Christian Darrisaw’s return gives the Minnesota Vikings a chance to stretch things out against Indianapolis, and this looks like the right week to do it.
Darrisaw is back from concussion protocol and available for the Week 7 matchup, while Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner is out because of a calf injury. That combination opens a door for Minnesota to lean harder into the downfield game and force Indianapolis to defend more of the field than it has been able to through six games.
The Colts have been getting to quarterbacks on just 24.4 percent of dropbacks, the lowest rate in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats figures cited in the Vikings’ official preview. They are also giving up 27.3 points per game. Against that kind of defense, Kevin O’Connell has a chance to get more aggressive and use better protection on the left side to set up longer play-action concepts and deeper shots.
With Darrisaw handling his edge responsibility, Minnesota can ask more of its passing game without immediately needing extra help to his side. That matters because chip help slows down the route tree. If the Vikings can trust Darrisaw, they can release a tight end or back sooner and let the offense flow into more ambitious designs.
One look that fits the moment is a Jordan Addison post paired with a Justin Jefferson deep crosser. Addison can carry a safety with him, while Jefferson works behind the linebackers. That kind of route combination needs time, and it needs Murray to have a pocket long enough to read the defender who bites first.
Addison and T.J. Hockenson are also back in the mix.
Hockenson can attack the seam or serve as an intermediate option if the Colts keep their safeties deep. Gardner being out cuts into Indianapolis’ coverage flexibility, though it does not automatically hand Jefferson single coverage.
Murray already went 24 of 30 for 229 yards against New Orleans, but he has only two touchdown passes in his three full starts this season. Opening up the offense with more vertical combinations would force defenders to respect throws Minnesota has not been able to get to as often before the rush arrives.
There is still a wrinkle inside. Donovan Jackson’s season-ending knee injury leaves the Vikings exposed at left guard, which creates a path for DeForest Buckner to wreck some of those longer-developing plays.
Darrisaw can win his matchup and still see Murray hurried. O’Connell still needs answers in the middle of the line.
If Darrisaw can be trusted on his own, Minnesota can shift more protection toward Buckner and give Murray a clearer lane to step up as routes unfold.
Third-and-long changes the equation, too. Once the Colts can disregard the run fake, Murray has to climb the pocket and find a receiver past the sticks without having to scramble just to keep the drive moving.
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The timing makes the next stretch especially important. Hockenson suffered a concussion in Week 5, which briefly interrupted the momentum he had built, but there is still plenty of season left for him to shape his next payday. If his targets keep climbing and he stays on the field, the Vikings may have a tougher call than they expected when it comes to what he costs beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy Just Gave Vikings Fans A Tough New Debate
J.J. McCarthys first start for the Giants arrived in Week 7, and it immediately gave Minnesota fans something to think about. Facing the Texans, the former Vikings quarterback helped New York pull out a 27-21 overtime win while showing the kind of poise and efficiency that made him such an intriguing young option in the first place.
He finished 20 of 28 for 252 yards without a touchdown or interception, and the Giants leaned hard on the run game to finish the job with 188 rushing yards and four scores. For Vikings observers, the uncomfortable part is obvious: the move that sent McCarthy to New York for a 2027 fifth-round pick last month suddenly looks a lot more worth revisiting, even if one strong debut is only one piece of a bigger evaluation. [Read more 🡒]