View game action images between matchups of the Vikings and Colts through the years.
EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings started the 2020 season off on the wrong foot, and will now hit the road looking to even their record.
Minnesota will be facing an Indianapolis team that is also 0-1 after a 27-20 loss to the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Colts were outscored 10-0 in the final 9:39.
Even though it's still early in the season, expect both teams to be eager for a win because there is a big difference between being 1-1 and 0-2 through two weeks.
While no fans were allowed at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, the Colts can have a maximum amount of 2,500 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Here's an Early Look at the Vikings Week 2 matchup against the Colts, presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Proud Ophthalmology Partner of the Minnesota Vikings.
Passing: Kirk Cousins had an odd day in Week 1, as he and the Vikings offense were hampered by the time-of-possession disparity.
Cousins ended the day by completing 19 of 25 passes [76 percent] for 259 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.
But most of those stats came in the fourth quarter as he tried to orchestrate a rally. At halftime, Cousins had attempted just five passes. And through three quarters, he was 7-of-11 for 100 yards and an interception.
Cousins also had a passer rating of 118.6, which was his eighth-highest mark as a Viking.
Here is his Week 1 passing chart, courtesy of NFL Next Gen Stats:
Philip Rivers will quarterback the opposing offense. The veteran is in his first season with the Colts after spending 16 seasons with the Chargers.
Rivers completed 36 of 46 passes (78 percent) for 363 yards and a touchdown, but threw a pair of interceptions, including one late in the fourth quarter.
Rivers, who was one of five quarterbacks to throw multiple picks in Week 1, threw 94 interceptions in his final six seasons with the Chargers. Three of those came in a Week 16 loss to the Vikings in 2019.
Rushing: Vikings running backs tallied exactly 100 rushing yards, with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison each totaling 50 yards in Week 1.
Cook, who carried 12 times, had a pair of rushing touchdowns a day after signing a multi-year contract extension. Mattison had six rushes. Cousins added 34 yards on four attempts.
The Vikings likely would have run the ball more if not for a paltry time of possession of 18 minutes and 44 seconds.
The Colts rushing attack suffered a big blow when starting running back Marlon Mack suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1.
Mack had four carries for 26 yards before his injury. Nyheim Hines had seven rushes for 28 yards and a 12-yard touchdown run in Mack's absence. Rookie Jonathan Taylor rushed nine times for 22 yards.
Colts Head Coach Frank Reich said Monday that Taylor, a 2020 second-round pick from Wisconsin, will now be the starter. He rushed for 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns in college for the Badgers.
Receiving: Adam Thielen led the way for the Vikings, finishing with six catches for 110 yards and two scores on eight targets.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Thielen accounted for 55.47 percent of his team's receiving yards, which was the fourth-highest among all NFL players in Week 1.
His performance continued his recent Week 1 dominance. Including Sunday, Thielen now has 24 receptions for 412 yards and three scores in his past four season openers.
Bisi Johnson added 56 yards on three catches, while Mattison had 30 yards on four receptions. Kyle Rudolph (28 yards) and rookie Justin Jefferson (26 yards) each had a pair of receptions, with Jefferson making his NFL debut.
Rivers spread the ball around to his playmakers in Week 1, with Hines leading the way with a team-high eight catches. His 45 receiving yards included an 8-yard touchdown catch.
Parris Campbell (71 yards) and Taylor (67 yards) each had six receptions, and veteran T.Y. Hilton added four receptions for 53 yards.
Hilton has recorded at least 850 receiving yards in seven of his eight seasons with the Colts. He's also had at least five touchdown catches in seven of eight seasons.
Defense: Not much went right for the Vikings defense in Week 1.
Minnesota allowed 43 points, the most under Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer, and the most at U.S. Bank Stadium since the venue opened in 2016.
Green Bay also racked up 522 total yards, which was the second-highest total allowed under Zimmer.
Minnesota's pass defense had a rough outing. Aaron Rodgers wasn't sacked and had his way against the Vikings new-look cornerbacks group.
According to analytics website Pro Football Focus, the trio of Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and Cameron Dantzler each gave up a touchdown pass Sunday. And in all, PFF assessed the group with allowing 20 receptions for 249 yards on 24 targets.
"There's a lot of football left to be played, but we have to get better quick," Zimmer said after Sunday's game.
Entering Week 2, the Vikings rank last in the league in both points and yards allowed per game.
The Colts, meanwhile, also struggled against the pass in Week 1. While Jacksonville only had 241 net yards of total offense, quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 19 of 20 passes for 173 yards and three scores.
Indianapolis did sack Minshew four times, with Denico Autry recording a pair of them. Justin Houston and Khari Willis also had sacks.
The Colts allowed 91 rushing yards on 23 attempts (4.0 yards per carry).
Special Teams: It was a quiet opener for Minnesota's specialists.
Dan Bailey made his lone field goal try from 35 yards out as the first half expired. He attempted (and made) just one extra point because the Vikings opted to go for 2-point conversions after three fourth quarter touchdowns. Minnesota was successful on all three 2-point tries, setting a franchise record for a single game.
Punter Britton Colquitt punted just twice for 80 yards, with both attempts going for 40 yards. Rookie K.J. Osborn had two kickoff returns for 64 yards, with a long of 38. He did not have the opportunity for a punt return because the only punt of the day by Green Bay landed out of bounds.
Colts rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship made two of three field goals, hitting from 25 and 38 yards out, but missing from 30. He added a pair of extra points.
Indianapolis did not punt Sunday and did not have a punt return, but the Colts tallied 90 yards on three kickoff returns.
Looking for a win
The Vikings will be looking for the first-ever road win against the Colts on Sunday.
Minnesota is 0-11 all-time on the road against the Colts, including a playoff game at the end of the 1968 season. The Vikings have lost all three road games since the Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984, falling in 2000, 2004 and 2012.
Before that, the Vikings were 0-8 against the Colts when they played in Baltimore.
Overall, Minnesota is 7-17-1 in its franchise history against the Colts.
The Vikings are also riding a five-game overall losing streak to the Colts, which dates back to 2000. Minnesota won five consecutive games in the series before the current skid.