15 things to watch as Joe Flacco replaces Anthony Richardson for the Colts in Minnesota

The Stallions this week, they changed their identity with a single shift on the depth chart.

Indianapolis has gone from a team trying to develop a young quarterback to a team that’s focused on making the playoffs 39-year-old Joe Flacco in the lead.

They get their first chance to make a big move in the NFL’s biggest game of the week.

The Stallions will face Minnesota on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. at US Bank Stadium on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and are counting on Flacco to help them get back on track against a Vikings team that is finally starting to show its warts after a hot start season season.

Joe Flacco vs. Brian Flores

1. Flacco will face a Minnesota defense led by Brian Flores that will bring plenty of offense and constantly change its coverage to confuse the Colts and their veteran quarterback. The Vikings defense started the season hot under Flores, but Minnesota has cooled significantly, giving up over 386 yards in three of the last four games.

2. Jonathan Taylor he has rushed for at least 100 yards in three of his five starts this season, but sledding will likely be difficult for him against a Vikings Run defense that ranks third in the NFL in both yards allowed (83.9 per game) and yards allowed for the lead (3.9 ). Only one team, the Lions, ran for over 107 yards against Minnesota, gaining 144 yards on 27 carries.

3. If Taylor doesn’t have much room to run, the game will fall on Flacco’s right hand, especially his ability to keep the ball safe. Minnesota’s pass defense ranks 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (263 per game), but the Vikings rank 10th in yards per punt (6.37), 14th in completion percentage allowed (.644) and 10th in passing yards allowed (.644). in terms of quarterback rating (83.5), mostly because Minnesota is so good at putting together takeaways. The Vikings lead the NFL with 12 interceptions; no one on the roster has more than two, and eight different people have at least one pick so far.

Vikings attack vs. Colts, going on offense

4. Minnesota’s blistering passing game causes a lot of mistakes. The Vikings are fourth in the NFL with 24 sacks this season. Indianapolis’ offensive line allowed just 15 sacks, seventh in the league, but the Colts gave up five sacks to Houston last week and gave up two weeks in a row of constant pressure as they struggled with Minnesota’s strength, its blitz.

5. Indianapolis left goaltender Bernhard Raimann will miss this game with a concussion, and the Colts will likely bow out debut attack Matt Goncalves first start in his career. Minnesota’s blitzes are drawing attention, but the Vikings’ bests have done their job: Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard each have five sacks, tying them with rotation tackle Patrick Jones for the team lead.

Bernard Raimann’s health update: The Colts left tackle is out for the Vikings game with a concussion

6. Expect Josh Downs to get most of the action in the passing game with Flacco leading the way. Downs has caught 24 passes in the three games Flacco has played in this season and is the team’s leading receiver, Michael Pittman Jr.admittedly, he was looking for ways to play better despite a back injury that limited him throughout the season. Flacco’s passing game has so far focused largely on short, high-percentage throws, leaving the brunt of the burden on the shoulders of Downs and Pittman.

7. Minnesota can play a lot of safe looks when going through their coverage, which can make it difficult for wide receivers Alec Pierce to attack deep against the Vikings. Minnesota’s starting guards, 34-year-old Stephon Gilmore and 29-year-old Shaquill Griffin, can’t match Pierce’s speed, but they’ll likely have plenty of help on offense.

8. If there’s one spot where the Vikings defense has struggled this season, it’s in the red zone, where Minnesota ranks 24th. Indianapolis ranks 19th in the league this year in red zone conversions and conversions from Anthony Richardson Flacco takes some Shane Steichenaction options.

9. Indianapolis has made several kicking plays over the past two weeks, but Downs and a rotating cast of kicking figures will likely struggle against a Minnesota special teams unit that ranks among the top five in both types of kicking this season.

The Vikings and Colts both have explosive passing attacks

10. Minnesota’s passing attack has been one of the most explosive in the league this season. She tied with several other teams – including the Colts – for ninth in the NFL with 25 passes of 20 yards or more. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold ranks fourth in the NFL in yards per attempt, averaging 8.5 yards per throw, and three of Minnesota’s top four receivers are averaging more than 15.8 yards per catch.

11. The most devastating weapon in Minnesota’s arsenal is, of course, defensive coordinator Justin Jefferson Gus Bradley voted the most complete wide receiver in the NFL. Jefferson has 41 catches for 646 yards and five touchdowns this season and will provide outside linebackers in Indianapolis Jaylon Jones AND Samuel Womack III it suits. The Colts will have to cover Jefferson’s performances.

The Colts attack the Vikings offensive line

12. For the second week in a row, Indianapolis’ pass rushers face an offensive line that’s ready to take over. Minnesota’s offense has given up 22 sacks, which is 11.58% of Darnold’s drops, which is the second-worst mark in the NFL this season. To make matters worse, the Vikings lost left guard Christian Darrisaw to a season-ending knee injury last week; Minnesota passed on left tackle Cam Robinson for Jacksonville, but the veteran is no Darrisaw.

13. Inner rush duo DeForest Buckner AND Dayo Odeyingbo could have another big day against the Vikings offensive line. Minnesota right tackle Ed Ingram has given up three sacks this season, center Garrett Bradbury has given up two sacks and the Vikings are considering reshuffling their offensive line, telling reporters that Dalton Risner could join the starting lineup this week.

14. Vikings running back Aaron Jones remains an explosive weapon after joining from the Packers in the offseason. Minnesota’s running game ranks just 22nd in the NFL, but Jones is averaging 4.8 yards per ground carry (501 total yards) and 10.3 yards per reception, ranking as Minnesota’s No. 2 option in the passing game .

15. Known for putting the ball in danger when he was a starter for the Jets and Panthers, Darnold held back his worst impulses with the Vikings. Darnold has five interceptions, picking picks on 2.6% of plays, and also faces a Colts defense that has recorded just four interceptions on the season, ranking Indianapolis 20th in the NFL.

This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Colts vs. Vikings: 15 things to watch as Joe Flacco replaces Richardson