The Vikings’ Must-Watch Games in 2026

· Yahoo Sports

Jeffrey Becker

The NFL released the full schedule on Thursday night, allowing each team to reveal its own docket with fancy social media videos. The Minnesota Vikings featured kicker Will Reichard and wrestler Chris Jericho. The league may never, ever, be the same eh-gain.

Minnesota’s toughest tests are easy to spot.

Visit een-wit.pl for more information.

That was a Chris Jericho reference for the non-wrestling fans, but we digress. The following is a list of the best games on the Vikings’ schedule, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top game).

Five Matchups That Will Highlight the Vikings’ Season

What games have you circled?

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey catches a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during fourth-quarter action on Oct. 23, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. McCaffrey remained a focal point of San Francisco’s offense throughout the primetime matchup, using his versatility as both a runner and receiver against Minnesota’s defense. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

5. Week 11 | at San Francisco 49ers (SNF, Mexico)

This game feels like the season’s midpoint, though it’s mathematically closer to the finish line.

On November 22nd — four days before Thanksgiving — this contest should be a fantastic indicator of whether the Vikings are “for real” or merely sputtering around .500 while hoping to keep things interesting. The Vikings have played the 49ers well with Kevin O’Connell in charge and seem to have Brock Purdy’s number.

We know for sure that San Francisco won’t be a joke, so at a neutral site, this is a wonderful barometer in late November to determine whether the Vikings can be a real contender.

4. Week 14 at New England Patriots (TNF)

Minnesota hasn’t played at New England in eight years, and the last time they visited, Tom Brady still ran the show, and Kirk Cousins played poorly that contest. This time is different. The Patriots don’t have Brady but are still the Super Bowl runner-up. Vikings fans will also get to see Drake Maye, whom much of the fan base wanted for Minnesota’s roster from the 2024 NFL Draft.

Of all games on the schedule, this one has the biggest underdog point spread for Minnesota from a May perspective — 4.5 points in favor of the Patriots.

Sportsbooks do not think the Vikings will win this one.

PatsPulpit‘s Brian Hines predicted a New England win on Thursday night, writing, “Following a big win over the Bills, New England will have a short week for their second Thursday night game of the season — which will take place at Gillette Stadium against another NFC North opponent.”

“The big question for Minnesota will be who is starting at quarterback by Week 11: 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy or free agent addition Kyler Murray? With either operating on a short week and on the road, the Patriots take care of business. | Prediction: Win (8-5).”

3. Week 1 | vs. Green Bay Packers

It’s Kyler Murray’s — probably — first game as a Minnesota Viking, and he will see his old head coach, Jonathan Gannon, who is the new defensive coordinator for the Packers. Meanwhile, the Vikings have opened the season at home against Green Bay just twice in franchise history: a loss in 2020 and a win in 2022 to start the O’Connell era.

This one is must-see television for these reasons:

  1. Week 1 is always must-see television.
  2. Murray’s first game in purple.
  3. Murray vs. Gannon.
  4. The natural MIN-GB rivalry
  5. A quasi-primetime feel at 3:25 pm CST
  6. It’s at home.

2. Week 15 | vs. Detroit Lions (SNF)

At this point on the schedule, if the Vikings are good, they could have a 10-3, 9-4, 8-5, or 7-6 record. Taking on the Lions, who might have a similar record and a roster that remains impressive, will have heavy implications for the NFC North and the playoff picture.

Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph high-fives teammates during pregame warmups before a matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 8, 2023, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Joseph prepared for another NFC contest after emerging as one of the Lions’ ascending defensive playmakers during Detroit’s rise under head coach Dan Campbell. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK

Until last year, Dan Campbell utterly dominated O’Connell; it was embarrassing. But O’Connell took down Campbell twice in 2025. Maybe a new day is on the horizon.

Circle this one because it is late in the season, it’s at home, and it will probably drip with playoff implications.

1. Week 9 | vs. Buffalo Bills (MNF)

A rematch of one of the best Vikings’ regular season games of all time from 2022 — perhaps the single best Vikings regular season game ever.

That dub occurred in Buffalo; this contest will shake out in Minneapolis. The Vikings drew the Bills on Monday Night Football on November 9th, right after the World Series and the 2026 midterm elections, and a few weeks before Thanksgiving.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks recovers a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 13, 2022, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Kendricks helped spark one of the Vikings’ most dramatic victories in franchise history during an overtime thriller against Buffalo on the road. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo is basically guaranteed to be a contender if Josh Allen is healthy. Allen returns to the spot of his career win at U.S. Bank Stadium when he and the Bills stunned Kirk Cousins‘ Vikings in 2018.

Suppose Minnesota has a winning record heading into Vikings-Bills. This game will teach you a lot about the team’s upside.

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