Sunday Night Football odds, NFL prediction, spread: Vikings vs. Colts picks by Minnesota expert on 46-19 run

Teams looking to get back on track will meet when the Indianapolis Colts battle the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Indianapolis is coming off a 23-20 loss at Houston, while Minnesota has lost two in a row, including a 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts (4-4), second in the AFC South standings, are 1-3 on the road this season. The Vikings (5-2), third in the NFC North standings, are 3-1 on their home field. Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is expected to make his season debut after suffering a knee injury late last season. 

Kickoff from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Minnesota is a 5.5-point favorite in the latest Vikings vs. Colts odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 47. Before you make any Colts vs. Vikings picks or predictions, make sure to check out the NFL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein, considering his mastery of picks involving Minnesota.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Hartstein’s weekly Vegas contest selections form the basis of his NFL best bets column, which is 79-48-2 (62.2%, +25.95 units) since its inception in 2022. He’s also an amazing 46-19-2 (+2446) on his last 67 NFL picks against the spread involving the Vikings. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen strong returns. 

Now, Hartstein has locked in on Colts vs. Vikings and just revealed his coveted NFL picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for Vikings vs. Colts:

• Vikings vs. Colts spread: Minnesota -5.5
• Vikings vs. Colts over/under: 46.5 points
• Vikings vs. Colts money line: Indianapolis +199, Minnesota -244
• IND: Colts have covered the spread in 14 of their last 20 games (+7.30 units)
• MIN: Vikings have hit the money line in 11 of their last 19 games (+4.55 units)
• Vikings vs. Colts picks: See picks at SportsLine
• Vikings vs. Colts streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)

Why the Vikings can cover

Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold has completed 67.2% of his passes for 1,610 yards and 14 touchdowns with just five interceptions and a 107.2 rating. In a 34-7 win over the Houston Texans on Sept. 22, he completed 17 of 28 passes (60.7%) for 181 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 20 of 28 passes (71.4%) for 275 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in a 31-29 win at Green Bay on Sept. 29.

Darnold’s top target is wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He leads the team with 41 receptions for 646 yards (15.8 average) and five touchdowns with 187 yards after the catch and 28 first-down conversions. He has 10 explosive plays of 20 or more yards, including a long of 97. He has a touchdown in five of the Vikings’ seven games. He is coming off an eight-catch, 115-yard performance in the loss to the Rams. See who to back at SportsLine.

Why the Colts can cover

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco steps in as Indianapolis’ starter after the team benched former first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson. In parts of four games, Flacco has been solid, connecting on 71 of 108 passes (65.7%) for 716 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception and a 102.2 rating. In a start at Jacksonville on Oct. 6, Flacco completed 33 of 44 passes (75%) for 359 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Jonathan Taylor has been dominant in the run game for the Colts. He has reached 100 or more yards in three of five starts this season. He has carried 92 times for 454 yards (4.9 average) and five touchdowns. He also has five explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 29. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make Colts vs. Vikings picks

Hartstein has analyzed Colts vs. Vikings from every possible angle, and while we can tell you he’s leaning Over the total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. Find out what it is, and which team to back, at SportsLine. 

So who wins Colts vs. Vikings on Sunday Night Football, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Colts vs. Vikings spread to back, all from the expert who is 46-19 on picks involving Minnesota, and find out.