2024 Vikings Schedule Discussion Thread

Week 1 — AT Giants

Entertainment value rank: 15

Difficulty rank: 16

As far as openers go, this one is a snoozer. If you were to make a list of the least compelling teams in the NFL, the Giants would probably be at the top. They are quarterbacked by a player they seemingly tried to replace in the draft and severely lack in star talent with Saquon Barkley playing in Philly now.

The only intrigue lies in top receiver Malik Nabers’ debut and the anxiety that will come from Vikings fans when their team starts the season against a team that everyone will expect them to beat. Week 1 feels like the worst time to play a bad team because there are always strange results in the opener.

Week 2 — Vs. 49ers

Entertainment value rank: 3

Difficulty rank: 2

The best moment of the Vikings’ 2023 season was beating the 49ers at US Bank Stadium — a game in which Jordan Addison introduced himself to the world with two touchdowns and 123 yards. Certainly the 49ers haven’t forgotten that loss.

With all the talent and recent success the 49ers have had, they make for a tremendous barometer for a Vikings team that we aren’t going to be sure about until a few weeks into the season. Last year we began to see Brian Flores’ defense come together in that game against so many offensive weapons — will it be even better this time around or still need time to galvanize because of the new players? Can the offensive line hold up for QB1?

The recent history between these two teams could be described as knock-down-drag-out so this one that everyone should be circling on the calendar.

Week 3 — Vs. Texans

Entertainment value rank: 12

Difficulty rank: 4

The Vikings and Texans have so many revenge game narratives that it’s hard to keep them all straight. Quick rundown:

— The last time Stefon Diggs faced his former team was in Buffalo 2022 and despite being shown up by Justin Jefferson he still caught 12 passes for 128 yards. You can bet he will want to repeat that part of playing his former team.

— The Vikings consistently kicked the can down the road with Danielle Hunter rather than going all in with a long-term deal. The Texans kept his contract relatively short but nearly fully guaranteed the money. Maybe he will do a money sign like Rudy Gobert if he gets a sack, just for a different reason.

— Likewise the Texans elected to let Jonathan Greenard and Blake Cashman walk after they had terrific 2023 seasons.

— The Texans cut Vikings corner Shaq Griffin during the 2023 season.

— The No. 23 overall pick that the Texans traded with the Vikings ultimately turned into Diggs for the Texans and Dallas Turner for the Vikings.

Good times. Oh, by the way, Houston is probably the most offseason hyped team in the NFL. With CJ Stroud exploding on the scene last season, DeMeco Ryans’ group is expected to be a legit Super Bowl contender. Coming off the game against San Francisco, this isn’t an easy draw.

Week 4 — AT Packers

Entertainment value rank: 6

Difficulty rank: 3

Just when you thought all those years of traveling to Lambeau wondering what magic Aaron Rodgers was going to pull out of his hat were over, now the Vikings head to the land of cheese and quarterbacks to see another magician in Jordan Love. Certainly everyone in Minnesota, including the team/coaches/front office is hoping that Love’s second half of 2023 was a small sample size fluke but his overall numbers and highlight reel point more toward the direction of a laser show in Titletown every year.

How will the Vikings slow down Matt LaFleur’s offense? Did they learn something from last year’s shellacking at US Bank Stadium at the hands of Love last year?

Oh, by the way, Aaron Jones’ return to Lambeau should add a layer of tension to this one.

The only downside is that the Vikings are going to Lambeau in the fall rather than winter. Well, actually that’s a downside for football lore more than the Vikings. They usually play much better in Green Bay when it isn’t zero degrees.

Week 5 — Vs. Jets (London)

Entertainment value rank: 9

Difficulty rank: 10

Does Aaron Rodgers believe that England exists? We are going to find out.

OK the real question might be if Rodgers is healthy by Week 5 and how much of the old Rodgers that tortured the Vikings for nearly two decades is still there. The Jets still have a monster defense and playmakers that could prove quite difficult for the Vikings to slow down if Rodgers can get them the ball. The Jets might be one of the hardest teams to project in the entire league. You could see it coming together being a force or petering out quickly.

