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Vikings 2026 Schedule Preview: 49ers in Mexico, Falcons, Panthers & Patriots in Weeks 11-14

The following stretch commences on international soil with the Vikings flying 4.5 hours to Mexico City and playing their fifth game in the past five years in the league's international series (one every year under Head Coach Kevin O'Connell except for 2023; they made up the difference by double-dipping in 2025). After that, Minnesota will aim to get as much rest as it can with consecutive home games against NFC South clubs who finished with the same records last season (8-9) but are at different points in their builds toward the ultimate prize; Atlanta is ushering in a new era with a former Vikings assistant in the driver's seat; Carolina recently took the MVP-led Rams to the wire in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs after winning their 2025 regular-season bout.

The Panthers first appearance at U.S. Bank Stadium since 2020 will be followed by a Thursday Night Football contest at reigning AFC Champion New England. FYI, Minnesota won the only other instance it faced the Pats on TNF — 33-26 at home on Thanksgiving in 2022.

Vikings at 49ers in Mexico City | Week 11

Series Results

Vikings W-L-T: 25-25-1 (includes 1-5 in the postseason)

Away record: 8-16-1 (1-4 in the postseason)

Last regular-season meeting: Minnesota defeated San Francisco 23-17 at U.S. Bank Stadium (Week 2 of 2024)

Last regular-season meeting on the road: 49ers defeated Vikings 34-26 at San Francisco (Week 12 of 2021)

2025 Stats

San Francisco offense

Yards/game: 351.4 (7th) | Points/game: 25.7 (10th)

San Francisco defense

Yards/game: 340.2 (20th) | Points/game: 21.8 (13th)

The More You Know

Time in the air to score some world-renowned street food — hopefully watch a Vikings victory, too — will be about the same as it would to the Bay Area, but the location of this game is significant given Minnesota has prevailed once in its past 12 tries (including four postseason losses) at San Francisco, mining a 27-7 win in Week 14 in 2007 that was fueled by three indelible touchdowns. The first was a "thick six" produced by Kevin Williams, who intercepted 49ers QB Trent Dilfer's initial throw 14 seconds into the game and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. The second was a 19-yard pass from Tarvaris Jackson to Robert Ferguson, who built a reputation over six seasons in Green Bay and notched his last NFL touchdown — his only as a Viking — in this game. And, the dagger to spring the advantage to 27-nil (in the first half!) was an 84-yard dance to pay dirt courtesy Chester Taylor, who ran behind tremendous downfield blocks by Ferguson and Sidney Rice. Taylor, ultimately, outgained two future Hall of Famers in this affair in a 24-year-old version of eventual 16,000-yard rusher Frank Gore and Offensive Rookie of the Year Adrian Peterson, who ran 14 times but ledgered a Vikings career-low 3 yards.

Vikings vs. Falcons | Week 12

Series Results

Vikings W-L-T: 22-13-0 (includes 1-1 postseason)

Home record: 13-6

Last regular-season meeting: Atlanta defeated Minnesota 22-6 at U.S. Bank Stadium (Week 2 of 2025)

2025 Stats

Atlanta offense

Yards/game: 333.0 (14th) | Points/game: 20.8 (24th)

Atlanta defense

Yards/game: 326.6 (15th) | Points/game: 23.6 (19th)

The More You Know

Atlanta has a couple Top 10-drafted southpaws (Tagovailoa and incumbent Michael Penix, Jr.) in its quarterback stable and could be the first club since Cincinnati in 1991 to have multiple left-handed quarterbacks attempt a pass in the same game if there's an injury or arms race at any point. It's a potentially rare situation as Cincinnati and Oakland are the only two franchises with lefties letting it fly same-day (h/t StatHead). It happened 11 times with Boomer Esiason and Erik Wilhelm on the Bengals (1989-91), and 13 times with Ken Stabler and David Humm on the Raiders (1975-78). There was one other instance of molly-dooking teammates taking snaps in the same contest, but not both ripping a throw; Seahawks left-handed starter Brock Huard and backup Jon Kitna suffered concussions in Week 8 in 2000, which prompted emergency third quarterback (lefty) Matt Lytle to play the final few snaps of a loss at the Raiders. Tagovailoa and Penix are seventh and 15th all-time for lefty passing yards, by the way, and 37 southpaw QBs overall have played in a game — 34 have done so as starters.

Vikings vs. Panthers | Week 13

Series Results

Vikings W-L-T: 11-6-0

Home record: 7-3

Last regular-season meeting: Vikings defeated Panthers 21-13 at Carolina (Week 4 of 2023)

Last regular-season meeting at home: Minnesota defeated Carolina 28-27 at U.S. Bank Stadium (Week 12 of 2020)

2025 Stats

Carolina offense

Yards/game: 295.6 (27th) | Points/game: 18.3 (27th)

Carolina defense

Yards/game: 327.2 (16th) | Points/game: 22.4 (T-15th)

The More You Know

Carolina was the No. 2 spender in 2026 free agency among NFC clubs (behind Washington) and the fourth overall (after Tennessee and Las Vegas). The lion's share of those resources were distributed to Lloyd and Phillips, who were first-rounders in 2022 and 2021, respectively, and keyed playoff runs for the Jaguars and Eagles last season. They will spearhead a unit directed by fourth-year Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero, who was the secondary coach and passing game coordinator for the 2021 Rams that won Super Bowl LVI and staffed Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell as offensive coordinator.

Vikings at Patriots | Week 14

Series Results

Vikings W-L-T: 5-9-0

Away record: 2-6

Last regular-season meeting: Minnesota defeated New England 33-26 at U.S. Bank Stadium (Week 12 of 2022)

Last regular-season meeting on the road: Patriots defeated Vikings 24-10 at New England (Week 13 of 2018)

2025 Stats

New England offense

Yards/game: 379.4 (3rd) | Points/game: 28.8 (2nd)

New England defense

Yards/game: 295.2 (8th) | Points/game: 18.8 (4th)

The More You Know

Drake "Drake Maye" Maye (quirky as it is, that actually is his popular nickname) received 23 first-place MVP votes last season compared to Matthew Stafford's 24. That's how close the 2024 No. 3 overall pick, Maye, was to clinching the ultimate individual hardware — closer than New England was to beating Sam Darnold and the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, we might add. Maye led the league in completion rate at 72.0 percent, as well as yards per attempt (8.9), passer rating (113.5) and QBR (77.1). Not to rain on his parade, but Maye benefited greatly from a Top 10 rushing offense and a Top 5 scoring defense, plus a favorable schedule; the winning percentage of Pats opponents ranked 32nd (0.391).