Joe Flacco and Anthony Richardson highlight burning questions surrounding Colts vs. Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. The game was flexed to Sunday night and will be viewed by the entire country. Going into the game, the Vikings are sitting at 5-2, but riding a two-game losing streak. The Vikings need to find a way to get a […]
The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. The game was flexed to Sunday night and will be viewed by the entire country.
Going into the game, the Vikings are sitting at 5-2, but riding a two-game losing streak. The Vikings need to find a way to get a win to avoid a three-game slide.
On the other side of the field, the Indianapolis Colts sit at 4-4 and need to win games to stay competitive in the AFC South, as they are essentially three games behind Houston after losing to them twice. To get a sense of what is going on in Indianapolis, we spoke to our own Destin Adams, who is the beat writer for the Colts.
What is the vibe around the team surrounding Anthony Richardson’s benching?
You could tell immediately the players in the locker room were shocked by the move. Many even shared they found out through social media like the rest of the world. But Joe Flacco is an ultimate pro and the locker room respects him tremendously. So, I expect the players to rally around him and go out and try and earn the playoff spot the coaching staff, front office and ownership were so desperate to obtain by benching their 22-year old second year QB.
How does Joe Flacco change the offense? Will it hurt Jonathan Taylor’s ability to run the ball?
The biggest change with Flacco under center in the pass game is how quickly he gets the ball out. The team loses Richardson’s mobility but Flacco’s quick release and ability to read a defense and the blitz will be welcomed additions especially against a blitz happy Vikings defense. The run game was nearly non-existent during Flacco’s first two starts this year, but in his defense, Jonathan Taylor missed both games. Taylor has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his five games this season and has gone for over 100 total yards in four of the five. We will have to wait and see how much Taylor is impacted by Flacco opposed to Richardson.
Sam Darnold has the highest time to throw in the NFL. Can the Colts’ pass rush get home quickly?
The Colts' pass rush has been very dependent on DeForest Buckner being out on the field. Edge rushers Laiatu Latu, Dayo Odeyingbo and Kwity Paye have crated solid pressure, but without Buckner, QBs were just stepping up in the pocket to avoid them and get the ball out. With Buckner in the game, the Colts' defensive line has been able to pressure QBs quickly and often, and I'm expecting them to make a big impact in this game.
How will the Colts handle covering Justin Jefferson?
Is it okay to answer a question with a question? Because how does anyone handle covering Justin Jefferson? For the Colts, I assume it'll be Jaylon Jones drawing the matchup for most of the evening. Jones has had a strong 2024 season and if the Vikings try and flip Jefferson off Jones. Samuel Womack III has had a lot of success this season in coverage as well. No matter which CB gets the assignment, I'd assume there will be a lot of safety help on Jefferson specifically, but they also have to watch out for Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. My prediction is that Hockenson will have the biggest day of that trio, as TEs have had a lot of success against this Colts defense over the years.
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