5 keys to victory: Minnesota Vikings vs Indianapolis Colts in week 15
What will the Minnesota Vikings need to do in order to defeat the Indianapolis Colts during their week 15 match-up on Sunday, December 18, 2016?
The Minnesota Vikings are still looking to keep their playoffs hopes alive going into their week 15 match-up against the Indianapolis Colts on December 18, 2016. With the NFC North title race also happening, wins are as desperate as ever.
Looking past the Colts would be a big mistake. They are a dangerous team with several players who can turn a game around very quickly. They present an interesting challenge to the Vikings and should be taken seriously.
Meanwhile, Minnesota needs to continue to work on their offense and keep asserting their defensive dominance over teams. It is important they play as if they are already playoff contenders and not playoff hopefuls.
What will the Vikings need to do in order to defeat the Colts in week 15 of the NFL season? Let’s get started looking at the 5 keys to victory starting with something the Vikings do well and the Colts do not.
Sep 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Josh Ferguson (34) and offensive guard Jack Mewhort (75) and center Ryan Kelly (78) and offensive guard Denzelle Good (71) and offensive tackle Joe Reitz (76) and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (15) in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.The Broncos defeated the Colts 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
#1. Take advantage of the Colts OL
Fans of the Minnesota Vikings know that the team’s struggles on the offensive line has been a major contributor in the ineffectiveness of the team to put points on the scoreboard during the 2016 NFL season.
The Colts have been struggling as well, with three offensive lineman on injured reserve (Jack Mewhort, Isiah Cage, and Hugh Thornton). Mewhort was a starter before the start of the year and Thornton was his backup at left guard.
Indianapolis’ situation gets worse when looking at their early injury reports. The Colts have two offensive tackles missing some practice time, as Joe Reitz sat out practice and Denzelle Good was limited.
This could be a feast for the Vikings defensive ends, who have been rejuvenated toward the end of the season. Brian Robison, Everson Griffen, and Vikings leading sack leader Danielle Hunter should all be licking their chops coming into this game, since the Colts are tied for allowing the second most sacks in the league (40).
Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) smiles following the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
#2. Take some shots
Let’s be polite to the Colts and say that their pass defense is “struggling”. Not only do they give up the 7th most yards through the air per game (262.4) and 7th most yards per completion (7.6) but they have given up 23 passing touchdowns this year.
Minnesota showed they have some capability to take deep shots last week against the Jaguars. Sam Bradford opened the game letting loose, testing the Jacksonville secondary in a way that he should attack the Colts as well.
Indianapolis became even more vulnerable when the team was forced to place cornerback Patrick Robinson on injured reserve. This could open the door for Bradford to take some calculated shots at the Colts secondary.
That also means that Stefon Diggs or Adam Thielen could have big games. Or maybe even Kyle Rudolph or Cordarrelle Patterson. Still, the Vikings should have the opportunities for big plays against Indianapolis, and they could capitalize on them if possible.
Oct 3, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans cheer on their team against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
#3. Let’s get crazy!
There is a reason the Vikings and the state of Minnesota worked together to build a state of the art facility for their professional football team. They packed as many seats as possible in U.S. Bank Stadium to make it as loud as possible.
Fans have not disappointed at home. Their noise has helped to cause several miscues for the opposing team, including penalties and making them call time out when they couldn’t get organized properly.
Minnesota fans will once again need to bring that huge voice to this game. Andrew Luck is one of the most vocal quarterback in the league and has a great command of his huddle, so it will take a great effort to shake him.
But it definitely can be done. Create that atmosphere that makes the Colts feel like an enemy instead of a guest and the entire feel of the game can change, but don’t forget to quiet down when the Vikings offense is at work.
Jan 4, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of the 2013 AFC wild card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Colts defeated the Chiefs 45-44. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
#4. Focus on stopping the pass
Normally, the plan for success for the Vikings is to focus on stopping the run while rushing the defensive ends to get pressure on the quarterback. However, the Colts ground game isn’t much to be scared about.
Indianapolis is ranked 24th in the NFL in both at yards per carry (3.9) and rushing yards per game (97.8). They also only have 9 rushing touchdowns on the season, with only 4 of those coming from 33-year-old running back Frank Gore.
The bigger concern in the Indianapolis run game is Robert Turbin, who has also found the end zone 4 times, but has done so on only 31 carries compared to Gore’s 208 attempts. Don’t be fooled by his limited role, as he can be just as dangerous as the veteran.
Still, the focus should always be on Andrew Luck, who can make any pass on a football field. With smart play from the secondary and a solid pass rush, Minnesota should be able to force some off-target throws and take advantage of them.
Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) scores in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
#5. Run the football effectively
Yep. Here it is again. Time to talk about how bad the Vikings run game is. Minnesota hasn’t reached 100 rushing yards in a game since week 4, and that is one trend that needs to come to an end as soon as possible.
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That number might be within reach for Minnesota against the Colts, who give up the 9th most yards on the ground per game (115.4) and are tied with the Bengals for the 5th most yards per carry given up (4.5).
The bad news is that the Colts are stingy with rushing touchdowns. They tie for 9th place for fewest touchdowns allowed on the ground with 9. However, the good news is that they have given up 77 first downs on the ground, giving hope that Asiata can pound out some of those short yardage situations.
While this might look like a decent situation, it also might be the last time the Vikings take the field without running back Adrian Peterson during the 2016 season, which could give a huge boost to the struggling ground offense of Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings take on the Colts at noon central time on Sunday, December 18, 2016. This should be another hard-fought game for the Vikings, who are hoping to stay in contention for a playoff spot and the division title.
