3 Bold Vikings Predictions as Kyle Murray & Co. Host the Colts in Week 7

Here's what's being predicted as the Purple and Gold come out of their bye week.

A big day for Kyler Murray is among the three bold Vikings predictions Sports Illustrated's Jason Harmon is making for Week 7. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Vikings will host a game at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday for just the third time this season as they welcome the 2-4 Colts to the Twin Cities in Week 7. Minnesota looks to remain undefeated coming off an early Week 6 bye, while Indy will be scratching to salvage a start that has already led to the firing of general manager Chris Ballard.

Needless to say, these are two teams currently heading in completely different directions.

With a beast of a November schedule looming, here are my predictions for a Vikings team looking to put together a dominating performance. 

1. Kyler Murray will rack up 300-plus yards between the air and ground

While the early bye provided desperately needed injury relief for the Vikings, there are fair concerns that the break may have disrupted the progress Kyler Murray and the passing game were starting to make.

Murray’s performance in New Orleans was especially promising, mainly due to the fact that the offense entered the game without wideout Jordan Addison and left tackle Christian Darrisaw, and then lost tight end T.J. Hockenson to a concussion early. With all three looking to return this weekend, I see Murray having his best day yet in purple. 

Indy’s 351.2 yards allowed per game rank ninth in the league, and Murray’s abilities through the air and on the ground make him especially hard to stop (h/t: Ian Hartitz).

Next-Gen Stats fastest ball carrier speed in Week 5:

Kyler Murray (20.82 MPH)

Also the fastest ball carrier speed by a QB this season. pic.twitter.com/GSZ61DBqzc

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 12, 2026

After totaling 280 total yards against the Saints (229 passing, 51 rushing), I predict Murray will finish with over 300 total yards on Sunday. 

2. Vikings' offense explodes for over 30 points

The Vikings’ season started with a bang, scoring 39 points in the season opener against the Packers. Since then, they have not scored more than 23 points in a game.

Sunday is the perfect opportunity for that to change.

The Colts have given up 27.3 points per game so far this season, the sixth-highest average in the league. Minnesota, meanwhile, is looking for its first truly dominant offensive showing as it prepares for the hardest stretch of its schedule.

The returns of Hockenson and Addison should open up passing options, and Jordan Mason’s possible return to the backfield could elevate a run game that Aaron Jones has carried almost entirely on his own so far. The Vikings’ offense needs to prove it can score consistently before facing some of the league's toughest opponents, and the Colts’ shaky defense may give them plenty of opportunities. 

3. Harrison Smith wakes up and snags his 40th career interception 

Franchise legend Harrison Smith has had a relatively quiet start to his 15th NFL season.

Smith announced his return a week before the Vikings kicked off their 2026 campaign and has mostly been a rotational piece in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s ever-evolving defense. Even though “The Hitman” is clearly past his prime, he’s still one of the smartest defenders in the game, and I expect that to pay off this weekend.

Smith recently confirmed to Richard Sherman that this will be his last season, so there is no better time to snag his 40th interception than now (h/t: "Richard Sherman Podcast"). 

.@RSherman_25 is joined by #HarrisonSmith and he talks his FUTURE with the @NFL, Minnesota @Vikings and MORE 👀

New ‘NFL Week 7 Predictions’ episode with @MitchEisenstein and Harrison Smith is Now Available on @YouTube HERE: https://t.co/HtJLz9SYDS pic.twitter.com/z14KXIo0Wd

— Richard Sherman Podcast (@RShermanPodcast) October 21, 2026

Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has thrown six interceptions this season, tied for the third-most in the league, and anyone who's watched him through his career knows he’ll eventually throw a duck or two (h/t: NFL).

Smith’s football IQ and Jones’s occasional recklessness may just be the perfect combination to get the NFL’s active interception leader his next pick.

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