The Colts enter Week 7 with the kind of pressure that changes the temperature around a team. Chris Ballard is out as general manager, and the message that comes with that move is impossible to miss for Shane Steichen: win now, or you may be next.
That makes a road trip to face the unbeaten Vikings a brutal assignment at exactly the wrong time. Minnesota’s offense may not look dominant, but the defense is still a physical problem, and Indianapolis arrives with injuries, inconsistency and a growing sense that this season is close to a tipping point.
So what has to go right for the Colts to pull this off? It comes down to three major questions.
Daniel Jones has a chance to cross paths with the team that once had him in the building and let him slip away. The Vikings brought him in after the Giants moved on, but he never saw the field there.
Instead, he sat behind Sam Darnold and tried to rebuild his career under Kevin O’Connell before Minnesota chose J.J. McCarthy over him.
That call hasn’t aged well for the Vikings, and Jones now has a big payday in Indianapolis. The question is whether he uses this matchup to make Minnesota regret that decision all over again.
Another issue is how Indianapolis plans to cover up the hole left by Sauce Gardner’s calf injury. He is listed as doubtful, though the situation sounds more like week-to-week.
That pushes Cam Taylor-Britt into a much bigger role, and that’s a dangerous proposition after his rough outing in the loss to the Tennessee Titans. Taylor-Britt was nearly unplayable in that game, and he’s a major drop-off from Gardner.
Lou Anarumo, with his “mad scientist” reputation, has to find a way to keep his pupil from becoming a liability again.
Then there’s the offensive line, which will be tested by Brian Flores and his constant pressure. Flores brings the blitz early and often, even when everyone expects it, and his exotic looks force offenses to stay on edge.
The Colts’ line has generally done a solid job, but it got overwhelmed inside against the Titans. Facing one of the hardest-hitting units in football, the real test is whether that group can hold up long enough for Jones to work.
When blitzed, Jones has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 1 touchdown and 0 picks.
In Other News...
Tank Dells Return Could Change More For Texans Than Just One Spot
Tank Dell is on the verge of getting back into the Texans lineup after the knee injury that sidelined him, and the timing matters beyond just one players box score. DeMeco Ryans has made clear that what Houston values most is Dells involvement, not simply how many snaps he can handle right away, which is a reminder that the receivers return could ripple through an offense still sorting out its shape.
For a Colts team watching the AFC South, Dells comeback is another development worth tracking because Houston is trying to regain a piece that changes spacing, timing and the way defenses have to prepare. Indianapolis also has its own sideline noise, from DeForest Buckner brushing off trade speculation as he stays locked in on the Vikings to the larger chatter around the division, but Dells return may end up mattering more than the conversation around it. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Have A Bigger Injury Concern Before Minnesota
The Colts roster shuffle for Sundays matchup with the Vikings added another layer to an already delicate injury situation. Indianapolis elevated linebacker Germaine Pratt and cornerback Kenneth Harris from the practice squad to the active roster, a sign the team is preparing for life without some important depth pieces as it heads into Minnesota.
Those moves come as the Colts try to navigate injuries at linebacker and corner, with rookie CJ Allen, Sauce Gardner and Justin Walley all part of the concern. Indianapolis also moved on from punter Thomas Morstead after Rigoberto Sanchezs injury designation was removed, trimming one temporary insurance plan even as the bigger question remains how stable the defense will be when the game kicks off. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Blockbuster RB Question To Answer
Jonathan Taylors name has suddenly drifted into the trade conversation after ESPNs Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported that the Packers, Seahawks and Broncos are among the teams weighing a possible deal for the Colts running back. It is a notable twist for a player who signed an extension with Indianapolis this year and has already appeared in six games this season, especially with the franchise in a moment of change after firing GM Chris Ballard.
For Denver, the question is whether it wants to turn a passing interest into something more serious if Indianapolis decides to listen on veterans. The Colts internal picture is not entirely clear, either, since owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly still sees Taylor as a key part of the organization moving forward, leaving any potential move caught between a roster reset and a player the team may still want to build around. [Read more 🡒]