The Minnesota Vikings dominated the NFC North a year ago. How many primetime games will they get scheduled for in the 2023 season?
Few teams were a bigger surprise during the 2022 season than the Minnesota Vikings, who went 13-4 to run away with the NFC North. An upset loss at the hands of the New York Giants in the playoffs exposed Minnesota’s defense but there is still every reason to believe that the Vikings can be a Super Bowl contender this season out of the weaker NFC.
There is also significant star power in Minnesota in the form of Justin Jefferson, who is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, and one of the conference’s best quarterbacks in Kirk Cousins. It shouldn’t be a surprise if Minnesota is a prime-time staple again in 2023.
How many primetime games will the Vikings get in 2023?
The Vikings have a solid schedule of opponents even outside of their traditional NFC North foes. The AFC West and NFC South are the two other divisions Minnesota will face in their entirety while placement games see the Vikings match up with the San Francisco 49ers at home while traveling to take on the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles.
That schedule won’t be easy for Minnesota, which faces each of the final four teams from the 2022 season. The good news for the Vikings is that they should get plenty of primetime love since their slate is loaded with marquee opponents.
Traditional NFC North rivalries always draw well so don’t be shocked if the NFL puts a few division games in primetime, especially one with Detroit that could play a key role in deciding who is the King of the North. Minnesota could also see a few unorthodox opponents end up on the primetime slate as the NFL could use their star power to offset a team that is on the rise or underwhelmed in 2022, which should be interesting to see.
Vikings Primetime Games: 4 (At Green Bay Packers, At Detroit Lions, At Denver Broncos, Vs. Chicago Bears)