Is this the real 2023 schedule for the Minnesota Vikings?
Weeks 2-8 would be a gauntlet in what appears to be a very difficult schedule from top to bottom.
The NFL will unveil every team's full regular season schedule at 7 p.m. Thursday and until that happens everything else is just speculation.
But the rumors could be true, and one person who has broken stories in the past goes by @SkolBros, who suggests that this is the 2023 Vikings schedule:
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 10: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 2: Thursday, Sept. 14: at Philadelphia Eagles (Thursday Night Football)
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 24: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1: at Carolina Panthers
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15: at Chicago Bears
Week 7: Monday, Oct. 23: San Francisco 49ers (Monday Night Football)
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 29: at Green Bay Packers
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 5: at Atlanta Falcons
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12: New Orleans Saints
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 19: at Denver Broncos (Sunday Night Football)
Week 12: Monday, Nov. 27: Chicago Bears (Monday Night Football)
Week 13: Bye
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 15: Date TBD: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 24: Detroit Lions
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31: Green Bay Packers (Sunday Night Football)
Week 18: Sunday, Jan. 7: at Detroit Lions
A lot of @SkolBros' schedule intersects with some of the games reported by other sources – such as the Week 8 and 17 games against the Packers which an Athletic reporter has confirmed – but until the NFL officially releases the schedule we won't know for sure.
Kickoff times are not included but if this is what the Vikings' schedule looks like, it sets the stage for a very challenging season.
Weeks 2-8 are a gauntlet since the easiest games on paper are both on the road against division rivals Chicago and Green Bay, though some could argue playing at Carolina in that stretch is the easiest. But Carolina wasn't bad last season and they've added Bryce Young, Adam Thielen and Miles Sanders.
This schedule would also have the Vikings playing in prime time against the Eagles, 49ers, Bears, Broncos and Packers.
Source: Sports Illustrated
