Colts and Vikings Set for Week 7 NFL Showdown

WHO:

CBS Sports (AP) - Vikings safety Harrison Smith recorded his 40th career interception. He had decided before the regular season to return for his 15th year.

CBS Sports (AP) - Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman led the defense with 12 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed and three quarterback hits.

CBS Sports (AP) - Colts tight end Tyler Warren missed his second consecutive game with a groin injury; linebacker Jaylon Carlies returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with rib injuries.

CBS Sports (AP) - Colts cornerbacks Justin Walley and Cam Taylor-Britt left the game with knee and groin injuries, respectively.

CBS Sports (AP) - Vikings running back Aaron Jones aggravated a knee injury and did not return; returner Myles Price was evaluated for a concussion but stayed in the game.

vikings.com - Vikings Legends scheduled to appear before kickoff included Daunte Culpepper, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, John Randle, Esera Tuaolo, Bob Lurtsema and Willie Howard.

Daily Norseman - The Colts’ inactive list included C.J. Allen, Bruce Boettcher, Sauce Gardner, Anthony Gould, emergency quarterback Riley Leonard, Dalton Tucker and Tyler Warren.

Daily Norseman - The Vikings’ inactive list included emergency quarterback Max Brosmer, Demond Claiborne, Chuck Demmings, Jakobe Thomas, Caleb Tiernan and Elijah Williams.

Daily Norseman - Anthony Richardson was the Colts’ primary backup quarterback, with Riley Leonard designated as the emergency quarterback.

Daily Norseman - DeeJay Dallas was elevated from the practice squad to serve as Minnesota’s RB3 behind Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones.

vikings.com - Colts elevated cornerback Kenneth Harris and linebacker Germaine Pratt from the practice squad to the active roster.

vikings.com - The Colts listed Boettcher as questionable because of a groin injury.

NY Post - The Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings are the teams in the Week 7 matchup.

vikings.com - Minnesota entered the game 5-0; Indianapolis entered 2-4.

vikings.com - Vikings General Manager Nolan Teasley was in his first campaign with Minnesota. Indianapolis fired General Manager Chris Ballard after nearly 10 seasons.

vikings.com - Vikings players Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Christian Darrisaw were healthy after missing time; running back Jordan Mason was designated to return from Injured Reserve.

vikings.com - The preview identified Minnesota quarterback Murray and Colts quarterback Daniel Jones. It said Jones had previously faced Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme while operating Minnesota’s scout offense.

vikings.com - Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell asked radio broadcaster Paul Allen to sound the Gjallarhorn for Allen’s 500th career Vikings game broadcast.

vikings.com - Colts featured in the preview included running back Jonathan Taylor, receiver Keenan Allen and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman discussed his past matchups against Taylor.

WHAT:

CBS Sports (AP) - Minnesota beat Indianapolis 16-10, remaining unbeaten at 6-0; the Colts fell to 2-5.

CBS Sports (AP) - Harrison Smith’s interception around midfield with about a minute left ended Indianapolis’ final drive.

CBS Sports (AP) - Colts quarterback Daniel Jones completed 13 passes for 108 yards and lost 44 yards on four sacks.

CBS Sports (AP) - Will Reichard made field goals from 28, 47 and 52 yards. His 28-yard kick set a franchise record of 35 consecutive made field goals; a 59-yard attempt had been blocked by Grover Stewart.

CBS Sports (AP) - Jonathan Taylor scored on a 38-yard run on Indianapolis’ opening drive. Kyler Murray ran 35 yards to set up his short touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson.

CBS Sports (AP) - Colts kicker Spencer Shrader missed two second-half field goals. His wide-left miss ended his streak of 22 consecutive made field goals and seven straight makes from 50-plus yards. Shrader led the NFL with 70 points.

