With the NFL’s 2022 schedule now released, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of all 32 NFL teams. Each schedule for all 32 teams will be split into the most difficult games (1-8) and the easiest games (9-17). Here are the Minnesota Vikings easiest games on their schedule in 2022, ranked in order with 17 being the easiest.
Check out the Minnesota Vikings Most Difficult Games of 2022.
Easiest Games on 2022 Minnesota Vikings Schedule
#9: Week 15 vs Indianapolis Colts
This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts attempted to improve the team offensively after a year-long experiment with Carson Wentz under center, trading for veteran quarterback Matt Ryan to take things over in Indianapolis. With Ryan running the show, the offense should be much improved. There are still some issues along the offensive line, being the same that allowed the second-most pressures in the NFL a year ago. Even with Jonathan Tayor too, the Vikings will put up a good fight at home. This won’t be an easy game by any means, but playing in Minneapolis is a major boost.
#10: Week 12 vs New England Patriots
The Vikings will welcome in Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving Night for a showdown on national television, a stage Minnesota has traditionally under-performed on. Although the Patriots still have an advantage of Belichick making the final decisions on the sidelines, they are without a few key pieces this season that they had in 2021. Notably, New England is now without offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and also lost lockdown cornerback JC Jackson in free agency this offseason. Those two exclusions could provide some hurdles for the Patriots and young quarterback Mac Jones, something the Vikings could take advantage of on Thanksgiving Night in Minneapolis.
#11: Week 13 @ New York Jets
In 2021, the New York Jets took some steps in the right direction during their attempt at a rebuild but still finished the year with a record of 4-13 and near the bottom of the NFL at the end of the regular season. This offseason, the Jets didn’t do a ton to make you believe they will take a large leap in the new year, meaning they could be a team in the bottom half of the league yet again in 2022. With that said, Minnesota should view this game as a very winnable one, even with it being on the road in New York. New York still isn’t quite there in terms of completing its rebuild, and even if quarterback Zach Wilson takes another step in improving this season, the Jets contest should be a fairly easy one for the Vikings.
#12: Week 14 @ Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are an interesting team in that they aren’t fully committed to a rebuild but are still kind of trying to rebuild at the same time. With that said, the Lions will likely be at the bottom of the NFC North once again this season and will likely be at the bottom of the NFL standings at the end of the regular season schedule as well. Detroit’s offense, led by Jared Goff at quarterback, was less-than-stellar in 2021, ranking 25th in points scored and 22nd in total yards on offense. Even with this game taking place in Detroit, which is never an easy task for Minnesota, the Vikings should be able to expose those offensive issues the Lions possess and take the game with ease in Week 14.
#13: Week 9 @ Washington Commanders
Not only did the Washington Commanders undergo changes with their team name this offseason, but they also brought in a new quarterback to lead the offense while trading for Wentz to take over. Washington managed to win seven games in 2021, and with Wentz, it should be able to improve upon that mark a bit in 2022. With that said, the Vikings should view this game as a very winnable road contest in the middle of the season in the nation’s capital. The Commanders defense ranked 25th in points allowed a season ago, something Minnesota should be able to take advantage of on the road.
#14: Week 18 @ Chicago Bears
It’s never a shoo-in to win a game on the road against an NFC North opponent, which is exactly what the Vikings will be faced with trying to do in Week 18 to round out the regular season against the Chicago Bears. Over the last few seasons, we’ve often seen Vikings at Bears games come down to the fourth quarter or a final possession to be decided, and that could certainly happen again in a cold environment in Chicago in the regular-season finale. Still, Justin Fields and company aren’t as strong as Minnesota this season and the Vikings should be able to out-perform a division rival, even if that does come down to the final quarter or a late-game possession in order to do so.
#15: Week 16 vs New York Giants
While Santa is preparing to deliver presents on Christmas Eve, the Vikings will be hosting the New York Giants at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in Week 16. New York, which finished the 2021 campaign with a record of 4-13 and sat near the bottom of the NFL, will try to finally turn the page and improve once and for all starting in 2022 with new head coach Brian Daboll who arrives from Buffalo to lead the team on the sidelines. Even with Daboll now calling plays in New York, the Giants are still dealing with the question marks that surround Daniel Jones at quarterback and could ultimately decide to move on from Jones during or after the 2022 season if another failed season appears. Minnesota should be able to take advantage of New York’s struggles and question marks on its home field on Christmas Eve.
#16: Week 5 vs Chicago Bears
The Bears will likely take some steps in the right direction in 2022, but they will still struggle after an interesting offseason leading into the new year. With the Bears now fully committed to Fields at quarterback, they didn’t do a ton to help him and provide him with a supporting cast during the offseason, even losing wide receiver Allen Robinson in free agency while removing a top target for Fields to utilize on offense. With Robinson gone, Chicago will have a tough time keeping up with the Vikings and Minnesota hosting this game will play in the favor of the purple and gold early in the season as well.
#17: Week 3 vs Detroit Lions
As noted earlier, the Lions are going to be a very beatable team for all of their opponents in 2022, and the Vikings are no exception to that. Early in the season, Minnesota should have no issues with Detroit on its home field in Minneapolis, and history has shown that the Vikings have good luck against the Lions in a home contest. Since 2017, Minnesota hasn’t lost to Detroit at home and that trend should extend beyond the 2022 campaign as well. The Vikings are better than the Lions, and this Week 3 divisional contest is the easiest game on the schedule for Minnesota this season.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
