The Vikings stopped the bleeding after a tough stretch that involved two losses in five days — and a first half with some early mistakes — to take control against the Colts in the second half and return to the win column on Sunday Night Football.
Minnesota prevailed 21-13 to improve to 6-2 on the season and regain some positive vibes for the second half of the season.
The Vikings are one of six teams in the NFC with at least six wins and moved into second place in the North. Minnesota trails Detroit (7-1) and leads Green Bay (6-3) and Chicago (4-4).
It was an electric atmosphere with multiple light shows in the first night game of the season, a result of the game getting flexed.
The win over the Colts (4-5) was important as a firewall and because Minnesota won’t play another home game until Dec. 1. The Vikings will visit the Jaguars (2-7), Titans (2-6) and Bears in the next three weeks.
It also was so enjoyable to see T.J. Hockenson return to action for the first time since December 2023, as well as Cam Akers be so effective in the ground game with his first major action on offense. Akers’ contributions occurred pretty much one year after he suffered an Achilles injury in Week 9 at Atlanta. He, of course, began the season with Houston but rejoined Minnesota through a trade.
Speaking of acquisitions through trade, how about the performance by left tackle Cam Robinson after practicing in Purple for the first time on Wednesday?
O’Connell on Sunday Night’s Win, Darnold’s Performance, Reichard’s Injury and More
Let’s get to the questions/comments.
Hey Guys,
Fun game to watch. Our defense played really well; they didn’t give up a TD to the Colts. Our first half offense was inconsistent. But the ship was righted in the third quarter, and we had the game-winning drive that scored with 2 minutes left in the game. I sure hope Will Reichard isn’t hurt bad. Below are my 3 Ups and 3 Downs for the game:
UPS:
1. The defense played good starting with the opening possession defensive fumble recovery by the Vikings. That was nice, and the defense in fact played strong the entire first half. Nicely done.
2. The third quarter offense was firing on all cylinders. First, the Vikings drive to open the third quarter for a TD catch by Addison. Then the second possession was an 80-yard TD drive. Both drives were fun to watch, nicely called, and nicely executed. Followed by the game-sealing fourth quarter scoring drive. So good to see the offense seal a game by driving to go up by two possessions at the 2-minute mark. Winner!
3. The Vikings fourth quarter defense. The interception by Byron Murphy, Jr. And the huge stop of the Colts at the 5-minute mark.
DOWNS:
1. Our first half offense. The first possession started strong, but ended with a Darnold red zone interception thrown right at the defender? Not sure why he forced it. I think he had the first down with his legs? Then we have the Colts second quarter strip sack, scoop and score. Garrett Bradbury was just completely destroyed by the defensive tackle (Grover Stewart). He was just crushed on that play to the point that he looked like a kids rag doll, and they took advantage of it for a Colts defensive TD. Darnold takes too many long sacks. I wish he would stop attempting the reverse spinouts and just throw it away. Our screen and swing pass games are being diagnosed and blown up by the Colts. Stop calling them or make the needed adjustments? And two missed first half field goals? None of it is good.
2. We intercept Joe Flacco, and then Darnold gives it right back to the Colts with a fourth quarter pick.
3. Reichard misses two field goals and may be injured. I sure hope he is not hurt bad.
Glad we won. Looking forward to the Jags.
Respectfully,
— Jeff Ludwig
It was a tremendous performance by the defense on so many levels.
The longest run allowed was 13 yards, and the longest passes allowed were two that gained 22 yards.
Minnesota limited Indy to 68 rushing yards on 19 carries and 159 net passing yards and didn’t let the Colts reach the red zone a single time, even when Indy started at the Minnesota 25-yard line with 14:13 remaining in the fourth quarter after an interception.
Harrison Smith pounded on a fumbled exchange between Joe Flacco and Jonathan Taylor to end the first drive of the game. He also turned in two key pass breakups late.
Byron Murphy, Jr., picked off Flacco in the fourth quarter for his second interception in as many games and third this season.
