Jon Gruden believes Steichen will solve Flores as Colts upset Vikings

Gruden has Indianapolis coming into U.S. Bank Stadium and pulling off a shocker on Sunday.

Most of the football-watching world believes the Vikings will improve to 6-0 this week as they host a Colts team coming off a brutal loss to the Titans. Minnesota is favored by 6.5 points, which is the second-biggest spread of the week. Common sense says the NFL’s best defense going against a struggling Daniel Jones and the team with the league’s worst turnover margin is a recipe for a Vikings victory.

But there are some who disagree. Among them: Barstool Sports’ Jon Gruden, who picked the Colts because he believes Shane Steichen is going to be the first to solve Brian Flores’ elite defense this season.

“I don’t think you guys know Shane Steichen,” Gruden said on the Gruden Family Football Show. “This guy’s a difference-maker as a coach. He’s gonna have the best game plan to date against this Brian Flores pressure defense. You’ll see some run audibles against some of these fronts that are really productive.

“Remember I said this. They’re gonna throw some hots. Steichen will do some things — I mean Miami almost beat Minnesota. Who are you guys watching? Minnesota can’t score. So right now, I’m Shane Steichen, ‘Hey guys, we’re gonna be in the game. Because they ain’t gonna score. And we’re gonna have a great game plan.'”

Gruden’s brother Jay disagreed.

“This is a bad week to get back on track,” Jay said. “They are gonna pressure Daniel Jones unmercifully and Brian Flores will have no pity over the Colts and they will destroy this team, in my opinion.”

Jay, who had Kevin O’Connell on his coaching staff for three years when he was the head coach in Washington, also pointed out that the Vikings have allowed a grand total of three points in the fourth quarter through five games.

Jon wasn’t backing down.

“I love Daniel Jones,” he said. “I know this guy. They’re 5-0, the Vikings, they got every reason to win. This is the upset special. The Colts! It’s happening this week. You watch.”

Gruden isn’t the only one picking the upset. ESPN’s Seth Walder is also on the Colts train.

“The Colts will win,” Walder wrote. “It doesn’t make sense: The Vikings are undefeated, and the Colts literally just fired their general manager. But football doesn’t always make sense. And I can’t get over the fact that the Vikings have recorded a minus-0.09 EPA per play with QB Kyler Murray on the field this season. One of these games, Flores’ defense won’t be able to secure a win on its own.”

Both Walder and Gruden, in bringing up the Vikings’ offense, seem to be completely ignoring the fact that Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison have played a total of 18 snaps together this season due to injury. The Vikings have also been without running back Jordan Mason for a month. All of those weapons will be out there on Sunday.

Gruden is also ignoring that Steichen’s Colts scored six offensive points in a loss to Flores and the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2024, albeit with Joe Flacco at quarterback.

Anything’s possible in the NFL. But it’s hard to see how the Colts win this one when you look at the numbers.

https://bringmethesports.com/jon-gruden-believes-steichen-will-solve-flores-as-colts-upset-vikings