Colts vs Vikings Preview + NFL Week 9 Picks!

Wild Card Playoffs - Atlanta Falcons v New York Giants

Source: EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – JANUARY 08: A detail of the official National Football League NFL logo is seen painted on the turf as the New York Giants host the Atlanta Falcons during their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at MetLife Stadium on January 8, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

It’s been a tumultuous week for the Indianapolis Colts.

Anthony Richardson, the 4th-overall-pick in 2023 and the man who was supposed to be the quarterback of the future, has been sent to the bench, to be replaced by 39-year-old Joe Flacco. The Colts claim they aren’t giving up on Richardson, but the optics of the move, coupled with head coach Shane Steichen’s comments to the media on Wednesday, don’t bode well for the 22-year-old. He’s still an athletic marvel with a cannon of an arm, but there isn’t a long history of former 1st-round quarterbacks coming back to start for their team after they’ve been benched. If he does still end up being the Colts franchise guy, it will be almost unprecedented.

In the meantime, Flacco will give the Colts a more consistent option under center. His accuracy and quick decision making were on full display during his time under center earlier this season, and the Colts offense should look more under control with him running the operation. He is not nearly as athletic as Richardson, so the designed quarterback runs will be put on the shelf (though not as if the Colts were using them a ton anyway, but that’s an entirely different issue), but he is still plenty capable of getting the ball where it needs to go. Will it make any difference against a formidable Vikings team? We’ll find out on Sunday.

Here are JMV and betting analyst Brent Holverson’s picks for Week 9 of the NFL season!

Thursday	JMV \|	BRENT
Houston Texans @ New York Jets	NYJ –2.5 \|	NYJ –2.5

Sunday	JMV \|	BRENT
Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons	ATL –2.5 \|	ATL-2.5
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens	DEN +9 \|	DEN +9
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills	BUF –6 \|	BUF -6
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers	CAR +7 \|	CAR +7
Las Vegas Raiders @ Cincinati Bengals	CIN –7 \|	CIN –7
Los Angeles Chargers @ Cleveland Browns	CLE +1.5 \|	CLE +1.5
Washington Commanders @ New York Giants	WAS –4 \|	WAS -4
New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans	NE +3.5 \|	TEN –3.5
Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals	AZ –1.5 \|	AZ –1.5
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Philidelphia Eagles	PHI –7.5 \|	PHI –7.5
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers	GB +3 \|	GB +3
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks	SEA –1 \|	SEA -1
Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings	MIN –5 \|	MIN -5