The Sweet and Spicy of Vikings QB 2023 Schedule
Dustin Baker
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Per 2022 wins and losses, the 2023 Minnesota Vikings will play the NFL’s 18th most-difficult schedule, as all 2023 opponents had a cumulative win-loss of 143-145 (.497).
Of course, this statistic is notoriously flimsy because teams can change tremendously in an offseason, and half of the NFL’s playoff field annually turns over.
The Sweet and Spicy of Vikings QB 2023 Schedule
Still, the schedule isn’t impossible to navigate, but this year’s rendition feels more daunting than last year’s (at this time on the calendar in 2022, anyway).
NFL free agency kicks off in 18 days, and the 2023 NFL Draft is nine weeks away, but as of February 23rd, this is the Vikings current QB opponent menu:
at ATL – Desmond Ridder or other
at CAR – Unnamed Rookie or Veteran Patchover
at CHI – Justin Fields
at CIN – Joe Burrow
at DEN – Russell Wilson
at DET – Jared Goff
at GB – Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love
at LV – Unnamed Rookie or Veteran Patchover
at PHI – Jalen Hurts
vs CHI – Justin Fields
vs DET – Jared Goff
vs GB – Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love
vs KC – Patrick Mahomes
vs LAC – Justin Herbert
vs NO – Derek Carr or other
vs SF – Trey Lance or Brock Purdy
vs TB – Kyle Trask or other
(note: these games are not in order)
That’s four dreadfully scary passers — Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes. And then the maybe scaries — Justin Fields twice, Trey Lance (because he’s in the 49ers system), perhaps Aaron Rodgers twice again, and Russell Wilson as a huge maybe.
Then, the not-realy-scaries — perhaps Derek Carr somewhere and Jared Goff twice. And the not-scary-at-alls include Desmond Ridder, Carolina’s QB, Las Vegas’ QB, and Kyle Trask.
And when the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Angeles Chargers set foot in U.S. Bank Stadium, every NFL team will have played the Vikings at their house. The Chiefs and Chargers are the final two on the list. Interestingly, unless Rodgers returns to Green Bay and thrives, Mahomes and Herbert also represent the Vikings most challenging quarterback challenge at home in 2023.
On the road, it’s truly sweet and spicy. Burrow and Hurts will be significant problems for the Vikings defense, even if the Brian Flores experiment clicks in Year One. After that, though, it’s a shoulder-shrug situation for away games.
The Vikings will face three teams on the road next year, of which folks have no idea, as of right now, who the QB will be: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Las Vegas Raiders.
Moreover, Minnesota will face the Mahomeses, Burrows, Hurtses, and Herberts with a defense that ranked 26th via passing defense DVOA in 2022. Flores has a mighty task afoot in rebuilding the team’s secondary this offseason.
But free agency hits on March 13th, and the NFL draft begins on April 27th. The Vikings will have venues to “get it right.”
The franchise hasn’t reached the postseason in back-to-back seasons since 2008 and 2009.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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