MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Harrison Smith capped another dominant performance by Minnesota’s defense with the game-sealing interception, and the Minnesota Vikings overcame another slow start to remain undefeated with a 16-10 victory over the spiraling Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Linebacker Blake Cashman led the pressure on Daniel Jones all afternoon with 12 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed and three quarterback hits for the Vikings (6-0), who won again despite minimal production from Kyler Murray and the offense.
Smith picked off Jones at midfield with about a minute left to kill the Colts’ (2-5) last drive before it started, the 40th career interception for the stalwart safety who decided just before the regular season to return for his 15th year.
Jones went 13 for 122 for 108 yards and gave up 44 yards on four sacks, with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores continually sending blitzers into the backfield.
Will Reichard kicked three field goals for the Vikings, including a 52-yarder with 1:39 left after his 59-yard try was blocked by Grover Stewart earlier in the fourth quarter.
Jonathan Taylor gave the Colts the lead they held for more than three quarters of the game with a 38-yard touchdown run on their opening drive, but Spencer Shrader missed two field goals in the second half.
Coach Shane Steichen’s 56-yard incompletion on fourth-and-2 gave the Vikings their only touchdown, when Murray used a 35-yard run to get within range of a short scoring pass to TJ Hockenson.
Reichard hit from 28 and 47 yards in the second quarter to set the franchise record with 35 consecutive field goals, which was the longest active streak in the league – until the block.
Shrader, who leads the NFL in scoring this season with 70 points, saw his 22-game field goal streak end with his wide left miss coming under heavy pressure from former Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. It also stopped Shrader’s streak of seven consecutive passes for more than 50 yards.
Colts: With Sauce Gardner (calf) inactive, the CB depth chart was eaten away in the second half when Justin Walley (knee) and Cam Taylor-Britt (groin) left injured. … TE Tyler Warren (groin) missed his second straight game. LB Jaylon Carlies (ribs) returned to the starting lineup after missing two games.
Vikings: RB Aaron Jones aggravated a nagging knee injury in the fourth quarter when he took a low hit at the end of a 17-yard run. He didn’t come back. … Myles Price, who returned the opening kickoff 46 yards and leads the league in punt return average, was evaluated for a concussion in the first quarter but did not miss any time.
Colts: at Jacksonville next Sunday.
Vikings: at Detroit next Sunday.
—
See the AP’s full NFL coverage here
Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and the Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Gn sports
