Will the Vikings make the playoffs?
This weekend the NFL accompanies us already on Saturday night. Among others, the Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts. At U.S. Bank Stadium, the home side could secure a spot in the NFL playoffs.
The guests from Indianapolis are therefore also the clear underdogs, but will not give in so easily. If we look at the betting odds between the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts, the bookmakers do not seem to expect a surprise.
One of the keys to victory in this game could be Dalvin Cook. The running back is averaging 73 rushing yards and the bookies are offering us a line of 69.5. With the Colts defending very well against the passing game, Minnesota will be forced to rely more on the running game. Indianapolis allows an average of 126.2 rushing yards. We therefore recommend betting on over 69.5 rushing yards from Dalvin Cook between the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts.
Minnesota Vikings – Statistics & current form
The Minnesota Vikings are in second place in the Northern Football Conference despite losing last weekend. Kevin O’Connell’s side are still just one win short of a secure place in the NFL playoffs. With four games left, they should be able to do that and even if the Vikings lose all their games, the Detroit Lions would have to win the remaining four. For Minnesota, that would be a huge accomplishment, especially after a mixed preseason.
Justin Jefferson
The Vikings wide receiver is one of the best pass receivers in the NFL. His 1,500 receiving yards ranks him first in that category. In addition, only Travic Kelce ran for more yards after catch. And also when it comes to forcing a new first down, Justin Jefferson is one of the best in the entire league. So it’s no surprise that Minnesota is one of the best passing teams in the NFL. The Vikings average 246.4 passing yards per game.
Dalvin Cook
The man for the last few yards is clearly running back Dalvin Cook. He scored eight touchdowns this season and is the Vikings’ top scorer. With 950 rushing yards, Cook ranks sixth in the league. With 42 first downs, the Minnesota team nevertheless seems to rely more on the passing game in the decisive moments. Still, the Vikings are among the NFL’s weakest teams with 95.6 rushing yards, and that’s despite a Dalvin Cook.
Defense is the Achilles’ heel
Minnesota allows an average of 24.1 points, making it one of the weaker defenses in the league. That’s clearly due to the defence against the passing game, as no team allows as many passing yards as the Vikings. Opponents average 287.2 passing yards per game. Since the Indianapolis Colts are not particularly strong in the passing game, this weakness should not become a major factor in this duel. Kevin O’Connell’s team controls the run game quite well.
Key players of the Minnesota Vikings:
QB: Kirk Cousins – RB: Dalvin Cook – WR: Justin Jefferson – FS: Harrison Smith – K: Greg Joseph
Indianapolis Colts – stats & recent form
The Indianapolis Colts are in fourteenth place in the NFC. So far, Jeff Saturday’s team could only win four games and thus only three teams are worse this season. Due to the poor season, the Colts parted ways with former coach Frank Reich at the beginning of November. The dismissal had little effect and the chances of making the playoffs are now vanishingly small. Indianapolis would have to win all their games and also hope for a Titans failure.
Jonathan Taylor
The Indianapolis Colts running back is the top scorer on his own team with four touchdowns. With 861 rushing yards he is on the tenth place in the league-wide comparison and that although he had to miss three games with an injury. At the age of 23, he is already one of the best players at his position. With three rushing fumbles, however, he is also one of the most vulnerable running backs in the NFL. With 100.2 rushing yards, the Colts are also one of the weakest teams in the running game.
Michael Pittman
Indianapolis averages 217.8 passing yards per game. That still only ranks the Colts 19th in that statistic. The team has a very good pass receiver in wide receiver Michael Pittman. With 755 receiving yards, he ranks 23rd in the league. However, he lacks effectiveness, because in thirteen games he could only run into the end zone twice. It’s no surprise, then, that the Colts are one of the weakest offensive teams in the NFL.
Solid Defensive
The Indianapolis Colts allow an average of 22.9 points and are therefore very solid defensively. This is mostly due to the defence against the passing game, as opposing teams are averaging just 188.6 passing yards. Against the run game, Indianapolis is a little more vulnerable, allowing an average of 126.2 rushing yards. Still, the defensive effort is usually not enough to make up for the weakness on offense and that is why the Colts lose the majority of their games.
Key players of the Indianapolis Colts:
QB: Matt Ryan – RB: Jonathan Taylor – WR: Michael Pittman – OL: Zaire Franklin – K: Chase McLaughlin
Minnesota Vikings – Indianapolis Colts Direct Comparison / H2H Record
The direct comparison between the two teams goes surprisingly to the guests. Indianapolis won thirteen of the 24 meetings and only lost ten times. The last meeting between the two teams was in the 2021 preseason, a game the Colts won 12-10. Although the visitors have won the past four meetings, the odds between the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts clearly point to a home win.
Minnesota Vikings – Indianapolis Colts Tip
The Minnesota Vikings are the clear favourites in this clash, even in our estimation. So close to reaching the playoffs, the host will not let anything go to waste and win against a weak Indianapolis team. The Colts are too weak, especially on the offensive side, to cause a surprise. We therefore play on a handicap win of -2.5 for the home team between the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts.
It also suggests a low-scoring game, as the visitors have only managed to score more than 20 points twice this season. With the Colts’ defence pretty solid, the Vikings shouldn’t be able to score easily either. Therefore, between the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts, we find the odds for the forecast under 48.5 points very interesting.
