We now know the 2019 schedule for the Vikings.
Minnesota and the rest of the NFC North will play the AFC North this season. The Vikings also have five prime-time games on the docket.
Because I know everything about football unlike my sports editor and boss, here’s a ranking of the toughest games they’ll play this season.
1. Week 4 at Chicago
The Vikings never win at Chicago and it doesn’t matter who the coach or players are. It’s completely a mental lapse every time they stroll into Soldier Field.
Even though Chicago fans haven’t realized that Mitchell Trubisky is the next Christian Ponder, their defense is still legit and is sure to give Kirk Cousins fits.
2. Week 9 at Kansas City
Arrowhead Stadium is well documented as one of the toughest places to play.
When you add in reigning MVP and freak of nature, Patrick Mahomes, this doesn’t bode well for the Vikings.
3. Week 10 at Dallas
Following up what will likely be a loss to the Chiefs, the Vikings have to travel to Dallas the very next week. You could make a compelling case it’s their toughest back-to-back of the season.
Even though the Cowboys always seem to be a tad overrated by the national media, winning on the road is tough. Oh, and it’s in prime time and a certain quarterback who makes $27 million a season never seems to come through in said games.
4. Week 12 at Seattle
This is another prime-time game and it’s in Seattle. Last year’s squad visited the Seahawks on Monday Night Football and Cousins threw a pass backwards…
Yeah, that’s a loss.
5. Week 17 vs. Chicago
For the 100th consecutive season – okay it’s only the fourth-consecutive time – the Vikings close out their season at home against the Bears.
Yes, it’s at U.S. Bank Stadium, but it’s not a given they pull off a win. Hopefully the Vikings have already clinched a playoff spot by then so they don’t have a repeat of last year.
6. Week 15 at Los Angeles Chargers
I’m a big fan of Phillip Rivers and even though playing in California in December is an ideal road game, it will be tough to come away with victory.
It will also be late in the season and you never know who could be injured by then.
7. Week 1 vs. Atlanta
It seems the Falcons are still on a hangover from their epic Super Bowl collapse.
A bunch of their defensive starters were injured early in the season last year. I think the Vikings secure win but Matt Ryan’s a good quarterback and it would very Minnesota sports for the Vikings to lose at home to open the season.
8. Week 7 at Detroit
The Vikings nearly shot themselves in the foot last year in Detroit with a slow start.
Even though Matt Patrica is the biggest piece of work among coaches in the league, I think the Lions will be better this year. I certainly don’t think they can be any worse than they were last season.
9. Week 9 vs. Redskins
As a whole, the Redskins don’t scare me but it’s the storylines coming into the game that has me concerned.
Kirk Cousins’ former team, Case Keenum now under center in Washington, Adrian Peterson still putting up numbers in his mid-30s …. this has all the ingredients for an upset in a revenge game on steroids.
10. Week 3 vs. Raiders
Again, Oakland isn’t a juggernaut or the toughest team the Vikings will see, but Jon Gruden has a method to his (crazy) madness.
If they land a couple of studs with their two first-round picks and Derek Carr takes a step forward, they could be in line for an upset.
11. Week 6 vs. Eagles
Maybe I’m too low on the Eagles, but if Carson Wentz returns to form that saw him put up MVP numbers in 2017, Philadelphia should be in good hands.
Also, do I even need to mention the last time the Vikings were expected to beat a vulnerable Eagles team?
12. Week 11 vs. Broncos
John Elway can’t pick out a quarterback (that’s not named Peyton Manning) to save his life. After trading away Keenum, he replaced him with Joe Flacco.
So yeah, they have that going for them.
13. Week 14 vs. Detroit
The Vikings typically take care of business against the Lions on home turf, last season’s Dalvin Cook injury-marred game notwithstanding.
And although I think this Detroit team will be better, they’ll likely have mailed it in by this point in the season.
14. Week 5 at New York Giants
The Giants are awful. There’s no way of getting around it. Eli Manning is a shell of himself and you can’t hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley 40 times against this defense.
15. Week 16 vs. Green Bay
New head coach? Who cares. Defensive upgrades in free agency? Big whoop.
This team hasn’t made the playoffs the past two seasons and ownership is wasting prime years of Aaron Rodgers.
16. Week 2 at Green Bay
Lambeau Field in September is the ideal time to head to Green Bay.
Also, see reasons above.
Note: We know Packers fans are angry after reading this, but we’re a Minnesota website and it’s our duty to take cheap shots as often as possible.
