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    • Vikings-Colts: Minnesota overcomes Sam Darnold’s three wins to outlast Indianapolis 21-13
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    Vikings-Colts: Minnesota overcomes Sam Darnold’s three wins to outlast Indianapolis 21-13

    Vaseline Posted on

    Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass over Indianapolis Colts cornerback Samuel Womack III (33) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

    Sam Darnold was a bit carless with football on Sunday night, but made enough plays to help Minnesota snap a two-game losing streak. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

    The aspect of the Indianapolis Colts having Anthony Richardson on the bench that probably wasn’t analyzed enough was what happened when Joe Flacco replaced him terribly.

    The Colts may have to ask that question this week. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Flacco is the team’s quarterback moving forward, but the first game after that proclamation wasn’t pretty. The Colts got almost nothing on offense. Flacco didn’t run well and the Colts didn’t have Richardson’s running ability to counter. They were simply clumsy in Sunday night’s 21-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

    The Vikings broke a two-game losing streak with the win. Sam Darnold had three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and the Colts still couldn’t win. That is worrying. It will also raise questions about the Colts’ decision to bench Richardson for Flacco, only to see Flacco pass with all the struggles Richardson had without the added playmaking ability that the much younger Richardson brings to the offense.

    The Colts are 4-5, which is out of the AFC wild card race. They have yet to make a decision on which quarterback will help keep them in that race.

    The first half was bad for the Vikings, a continuation of the problems that put them on a two-game losing streak.

    Darnold has had problems with turnovers throughout his career, and that showed up on Sunday night. He threw an interception deep in Colt territory, moved left and then forced a pass into the end zone that had little chance of being completed by a Viking.

    Darnold’s next turnover was even more damaging. He was sacked and fumbled, and was picked up by cornerback Kenny Moore II and returned 38 yards for a touchdown. It turned out to be the only score of the first half. The Colts offense did not score a point in the first half. There was also no scoring in the third quarter.

    The first half was unsettling for the Vikings. The Colts defense hasn’t been able to stop anyone this season. Minnesota couldn’t score a point before halftime. It didn’t help that kicker Will Reichard missed two field goals, including one from 31 yards out.

    The Vikings started the season 5-0, but didn’t look like that team in the first half. Luckily for them, the Colts didn’t do anything with their chances.

    The Vikings offense showed life in the third quarter. Darnold completed some nice passes, including a pair of touchdowns. That gave the Vikings a 14-7 lead.

    The Colts weren’t out of the game at that point, but Flacco didn’t play like he could do much with the opportunity. Flacco threw a terrible interception early in the fourth quarter. Luckily for him and the Colts, Darnold returned the favor with an equally terrible INT of his own. Flacco and the Colts couldn’t get a first down after that and settled for a field goal.

    The Colts defense played a pretty good game and it didn’t matter. The offense was too bad to win.

    The Colts had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. But after getting into Vikings territory, Flacco threw incomplete on third down and again on fourth down, with each pass seemingly a beat late, allowing a Viking defensive back to make a hit and break him loose to throw. The Vikings then picked up a number of first downs to bleed most of the rest of the clock, and with 2:05 to go, Darnold hit Josh Oliver for a touchdown. That put the game away.

    Richardson did not complete passes quickly enough to keep his starting job. But Flacco wasn’t much better on Sunday night. It doesn’t appear the Colts can immediately return to Richardson. They may be stuck.

    Live40 updates

    • Final: Vikings 21, Colts 13

    • Justin Jefferson takes the onside kick

      That will seal the win and put Minnesota back in the win column and improve to 6-2. The Colts fall to 4-5, and after a poor stat line for Joe Flacco 16-of-27 for 179 yards and an interception with three sacks, questions will continue to swirl around the Colts as to who should start at quarterback.

    • Pass interference penalty on Vikings allows Matt Gay to have a field goal with 28 seconds left

      The 54-yard attempt is good to cut the lead to eight, and now the Colts will have to recover an onside kick to get a shot at a Commanders-style wonder.

