The Sunday Splash! report regarding a potential fire sale in Indy was conditioned on the Colts’ performance in their three remaining games before the trade deadline. After only one game, they tapped the “Everything Must Go” sign in the front yard.
Guard Quenton Nelson, as expected, has been traded to the Seahawks. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been traded back to the 49ers, as expected.
So who’s next? Running back Jonathan Taylor has been the focal point of speculation, with ESPN linking him to the Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Vikings.
The Vikings got the ultimate opportunity to scout Taylor on Sunday, when he accounted for 110 of the team’s 218 total offensive yards in a 16-10 Minnesota win. Taylor averaged 5.3 yards per carry and went 38 yards for the Colts’ only touchdown of the day.
There’s an obvious incentive to maximize 2027 draft picks, especially with the Colts’ first-rounder committed to the Jets as the back end of the Sauce Gardner trade. But Taylor is under contract for two more years; they may want to keep him until the offseason, giving the next G.M. the opportunity to decide whether to retain Taylor or trade him in March.
Of course, Taylor would have more value now to a team that hopes to augment its roster for a playoff push. Although the Vikings were burned 37 years ago this month by the Herschel Walker trade, it would take much less than the ridiculous haul of picks and players (which became more picks after the Cowboys cut them) to get Taylor.
Taylor could make a huge difference for a team premised on a stout defense. While Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason have proven to be capable options at tailback, Taylor is among the best in the league. He has the power and speed to move the chains and, when given an opening, go the distance.
Whatever happens with Taylor, it’s clear the Colts aren’t waiting to see what happens over the next two weekends. In a deadline-driven business, the timeline for the Colts isn’t being driven by the deadline. It’s being determined by getting deals done now and moving on.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered updates on Monday about a couple of players who emerged from Sunday’s win over the Packers with ankle injuries.
Campbell said there was optimism that wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw will both be able to play in next Sunday’s home game against the Vikings, but that their practice work will be managed to keep them on track.
“I think those guys will probably sit Wednesday,” Campbell said. “The plan is to get them going Thursday and I think they’ll be fine. They should be good, we’ll see when we get there.”
St. Brown had nine catches for 153 yards while playing 78 percent of the offensive snaps. Rakestraw was limited to 21 snaps and recorded two tackles.
There is some positive news on the injury front for the undefeated Vikings.
While running back Aaron Jones had to depart Sunday’s win over the Colts with a knee injury, it is not considered to be significant at this time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Jones was described as day-to-day.
Jones has been dealing with injury issues throughout 2026, but has not yet missed a game. He has rushed for 436 yards with two touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 72 yards.
Jones departed Sunday’s game having rushed for 26 yards on eight carries. Jordan Mason had the bulk of the work at running back, rushing for 68 yards on 15 attempts.
The 6-0 Vikings will be on the road to face the 4-2 Lions on Sunday afternoon in Week 8.
With the 49ers and Chiefs losing on Sunday, the Vikings are the last unbeaten team standing in the NFL and they are in some rare company when it comes to how they’re winning games.
The Vikings have scored 10 touchdowns in their six wins and, per ESPN, they are tied for the third-fewest touchdowns during a 6-0 start in NFL history. On Sunday, the team scored its only touchdown to take their first lead of the day in the fourth quarter and they finished their 16-10 win over the Colts with 275 yards of offense.
After the game, head coach Kevin O’Connell pointed out near misses in the passing game and penalties as things that kept the offense from finding a groove and said that there’s strong belief that things are going to fall into place.
“I think our guys are very confident that we’re not far off,” O’Connell said. “The far off changes a little bit as you go, but I’m very, very confident we’ll get it going.”
The Vikings will kick off November with a trip to Detroit before moving on to face the Bills, Packers, 49ers and Falcons over the rest of the month. That makes it an ideal time for them to make a move from “not far off” to clicking in a way that will allow them to remain at the front of the NFC playoff race.
The blitz-happy Vikings defense took their habit to the highest level on Sunday against the Colts.
Via NBC Sports research, Minnesota blitzed on 85.2 percent of the Colts’ dropbacks on Sunday. It was the highest rate by any team in the Next Gen Stats era, which dates back to 2016.
The effort limited the Colts to 64 net passing yards, thanks to four sacks that erased 44 yards.
The challenge comes from the confusion created by the Brian Flores defense. The offense never knows who is and isn’t coming until the snap. It forces the blockers to quickly diagnose the situation, and it requires the quarterback to process his reads before he gets knocked down.
Minnesota needed that. The run defense wasn’t getting it done on Sunday; the Colts gained 154 yards on the ground. By the time the final drive came, the Colts had no choice but to throw — and Minnesota’s relentlessness forced quarterback Daniel Jones into his lone turnover of the day, a game-sealing interception.
And that was enough to deliver a 16-10 win, moving the Vikings to 6-0 for the first time since 2009. While also extending Minnesota’s winning streak to 11, the second longest in franchise history.
