Colts at Vikings Depth Chart Preview - 2024
Nov 2, 2024 13:38:18 GMT -6
Funkytown and slapnut19 like this
Post by Danchat on Nov 2, 2024 13:38:18 GMT -6
The Vikings need to get back in the win column to chase away the ghosts of the 2016 season. Can they avoid a third straight loss to a wishy-washy Colts team?
Injury Report
Colts
LT Raimann - Out
DE Paye - Questionable
Vikings
LB Cashman - Out
DT Taimani - Out
CB Evans - Questionable
Point Spread: MIN -5.5
SuperSim Calculated Spread: MIN -4
* My Thoughts *
* Wonder why you don't recognize most of the names on the Colts? It's probably because they have one of the strangest roster constructions I've ever seen - it's essentially complete opposite of the Vikings, they simply don't sign free agents. They only have two FA starters on the entire team! (QB Flacco and K Gay). Their two biggest FA contracts are Gay (4/$22.5M) and DT Davis (2/$14M). In this day and age that is unheard of, as the Colts choose to only pay their internal talent and solely rely on their ability to draft and find UDFAs to build their roster.
* Unlike the Rams and their 16 rookies on the roster, the Colts only have 6 and just a single one on defense, half of them on the OL.
* It has been night and day with Taylor in and out of the lineup. PFF has soured on him, but he looked dangerous last week and the Vikings run defense has to step it up a notch after the Lions and Rams ran successfully against them.
* It's hard to tell looking at the WR numbers this year, but this is a quality group that has been diluted by Richardson's complete lack of accuracy. Pittman is a low end WR1 that can tear defenses in the short and intermediate range, something that the Rams did well last week. Josh Downs has been sneaky good this year and had 16 combined catches in Flacco's two starts. He will be a tricky one to cover. Pierce was the one guy having a great year with AR tossing him bombs, but he's wildly inconsistent. Mitchell is an incredible athlete but has a long ways to go before becoming a quality receiver.
* The Colts run a heavy 3 man rotation at TE, but primarily use them for blocking.
* Indy has one of the best OLs in the league... when healthy. With Fries and Bernhard out, both in the midst of career years, it is far more beatable. They are playing a UDFA at RG, which unlike last week hopefully the Vikings can take advantage of this time. Their options at LT are either unproven or bad. Greenard should be feasting.
* Defensively, the Colts have a lot of options on the DL but on the whole it isn't quite as good as it could be. They lack a true #1 pass rusher, likely why they took Latu but he's off to a subpar start. Paye hasn't developed into that player, but he is a solid "#2 rusher" who is a better run stuffer. The DT position is back to full strength with the intimidating Buckner back in the lineup. He pairs with the underrated nose tackle Stewart to make a formidable duo. Davis and Bryan are one-dimensional in the run/pass game and compliment the starters well, even if their PFF grades sag.
* PFF hates on Franklin, but he's leading the league in tackles again. He and Speed have made the decline and departure of Darius Leonard hurt less. They're both liabilities in coverage, however.
* The secondary has been the place where opposing offenses have attacked, and despite the decent PFF grades they have weaknesses here. Moore is a quality starter, but Jones (a 2023 7th rounder) has given up the most yards in coverage by far and is the one to go after if in 1-on-1 coverage. Womack III was a waiver wire pickup who has overachieved with only 7 passes given up to 5 pass breakups. The safeties are fine, but are giving up a combined 77% completion rate. Both players are better suited for stopping the run.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Colts 23
I'm predicting a close game whereas if Richardson was starting, I wouldn't have them scoring more than 14 points. The Colts match up rather well against the Vikings - with Taylor healthy to power the run game to keep the Vikings' poor pass rushers on the field, Buckner back to pressure a weak interior, and a defense that has the personnel to stop the run - I think this is a closer game than some expect (apparently all Colts fans?). But I think the Vikings pass game will overcome their secondary and Flacco will commit 2+ turnovers to give them a win right at the end.
Any thoughts?
Injury Report
Colts
LT Raimann - Out
DE Paye - Questionable
Vikings
LB Cashman - Out
DT Taimani - Out
CB Evans - Questionable
Point Spread: MIN -5.5
SuperSim Calculated Spread: MIN -4
* My Thoughts *
* Wonder why you don't recognize most of the names on the Colts? It's probably because they have one of the strangest roster constructions I've ever seen - it's essentially complete opposite of the Vikings, they simply don't sign free agents. They only have two FA starters on the entire team! (QB Flacco and K Gay). Their two biggest FA contracts are Gay (4/$22.5M) and DT Davis (2/$14M). In this day and age that is unheard of, as the Colts choose to only pay their internal talent and solely rely on their ability to draft and find UDFAs to build their roster.
* Unlike the Rams and their 16 rookies on the roster, the Colts only have 6 and just a single one on defense, half of them on the OL.
* It has been night and day with Taylor in and out of the lineup. PFF has soured on him, but he looked dangerous last week and the Vikings run defense has to step it up a notch after the Lions and Rams ran successfully against them.
* It's hard to tell looking at the WR numbers this year, but this is a quality group that has been diluted by Richardson's complete lack of accuracy. Pittman is a low end WR1 that can tear defenses in the short and intermediate range, something that the Rams did well last week. Josh Downs has been sneaky good this year and had 16 combined catches in Flacco's two starts. He will be a tricky one to cover. Pierce was the one guy having a great year with AR tossing him bombs, but he's wildly inconsistent. Mitchell is an incredible athlete but has a long ways to go before becoming a quality receiver.
* The Colts run a heavy 3 man rotation at TE, but primarily use them for blocking.
* Indy has one of the best OLs in the league... when healthy. With Fries and Bernhard out, both in the midst of career years, it is far more beatable. They are playing a UDFA at RG, which unlike last week hopefully the Vikings can take advantage of this time. Their options at LT are either unproven or bad. Greenard should be feasting.
* Defensively, the Colts have a lot of options on the DL but on the whole it isn't quite as good as it could be. They lack a true #1 pass rusher, likely why they took Latu but he's off to a subpar start. Paye hasn't developed into that player, but he is a solid "#2 rusher" who is a better run stuffer. The DT position is back to full strength with the intimidating Buckner back in the lineup. He pairs with the underrated nose tackle Stewart to make a formidable duo. Davis and Bryan are one-dimensional in the run/pass game and compliment the starters well, even if their PFF grades sag.
* PFF hates on Franklin, but he's leading the league in tackles again. He and Speed have made the decline and departure of Darius Leonard hurt less. They're both liabilities in coverage, however.
* The secondary has been the place where opposing offenses have attacked, and despite the decent PFF grades they have weaknesses here. Moore is a quality starter, but Jones (a 2023 7th rounder) has given up the most yards in coverage by far and is the one to go after if in 1-on-1 coverage. Womack III was a waiver wire pickup who has overachieved with only 7 passes given up to 5 pass breakups. The safeties are fine, but are giving up a combined 77% completion rate. Both players are better suited for stopping the run.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Colts 23
I'm predicting a close game whereas if Richardson was starting, I wouldn't have them scoring more than 14 points. The Colts match up rather well against the Vikings - with Taylor healthy to power the run game to keep the Vikings' poor pass rushers on the field, Buckner back to pressure a weak interior, and a defense that has the personnel to stop the run - I think this is a closer game than some expect (apparently all Colts fans?). But I think the Vikings pass game will overcome their secondary and Flacco will commit 2+ turnovers to give them a win right at the end.
Any thoughts?
... and neither is this Chris guy.