Ranking the 11 games left on the Vikings 2022 schedule
By Randy Smith
No. 11
at Detroit Lions (Week 14)
The Lions, to a certain extent, are downright abysmal. A 1-5 record, and bottom-feeding in the NFC North, the Lions have shown the snake-bitten franchise to conduct the 2022 season as business as usual.
The Vikings shouldn’t forget their last matchup with Detroit, however, as they only beat the Lions by four points. Last season serves as a reminder of how quickly things can change, where the then 0-10-1 Lions got their first victory against Minnesota.
Detroit shouldn’t be the beneficiary of another one, but stranger things have happened inside Ford Field.
No. 10
at Washington Commanders (Week 9)
The Commanders will face the Vikings in Week 9 in what will be Kirk Cousins’ return to the DMV area as a player for the first time since leaving the organization to sign a fully-guaranteed contract with Minnesota in 2018.
The Commanders are in between a rock and a hard place, with a record of 3-4 and a less-than-stellar showing by newly acquired quarterback Carson Wentz. Add in troubles arising in ownership, and you have a franchise that is not only slated to miss out on the playoffs, but they should be an easy win for the Vikings.
That said, Minnesota has lost games such as these that should be considered easy wins. But given Washington’s showings so far this season, and a revolving door at quarterback, the red flags the Commanders have should give the advantage to the Vikings.
No. 9
Indianapolis Colts (Week 15)
The Colts remain another team like Washington, with downright ugly showings and an undesirable situation at quarterback. The club traded for longtime Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Matt Ryan this past offseason, who has not been the answer to the rotating door at the quarterback position that Indianapolis has experienced during the last few years.
Ryan has nine touchdowns to nine interceptions this year, and while the Colts are 3-3-1, they’ve experienced some ugly losses, such as getting shutout 24-0 by the Jacksonville Jaguars back in Week 2. Similar to the aforementioned, this is a game the Vikings should win. But the key word is should.