Already nearing the midway point in the 2021 NFL regular season, the start to the year has been one filled with plenty of ups and downs for the Minnesota Vikings. After a rough start to the season, Minnesota has bounced back with a few wins going into Week 7, the Vikings bye week as they prepare for the final 11 games of the year.
Going into the bye, Minnesota holds a record of 3-3 overall. A .500 record is a decent result given the start to the regular season and the outlook of the team after just a few weeks. Entering Week 7 action, the Vikings sit in second place in the NFC North along with the Chicago Bears. The Bears play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 in Tampa Bay. Both the Vikings and Bears remain behind the Green Bay Packers who have a strong hold on the division. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions sit at the bottom of the division standings.
The Vikings will have their work cut out for them the rest of the season. Notably, their schedule over the next seven weeks increases in challenge, starting with a Sunday Night Football Week 8 matchup.
Minnesota Vikings Schedule Presents Make or Break Games out of Bye Week
Remaining Minnesota Vikings Schedule
- Week 8 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Week 9 at Baltimore Ravens
- Week 10 at Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 11 vs. Green Bay Packers
- Week 12 at San Francisco 49ers
- Week 13 at Detroit Lions
- Week 14 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 15 at Chicago Bears
- Week 16 vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Week 17 at Green Bay Packers
- Week 18 vs. Chicago Bears
Out of the Week 7 bye, Minnesota’s schedule will immediately make or break its season. Over the next five games and for really the next seven weeks, the Vikings have some talented opponents to try and top.
Over the next seven games, Minnesota will face teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay, San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers. All those teams have the potential to be playoff teams or contenders for the postseason. Outside of those six opponents, the Vikings do take on the Lions in Week 13 on the road, which should be a winnable game. Minnesota, however, had a tough time with Detroit in Week 5 in Minnesota.
Excluding Detroit, most of the Vikings opponents are near the top of the NFL standings while the others are right near the .500 mark. Many are appear better than their records might reflect right now. Dallas, Baltimore, Green Bay and Los Angeles are all well above .500, while San Francisco and Pittsburgh are right near that .500 mark.
Challenging Prime Time Games
Along with facing tough opponents, two of those games will be in prime time. In Week 8, Minnesota hosts Dallas on Sunday Night Football, and in Week 14 hosts Pittsburgh on Thursday Night Football. The national stage has been an area where the Vikings struggle performing when the lights are shining the brightest. The Vikings must step up in these moments this season.
Outside of the prime time games, Minnesota also faces Green Bay, which is never an easy game regardless of location. They also challenge competitive AFC opponents in Baltimore and Los Angeles. Thus far the AFC out-battles the NFC in matches; the Vikings have the potential to be the outlier. They have no choice but to if they want to make the playoffs.
Beyond that seven-week span, the Vikings schedule features mainly NFC North opponents, which should result in more victories than defeats. Those games, traditionally, are no easy task.
The Vikings rollercoaster year is now sailing past the Week 7 bye. Their upcoming schedule for the purple and gold will be even tougher to deal with. And it could make or break the Vikings year before the regular season concludes.
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