It’s been a wild Vikings off-season filled with unexpected storylines and huge roster shake-ups. In under two weeks, all of that build-up will culminate in the highly anticipated first game of the season against the Green Bay Packers. During the off-season, it’s easy to get lost in the little details, but the big picture of this Vikings season is that expectations are high. Kyler Murray was brought in to win games, and not just in the regular season. I’m going to go game-by-game through the Vikings season and outline my personal predictions of how things will play out. Last season’s predictions turned out a tad optimistic (and McCarthy’s injuries didn’t help), so let’s hope the team lives up to the lofty expectations I set.
Week 1 - Packers @ Vikings
With an early-season home game against the Packers, the Vikings will be looking for a fast start. The Packers are poised to be without Josh Jacobs and Micah Parsons for the season opener, which should give the Vikings a huge advantage. It will also be Kyler Murray’s first regular-season home game, which is sure to be buzzing with anticipation. If the Vikings were to lose this game, the overreactions would be insanely harsh, and maybe for good reason. It might be close, but I expect the Vikings to pull this one out and get off to a hot start in week 1.
Vikings W (1-0)
Week 2 - Vikings @ Bears
Before the Bears went on their stretch of clutch 4th-quarter games last year, they choked away a primetime lead against J.J. McCarthy in his first game as a starter. Throughout his tenure as head coach, Ben Johnson’s offenses have struggled against Brian Flores’ defenses. These road games can be unpredictable, but the Vikings realistically should have swept the Bears last season if it weren’t for a terrible game by J.J. McCarthy at home. With Murray settling into the offense, I see the Vikings getting an easy win in this matchup.
Vikings W (2-0)
Week 3 - Vikings @ Buccaneers
In many ways, the Tampa Bay offense reminds me of the Eagles offense. They have talent all over the field and a solid quarterback who keeps things running smoothly and can occasionally elevate when needed. The Vikings defense struggled mightily against the Eagles offense last year, and although they’re not the same teams, I expect that this will be another rough outing for the Vikings defense. I predict the Vikings drop their first game of the season on the road against a solid NFC opponent.
Vikings L (2-1)
Week 4 - Dolphins @ Vikings
The consensus around the league is that either the Dolphins or the Cardinals will be the worst team in the NFL this season. Of the two, the Dolphins are the more likely candidate in my eyes. Malik Willis may be good in time, but with his current weapons and offensive line, there isn’t much hope for the immediate future. The Vikings should take this one and never look back.
Vikings W (3-1)
Week 5 - Vikings @ Saints
Tyler Shough is running the show in New Orleans after a few strong performances to end the season last year. It’ll be a good test for Murray and the offense, as the Saints defense does have some decent players. Still, I don’t see the Saints as a top-2 team in the NFC South. The Vikings should win this one and feel pretty good going into the bye.
Vikings W (4-1)
Week 6 - Bye
Week 7 - Colts @ Vikings
Last season in the game against the Browns, the Vikings defense was gashed on the ground by Quinshon Judkins for 110 yards without a real passing threat. As many adjustments as they’ve made, Flores’ defense has always had a slight weakness in the running game. Jonathan Taylor is one of the best running backs in the league right now, and the Vikings will have to contain him if they hope to win this one. This feels like a game in which both teams will have had a pretty good season so far, so it’s hard to pick either way. I’ll give the Colts a slight edge due to Daniel Jones’ comfort in the system. Colts steal a win in the Cam Bynum revenge game.
Vikings L (4-2)
Week 8 - Vikings @ Lions
The last few matchups between the Vikings and Lions have heavily favored Minnesota, but that doesn’t make this matchup easy. The Lions still have Jahmyr Gibbs, who has given the Vikings’ defense fits since he entered the league. Although they have lost some talent on defense, I expect the Lions to come out swinging and deliver the Vikings their first divisional loss of the season.
