If the 2023 Minnesota Vikings don’t have a better defense next season they could be in for a bumpy ride, because their schedule won’t do them any favors. So it goes for a team that wins the NFC North and scrapes out 13 victories, 11 of them decided by one score.
The scariest thought about the 2023 schedule so far is that Minnesota is guaranteed to play both teams that reach the Super Bowl this season. What’s worse is that they’re guaranteed to face all four teams in the conference championship round.
Minnesota will host the 49ers and Chiefs and play the Eagles and Bengals on the road. Again, if the Vikings don’t have big improvements on defense and those four teams are anywhere near as good as they are right now, we could be looking at four losses before the season even starts.
Here’s a reminder of the home games the Vikings have next season:
- San Francisco 49ers (13-4) – NFC West champs
- Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) – AFC West champs
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
- New Orleans Saints (7-10)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) – NFC South champs
- Green Bay Packers (8-9)
- Chicago Bears (3-14)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
And the Vikings will play these eight teams on the road:
- Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) – NFC East champs
- Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) – AFC North champs
- Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
- Carolina Panthers (7-10)
- Denver Broncos (5-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
- Green Bay Packers (8-9)
- Chicago Bears (3-14)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
That’s a terrifying list of opponents that includes six teams that made the playoffs this season and division foes in Chicago and Detroit that are sure to be better.
The Bears are $92 million under the cap (per Over The Cap) and can improve their roster greatly, while the Lions have a good shot at being the favorite to win the NFC North based on the way they finished this season, which included a convincing win over Minnesota.
