During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL. We will be ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8); and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the Minnesota Vikings most difficult games are the focus.
Minnesota Vikings Most Difficult Games in 2016
8. Week 15 at Indianapolis Colts
This week 15 match up could very well turn out to be one of the Vikings easiest games or their hardest. It really depends on which version of Andrew Luck shows up. There’s no doubt that the Colts can play. Their defense is still the biggest question mark swirling around the organization. Despite a rocky 2015, the Colts still have a quarterback who threw 40 touchdowns in 2014, and is poised for a bounce back year.
7. Week 10 at the Washington Redskins
Behind Kirk Cousins and Jordan Reed the Redskins made it back to the playoffs and found themselves ranked number 10 in term of points scored per game. The good news for the Vikings is that the Redskins lost Alfred Morris and may have a tougher time running the ball as a result. If Cousins gets his way, the Vikings could be in trouble.
6. Week 3 vs the New York Giants
If the Minnesota Vikings are finally ready for prime time then Monday night on October 3rd vs the Giants will most definitely be the time to show it. While the Giants weren’t particularly the toughest team in football in 2015, their offense ranked 8th and Eli Manning still found a way to win 6 games despite having the third easiest defense to score on. Prime time television is why this game ranks as number 6 on our list.
5. Week 5 vs the Houston Texans
The NFL’s 3rd ranked defense in 2015 in terms of total yards, and now with the addition of Brock Osweiler on offense makes the 2016 Texans a force that should not be reckoned with. The Texans will make Teddy Bridgewater pay for being a young NFL QB. The ground game is the best bet here for Vikings; but this game could very well turn into one of the toughest in 2016.
4. Week 2 vs the Green Bay Packers
Divisional match ups are almost always amongst a team’s toughest games. This is especially true if its a game against a team that has beaten you time and time again. While a narrow win in week 17 gave the Minnesota Vikings the division title, the Packers still went 10-6. Despite the team’s massive struggles on offense, no reasonable individual should doubt Aaron Rodgers‘ ability to become a game changer on any given play along with Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson.
3. Week 11 vs the Arizona Cardinals
Bruce Arians has cooked up something delicious in Arizona, including the career revival of Carson Palmer and Chris Johnson. The Cardinals manufactured the league’s second highest scoring offense and fifth best defense last year. A birth in the NFC championship game makes them a scary team to be challenged. If the Vikings have any hope to win this one, it’s going to be a strategically planned out war of attrition.
2. Week 16 at the Green Bay Packers
This game will most likely decide the division between the Vikings and Packers, for this reason it ranks second on our list. The Packers lost 13-20 in week 17 last year and should be looking for revenge. The Packers also added Nelson back to the lineup after he missed all of last season. It’s hard imagining the Vikings winning this game without forcing a few turnovers from Rodgers, something he doesn’t do often.
1. Week 3 vs the Carolina Panthers
While this game takes place in week 3 it has many implications for the Vikings in 2016. A win could very easily send them on a course for a string of victories. Even though the Panthers couldn’t hoist the Lombardi trophy in 2015, they still ranked as one of the games most fearsome NFL defenses. In addition, Cam Newton will have a healthy Kelvin Benjamin back in the lineup to add to the Panthers systems of threats. While this is a winnable match up for the Vikings, Bridgewater will have to make the most out of every opportunity that he is given.
Be sure to check out the eight easiest games on the Vikings schedule.
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