The Indianapolis Colts have had a couple of weeks to recover from a humiliating blowout loss to the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 13. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are fresh off a disappointing 34-23 road humbling by the Detroit Lions.
Find out which team will bounce back in the win column in our free NFL picks and predictions for Colts vs. Vikings on Saturday, December 17.
Also, be sure to check out Rohit Ponnaiya's favorite NFL player props for Colts vs. Vikings.
Colts vs Vikings best odds
Colts vs Vikings picks and predictions
The regular season couldn't come to an end any sooner for Indianapolis. The Colts enter their Week 15 tilt against Minnesota at 4-8-1, losers of their last three.
Despite the luxury of a bye week in Week 14, it's hard to recover from a 54-19 beatdown at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys on primetime. The Colts hung with the 'Boys for the first three quarters but were outscored 33-0 in the final frame as the game quickly got out of hand.
Although Matt Ryan is back to being the starting quarterback for Indianapolis after initially being benched, the veteran gunslinger hasn't looked any better in the four games since. Since interim head coach Jeff Saturday gave the former MVP back the reigns, Ryan has a passer rating of just 832.2 over those four starts with a TD/INT ratio of 4/4.
On defense, the Colts will be missing Pro Bowl slot corner Kenny Moore, while Stephon Gilmore will be tasked with facing superstar receiver Justin Jefferson. The former Defensive Player of the Year has had a solid season but is no longer a lockdown corner against elite No. 1 receivers. Back in Week 10, Raiders' WR Davante Adams went off for 126 yards on nine receptions. In Week 8, Washington's Terry McLaurin also eclipsed 100 yards receiving, including catching the game-winning TD against Gilmore in the final minute of regulation.
Kirk Cousins should have an effective day passing, while Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook could also be in for a productive day against a Colts' rushing defense that ranks just 21st in the league (126.2 yards allowed per game). In Indy's latest loss to Dallas, the Cowboys used the ground game as a blueprint for success all night, handing the ball off to Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott a combined 29 times for 168 yards.
The Colts don't have any answers for a now-lost season. Take Minnesota to win by double-digits on Saturday afternoon.
My best bet: Vikings -4 (-110 at bet365)
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Colts vs Vikings spread analysis
The Colts' biggest weakness, far and away, is their offensive line, as Matt Pryor and Bernard Raimann have been getting punished at the line of scrimmage all year. The Vikings' defense should have success blitzing, with the likes of Z'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter combining for 16.5 sacks this season.
Veteran corner Patrick Peterson has also looked fantastic in his first year with Minnesota, as the 32-year-old CB has the fifth-best grade among the position over at Pro Football Focus (81.7). The Colts' receiving corps is fine, but neither Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, or Parris Campbell necessarily scream "major threat."
Despite the Vikings liking to keep games close even when they win, they're still 6-1 against the spread at home this season. Look for Minny to make that seven against an Indy team that looks checked out.
According to our Covers Consensus, 73% of the public is currently riding the Vikings on the spread.
Colts vs Vikings Over/Under analysis
Since opening at 46.5, the total reached as high as 48.5 but has since settled at 47.5. It's the highest O/U of the three games featured on Saturday.
Considering I'm banking on a Vikings' rout over Indy on Saturday, it only makes sense to take the Over. The trends back it up, too, as Minnesota has cashed the Over in its last four games when facing a team with a losing record.
The Colts struggled defensively when it mattered against Dallas, allowing the Cowboys to score a touchdown all four times they reached the red zone. Indy will have its hands full facing a Vikings offense that has scored 27+ points in seven games already this season.
The Over is also 5-1 in the Vikings' last six contests at U.S. Bank Stadium and is 8-1 in the Colts' last nine road games against a team that's above .500.
Colts vs Vikings betting trend to know
Indianapolis is 1-4 ATS in its last five games following a straight-up loss. Find more NFL betting trends for Colts vs. Vikings.
Colts vs Vikings game info
| Location: | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN |
| Date: | Saturday, December 17, 2022 |
| Kickoff: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NFL Network |
| Opening odds: | Vikings -5.5, 46.5 |
Colts vs Vikings latest injuries
Colts vs Vikings weather
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