As the 2020 NFL season quietly approaches, Last Word on Pro Football once again will look at the schedules of each team and rank their matchups, from most difficult to easiest games. In this article, we will take a look at the Minnesota Vikings‘ eight most difficult games. The team faces the league’s tenth-hardest strength of schedule.
Minnesota Vikings Most Difficult Games in 2020
1. Week 10: at Chicago Bears
This Monday Night Football division matchup may not jump off the page to the casual fan, but Soldier Field has been a house of horrors for the Vikings the past two decades. In fact, the Vikings have only won there three times since the 2001 season despite the Bears not being a consistent contender. And even in those three victories, Minnesota needed to kick a game-winning field goal in the last minute to win. There is no reason to believe that 2020 will be any different after the Bears won the 2019 matchup with backup quarterback Chase Daniel filling in for Mitchell Trubisky following an early injury.
2. Week 8: at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings’ biggest rival is always a handful at Lambeau Field. While Minnesota has gone 2-3-1 at Green Bay since head coach Mike Zimmer took the reins in 2014, Lambeau is another meat-grinder for the Vikings. Fortunately for Minnesota, this matchup comes after a bye week, so they will be well-rested, but weird things always happen in Green Bay. Last season, a late Kirk Cousins interception in the endzone ruined what would have been a 21-point comeback. Two years ago, rookie kicker Daniel Carlson missed three field goals which led to a 29-29 tie.
3. Week 16: at New Orleans Saints
Possibly the team’s biggest out-of-division rival, the Vikings have ruined two of the Saints’ past three playoff runs in heart-breaking fashion. While the Superdome is one of the toughest venues in the league for opposing teams, the Vikings won there in last season’s wild card round. Unfortunately, this game will be played on Christmas Day, which is a Friday, making a long road trip that much more difficult. If each team performs as they hope to and the game has playoff implications, expect passions to be sky-high.
4. Week 5: at Seattle Seahawks
A primetime game in Seattle is always a tough draw, and for the third straight season the Vikings get that draw. Minnesota lost each game and hasn’t defeated the Seahawks since 2009, going 0-6 in those games. The Seahawks may not be among the NFL’s elite anymore, but there’s no reason to expect them to not be in the playoff hunt once again.
5. Week 1: vs. Green Bay Packers
Minnesota’s division title hopes ended in 2019 when they lost at home to the Packers. That was their first loss at U.S. Bank Stadium to their NFC North rivals, but their games are almost always tough. And with Aaron Rodgers as quarterback, the Vikings are never safe. This game will also be interesting because teams will have dealt with an abbreviated off-season. How that affects teams in the regular season is yet to be seen. Will offenses or defenses have the upper hand early on? If offenses do, the Packers have the edge here. If defenses have the edge, the Vikings have the edge.
6. Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
An old-school NFC Central rivalry is renewed, and Tom Brady adds extra intrigue to this game. Like the Saints game, this matchup could have major playoff implications for each team. Fortunately for the Vikings, a road trip in December to the south may be welcome.
7. Week 4: at Houston Texans
Traveling down to face a playoff team could be tough for Minnesota, but the Texans seem to be in limbo with where to go in their future. After departing with DeAndre Hopkins and others this off-season, Houston could completely bottom out in 2020. If that’s the case, the Vikings could have a very favorable matchup Week 4.
8. Week 3: Tennessee Titans
The AFC runner-up comes to U.S. Bank Stadium Week 3 in what could be a potentially dangerous matchup for Minnesota. Titans running back Derrick Henry led the NFL in rushing in 2019 before he dominated in each of the Titans two playoff victories. The Vikings boasted the league’s 13th-ranked rush defense in 2019 but sometimes struggled to shut down running games. That matchup could make this game a tough draw for the Vikings. But there is also the chance that the Titans return to Earth after overachieving in the 2019 playoffs and are an easy draw for Minnesota at home.
Be sure to check out the eight easiest games on the Minnesota Vikings 2020 schedule.