With Mike Zimmer now coaching in Dallas, this game doesn’t have an obvious narrative but Sauce Gardner vs. Justin Jefferson Round 2 is a battle worth paying for. Just try to ignore the “should there be an NFL team in England?” questions that Vikings players will have to answer repeatedly.

Must-watch game: Falcons at Vikings, Week 14

Why? You know why.

Six topsy-turvy seasons. Unfulfilled expectations. After all of it, Kirk Cousins left and will be returning for the first time.

What type of reaction will the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd give him? How will he perform against the team he feels did not believe in him enough? What will his interactions be like with former teammates like Justin Jefferson and coach Kevin O’Connell? This should be emotional, juicy and entertaining all at once.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 2-8

It’s a combination of opposing talent, opposing coaches and travel.

Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers need no explanation. The Houston Texans are the darling of NFL upstarts. The Green Bay Packers at Lambeau won’t be easy. Then the Vikings have to fly to London to face Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets, a quarterback who won’t be afraid of Flores’ defense.

The bye week is nice, but a home matchup against the Detroit Lions will be tough, as will a short week against Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the Vikings could lose all of these games.

Game that has gotten tougher: at Bears, Week 12

The Bears defense ranked in the top 10 last year in both success rate and explosive play rate. The unit was, for all intents and purposes, good.

Chicago’s defensive play caller, Matt Eberflus, is still around. Its key players (Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson) remain. Add a potentially transcendent quarterback to the mix along with Keenan Allen, first-round pick Rome Odunze and even a promising punter in Tory Taylor, and an NFC North foe that split the season series last year is considerably more formidable.

One game the Vikings can’t afford to lose: vs. Cardinals, Week 13

There is not one opponent on the Vikings’ schedule that feels like an obvious win. The Giants have plenty of issues, but they should be better than last year. The Tennessee Titans might not have an elite quarterback in Will Levis, but they did add talent in L’Jarius Sneed and Calvin Ridley. The Seattle Seahawks hired a highly regarded staff. The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t pushovers.

The Cardinals offense will be better with Marvin Harrison Jr. But because this matchup takes place in Minnesota and the rest of the schedule is so tough, this is a game the Vikings need to win to have any shot at surprising folks in the NFC.

Best offense the Vikings will face: 49ers (Week 2)

Seven names explain this selection: Kyle Shanahan, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk and Trent Williams.

San Francisco is a juggernaut. It led the NFL in success rate and explosive play rate in 2023. Argue about Brock Purdy all you want, and he did throw two interceptions against Flores’ defense last year. Still, he operates Shanahan’s offense efficiently.

Stopping them — and beating them — two years in a row is going to be a mighty tall task. (The Texans are an honorable mention.)

Best defense the Vikings will face: Jets (Week 5)

All of the Aaron Rodgers hoopla masks an important truth: The Jets defense is menacing. Quinnen Williams anchors New York’s pass rush, but it helps that the Jets added Haason Reddick. C.J. Mosley orchestrates the calls from the second level. Cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed are as good a tandem as there is in the NFL. And their coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, is unafraid to dial up the heat.

No matter who’s doing the quarterbacking, this is a game where the Vikings are going to have to commit to the ground game to avoid frequent third-and-longs.

Predicted record: 8-9

If Cousins were at quarterback, the prediction would not be much more optimistic. There are still major questions at quarterback, on the offensive line, on the interior of the defensive line and at cornerback.

Health is also an important factor for players like Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Byron Murphy Jr. and Christian Darrisaw. The Vikings aren’t loaded with depth, so any of these players missing time would hurt viscerally.

Unlike last year, when the Vikings faced Jake Browning, Aidan O’Connell, Justin Fields, Taylor Heinicke, Bryce Young and Derek Carr, the worst quarterbacks Minnesota matches up with this year are Will Levis, Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Caleb Williams and Kyler Murray.

Predicted NFC North finish: Fourth

1. Detroit, 2. Green Bay, 3. Chicago, 4. Minnesota

The Lions added defensive tackle D.J. Reader and cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to their defense while keeping all of their key offensive cogs. The Packers discarded defensive coordinator Joe Barry for Jeff Hafley, which should help. The Bears vastly improved their offense (Williams, Allen, Odunze, etc.). And although the Vikings enhanced their defense and have a host of offensive weapons, it feels like they’re still missing the requisite depth.