CBS Sports (AP) - Myles Price returned the opening kickoff 46 yards and led the NFL in punt-return average.

vikings.com - Vikings planned to wear their usual home uniform combination of purple helmets and jerseys with white pants.

vikings.com - Keenan Allen had 19 catches for 190 yards and a touchdown over his prior three games; he ranked second on Indianapolis with 26 catches and 227 yards.

vikings.com - Aaron Jones was the 13th player aged 31 or older since 1933 to exceed 400 rushing yards in his first five games of a season.

vikings.com - DeForest Buckner had a pressure rate of 8.8% through six games, and his 82% snap share was his largest since his rookie season.

Daily Norseman - Minnesota activated Jordan Mason, making Demond Claiborne inactive.

Daily Norseman - Indianapolis’ inactive list included Sauce Gardner and Tyler Warren, both of whom had been declared out on the final injury report.

Daily Norseman - Rigoberto Sanchez was active after being listed as questionable with an injury sustained in Indianapolis’ loss to Tennessee.

Daily Norseman - Donovan Jackson was out for the season.

vikings.com - Daniel Jones faced Minnesota in Week 1 of 2024 while with the Giants, completing 52.4% of his passes for 186 yards and throwing interceptions to Andrew Van Ginkel and Harrison Smith; he was sacked five times.

vikings.com - Jonathan Taylor had 15 receptions; a film review counted nine checkdowns and six screens. Against Tennessee in Week 6, he had catch-and-runs of 38 and 17 yards.

vikings.com - Taylor’s 4.0 yards per carry was his lowest single-season average; his 10.9 yards per reception was a personal best. His 2020–25 average of 4.90 yards per carry ranked second to Derrick Henry’s 4.94.

vikings.com - Keenan Allen wore jersey No. 13 from 2013–25 and now wears No. 10. His 66 catches and 757 receiving yards against Minnesota ranked third among players since his first matchup with the Vikings in 2015; Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown had higher totals.

vikings.com - Entering 2026, DeForest Buckner was one of four defensive tackles with a pressure rate above 10% on more than 200 pass-rushes in four consecutive seasons, alongside Chris Jones, Quinnen Williams and Maliek Collins. Buckner recorded five pressures on Lamar Jackson in Week 1, a 20.8% pressure rate.

vikings.com - Grover Stewart split a sack with Buckner against Baltimore in Week 1 and recorded a career-high two sacks in Minnesota’s 2024 home matchup.

vikings.com - Aaron Jones’s 97 carries in his first five games surpassed his prior five-game career high of 94, set in Weeks 8–12 of 2024, and his prior season-opening five-game high of 78, set seven years earlier.

vikings.com - Only 10 active players had scored more career touchdowns than Jones’s 75; the article listed his total as 54 rushing and 21 receiving.

Sportskeeda - Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers wore Halloween-themed pumpkin cleats; the article’s headline referenced an $11,000 fine.

vikings.com - Vikings quarterback Murray had shared the field for only three snaps with Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson and Mason; on those plays, Murray scrambled for 7 yards, Mason ran for 1 yard, and Jefferson caught a screen for 2 yards.

vikings.com - Jordan Mason rushed for 59 yards against Green Bay, including Minnesota’s season-long run of 28 yards. He reached at least 15 mph on 3 of 15 carries, or 20%, in that game.

vikings.com - Keenan Allen had 66 receptions for 757 yards across seven previous matchups with Minnesota, averaging 9.4 catches and 108.1 yards per game; the Vikings were 2-5 in those games.

vikings.com - DeForest Buckner’s snap share was 82%, his highest since his rookie season, when it was 93%. He recorded five pressures on Lamar Jackson in Week 1.

vikings.com - Aaron Jones sustained a sprained MCL in Week 2 but returned to that game. His 75 career touchdowns comprise 54 rushing and 21 receiving.

