Extremely early Vikings game-by-game 2022 record prediction

Week 4

New Orleans Saints (London)

• Date: Sunday, October 2
• Time: 8:30 a.m. CT
• TV: NFL Network

For the first time since 2017, the Vikings will travel across the Atlantic ocean to play a regular-season game in London, England.

This time, Minnesota will be taking on one of their most hated non-divisional rivals in the Saints. With Dennis Allen taking over for Sean Payton earlier this year, both Minnesota and New Orleans will go into this matchup with a new head coach leading their team.

In this contest, Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings will come out of this showdown between new head coaches.

Prediction: Vikings win (3-1)

Week 5

Chicago Bears (Home)

• Date: Sunday, October 9
• Time: 12 p.m. CT
• TV: FOX

Minnesota won’t have a bye after their trip to London this season (bye weeks don’t begin until Week 6 with there being a 17-game schedule now), but they will get a home matchup against a team that isn’t expected to do much damage in 2022.

Typically, the Bears don’t travel to the Twin Cities until the end of each regular season. In fact, this will be the earliest the Vikings have hosted the Bears for a game since 2006, when the two teams faced off in a Week 3 matchup inside the old Metrodome.

Chicago quarterback Justin Fields could cause some fits for Minnesota, but the Vikings will end this contest with their fourth victory of the season.

Prediction: Vikings win (4-1)