This is supposedly the 2023 Viking's schedule

9-3 before the bye seems reasonable if the offense can be as productive as they were last year and the defense improves

Wins (Tampa, Carolina, Chi 2x, Atl, NO, @ GB, Denver)
Losses (SF, KC, Philly)

Setting us up for a post Thanksgiving run where we would have to split the two AFC road games and take 2 out of 3 vs the division rivals.

11-6 or 12-5 seems reasonable but I don't know if we can compete with SF or Philly in the playoffs

The Lions twice and Green Bay is an interesting way to end the season. I'd rather get the Lions at least once early, oh well. Really late bye also 

@"supafreak84" said: The Lions twice and Green Bay is an interesting way to end the season. I'd rather get the Lions at least once early, oh well. Really late bye also 

5 primetime games with 3 at home. The usual at the Packers on a short week.

Win week 1 and we're on our way to 10+ wins I think. Lose v TB and blow it all up ha.

@"FLVike" said: 5 primetime games with 3 at home. The usual at the Packers on a short week.

Late bye week could be good for a late season push.

Obviously its a first place schedule with alot of tough dates.  I do really like the way the home and away fell for us though.  Alot of our tougher matchups at home.  This season will test us for sure.  If we fall short this year I'm thinking wholesale rebuild with a new QB. Compete and we keep Kirk and run it back again. 

would rather not play Philly on the road on 4 days rest,   but since that is likely an ass kicking either way,  probably better to have a home game that we should win,  and then the ass kicking,  10 days to get over it, and then have another home game,  even though its a tough home game,  better than some of the other scenarios we could face in that situation.

Lions to start season 0-1…  ;)  B)

It looks like we and the Raiders both have a bye before we play each other. No other team has a bye before they play us.  This is a very good schedule, if we are as good as some people think we should do well.

All our non-primetime games are at 1:00 ET except the Chiefs and at Raiders are 4:00 ET.

Weeks 2-8 look the toughest to me.  Eagles, Pack and Bears on the road, Chargers, Chiefs and SF at home, and the Adam Theilen's Revenge game in Carolina.

Consecutive road games out of the bye isn't great, but at least then we get 2 at home. 

@"Greylock" said: Late bye week could be good for a late season push.

@"JimmyinSD" said: would rather not play Philly on the road on 4 days rest,   but since that is likely an ass kicking either way,  probably better to have a home game that we should win,  and then the ass kicking,  10 days to get over it, and then have another home game,  even though its a tough home game,  better than some of the other scenarios we could face in that situation.

Defense needs to be aggressive and more unpredictable, I think Flores will bring that. I think guys like Cine, Booth, Davenport, Blackmon will be helpful to him. Offense will have a more rugged aspect to it with Mattison running the ball and Oliver in there as a great blocking TE. Can the offensive line make incremental improvement by being intact and the continuity being there? 

Minnesota was often at a disadvantage and limited by that horrible D last year. It infiltrated both sides of the ball and optimal play calling. If the D can even be 30-35% more effective, the ripple effect on a gameplan will be huge. 

@"StickyBun" said: Defense needs to be aggressive and more unpredictable, I think Flores will bring that. I think guys like Cine, Booth, Davenport, Blackmon will be helpful to him. Offense will have a more rugged aspect to it with Mattison running the ball and Oliver in there as a great blocking TE. Can the offensive line make incremental improvement by being intact and the continuity being there? 

Minnesota was often at a disadvantage and limited by that horrible D last year. It infiltrated both sides of the ball and optimal play calling. If the D can even be 30-35% more effective, the ripple effect on a gameplan will be huge. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Defense needs to be aggressive and more unpredictable, I think Flores will bring that. I think guys like Cine, Booth, Davenport, Blackmon will be helpful to him. Offense will have a more rugged aspect to it with Mattison running the ball and Oliver in there as a great blocking TE. Can the offensive line make incremental improvement by being intact and the continuity being there? 

Minnesota was often at a disadvantage and limited by that horrible D last year. It infiltrated both sides of the ball and optimal play calling. If the D can even be 30-35% more effective, the ripple effect on a gameplan will be huge. 

The offense needs to know that when the D is struggling to limit their 3 and outs,  or at least quick 3 and outs,  there were to many times last year the D was gassed and the O play calling and execution was suspect at best. KOC needs to be thinking about the D at times when deciding how to approach a series of downs.

4 of the first 7 look daunting on paper...

One of the best home schedules for sure since USB opened. Lots of marquee QB's and teams here. 

@"Wetlander" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Defense needs to be aggressive and more unpredictable, I think Flores will bring that. I think guys like Cine, Booth, Davenport, Blackmon will be helpful to him. Offense will have a more rugged aspect to it with Mattison running the ball and Oliver in there as a great blocking TE. Can the offensive line make incremental improvement by being intact and the continuity being there? 

Minnesota was often at a disadvantage and limited by that horrible D last year. It infiltrated both sides of the ball and optimal play calling. If the D can even be 30-35% more effective, the ripple effect on a gameplan will be huge. 

The offense needs to know that when the D is struggling to limit their 3 and outs,  or at least quick 3 and outs,  there were to many times last year the D was gassed and the O play calling and execution was suspect at best. KOC needs to be thinking about the D at times when deciding how to approach a series of downs.

We can cut him a little slack though right?  First time HC and all that?  The positives KOC brought to this team (culture, leadership, situational football improvements, etc) far outweigh the negatives (hiring Donatell and getting too pass happy at times). 

And the two negatives have been taken care of after 1 season.  He didn't compound his mistake by keeping Donatell, he fired him after one season.  He also made it a priority to add some guys who can help them run the ball better.

@"Wetlander" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: Defense needs to be aggressive and more unpredictable, I think Flores will bring that. I think guys like Cine, Booth, Davenport, Blackmon will be helpful to him. Offense will have a more rugged aspect to it with Mattison running the ball and Oliver in there as a great blocking TE. Can the offensive line make incremental improvement by being intact and the continuity being there? 

Minnesota was often at a disadvantage and limited by that horrible D last year. It infiltrated both sides of the ball and optimal play calling. If the D can even be 30-35% more effective, the ripple effect on a gameplan will be huge. 

The offense needs to know that when the D is struggling to limit their 3 and outs,  or at least quick 3 and outs,  there were to many times last year the D was gassed and the O play calling and execution was suspect at best. KOC needs to be thinking about the D at times when deciding how to approach a series of downs.

We can cut him a little slack though right?  First time HC and all that?  The positives KOC brought to this team (culture, leadership, situational football improvements, etc) far outweigh the negatives (hiring Donatell and getting too pass happy at times). 

And the two negatives have been taken care of after 1 season.  He didn't compound his mistake by keeping Donatell, he fired him after one season.  He also made it a priority to add some guys who can help them run the ball better.