The Minnesota Vikings won the NFC North in 2022 with an amazing string of one-score victories that led to a 13-4 record under first-year coach Kevin O’Connell.
A 31-24 home playoff loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card round, however, is the last impression – and perhaps a reason why Detroit is the pick to win the NFC North this season.
Is that pick justified? Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Minnesota has All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson under contract for two more seasons. Star running back Davin Cook is expected to be traded, however, and that move would mean that the Vikings are at least looking toward the future.
It’s still a win-now year in the NFC North. The Lions have the highest win total on early over/unders at 9.5, but the Vikings are second at 8.5. The Bears and Packers are on equal footing at 7.5. The window for everyone is open now that Aaron Rodgers was traded from Green Bay to the New York Jets.
The Vikings have a first-place NFC North schedule that features games against the NFC South and AFC West.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Vikings’ 2023 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
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Minnesota Vikings schedule 2023
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| 1 | Sept. 10 | vs. Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 2 | Sept. 14 | at Eagles (TNF) | 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
| 3 | Sept. 24 | vs. Chargers | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 1 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 5 | Oct. 8 | at Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 15 | at Bears | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | vs. 49ers (MNF) | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 8 | Oct. 29 | at Packers | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 9 | Nov. 5 | at Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 10 | Nov. 12 | vs. Saints | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 11 | Nov. 19 | at Broncos (SNF) | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 12 | Nov. 27 | at Bears (MNF) | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 13 | Dec. 3 | Bye | ||
| 14 | Dec. 10 | at Raiders | 4:05 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 15 | Dec. 16 | at Bengals (Saturday) | 1 p.m. ET | NFLN |
| 16 | Dec. 24 | vs. Lions | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 17 | Dec. 31 | vs. Packers (SNF) | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 18 | TBD | at Lions | TBD | TBD |
That first-place NFC North schedule means Minnesota will play a first-place schedule that includes 2022 division winners San Francisco, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay in 2023. The NFC South tour makes it a bit of an easier schedule.
The Vikings were the only NFC North team to make the postseason, and the only other playoff teams from 2022 on the schedule will come from the AFC. The Chiefs, Chargers and Bengals – Minnesota’s 17th game opponent — also are on the schedule.
MORE: NFL strength of schedule breakdown for all 32 teams
Vikings strength of schedule
The Vikings have the ninth-toughest schedule in the NFL for 2023, per Sharp Football Analysis. This analysis is based on the projected win totals for each of Minnesota’s opponents for the upcoming season rather than their record in 2023.
That is what adding the Bengals, Eagles and 49ers schedules does to a schedule. Among the NFC North teams, Minnesota has the roughest schedule because of those additions. Chicago (5th easiest), Detroit (8th easiest) and Green Bay (12th easiest) are on the other end of that spectrum, which will make it more difficult for the Vikings to repeat as NFC North champions.
Toughest tests: The Vikings were 4-3 on the road last year, and the two toughest road games on the schedule are at Philadelphia and Cincinnati. Those are Super Bowl contenders who combined for a 16-3 record at home last season (including postseason).
The rest of the road schedule outside the division features road games at Denver, Las Vegas, Carolina and Atlanta last season. That’s two indoor stadiums at least, but those four teams were .500 or better at home last season. Given Minnesota’s inconsistencies, none of those games can be taken for granted.
Biggest breaks: U.S. Bank Stadium has been friendly to the Vikings. Since Cousins arrived in 2018, Minnesota is 27-15 at home. That’s the fourth-best home record in the NFC behind Green Bay (34-9-1), Dallas (30-13) and Los Angeles (30-14).
It’s one of the toughest environments to play in, and that will help in tough home games against the 49ers, Chargers and Chiefs. Kansas City was 7-2 on the road last season. Minnesota also gets Tampa Bay and New Orleans at home, and both teams are breaking in new quarterbacks in Baker Mayfield and Derek Carr, respectively. The NFC South draw was kind to Minnesota this time.
Bottom line: Let’s give the Vikings credit for last year. Minnesota won 11 one-score games, and eight of those games were a result of Cousins leading a fourth-quarter comeback.
So, why are the Lions favored? Detroit won seven of its last nine games, and the Vikings suffered late-season losses at Ford Field and against Green Bay at Lambeau Field. That, combined with the playoff flop has led the oddsmakers to cool on Minnesota.
The Cook saga is worth watching and the Vikings didn’t make a splash in free agency, but they drafted well enough. USC receiver Jordan Addison will thrive with Jefferson – even as a rookie – and the defense addressed cornerback with USC’s Mekhi Blackmon and LSU’s Jay Ward.
As usual, it will come down to the NFC North games. The Vikings were 4-2 in the NFC North last season. Since signing with Minnesota in 2018, Cousins has winning records against Detroit (8-2) and Chicago (5-4), and he had a 4-4-1 record as a starter against the Packers – and that was with Rodgers.
There might be some value in Minnesota knowing that O’Connell engineered an impressive one-year turnaround, and they could easily reclaim the NFC North again. Those matchups against the Lions will determine whether they go over or under. A 10-win season could still take the division.
Record prediction: 9-8