U.S. Bank Stadium, 1 p.m. Eastern on CBS. Minnesota is one of the league's unbeaten teams and comes off a bye. Indianapolis comes off a home loss it would like to forget. Erik Dahl guards the Vikings' history and trusts no hot start, including his own team's. Lou Ferraro guards a Colts story that runs from Baltimore to Indianapolis, two Super Bowls and all.
Lou: Erik, you're 5-0. Why do you look nervous?
Erik: Because I'm from Minnesota, Lou. We've been 5-0 before. We've been to four Super Bowls before, too. I've learned to enjoy October with one eye on the exit.
Lou: Four Super Bowls. Remind me how many you won?
Erik: I knew you'd ask. I'm not answering, and you can't make me.
Lou: Fair enough. We have two, and Peyton Manning hung a banner in Indianapolis. Your stadium looks like a Viking ship somebody parked downtown. Ours has a retractable roof and a horseshoe on every helmet.
Last week, Colts: Against Tennessee, a Jonathan Taylor fumble on the first play of the third quarter flipped the game, a punt return and a blocked punt for a touchdown followed, and Joey Slye kicked two late field goals. The Colts lost cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf), punter Rigoberto Sanchez (foot) and returner Anthony Gould (concussion protocol) during the game, and tight end Tyler Warren was inactive with a groin injury.
Lou: Turnovers. That's the whole story, and Shane Steichen said so himself after the game. You can't give the ball away and give up a punt-block touchdown and expect to win. Clean that up and this is a different team.
Last game, Vikings: Before the bye, Minnesota won 23-13 at New Orleans. Justin Jefferson, back from an ankle injury in his hometown, made a leaping touchdown catch in a crowd of defenders. Aaron Jones lost an early fumble, limped off, came back and finished with 113 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. Will Reichard hit all three field-goal tries from 40 yards or longer, and Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted two passes. Minnesota held the Saints to 142 yards of offense.
Erik: I'll give you one boast, Lou, and then I'll go back to worrying. Brian Flores' defense has allowed 64 points in five games. Sixty-four. That's not a hot start. That's a fact.
The matchup: Flores loves pressure, and Minnesota gets home on nearly one of every ten dropbacks. Jones threw two interceptions last week, and his coach called turnovers a continuing problem, so expect the Colts to keep handing it to Taylor early. Indianapolis allows 5.0 yards a carry, though, and that's where Jones (the Vikings' Aaron, not the Colts' Daniel) could feast. On the other side, DeForest Buckner and Laiatu Latu face a Vikings front five that has allowed its share of sacks. Jefferson against a Colts secondary that may be missing Gardner is the matchup to watch.
The numbers: Minnesota has scored 109 and allowed 64. Indianapolis has scored 144 and allowed 164.
Lou: Prediction: we keep Kyler bottled up indoors and leave with something to talk about.
Erik: Prediction: you'll enjoy our stadium, our hot dish and our 5-0 record, and I'll still be nervous at halftime.
Lou: That's the most Minnesota thing I've ever heard.
Erik: Thank you. Uff da.
Two quarterbacks with something to prove, one defense that loves to blitz, and one very anxious Vikings fan.
My call: Vikings 22, Colts 20.