All 4 Teams Playing in Conference Championships Are on the Vikings Schedule in 2023

A Cruel Vikings Streak Will Continue if the Eagles Win the Super Bowl
Sep 19, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Divisional round of the NFL playoffs is now in the books, and we are on to conference championship weekend. If they haven’t already been doing so, Vikings fans will want to pay attention to this weekend for a very simple reason: all 4 teams playing this upcoming weekend are on the Vikings schedule in 2023.

The list of 4 teams is, of course, the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers. Next season, the Vikings will host the Chiefs and 49ers while they have to travel to Cincinnati and San Francisco.

Nov 13, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) takes the handoff from quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

We won’t know for sure when each game will take place during the season, but this just goes to show that the Vikings schedule looks much more daunting next season than this year’s was. This season, the Vikings played five teams that eventually went on to make the playoffs, but four of the five have been eliminated already (Bills, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Giants). In 2023, they play six playoff teams, including every conference championship participant. The full list of teams are as follows:

  • Cincinnati Bengals (away)
  • Kansas City Chiefs (home)
  • Los Angeles Chargers (home)
  • Philadelphia Eagles (away)
  • San Francisco 49ers (home)
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers (away)

This is the downside of having a first-place schedule in the same season that the Vikings catch the AFC West as their slate of opposing conference opponents. In terms of actual strength of schedule based on this season’s results, the 17 Vikings opponents in 2023 went a combined 143-145 this season, for a winning percentage of .497.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) adjusts wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) on the line before a play in the second quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. The Bengals led 13-3 at halftime. Cleveland Browns At Cincinnati Bengals Week 14 Syndication The Enquirer

This makes Minnesota’s schedule the 18th hardest in the league based on 2022’s results, but that feels a bit misleading based on the fact that the NFC North opponents figure to be better in 2023 than they were this season.

Overall, it’s impossible to predict right now just how difficult the 2023 schedule actually could be for the Vikings. We still have no idea what this Vikings team will look like in September, let alone their opponents. Throughout the offseason, free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft will make it much clearer as to what kind of task the Vikings have been assigned next season.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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