Nov 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell points to the crowd as he walks off the field against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
If you’re a devout Minnesota Vikings fan, hopefully you enjoyed the last three weeks.
Why? The “easy” part of the 2024 regular season schedule is over. Done-so. Stick a fork in it.
That’s right. For better or worse, the Vikings have no more cakewalk games unless the beholder believes the Chicago Bears are totally beatable. While that theory isn’t wacky, there’s a mantra of “throw the win-loss records out the window” when those teams meet.
In the last three weeks, Minnesota encountered the simple segment of the schedule, notching dubs against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans. None of the wins were overly pristine, but the club nevertheless went 3-0 in the stretch.
For context, here’s the full 2024 schedule, with Minnesota sitting pretty at 8-2:
Week 1 — at New York Giants [Win]
Week 2 — vs. San Francisco 49ers [Win]
Week 3 — vs. Houston Texans [Win]
Week 4 — at Green Bay Packers [Win]
Week 5 — vs. New York Jets (London) [Win]
Week 6 — Bye
Week 7 — vs. Detroit Lions [Loss]
Week 8 — at Los Angeles Rams (TNF) [Loss]
Week 9 — vs. Indianapolis Colts (SNF) [Win]
Week 10 — at Jacksonville Jaguars [Win]
Week 11 — at Tennessee Titans [Win]
— YOU ARE HERE —
Week 12 — at Chicago Bears
Week 13 — vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 14 — vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 15 — vs. Chicago Bears (MNF)
Week 16 — at Seattle Seahawks
Week 17 — vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 18 — at Detroit Lions
More specifically, these are the games with the teams’ offensive and defensive EPA/Play:
Vikings Opponents,
per EPA/Play,
NFL Ranking,
thru Nov 18th, 2024:
Opponent: OFF | DEF
at NYG: 26th | 22nd (W)
vs. SF: 6th | 12th (W)
vs. HOU: 20th | 8th (W)
at GB: 12th | 10th (W)
vs. NYJ: 17th | 17th (W)
vs. DET: 4th | 2nd (L)
at LAR: 14th | 19th (L)
vs. IND: 22nd | 11th (W)
at JAX: 23rd | 32nd (W)
at TEN: 29th | 15th (W)
— YOU ARE HERE —
at CHI: 24th | 7th
vs. ARI: 9th | 25th
vs. ATL: 12th | 24th
vs. CHI: 24th | 7th
at SEA: 18th | 18th
at GB: 11th | 10th
at DET: 4th | 2nd
Vikings = 13th | 1st
Amid the next five weeks, Minnesota has no games against teams that showcase equally lousy offenses and defenses, which, to an extent, was the case versus the recent AFC South docket. It’s worth noting that the Colts’ defense, though, is not that bad.
The takeaway? Now comes the hard part — finding a way to win at Soldier Field (never fun), taming the Cardinals’ upstart offensive operations, and making sure Kirk Cousins doesn’t script a revenge game. And that’s all before playing at Seattle — the Vikings have lost five straight in that city — plus the Packers and Lions.
It’s time to learn what the 2024 Vikings are made of.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.