Jeff Saturday’s squad is fresh off a bye and looking to finish the season on a high note following an underwhelming season thus far.
After an embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13, the Indianapolis Colts do not catch a break as they head north to take on the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota is one win away from clinching the NFC North and is hungry for a win following a loss to the Lions last Sunday.
However, the Vikings have a knack for keeping games close with teams that are less talented, so the Colts could have a chance to pick up a statement win.
Don’t let Justin Jefferson become a problem
As an emerging star and arguably the best receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson has been a nightmare for opposing secondaries this year. With 1,500 yards on the year and seven total touchdowns, he has become one the hardest guys to cover and manage.
Stephon Gilmore will have his hands full come Sunday. No doubt the Colts’ top corner will have to be blanketed on Jefferson with some help over the top. Expect Julian Blackmon and Rodney Thomas to help shoulder the challenge of covering one of the league’s best.
Get the run game going
One of the many reasons the Colts fell apart in their last game was their inability to maintain drives. Keeping the ball on the ground and feeding Jonathan Taylor will help this offense get moving and hopefully keep Minnesota’s offensive talent off the field.
Speaking of Taylor, he quietly had 82 yards against Dallas, which is one of the league’s best defenses against the run. However, when you are falling behind due to turnovers and poor play calling, it’s hard to feature your all-pro back and let him take over a game. Pushing the pile and fighting for yards on the ground will be key in coming away with a win.
Pressure Kirk Cousins
Part of stopping Justin Jefferson is getting after his quarterback. Kirk Cousins has had a very good year but is still limited when it comes to mobility and moving outside the pocket. It will be crucial for Yannick Ngakoue and Kwity Paye to get in the backfield and force some poor throws. This offense has the ability to explode at any moment, and a solid pass rush can help prevent that.
Unleash the rookies
We have seen flashes from Alec Pierce and Jelani Woods this season, but not consistently. Both have seemed to shine and post career-high numbers but then disappear from the game plan for the following week. It’s time to feature these young, talented players and allow them to kickstart this offense.
Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr. complement each other and both have a unique combination of size and speed. Expect them to get a lot of targets come Sunday. As for Woods, he is still fighting for playing time with Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson. I would expect to see Woods receiving the lion’s share of targets in Minnesota.
Keep Matt Ryan upright
It was painful to watch what the Cowboys defense was able to do to Matt Ryan against Dallas. He was under pressure all night and turned the ball over left and right. The Colts cannot let that happen if they want any chance of coming away with a victory. Despite the confidence in Matt Ryan being at an all-time low, he is still QB1 according to Jeff Saturday. The offensive line needs to step it up and keep a clean pocket for the 37-year-old to operate.
