3 best Minnesota Vikings Week 1 victories since 2000
By Ben Donahue
What have been some of the absolute best performances by the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 1 matchup going all the way back to the 2000 season?
In less than a week, the Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season with a home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, September 10th.
This past offseason has been busy for the Vikings, as the franchise brought in free agents and draft picks to strengthen both sides of the ball.
Minnesota fans hope that the organization can have a year similar to their performance in 2022, which resulted in a 13-4 record, but also advance a few more rounds in the playoffs.
That goal will be easier to reach if the Vikings can get past the Bucs and quarterback Baker Mayfield in Week 1 this weekend.
Since the 2000 season, Minnesota has an overall record of 13-10 in opening week games, and seven of those victories were eventually followed by the Vikings earning a spot in that season's playoffs.
Here is a look back at Minnesota's top three Week 1 wins since 2000, starting with a second-year quarterback making his first start in purple against a division rival.