Will Minnesota lean on the run game against the Colts' defense? That and more from a Vikings beat writer
The Indianapolis Colts are looking to get back over .500 as they hit the road to take on the 5-2 Minnesota Vikings. This matchup was flexed to Sunday Night Football so all eyes will be on the Colts and Vikings. As we prepare for the matchup, I spoke with A to Z Sports Vikings beat writer Tyler […]
The Indianapolis Colts are looking to get back over .500 as they hit the road to take on the 5-2 Minnesota Vikings.
This matchup was flexed to Sunday Night Football so all eyes will be on the Colts and Vikings.
As we prepare for the matchup, I spoke with A to Z Sports Vikings beat writer Tyler Forness to pick his brain on how this game could play out on both sides of the ball.
Q: The Vikings are making a big adjustment with Christian Darrisaw heading to IR and trading for former Jaguars tackle Cam Robinson. What are your thoughts on how they will integrate him in?
"I think for the most part they are going to run their offense. I broke down his film and what I found was twofold: he will make plays like Darrisaw and then whiff badly. He’s a high variance player and that is likely to continue. The talk all week has been the Vikings moving toward more of a fast-break offensive approach, especially since Sam Darnold has the highest time to throw in the NFL this season. They can’t ask Robinson to play exactly like Darrisaw, but he can do some of the same things."
– Tyler Forness
Q: The Vikings have a dynamic pass attack but with the Colts struggling to stop the run do you expect them to make Aaron Jones and the run game their focus for Week 9?
"The Vikings firmly believe in Jones as a player. He’s been a huge difference-maker for them this year. Through seven games, the Vikings have an EPA 0.24 points higher with him on the field versus him off the field. They don’t have any real trust in their backup running backs right now and Jones’ vision in zone concepts has really improved their running game. Watch for the Vikings to spam inside zone and duo while building off of that for some play-action shots."
– Tyler Forness
Q: How do the Vikings feel about the Colts making the switch from Joe Flacco to Anthony Richardson ahead of this matchup?
"I think it’s an awful ideal for the Colts on an overall level, but Richardson might be the better matchup for the Vikings. One of the easiest ways to beat the Vikings’ defense is a rhythm passing game. They want you to take short passes and prevent deep shots down the field with the theory being dying by a bunch of paper cuts is better than a cleaver. Flacco can hit those rhythm passes and that could be a major factor."
– Tyler Forness
Q: The Colts will have a rookie making his first NFL start in Matt Goncalves filling in for Bernhard Raimann. How do you expect Brian Flores to attack him at LT in Week 9?
"Get ready for a humungous dose of Jonathan Greenard and a lot of unique blitz looks. Greenard is currently tied for third in the NFL in pressures with 43 across just seven games and has five sacks to boot. Not only is Greenard great against the pass, he’s fantastic against the run, ranking fourth in ESPN’s run stop win rate. Brian Flores loves to disguise his pass rushes with a lot of simulated pressures and zero looks. A rookie left tackle could be in for a disasterclass of a game dealing with this defensive front."
– Tyler Forness
Check out my thoughts on the matchup from my interview performed by Tyler Forness by clicking the article below.
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