The Minnesota Vikings are back from their bye week and headed right back into the spotlight Sunday, when they host the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 12 p.m., and the game will air on CBS.
Minnesota enters the matchup at 5-0 after beating the New Orleans Saints 23-13 before the break. The Colts arrive at 2-4 after a 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans, a result that led the ownership group to fire general manager Shane Ballard.
For the Vikings, this isn’t the kind of opponent they can afford to treat casually. A demanding four-game run is waiting after Sunday, with trips to the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, plus home games against the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. Minnesota is also one of just three undefeated teams left, alongside the Kansas City Chiefs and 49ers.
The bye week may also have come at the right time on the injury front. The Vikings’ offense has been hit hard, with Donovan Jackson and Josh Oliver now out for the season.
Still, there’s reason to think the team could come out of the break in better shape. T.J.
Hockenson and Christian Darrisaw should be in line to return from concussions, Jordan Mason is set to return to practice from injured reserve after dealing with a thumb injury, and Jordan Addison’s hamstring will be worth watching as Sunday approaches.
Fans can get started early with pregame coverage on FOX 9. Vikings Gameday Live runs from 9:30-11 a.m., with Mark Rosen, Ahmad Hicks, Ron Johnson, Dawn Mitchell, Ben Leber and others on hand. The game breakdown continues after the final whistle on Vikings Postgame Tonight.
In Other News...
Vikings Special Teams Could Have A Huge Edge Sunday
Special teams has quietly become one of Minnesotas biggest reasons for its 5-0 start, and that phase could matter even more Sunday. Under Matt Daniels, the Vikings have been solid across the board on punt returns and coverage, giving them an edge in the hidden-yardage battle that can flip field position and tighten the screws on an opponent that already has enough to worry about.
The Colts come in trying to sort out a punt game that was stressed badly in their loss to Tennessee, and that is exactly the kind of opening Minnesota will be eager to attack. With Indianapolis still considering how it wants to handle the spot after that game, the Vikings may not need much to turn special teams into a real separator in a matchup that could be decided by a few swings here and there. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Have A Harrison Smith Problem They Can't Ignore
Harrison Smiths role has changed quickly enough to raise real questions about how the Vikings are using one of the most familiar names in their secondary. The veteran safety has played less than half of Minnesotas defensive snaps this season, has not started any of the first five games and has watched Josh Metellus absorb most of the work that used to belong to him. For a team that has leaned on Smith for years, the adjustment is hard to ignore.
The bigger concern is that the reduced workload has not come with clean answers. Smiths recent play has been shaky, especially in pass coverage, and the internal fix has not been seamless because Metellus has also battled poor performance grades. However the Vikings sort through it, they now have a safety situation that is no longer just about managing an aging veteran, but about finding a combination that actually holds up week after week. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings' 5-0 Start Just Reopened A Huge Quarterback Debate
The Vikings 5-0 start has done more than boost their standing in the NFC. It has reopened the familiar question of how Minnesota wants to handle the most important spot on the roster once this season ends, because none of the quarterbacks currently in the room are signed beyond this year. For a team that has managed to stay competitive while keeping costs down at the position, the early success has only sharpened the conversation about whether that approach can really hold.
Among the names getting attention is Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, even as some around the league believe Minnesota may be more inclined to stick with its current model of using affordable quarterbacks and developing young talent such as J.J. McCarthy. Herberts recent play has not quite matched the level he established earlier in his career, but his long-term contract makes him the kind of potential swing option that would force a serious decision if he ever became available. [Read more 🡒]