Even though it was followed by Darnold’s second interception, this is a reminder that Caribou Coffee has a BOGO deal the day after the Vikings record an interception since folks who stayed up until the end might need a little boost this morning.
Among the game balls presented by Kevin O’Connell were one each to Murphy and Smith.
The execution by the offense, aside from the turnovers, was clean with a significant reduction in pre-snap and post-snap penalties. The Vikings only committed three penalties during the game.
That game-sealing drive was a beaut. It featured a 21-yard pass to Jordan Addison on a second-and-9 that was followed by runs of 10, 7, 2 and 6 by Aaron Jones, Sr., moving the ball to the Indianapolis 13-yard line and forcing the Colts to use their second timeout with 2:53 remaining.
Darnold Ices The Game With A Touchdown Pass To Oliver
That drive lasted 3:15 and was capped with a 14-yard touchdown to Josh Oliver.
The Vikngs had five other possessions (out of 11 total) that lasted at least 4:11. The longest possession by the Colts lasted 4:02, and only one other one lasted longer than 3:30.
Stewart had a really strong game — his first contest with 2.0 sacks, and he definitely did win that play against Bradbury.
It seemed like the Colts were doing a good job of sniffing out screen plays, and the Vikings did eventually pivot away from those.
O’Connell was asked about Reichard and said the following:
“Just at some point in the first half, I don’t know whether it was a field goal attempt or kickoff, but he started to feel a little tightness in [his leg],” O’Connell said. “Definitely something to monitor as we move forward.”
Between The Lines: Vikings 21, Colts 13
The outcome and score were no surprise. The way that 21-13 sausage was made? Very surprising and unappetizing. Hoping Reichard is OK. Hoping the sideline shot of Hockenson riding a stationary bike isn’t an ongoing worry. Really hoping Bradbury spends less time on his back and more time putting defenders on theirs.
This game was like a round of golf. If you just look at the scorecard, the ugliness of some of the shots fades. Overall, the numbers look pretty good. No TDs given up on defense. Only 1 TD allowed altogether. Team stats down the line are almost gaudy. Jonathan Taylor was a virtual ghost. Meanwhile the Aaron Jones-Cam Akers tandem produced. Run the ball. Stop the run. Mission accomplished. Also no surprise.
But Darnold’s two picks looked ghastly. And yes surprising. And the flag picked up after another shot to our QB’s head was inexcusable. Sam Darnold deserves the same rules protection Patrick Mahomes gets. That’s not happening. And it needs to change.
Still the ship is righted and sailing confidently forward while the funeral pyre aboard its decks can be scuttled hopefully for good.
Skol!
— Jeff in Sacramento, California
That was the blend in the run game the Vikings have been looking to accomplish.
Jones led with 64 yards on 21 carries with a long of 13. His average of 3.0 per carry wasn’t where it’s been, but he really helped close out the game.
Akers popped with 46 yards on six carries for an average of 7.7 and a long of 13.
The Vikings finished with 133 yards on the ground across 32 run plays.
Minnesota limited the self-harm of pre-snap penalties on offense that had adversely affected the team in its two previous contests.
Darnold on Offense’s Performance vs. Colts, His Up and Down Night and More
Darnold was critical of himself about the interceptions, but O’Connell said he’s not shaken by the aggressiveness of the quarterback, particularly on dagger routes (the second interception).
“The first one, thought I had a throw to T.J. in the back of the end zone. Just got to get it over that linebacker. Just didn’t make a good throw. Just got to be careful when I’m down there knowing that we have points, especially early in the game,” Darnold said. “And then the second one was just a bad decision. Just got to be able to check that ball down, first down, first play of the drive. Just being smarter with the football that way.”
As for the contact to Darnold’s helmet, a pool report was conducted with the game’s referee for the second consecutive Vikings game.
