Shortly after the conclusion of the 2021 NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings, which resulted in a Week 18 win over the Chicago Bears to round out the regular season schedule, the focus now shifts to the upcoming year while other teams take part in the playoffs. Although this season ended in disappointment for Minnesota, failing to reach the postseason for a second consecutive time, what’s done is done and this year is now in the books. With many questions now present heading into the off-season, the Vikings will immediately start to prepare for the upcoming 2022 campaign to ultimately try and return the playoffs. With another year behind them, the Vikings now know who they will be playing and where during the 2022 season, although the final Vikings 2022 schedule is yet to be announced
Minnesota Vikings 2022 Schedule: What We Know
With Minnesota taking second place in the NFC North behind the Green Bay Packers and ahead of the Bears and Detroit Lions this season, that means the Vikings will play teams from the NFC West, AFC South and NFC South who finished in second place in their respective divisions, along with teams in the NFC North as usual. The schedule also includes a rotation through an entire AFC division — in this case East — and an entire NFC division — also East. The AFC rotation changes every four years, compared to every three years within the conference.
With the new 17-game season that began this year, Minnesota will also host nine home games in 2022, as will all NFC teams after playing nine road games during the 2021 campaign. With that said, here are who the Vikings will play both home and away in 2022:
Home Opponents
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- Arizona Cardinals
- New York Jets
- New England Patriots
- Indianapolis Colts
At first glance with the home opponents, that is a tough schedule for Minnesota based on what took place in 2021 and if those teams return to form in 2022. There obviously is the NFC North trio, which always seem to be tough games for the Vikings regardless of how those teams are talent-wise or how they have been performing.
Outside of the divisional opponents, a few of the other teams who will travel to Minneapolis are either playoff teams in 2021, such as Dallas, Arizona and New England, or were teams right on the cusp of postseason appearances, such as Indianapolis. Both New York teams have struggled the last few years and will likely remain that way in 2022, so at least those two contests should be very winnable games for the Vikings.
Away Opponents
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Football Team
- New Orleans Saints
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
When it comes to the away opponents for the Vikings, they are going to be equally as tough as the home games are if the teams on the schedule continue to improve from what took place this year. As for the NFC North opponents, as tough as they can be for Minnesota regardless of location, facing them on the road has been one of the thorns in the Vikings side on an annual basis and that will likely be the case once again in 2022.
Other than the division rivals, there are two 2021 playoff teams on the list of away opponents, such as Philadelphia and Buffalo, and the other three teams — Washington, New Orleans and Miami — were all in the hunt for postseason spots until they ultimately fell short of doing so. Like the home slate of games, the away schedule isn’t going to be an easy feat for the the Vikings.
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Minnesota will have the hopes to trying to rebound and ultimately return to the playoffs in 2022, whether or not it is led by a different head coach and/or features some different talent on the field. After learning of the opponents who will fill out their schedule, the Vikings might have a tough road ahead of them in accomplishing that in 2022.
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