The Minnesota Vikings enter a new era under third-year coach Kevin O'Connell.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is out after six years with the franchise. The Vikings were 53-45-1 with two playoff appearances in those six seasons.
Minnesota changed course by drafting Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy and veteran quarterback Sam Darnold are the options to start the season. The Vikings are looking to bounce back after finishing 7-10 in 2023, and Justin Jefferson's contract extension talks have been a large talking point this offseason.
The Vikings have the lowest odds to win the NFC North in 2024, trailing Detroit, Green Bay, and Chicago. Will that new quarterback plan help beat the odds?
Here is a complete breakdown of the Vikings' 2024 schedule, including dates, start times, and analysis for their slate of games.
Minnesota Vikings schedule 2024
Here are the opponents, times and TV for the Vikings in the 2024 NFL season:
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV | Tickets |
| 1 | Sept. 8 | at Giants | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 2 | Sept. 15 | vs. 49ers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 3 | Sept. 22 | vs. Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 4 | Sept. 29 | at Packers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 5 | Oct. 6 | vs. Jets (in London) | 9:30 a.m. | NFL Network | Buy now |
| 6 | Oct. 13 | Bye | Buy now | ||
| 7 | Oct. 20 | vs. Lions | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 8 | Oct. 24 (Thu.) | at Rams | 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video | Buy now |
| 9 | Nov. 3 | at Colts | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 10 | Nov. 10 | at Jaguars | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 11 | Nov. 17 | at Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 12 | Nov. 24 | at Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 13 | Dec. 1 | vs. Cardinals | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Falcons | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 15 | Dec. 16 (Mon.) | vs. Bears | 8 p.m. | ABC | Buy now |
| 16 | Dec. 22 | at Seahawks | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 17 | Dec. 29 | vs. Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 18 | Jan. 5 | at Lions | 1 p.m. | TBD | Buy now |
The Vikings have a third-place schedule, which means they will face the Falcons from the NFC South, Giants from the NFC East, and Jets from the AFC East. Minnesota also faces teams from the NFC West and AFC South this season.
The Vikings will play one of their games in London as part of the NFL’s 2024 International Series. The Vikings are 2-1 in London games, and that includes a 28-25 victory against the Saints last season. That will replace a ninth home game.
Minnesota plays a total of seven games against teams that made the NFL playoffs in 2023-24. Outside the NFC North, those teams are the 49ers, Texans, and Rams.
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Vikings strength of schedule
The Vikings rank 28th in strength of schedule for the 2024 season, per Sharp Football Analysis. That means they project to have the fifth-toughest schedule in the NFL.
This analysis is based on the projected win totals for each of Minnesota's opponents for the upcoming season rather than their records in 2023.
It's the toughest schedule in the division. The Bears (third easiest) have the easiest schedule. The Lions (12th hardest) and Packers (14th hardest) have comparable schedules in 2024.
Vikings prediction 2024
Vikings Super Bowl odds courtesy BetMGM (+6600)
Toughest tests: The only road game outside the division against a team that had a losing home record last season is Jacksonville. The West Coast trips against the Rams and Seahawks won’t be easy. The Vikings have lost their past five road games at Seattle.
San Francisco was 7-2 on the road last season and will be the toughest game on the home schedule, though Minnesota did beat the 49ers in Minnesota last season. The 49ers have the best odds to win the NFC.
Biggest breaks: There are a couple of interesting reunion games on the schedule.
That starts with Cousins, who returns to U.S. Bank Stadium with the Falcons. Atlanta was 2-6 on the road last season, but Cousins changes the dynamic of that game.
Former Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers could return to Minnesota in a Jets uniform. Rodgers is 17-11-1 against the Vikings, but that number drops to 7-8 on the road.
Houston is an up-and-coming team with C.J. Stroud, but the Texans were 4-5 on the road last season. That’s another game that could favor Minnesota more than most think.
Bottom line: The NFC North has a chance to be the best division in football. The Bears upgraded at quarterback with Caleb Williams and have a solid group of receivers. Green Bay had a solid offseason to build around Jordan Love, and the Lions remain the favorite in the division.
The Vikings are 3-1 against the Bears, 2-2 against the Packers, and 1-3 against the Lions the past two seasons. Minnesota is 3-3 at home and 3-3 on the road in those games. They are the difference-makers in the division, and Minnesota likely will be the underdog in most of those games.
How will the Darnold-McCarthy plan hold up around that? The Vikings were 11-0 in one-score games in O’Connell’s first season in 2022. That number dropped to 6-8 last season. That's a 68-percent winning percentage overall in those games. If that holds up, then Minnesota will stay in the division race. There will be a learning curve with the new quarterbacks, however.
Record prediction: 7-10
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