Stewart made first contact on Darnold across the quarterback’s facemask, and a flag was thrown but picked up after Kenny Moore II returned the football 38 yards for Indy’s only touchdown of the game.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert conducted the pool report and posted it on X:
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Pool report interview with referee Shaun Smith on why he picked up the flag on Sam Darnold fumble. pic.twitter.com/Oc2zcUF4mE
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) November 4, 2024
O’Connell said during his postgame press conference: “I did think that there was a potential discussion to be had on the play with the fumble just with the conversations ongoing just to get a little more clarity on the protection of our quarterback versus what the standard may or may not be. I’ll continue to get that clarity and coach my guys up.”
Well, you can disregard my comments regarding Dallas Turner that I sent in my last email. I don’t know his snap count for the Colts game, but he was in often and was effective. It seemed like a lot of times Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel were in at the same time. That seemed to be quite effective. Perhaps it was an adjustment made because Blake Cashman was out.
Anyhow, my main point, that the Vikings don’t seem to get as much as they should from draft picks remains.
That said, they do get value from trades, with Hockenson being the best example. I was very impressed with Cam Robinson who played the whole game with less than a week’s training with them. Very good deal, especially getting the Jags to eat most of his second half compensation. The trade for Akers was also a good one. He provided a spark that Ty Chandler really hasn’t been able to, which made Jones effective at the end.
— Dave Sinclair in Rio Rancho, New Mexico
I haven’t seen the snap counts, but I did think Turner was impactful on multiple plays, including when tasked with dropping into coverage and when going after Flacco to pressure the veteran QB.
Ivan Pace, Jr., left the game early but was able to return and play an incredibly valuable role in filling in for Cashman.
Fans should be highly encouraged from what Robinson and Akers added.
Turner on Importance of Preparation, Second Half Adjustments vs. Colts and More
Defense played one heck of a game. They only gave up two field goals the whole night Indianapolis has two very good defensive tackles that exposed our interior offensive lineman. I love how Sam Darnold and the offense distributed the ball. Multiple different players in purple caught passes. Unfortunately, some white jerseys joined in on the fun. We are playing better. I want to see our best.
— Gerald Goblirsch
There were 10 different Vikings targeted at least once and five targeted at least four times.
Jefferson was highly productive again with seven catches for 137 yards, including a 41-yarder that put him tied with Adam Thielen for fourth on the Vikings all-time receiving yardage list.
Every Justin Jefferson Catch From His Big Night Against Colts
Josh Oliver caught all five targets for 58 yards, including the 14-yard touchdown, and Jordan Addison caught all five of his targets, adding 42 yards with a spectacular 4-yard touchdown catch.
Monday Update
Note: Because of the late game Sunday, we published an initial version and added new comments on Monday. The following questions and answers were added Monday, Nov. 4.
Vikings, you have me as a diehard fan for life! And I love the chemistry, messaging and team play that permeates through Viking nation led by KO. However, what chaps me is when the game played last night wasn’t the most ideal in all three phases, how it was possible that undisciplined D ruled at the latter stages of the game. To be called for too many men on the field, allowing Colts to extend their play, not getting back to the line of scrimmage in a timely manner cost us 3 points and allowed for an onsides kick. The whole attitude that the D showed during those closing minutes was laissez faire, ‘We got this in the bag.’ Well, the Colts had a perfect onside kick executed, and without [Jefferson] climbing the ladder to snatch the win, the Colts certainly were capitalizing on the Vikes overconfidence. That behavior needs to be checked. I’m happy to get the win and return to the win column, yet I’m knowledgeable that the difference between winning teams and champion teams has discipline as an anchor.
— Ann Hurley in Highlands Ranch, Colorado (raised in Edina, Minnesota)
It’s pretty cool that the chemistry, messaging and team play are noticed, whether people are watching games in person or on television or through consuming other content. This group has a collective good vibe to it.
It looks like the Vikings were trying to swap Pat Jones II for Turner, but Turner was unable to get off the field before Flacco called for the quick snap to catch Minnesota just before Turner jogged off the field. That was good, veteran alertness by Flacco. Some of his teammates didn’t react to the snap.