    • Colts get a first down

      Josh Downs now has six catches for 60 yards on the night. Not a great night, but 12 points if you had to start him in a PPR Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football league.

    • Another Viking bag

      This was a Vikings defensive clinic, and the Jihad department this time also got Flacco to bring up the 3rd and 22

    • A 1st down sack sends the game to the two-minute warning

      Jonathan Greenard picked up his sixth sack of the season with the sack that Indy puts behind the sticks, making a comeback attempt all the more challenging.

    • Darnold finds Josh Oliver for a big touchdown

      Darnold now has three touchdown passes in the game and the Vikings lead 21-10. The Colts do have a timeout and a two-minute warning, but they need two scores, and Joe Flacco has a 58.1 passer rating in this game.

    • Vikings are about to salt this road

      Aaron Jones takes a big 1st on a 3rd and inches to get the ball deep into the Colts’ redzone. Kicker Will Reichard has apparently been dealing with a problem with his kicking leg; he was seen wearing a shawl throughout the game and walking gingerly after a kickoff and an extra point. He has missed two field goals in this game, and if Minnesota is able to score a touchdown and win two possessions, that could potentially happen. The Colts have a timeout with 2:53 to go, and still have a 2-minute warning.

    • Vikings force turnover on downs with just over 5 minutes left

      Minnesota’s defense was brilliant. Yes, the Colts are starting a backup quarterback and haven’t done much on the offensive side of the ball in recent weeks, but Indianapolis is 3-for-10 on third down and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry in the run game.

    • Colts pick up 3rd and 1

      Jonathan Taylor gets the ball in Minnesota territory on a 3rd and 1 as the clock ticks toward six minutes

    • Kwity Paye with a big third sack to stop a Vikings drive.

      With a third down pressure pack, the Colts are still hanging around, and while the offense hasn’t accomplished much, it only takes one drive to take the lead with less than 10 minutes to go.

    • Colts change pick to 3 points

      Matt Gay connects on a 42-yard field goal to make the score 14-10. Vikings, but it was another drive where the Colts couldn’t get a first down. Indy has just nine first downs in the game — the Vikings had 13 at halftime, but the Colts are still tied for a flurry of Minnesota miscues, including three turnovers and two missed field goals.

    • And as soon as it looked like Indy was no longer involved, Darnold was plucked out.

      This is the VERY next play after Byron Murphy’s interception, and Nick Cross comes up with a huge play for the Colts, and they start at the 25-yard line in plus territory.

    • Vikings stop Colts momentum with Murphy pick

      After a spectacular catch by rookie AD Mitchell on a 2nd-and-30 to reach 3rd-and-8, Joe Flacco found Byron Murphy – the problem with that is he’s purple, not white and blue. First behind Vikings after another serious mistake by the Indy offense.

    • Colts are now on the move after the Vikings touchdown

      Josh Downs makes a big third down catch to get Indianapolis into Minnesota territory.

    • Two second half drives. Two touchdowns in the second half. Vikings lead 14-7

      Jalen Nailor’s first catch of the game is a touchdown, and the Vikings are now aligning the scoreboard with their statistical advantage. Sam Darnold is 26 of 30 for 255 yards and a pair of touchdown passes.

    • Vikings are rolling now with Justin Jefferson leading the way

      18 in purple is just a monster on the field. Seven catches, 137 yards after this beauty.

    • Jordan Addison closes out the drive for the Vikings

      Nine plays and 70 yards on this first scoring drive for the Minnesota Vikings, and Addison made a spectacular catch for his second touchdown of the year.

    • Minnesota works its way to the 10th

      Jordan Addison on the grab to set up 1st and goal as the Vikings try to avoid another Reichard field goal attempt.

    • Jefferson got the drive for Minnesota to open the second half

      They gained quite a few yards tonight, but still need a spark. It must be nice being the Vikings and having this guy to help you along when you need to get things going.

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