety will probably be key. DeForest Buckner is a three-time Professional Bowl DT and will probably be powerful for the Vikings’ inside linemen to deal with.
This week’s finest method is to begin Blake Brandel at left sort out, Dalton Risner at left guard, and provides Robinson just a few snaps whereas preserving David Quessenberry in a backup function. However with Buckner, the Colts’ finest defensive lineman, O’Connell could preserve Brandel at left guard this week and begin Quessenberry quite than have Risner doubtlessly match up with Buckner in Risner’s first sport again from IR.
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The Colts haven’t been a prolific pass-rushing crew this season (16 sacks to rank twenty first), however Darnold has been sacked 22 instances, seventh-most within the league. If Darnold has time to throw and doesn’t maintain the ball too lengthy, as he’s completed a bit extra these days, he’ll have alternatives to make loads of massive performs in opposition to the Colts, who are also shaky in cross protection (twenty fourth). So it may very well be a giant day for each the run and cross sport.
3. I say it each week, however Jefferson must be focused extra. He ranks second within the league with 646 receiving yards, however he’s solely had double-digit targets in a single sport (vs. the Jets). Darnold will certainly check Colts corners Samuel Womack and Jaylon Jones with Jefferson and his fellow wideouts after Stroud threw for 285 yards final week. Darnold also needs to work in the course of the sector with Hockenson and hit Jones out of the backfield.
4. Protection stops an elite operating again in Jonathan Taylor: To make it harder for Flacco, the Vikings’ third-ranked run protection must comprise Taylor, who led the league in dashing in 2021 earlier than accidents restricted him the final two years. He has 454 dashing yards, a 4.9-yard common, and 5 TD runs this season in 5 video games performed (an ankle harm saved him out of three video games).
We’ll see if the Vikings’ wonderful inside LB Blake Cashman has recovered from his turf toe harm that saved him out the final two video games (he didn’t apply on Wednesday or Thursday), and he was sorely missed in run D and in cross protection in the course of the sector. This can be a massive sport for LB Ivan Tempo, the defensive position led by Harrison Phillips and Jerry Tillery, and the Vikings’ safeties to play the run successfully, together with Cashman, if he’s capable of go.
5. Reap the benefits of a banged-up Colts offensive line in run D and to stress Flacco and canopy a very good group of WRs in the event that they’re wholesome: the Colts’ harm report on Wednesday had three beginning O-linemen listed as not practising—left sort out Bernhard Raimann (who’s in concussion protocol), heart Ryan Kelly (calf/knee) and proper sort out Braden Smith (knee). Kelly and Smith returned to apply on Thursday.
The Colts have been stable this season in cross safety (15 sacks allowed, seventh-fewest), but when these gamers are out or enjoying by accidents, it should give the Vikings cross rushers led by Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Pat Jones (who every have 5 sacks up to now) an opportunity to get after Flacco (who adopted the Rams sport with no sacks and solely two QB hits on Matthew Stafford).
The Colts’ beginning WRs, Michael Pittman and Josh Downs, are good receivers, however they’re additionally nursing accidents, so we’ll see how efficient they’re on Sunday evening. The Vikings corners should tighten up in protection after a few lackluster weeks in opposition to Stafford (and Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua) and Jared Goff (throwing to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond).
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Nov 28, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts extensive receiver Michael Pittman. Necessary Credit score: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports activities.
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6. Have fewer penalties than the Colts: this was a killer in opposition to the Rams, with 9 penalties, together with 5 on protection, on third down, to increase drives, and three extra pre-snap penalties on offense. The Colts additionally had 9 penalties in Houston, so the Vikings crowd may make an influence as they’ve been doing in earlier video games.
7. Win the particular groups battle: Colts kicker Matt Homosexual is 12 for 14 on subject objectives however only one for 3 from 50+. Will Reichard is ideal this season (34 for 34 on all kicks, together with 4 for 4 on 50+ subject objectives). Indy’s Anthony Gould is a harmful kickoff and punt returner who have to be contained. And once more—no penalties on particular groups will assist the Vikings trigger.
Prediction:
This can be a massive sport for each groups within the thick of the playoff race in every convention. The 5-2 Vikings are in a wild card spot after seven video games however want a win to remain within the NFC North race and enhance their total playoff probabilities. Houston swept the Colts and is 2 video games again of the Texans within the AFC South, plus the sweep. So, Indy has to concentrate on the AFC Wildcard race, the place they’re at the moment a half-game out of a playoff spot.
I look for each groups to maneuver the ball on offense, however the Vikings have the higher protection, and the house crowd will assist by creating some false begins for a penalty-prone Colts crew. The Vikings are also higher rested after their mini-bye. I believe it is going to be a giant day for Darnold, Jones, Jefferson, and the Vikings offense whereas the protection forces a few turnovers and makes sufficient stops so the Purple will win 30-27 on a late Will Reichard subject aim.
Across the NFL Predictions in Week 9:
1. The sport of the week within the NFL is the NFC North battle for first place, with the Lions taking over the Packers at Lambeau. The 2 groups break up their collection final season, and each groups gained on the highway. Jordan Love is battling a groin harm and was restricted in Thursday’s apply. The Packers want him to win this sport over a scorching Lions crew that has gained 5 straight whereas the Pack is on a four-game roll because the Vikings beat them in Week 4.
I believe Detroit is the perfect crew within the league at this juncture. Jared Goff is on a scorching streak, and I see the Lions getting this massive highway win over Love or Malik Willis if he has to step in.
2. The Bears must rapidly recover from the disastrous Hail Mary loss in Washington with a troublesome check in Arizona in opposition to a Cardinals crew that’s tied for the NFC West lead at 4-4 and has gained three of their final 4 (together with a one-point thriller at Miami final week). I’ll decide Kyler Murray and the Playing cards in a detailed one.
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3. The Kirk Cousins vs. Mike Zimmer sport takes place in Atlanta, the place Cousins is enjoying nicely. The Falcons have swept the Buccaneers to take management of the NFC South. Zimmer’s D is in tough form in cross protection with out the injured Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence to stress Cousins, and their run D ranks final within the league. This can be a sport the place Cousins and star again Bijan Robinson will cleared the path to victory.
4. The Rams will attempt to carry the momentum from their win over the Vikings into Seattle, and I believe they’ll beat the inconsistent Seahawks, who had been clobbered at residence 31-10 by Buffalo final week. Denver at Baltimore is a matchup of 5-3 groups that the Ravens ought to win at residence if they’ll get their last-ranked cross protection to play higher in opposition to rookie QB Bo Nix. And Kansas Metropolis will keep unbeaten on Monday evening with a win over Tampa Bay.
Jeff Diamond is a former Vikings GM, former Tennessee Titans President and was chosen NFL Government of the Yr after the Vikings’ 15-1 season in 1998. He now works for the NFL agent group IFA based mostly in Minneapolis and does different sports activities consulting and media work together with faculty/company talking. Comply with him and direct message him on Twitter– @jeffdiamondnfl