Vikings L (4-3)
Week 9 - Bills @ Vikings
This is a game that I’m sure every fan is looking forward to, as the last game between these teams had one of the most thrilling endings in recent Vikings history. Josh Allen is a front-runner for MVP going into the season, and the addition of D.J. Moore will only improve that offense. The Bills have a new coach, but I’m not sure that an inexperienced defensive line will be able to get enough pressure on Josh Allen to rattle him. On the other side of the ball, the Vikings will need big games out of both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason to keep the ball away from Allen. The Vikings’ offensive firepower should keep them in the game, and I predict they’ll upset the Bills in a close one.
Vikings W (5-3)
Week 10 - Vikings @ Packers
The Vikings go on the road to Lambeau Field in one of their tougher matchups of the season. There’s a good chance that the Packers have Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs back in this one, plus a nice home-field advantage. Both teams will likely be vying for a playoff spot, and I expect the Packers to come out on top. Road games against the Packers are always an uphill battle, and with the team healthier than they were in the first matchup, I see the Vikings dropping this game.
Vikings L (5-4)
Week 11 - 49ers @ Vikings
Don’t be fooled by the @ here; this will be a neutral-site game in Mexico City. I like this matchup for the Vikings because Kyler Murray has had plenty of experience against Shanahan’s teams. Purdy has also been under a lot of duress in his last few matchups against the Vikings defense. I expect the 49ers to be a better team this year than they were last year, but the Vikings should come away with the win here.
Vikings W (6-4)
Week 12 - Falcons @ Vikings
The Vikings come back home for a matchup against the Falcons. Last season, the Falcons routed the Vikings in Minnesota. I don’t expect that to be the case this year. The Falcons have had a lot of question marks at quarterback, and Murray should perform much better than J.J. McCarthy did last year. I’m taking a convincing win for the Vikings here.
Vikings W (7-4)
Week 13 - Panthers @ Vikings
Bryce Young had a breakout season last year, leading the Panthers to their first playoff appearance in years. In the past, he has had trouble with the Vikings’ defense, and Kyler Murray has thrived against the Panthers’ defense. I’m high on the Panthers this year, but I don’t expect them to take down the Vikings on the road in week 13.
Vikings W (8-4)
Week 14 - Vikings @ Patriots
After losing in the Super Bowl last season, Drake Maye’s Patriots will be back with something to prove. This team only seems to have gotten better over the past offseason, and I expect them to be right back in the mix come playoff time. I don’t think the Vikings will win this one in a cold game against a fired-up Patriots team.
Vikings L (8-5)
Week 15 - Lions @ Vikings
Although I gave the last match-up to the Lions, I don’t expect them to sweep the Vikings at all. Kevin O’Connell has been crafty in these types of late-season games, and I expect that will be the case in this home matchup. The Vikings will win this one and split the series against Detroit.
Vikings W (9-5)
Week 16 - Commanders @ Vikings
The Commanders are a big question mark going into the season. They struggled last year, but it’s hard to tell how predictive that is of Jayden Daniels’ future. Even so, the Vikings should be able to protect their house in this one and get to double-digit wins in the process.
Vikings W (10-5)
Week 17 - Vikings @ Jets
The Jets were very active this off-season and have built a team that could surprise some people. I still think their defense needs work after the departures of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, but they did try to replenish some talent by taking swings in the draft. Still, I think this is a team that’s still growing and isn’t quite in that upper echelon yet. The Vikings should get a gutsy road win and potentially clinch a playoff spot.
Vikings W (11-5)
Week 18 - Bears @ Vikings
This game’s outcome will be very dependent on where each team sits in the playoff picture. With 5 losses, it’s unlikely the Vikings will be playing for a first-round bye. Additionally, I suspect that the Bears will have a little bit of a down year and might be fighting for a spot with this matchup. Still, I just don’t see the Vikings dropping this game at home.
Vikings W (12-5)
Final Prediction: Vikings Finish 12-5
Last season, I picked the schedule and ended up with the exact same record. Of course, the Vikings fell short, but there are a few factors working in their favor. The schedule is much lighter this season, and with Kyler Murray being a proven quarterback in the league, they have a much better chance of hitting that 12-win mark. We still don’t know how well Kyler will fit into the system or if the revamped running game will elevate the team to the next level, but it’s exciting to be so close to finding out.
