2017 Minnesota Vikings Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info
The Minnesota Vikings will hope 2017 goes more like the start of last season and not the end of it.
After a knee injury ended Teddy Bridgewater's season before it began, the Vikings surprised many by getting off to a 5-0 start behind the play of Sam Bradford. Unfortunately, four straight losses followed, and the squad ended with eight losses in the final 11 games.
There is obvious talent on this roster, with a defense that ranked third in the NFL in total yards allowed and sixth in points allowed.
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Although there are still question marks about Bridgewater's future, Bradford played well last season, throwing for 3,877 yards while completing 71.6 percent of his passes. The addition of Latavius Murray and an upgraded offensive line could also improve the balance with the rushing attack.
Even in a tough division, the Vikings could have a big year against a schedule that ranks just tied for 27th in difficulty, per John Breech of CBSSports.com.
Schedule
| 1 | Sept. 11 | vs. New Orleans Saints | 7:10 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2 | Sept. 17 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 3 | Sept. 24 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 1 | vs. Detroit Lions | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 5 | Oct. 9 | at Chicago Bears | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 6 | Oct. 15 | vs. Green Bay Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 22 | vs. Baltimore Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 8 | Oct. 29 | at Cleveland Browns | 9:30 a.m. | NFL Network |
| 9 | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE |
| 10 | Nov. 12 | at Washington Redskins | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 11 | Nov. 19 | vs. Los Angeles Rams | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 12 | Nov. 23 | at Detroit Lions | 12:30 p.m. | Fox |
| 13 | Dec. 3 | at Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 14 | Dec. 10 | at Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 15 | Dec. 17 | vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 16 | Dec. 23 | at Green Bay Packers | 8:30 p.m. | NBC |
| 17 | Dec. 31 | vs. Chicago Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox |
Analysis
Quarterback will be the biggest story, with Bridgewater potentially missing all of 2017, as reported by Bleacher Report's Jason Cole. Adding Case Keenum also adds another wrinkle into the equation.
However, one of the major keys to the season will be the play of the offensive line.
The Vikings allowed 38 sacks in 2016, 10th-most in the NFL, and finished dead last in rushing yards per attempt. Head coach Mike Zimmer showed his disgust with the unit after an October loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
"We didn't block anybody," Zimmer said, per Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. "We were soft. We got overpowered."
Injuries were a big part of the problem, but things never got better as the year progressed.
They tried to fix this situation with the free-agent signings of Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers, which should go a long way in 2017.
The Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons are just some of the teams on the schedule with quality front sevens capable of getting after the quarterback. If the Vikings can handle these units, they could find a few more wins next season.
Pivotal Matchups
The Detroit Lions should be a tough opponent once again, but the real challenge on the schedule will once again be the Packers.
Green Bay has won five of the last six NFC North titles, making Aaron Rodgers and Co. the clear team to beat in the division. The one exception in this stretch was 2015 when the Vikings brought home the division title.
Unsurprisingly, this included a Week 17 victory over the Packers to secure first place.
Minnesota hosts the division rival on Oct. 15 and will go to Lambeau Field on Dec. 23. While it will be difficult to get a sweep, at least one win is necessary if this team wants to compete for an NFC North title.
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