Lions or Packers in NFC North battle? Will Ravens bounce back against Broncos?

Why Ali picked the Colts: Joe Flacco has faced Brian Flores’ defense twice before, in 2020 and ’21 while with the Jets, and neither of those starts ended in New York wins. But that was a (slightly) younger Joe Flacco, a castaway caught in QB purgatory — no longer the face of a franchise and not yet a Comeback Player of the Year. The 2024 version, though, has been granted a new lease on football life, as a grizzled 39-year-old — still boasting a live arm and coolness under pressure — once again tasked with leading a playoff contender. Flacco, in his 17th season, has seen it all and been through it all, and now finds himself surrounded by arguably the best offensive supporting cast of his career. If the Colts’ O-line — one of the league’s top units, but one that could be without starting LT Bernhard Raimann (concussion) — can handle its business against a Vikings pass rush that took a step back last week, we should see a more balanced Indy attack with Flacco at the controls. Like the Lions and Rams before them, the Colts must flip the script on Minnesota’s aggressive defense, and keep that group off-kilter — at least enough to compensate for Flacco’s lack of mobility and occasional YOLO ball. This should be a physical contest, with both teams striking from distance. Ultimately, I think the QB-change bump puts the Colts over in their first appearance on Sunday Night Football since Dec. 2022.