Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings would have been a good game to win had the Indianapolis Colts had a better offense, given how their defense played. The Colts' defense held the Vikings’ offense to just 16 points, but their offense couldn't produce more than 10 points itself.
Granted, going into Minnesota was always going to be a big challenge; Brian Flores's defense may be the best in the NFL this season, and any offense they've faced has struggled to score. The Colts were no different, but at the end of the day, the other teams that failed don't matter; only your team.
After struggling with several facets on defense this season, the game against the Vikings was the first game the Colts' defense actually looked put together and viable. Whether that's a Kyler Murray factor or something else, the point remains: Indianapolis was solid defensively, and they were able to have a great game for a few reasons.
The Indianapolis Colts defense was finally able to shut down a quarterback
It should be pointed out that the Vikings have one of the worst offenses in the entire league. Murray doesn't seem like a good fit, but there are no legitimate options behind him that are significantly better. That said, 6-0 is 6-0 at the end of the day, and Murray has been their quarterback for most of it.
That said, if an NFL defense is able to keep a quarterback from throwing for more than 200 yards and a running back from getting more than 100 rushing yards, consider that a good day on defense, no matter the quality of the opposing offense.
The Colts were successful on both fronts, holding Murray to just 150 yards passing and no touchdowns, and the Vikings' running backs to 97 yards and no touchdowns (Murray ran for 39 yards). The only points the Colts defense gave up were field goals, and that's a good day at the office no matter who the opponent is.
Minnesota averaged a measly 4.9 yards per play (the Colts were worse at 3.7 yards per play) as the Colts neutralized every weapon the Vikings had, especially Justin Jefferson, who caught just four receptions for 44 yards. Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore was especially impactful, wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Contributing two sacks of his own, the Colts sacked Murray three times, and Lou Anarumo's game plan completely threw Minnesota's passing game out of rhythm. Overall, the Vikings offense managed just 275 total yards. Numbers like these should produce wins, but the Colts still lost.
As bad as Murray and the Vikings' offense was, Daniel Jones and the Colts' offense was far worse, and that is where the game was lost. The Vikings consistently pressured Jones, sacking him 4 times for 44 yards and hitting him 10 times—he went 13-of-22 for 108 yards.
It's a shame, really, that Murray couldn't be outplayed, because the Colts' defense gave their offense every chance to take the game into their hands. Jones couldn't take the baton and run with it, and now the Colts are 2-5 and fading all too quickly.
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