NY Post - The article described Indianapolis as struggling and characterized Minnesota as undefeated, presenting the Vikings as a difficult opponent for the Colts.

vikings.com - Minnesota had won 10 straight games, dating to Week 14 of 2025; its defense allowed 11.6 points per game during that streak. Indianapolis had lost nine of its previous 11 games over the same period.

vikings.com - Minnesota had an NFL-best turnover differential of +6, tied with Washington; Indianapolis ranked 32nd at -8. The Vikings averaged 33:38 in time of possession, second in the league behind Chicago at 35:30.

vikings.com - Murray completed 40 of 48 passes (83%) for 364 yards and one touchdown over the previous six quarters. Minnesota’s offense had called the second-fewest plays and produced the second-fewest yards.

vikings.com - Taylor had 655 scrimmage yards, sixth among running backs, and 15 carries of at least 10 yards, tied with Bijan Robinson for fourth-most. Taylor averaged 4.0 yards per carry and 10.9 yards per catch.

vikings.com - The Colts allowed 27.3 points per game and had the league’s lowest quarterback pressure rate, 24.4%, per Next Gen Stats. They allowed at least 25 points in losses to Baltimore, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

vikings.com - Keenan Allen had 29 targets, 19 catches, 190 yards and one touchdown over his prior three games. He had 26 catches and 227 yards for Indianapolis; he had 1,000 career catches and six Pro Bowl selections.

vikings.com - Buckner led the Colts in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits. At 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, he had a 8.8% pressure rate through six games and had six sacks and 13 quarterback hits in four games against Minnesota.

vikings.com - Aaron Jones had 97 carries in the first five games, a career high for any five-game stretch, and 400-plus rushing yards. He became the 13th player aged 31 or older since 1933 to reach 400 rushing yards in a season’s first five games. He recorded his 75th career touchdown in Week 5.

WHERE:

CBS Sports (AP) - Indianapolis was scheduled to play at Jacksonville next; Minnesota was scheduled to play at Detroit next.

Daily Norseman - Both teams’ inactive lists were announced at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

vikings.com - Minnesota was set to host Indianapolis at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

vikings.com - The Vikings were returning home after three weeks away and were playing their first game after the bye.

WHEN:

vikings.com - The game was scheduled for noon CT.

vikings.com - The Colts’ trade deadline was described as approaching on Nov. 10.

vikings.com - Vikings Legends appearances outside U.S. Bank Stadium were scheduled from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; the article said times and appearances were subject to change.

WHY:

CBS Sports (AP) - The Vikings’ winning touchdown followed Shrader’s missed 56-yard field-goal attempt on fourth-and-2.

vikings.com - Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Aaron Jones reaches out to teammates having personal difficulties, spends time with them, offers advice and lets them know he is available for support.

vikings.com - Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said Jones reaches out to teammates facing personal difficulties, offers advice and lets them know he is available to support them.

vikings.com - The preview said Minnesota’s offense had untapped potential as Addison, Hockenson, Darrisaw and Mason returned or became available, and described the team’s chemistry as developing.

vikings.com - Vikings coordinator Brian Flores said containing Taylor required “everybody’s at the point of attack,” sound fundamentals and collective tackling.

HOW:

CBS Sports (AP) - Minnesota won despite limited offensive production, with its defense pressuring Daniel Jones through repeated blitzes.

vikings.com - Mason’s return from Injured Reserve required Minnesota to make a corresponding roster move to activate him.

vikings.com - Murray said his rapport with O’Connell had improved “night and day,” attributing progress to time spent together and “time on task.”

Minnesota beat Indianapolis 16 to 10, improving to 6-0 while the Colts fell to 2-5. Harrison Smith sealed the victory with his 40th career interception, picking off Daniel Jones near midfield with about a minute remaining. Jones completed 13 passes for 108 yards and was sacked four times, losing 44 yards. Indianapolis struck first when Jonathan Taylor ran 38 yards for a touchdown, but Kyler Murray later scrambled 35 yards to set up a short touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson. Vikings kicker Will Reichard made three field goals, including a franchise-record 35th consecutive successful kick; a longer attempt was blocked. Colts kicker Spencer Shrader missed twice after halftime. Blake Cashman led Minnesota’s defense with 12 tackles, two sacks and four passes defended. Aaron Jones aggravated a knee injury and did not return, while Colts cornerbacks Justin Walley and Cam Taylor-Britt also left with injuries.