The Indianapolis Colts are 2-4 with a difficult task in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings. Even if Indy were fully healthy, the challenge would be daunting. The problem is that the team isn't fully healthy.
In fact, tight end Tyler Warren (groin) and cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) have been ruled out. Both were already key members of any game plan, of course, but that was likely amplified against the Vikings.
Warren has been more of a check-down option for quarterback Daniel Jones this season, especially with explosive wide receiver Alec Pierce out after aggravating his heel injury. The team has had to play things more consistently closer to the line, which explains why Warren has gotten 30 catches but for only 213 yards.
Indianapolis Colts rule both Tyler Warren and Sauce Gardner out in Week 7
Without him, and against an elite and aggressive Minnesota defense, Indianapolis's offense is going to face an even more difficult situation. Jones will have wideout Keenan Allen and Josh Downs available, but Warren has the size and strength to create space and grind out yards that smaller receivers don't have.
With Sauce Gardner, the issue is that Minnesota has a good receiving corps, led by Justin Jefferson, who is arguably one of the top three wideouts in the league (along with the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba). Instead of Gardner covering Jefferson and Charvarius Ward helping out, Ward might be faced with lots of Jefferson.
Not that Ward can't do the job. He has statistically been better than Gardner this season, but if one is missing, the other is diminished. Minnesota could also scheme to move Jefferson around when he isn't being covered by Ward. The drop-off between Ward and every other Indianapolis Colts cornerback when Gardner isn't playing is precipitous.
The full injury report for the Colts in Week 7 will be released later on Friday, but head coach Shane Steichen has already ruled Gardner, Warren, and wide receiver Anthony Gould out. Gould is also valuable as a kick and punt returner, but Seth McGowan and Deion Burks have shown they can be good in those spots, too.
If Indianapolis was missing only Warren, that might be manageable. Or if the team was only missing Gardner, that might be fine, though more daunting against the Vikings, specifically. Missing both of the excellent players makes a tough matchup that much less likely that the Colts will win the game.
Add us as a preferred source on Google