How tough are the final seven games on the Minnesota Vikings schedule this season compared to some of the other NFC teams competing for a playoff spot?
After the first three games on the Minnesota Vikings schedule for the 2023 campaign resulted in losses, the level of optimism surrounding the franchise was extremely low.
But Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell never let his team throw in the towel, and since Week 4, Minnesota has won six of their last seven games, and they're right back in the thick of the NFC playoff picture.
Missing the postseason almost seems like it would be harder for the Vikings to do at this point in the 2023 campaign, as they don't have to do much more to outlast the teams behind them in the playoff standings.
Minnesota currently trails the Detroit Lions for the top spot in the NFC North by 1.5 games. So winning the division is still possible for the Vikings this season, but does the strength of the remaining opponents on their schedule make winning the NFC North more or less of a reality?
Vikings Schedule: Minnesota has one of the easiest remaining schedules heading into Week 11
Following the conclusion of all of the games in the NFL during Week 10, below is a list of the 15 teams with the easiest remaining schedules in the league, according to ESPN's Football Power Index (with the No. 1 team having the easiest remaining schedule).
- New Orleans Saints (5-5)
- Houston Texans (5-4)
- Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
- Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
- Chicago Bears (3-7)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
- Green Bay Packers (3-6)
- Cleveland Browns (6-3)
- Detroit Lions (7-2)
- Carolina Panthers (1-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-3)
- Tennessee Titans (3-6)
So based on ESPN's interpretation of the remaining strength of schedule for each team in the NFL, Minnesota currently has the seventh-easiest path to the end of the season.
The Lions having a slightly harder remaining schedule is something to keep an eye on since the Vikings will be looking to overtake the top spot in the NFC North during the next few weeks.
Detroit and Minnesota face each other twice in the final three weeks of the 2023 season, so it's quite possible that the winner of the NFC North could be determined by the results of those two matchups.
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