That penalty made it second-and-13, and it appeared Minnesota had closed it out with a pick by Camryn Bynum, but that interception was negated through a 26-yard pass interference penalty that went against Stephon Gilmore. The veteran got a little grabby as Alec Pierce was doing a double move at a high speed. Gilmore had help from Bynum (wonder what his celebration was going to be?) and probably could have gone without the penalty, but it’s also better to take the penalty in that situation than to give up a 62-yard touchdown to a player who has three career touchdowns of 58 more yards.
All in all, dropping down to one penalty for 10 yards in the game’s first 59 minutes was a sign of progress, but offering up 31 on back-to-back plays is less than ideal.
Biggest Takeaway From The Vikings Win Over The Colts | GMFB
Why is it all right to grab Darnold’s facemask or slap him in the facemask two weeks in a row? Refs blew it.
— David Provenzano
O’Connell was asked a follow-up by Seifert during his media session Monday. The following is a transcript of the line of questioning and O’Connell’s repsonse…
Seifert: The referee said last night he did not see forcible contact to Sam’s head, and we’ve seen this a couple of times now.
O’Connell: Yeah.
Seifert: On a week-to-week basis, are you confident the NFL is protecting him and quarterbacks the way they should?
O’Connell: Yeah, it’s part of my conversation, especially recently. You know, in the 90-minute meetings leading into games. I’ll continue to seek as much clarity so that I know how to coach our team and our players. I know what the rule is. I know what the language of the rule is, and my opinion of what took place last night on that play, or maybe a play previously, 10 days before that, really does not matter. I’m learning that very quickly.
O’Connell on Special Teams Injuries, Improved Offensive Execution, Looming Trade Deadline and More
Brian Flores had our defense playing well. The last three games, we are not getting to the QB, allowing pass completions on critical downs. I’m concerned that we are not making adjustments as teams seem to have adjusted to Flores.
— Jon Hanson
The early season surge of getting to the quarterback created enough attention that opponents really have tried to avoid that from happening.
It seemed like the Jets found some success by going to the quick passing game, and Aaron Rodgers was able to make some quick passes.
Jared Goff also had success (plus Detroit’s offensive line and run game are good enough to slow down any pass rush). Matthew Stafford had success on quicker and longer throws, getting boosts from the returns of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
According to Next Gen Stats, Joe Flacco threw the ball in less than 2.5 seconds on 40.7 percent of his attempts, going 7-for-11 with 73 yards. He was 9-for-16 with 106 yards and an interception when his time to throw was longer than 2.5 seconds.
With all the talent on offense, to go a whole half not scoring a point, the Vikings will get destroyed in playoffs. Please get an O.C. who can steer this ship.
— Robert Hernandez in Anaheim, California
A really weird not-so-fun fact is the Colts have not allowed a single point to the Vikings in three full first halves played at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The offense didn’t score in the first half but there were a couple of factors involved. The opening drive lasted 5:44 and advanced all the way to the Indianapolis 16-yard line before Darnold was intercepted in the end zone.
Two of Minnesota’s other four possessions in the first half ended with missed field goals, which hasn’t been a problem.
The Vikings held the ball for 20:01 in the first half and racked up 194 net yards of offense before halftime, so coaches and players should get credit for that.
A much-needed win vs. the Colts. What might be some of the ways in getting Sam to get rid of the ball sooner? He seems to hold the ball way too long. Also, when he holds the ball too long, he has a tendency to turn his back on the defense and run back rather than stepping up in the pocket. If these issues can be fixed, the Vikings will be very hard to defend IMO.
— Scott Shifflett in Queen Creek, Arizona (Vikings fan since 1969 #SKOL)
Darnold got off to such a hot start that I think it almost made it easy to forget this is his first season in this system and with these teammates.
He spread the ball around and continued to find opportunities to get the ball to the best receiver in the game.
The Vikings could opt for some routes that take less time to develop, but I really think time on task with teammates will continue to help his progressions. The reverse spinout did not find enough room to escape from Colts pressures, so that may need to be evaluated, but Darnold also has sometimes done a good job of using his legs and sliding at the end of his scrambles.