Vikings’ 2026 Schedule Includes a Painful “What If” Scenario
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The NFL will release the 2026 schedule in mere days, and when the Minnesota Vikings learn their opponents, they’ll inevitably see that the Detroit Lions have the easiest docket of opponents in the league. One late-season result quietly altered Minnesota’s 2026 opponent slate. That’s the word from Sharp Football Analysis , a website that crunches strength-of-schedule numbers each year.
Minnesota was one loss away from having the easiest schedule in the NFL. No cigar. How Detroit’s 2025 Finish Changed Minnesota’s Opponents It’s the strength-of-schedule portion of the offseason .
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) brings down Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during second-half action at U. S. Bank Stadium, collapsing the pocket with force and timing.
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave finishes the sack as Minnesota’s defensive front consistently disrupted Detroit’s passing rhythm. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images. Sharp: Vikings Have 16th Hardest Schedule; Lions Have Easiest According to Sharp , this is the pecking order for the easiest schedules, with No.
1 as the easiest: Detroit Lions New Orleans Saints Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns New York Jets Baltimore Ravens Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Denver Broncos New England Patriots Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills Jacksonville Jaguars Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers Pittsburgh Steelers Las Vegas Raiders Atlanta Falcons Los Angeles Chargers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers New York Giants Washington Commanders Houston Texans Chicago Bears Los Angeles Rams Dallas Cowboys Carolina Panthers Miami Dolphins Arizona Cardinals Sharp on his SOS model : “By leveraging projected win totals and current season data, Warren Sharp’s strength of schedule model provides a more accurate and insightful tool for assessing team schedules and forecasting performance. Historical data confirms these results. Year in and year out: Teams that are predicted to have the easiest schedule are far more likely to finish with winning records.
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