3 Things Vikings Fans Would Love to See Against the Colts
K. Joudry
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The Colts game provides an opportunity for Minnesota to get back on track. In fact, the expectation is that optimism will be restored following a dominant effort against Jeff Saturday’s squad.
The Colts are 4-8-1 and being led by a brand new head coach with zero experience coaching in the NFL. Many foresee a win, but Minnesota will need to actually earn it. On the way to the victory, there are certain things Minnesota fans would be thrilled about seeing.
3 Things Vikings Fans Would Love to See on Saturday
#1: Tighter Coverage
Admittedly, I’m merely going with the low-hanging fruit with this first point. Even still, could we really call this list complete unless the coverage was brought up? I think not.
Earlier in the week, Ed Donatell explained in his press conference that he thinks his defense will get there, that continued effort and work will lead to good results. Hopefully, that’ll be the case. To improve, though, there will need to be some adjustments.
Mina Kimes of ESPN pointed out that Minnesota’s defense struggled mightily when they were in off coverage. The space in the secondary undermines the pass rush’s ability to get to the QB. Just take a look at the above video; Za’Darius Smith is winning his rep and yet Jared Goff can still find an open man.
Moving forward, the Vikings need to embrace an ultra-competitive approach to coverage. No more “safe” coverage that provides cushion and space; instead, the team should work in a hearty dose of physical, competitive coverage.
#2: Justin Jefferson Brilliance
During the week, several people have pointed out Justin Jefferson’s brilliance. That’s what will happen when he sets a new franchise record for most receiving yards in a single game. Let’s not forget that we’re talking about the Vikings, a franchise that has featured greats such as Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Jake Reed, and Steve Jordan.
Still others have pointed to Jefferson’s 1500 yards, a number that currently leads the NFL with 4 games to play. The simple math is that averaging 125 yards per game the rest of the way would push him to 2,000 yards. Football has seen some great receivers and none of them have cleared 2,000 yards.
To be honest, folks, I don’t know if the Vikings will do anything in 2022. The defense has played so poorly that it’s hard to be confident in a playoff push. One thing we could all get on board with, though, is a record-setting year for Mr. Jefferson. Another monstrous day would be a welcome sight to Vikings fans.
#3: A Clean Day for the Special Teams
Though often overlooked, special teams are super important to winning football games. How much of the difference did that fake punt make in last week’s game against Detroit?
Against Indianapolis, we should be looking for a good day at the office for Matt Daniels’ group. What I mean by that is Greg Joseph nailing every kick. Jalen Reagor not only securing punts, but also picking up a sizable gains. Kene Nwangwu gets a chance to return the football and clears the 25-yard line. The coverage teams don’t allow any large returns from the opposition.
And, for goodness sake, no first downs allowed from a fake punt.
For the most part, the Vikings have won their games with a close score. That reality means there isn’t a ton of room to make mistakes, so the special teams need to be sharp.
Securing the win means Minnesota’s record would climb to an impressive 11-3.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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