Indianapolis Colts vs Minnesota Vikings Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 25 2026
Indianapolis lost to Tennessee last Sunday. Tennessee hadn’t won a game all year, and the Colts still managed to lose 26-20 at home. Now they have to go to Minnesota and play a Vikings team that hasn’t lost yet. That’s a pretty miserable way to follow up a bad Sunday.
The Colts and Vikings meet at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on October 25, 2026. Kickoff is at 1:00 PM ET on CBS. Minnesota is favored by 6.5 points, with the total at 41.5. The Vikings are coming off their bye, so they’ve had two weeks to get ready for this one. Check out our free NFL picks for more predictions.
Indianapolis Colts Need Jonathan Taylor To Carry Them
The Colts are 2-4 after losing 26-20 to Tennessee. That’s three losses in four games, and things aren’t getting any easier. Indianapolis looked good beating Washington earlier this month, but then came losses to Pittsburgh and Tennessee. The Colts have enough talent to win games. What they haven’t done is put together four decent quarters very often. One week the offense looks fine, the next week everybody’s standing around wondering why they can’t get a first down.
Indianapolis averages 24 points a game, which isn’t bad. The problem is the defense. The Colts are giving up 27.3, and that’s too many when your offense isn’t always dependable. Against Minnesota, they need to run the ball. Jonathan Taylor can take some pressure off Daniel Jones, and that’s important because the Vikings have been getting after quarterbacks all season. If Indianapolis gets into third-and-long, Jones is going to have a rough afternoon. Minnesota doesn’t give quarterbacks much time to think.
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Jones has thrown for 1,290 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions. Six picks in six games isn’t going to get the job done against this defense. Taylor has rushed for 492 yards and seven touchdowns, and he’s the guy who gives Indianapolis a chance. Josh Downs has 289 receiving yards, while tight end Tyler Warren has been dealing with a groin injury. The Colts need their receivers healthy, but they need Taylor even more. If he can’t get going, Jones is going to be throwing into a defense that’s waiting for him to make a mistake.
Minnesota Vikings Have Been Making Life Miserable For Opponents
Minnesota is 5-0 and coming off a bye. The Vikings beat New Orleans 23-13 in their last game and held the Saints to 142 yards. That’s not a typo. Before that, they beat Miami 15-10 and Tampa Bay 23-16. Nobody’s scoring much against these guys. The Vikings aren’t winning because they’re putting up 40 every week. They’re winning because the other team can’t get out of its own way.
Minnesota averages 21.8 points and allows 12.8. That’s the best scoring defense in the league. The Vikings have been getting pressure up front, forcing mistakes, and making teams settle for field goals. Their offense hasn’t been anything special, but it hasn’t needed to be. Against Indianapolis, Minnesota can afford to be patient. Run the ball, take the easy throws, and wait for Jones to make a mistake. That’s been working pretty well.
Kyler Murray has thrown for 662 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Aaron Jones has rushed for 410 yards, and Justin Jefferson has 258 receiving yards with three touchdowns. Jefferson has been dealing with an ankle problem, so that’s something to watch. Dallas Turner has 5.5 sacks, and Andrew Van Ginkel has four. Those two could have a big afternoon if Indianapolis can’t run the ball. Minnesota doesn’t need Murray to throw for 300 yards. It needs him to take care of the ball and let the defense do what it’s been doing.
Indianapolis Colts vs Minnesota Vikings Picks and Predictions
Minnesota Vikings -6.5 (-110)
I’ll lay the 6.5 with Minnesota. Indianapolis has Taylor, and he’s good enough to keep the Colts in this game if he gets room to run. But the Vikings have been making quarterbacks miserable, and Jones has already thrown six interceptions. That’s not a combination I want to bet on. Minnesota has had an extra week to prepare, it’s playing at home, and the defense is allowing fewer than 13 points a game. The Vikings don’t need a huge offensive performance. They need to get ahead, make Indianapolis throw, and let the pass rush go to work. I think they win by ten.
Under 41.5 Points (-110)
I’m taking under 41.5. Minnesota has allowed 13, 10, and 16 points in its last three games. Indianapolis will want to run Taylor as much as possible, and the Vikings aren’t going to be in any hurry if they get a lead. This feels like a game where both teams spend a lot of time trying to avoid mistakes. The thing that could hurt us is a defensive touchdown. Jones has been throwing picks, and Minnesota has been forcing them. One interception returned for six could change the whole total. But I don’t see Indianapolis scoring much, and Minnesota doesn’t need to run up the score. Give me Vikings 24, Colts 13.
Final Picks: Minnesota Vikings -6.5 (-110) and Under 41.5 Points (-110)
This preview was completed October 20, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and other game information may change before kickoff.
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