Hype Meter For Every Vikings Game in 2024: May Edition
The 2024 Minnesota Vikings schedule is one of the more unforgiving third-place schedules we’ve seen in recent memory.
For a team that has been pretty bought in to the “win-now” mentality for quite some time, as much as they like to say they still are, 2024 is much more of a transition and developmental year for the Minnesota Vikings. This does make it a little tougher to get excited for matchups that don’t have super compelling storylines tied to recent events, and puts more of a focus on just hoping your young players perform well when called upon.
Still, it is fair to assess the excitement level for each Vikings game right after the schedule comes out, so 4 months before the season in May, that’s exactly what I’ll do.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, obviously we are all excited and hyped for every single instance of Vikings football, but you get what I’m saying.
WEEK 1 – @ NEW YORK GIANTS
HYPE METER: 5 skols/5
Analysis: Season opener, baby. How could you not be fully amped up for the first game of the new era of the Minnesota Vikings? This is an entirely winnable game as well, going against a Giants team that seems to be in limbo under Daniel Jones’ lead.
WEEK 2 – vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
HYPE METER: 5 skols/5
Analysis: Home opener, baby. U.S. Bank Stadium is going to be absolutely rocking, and it hopefully will be after a Week 1 victory over the G-Men. Technically a Sam Darnold revenge game, who spent 2023 in San Fran. This is also a rematch of the MNF matchup that the Vikings won 22-17, though the score is no indication of how much the Vikings dominated that game.
WEEK 3 – vs. HOUSTON TEXANS
HYPE METER: 5 skols/5
Analysis: The hype of football being back and the season being young is still there, though the hype does die down just because of this being a bit less “important” game since it is out of conference. However, there will be plenty of storylines on the field. This will be Stefon Diggs’ first game at U.S. Bank Stadium since December 23rd, 2019, as well as Danielle Hunter’s first matchup against the Vikings as a member of the Texans. The Texans also roster former Vikings special teams stand-out Kris Boyd, and the Vikings signed former Texans Jonathan Greenard and Blake Cashman during the free agency frenzy in March.
WEEK 4 – @ GREEN BAY PACKERS
HYPE METER: 4 skols/5
Analysis: Classic early season matchup at Lambeau, those of which seem to favor the Vikings in recent years. Nothing too crazy going on in this game as it stands, other than Minnesota getting a look at Jordan Love’s seemingly successful long-term development and Aaron Jones’ first game back at Lambeau to face his former team after signing with Minnesota in March.
WEEK 5 – vs. NEW YORK JETS (UK)
HYPE METER: 5 skols/5
Analysis: Nothing like waking up early on Sunday morning for some London football, meaning there’s football on for 14 (almost consecutive) hours today. It’s even cooler when it’s your team playing and you get to see your team reach an international audience. That’s before you add in the fact that this is the first time Aaron Rodgers will face the Vikings since leaving Green Bay and joining the Jets, which does take away a bit from the London aspect because it would’ve been awesome to have Aaron back in U.S. Bank Stadium. Luckily, I’ve done the research, and there’s plenty of darkness retreats for him over there anyway. Also, another Sam Darnold revenge game.
WEEK 6 – BYE
HYPE METER: 5 skols/5
Analysis: Stress-free football, turn on Redzone.
WEEK 7 – vs. DETROIT LIONS
HYPE METER: 3.5skols/5
Analysis: As weird as it is, the Lions are now the big boys on the block. Not super excited to see this team that’s in a transition into a new era going against the hands-down best team in the division, and even less excited to have to hear about it from Detroit fans afterwards if Minnesota loses.
WEEK 8 – @ LOS ANGELES RAMS (TNF)
HYPE METER: 4 skols/5
Analysis: Another team that should probably beat the Vikings, but the primetime aspect makes it exciting. Some of the hype is killed just because of the Amazon broadcast, but is made up for in the fact that Sunday will be stress-free football, as well as the return of Kevin O’Connell to LA and a meeting with old Vikings punching-bag, Matthew Stafford.
WEEK 9 – vs. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
HYPE METER: 2.5 skols/5
Analysis: Rematch of the biggest comeback in NFL history, I guess?
WEEK 10 – @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
HYPE METER: 2.5 skols/5
Analysis: Another “meh” matchup. No major storylines, unless J.J. McCarthy is starting by this point. Other than that, complete schedule filler game.
WEEK 11 – @ TENNESSEE TITANS
HYPE METER: 3.5 skols/5
Analysis: The only reason this game isn’t 2.5 is because I know a lot of Vikings fans are planning on heading to Nashville for festivities around the game. If you’re going to this game, this one’s for you.
WEEK 12 – @ CHICAGO BEARS
HYPE METER: 4 skols/5
Analysis: We are entering the bigger window of possibility for McCarthy to be starting, which in terms of it being May, makes this matchup a bit more exciting to think about it than if it was Darnold starting. McCarthy vs. Williams could be a matchup for the next 15 years.
WEEK 13 – vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS
HYPE METER: 2 skols/5
Analysis: Can we get to next week?
WEEK 14 – vs. ATLANTA FALCONS
HYPE METER: 6 skols/5
Analysis: Kirk Cousins’ first game at U.S. Bank Stadium as a member of the Atlanta Falcons… unless he gets benched for Michael Penix Jr.
WEEK 15 – vs. CHICAGO BEARS (MNF)
HYPE METER: 3.5 skols/5
Analysis: Hopefully a McCarthy vs. Williams matchup, this is the only primetime game played in Minnesota this season. It would be a 4.5 skols/5, but Vikings vs. Bears games on Monday Night Football are complete snooze fests.
WEEK 16 – @ SEATTLE SEAHAKWS
HYPE METER: 3 skols/5
Analysis: Lumen Field is a house of horrors for the Vikings. They haven’t won a game here since the Bush Administration. I think I really took for granted the fact that Minnesota hasn’t played there in a couple years.
WEEK 17 – vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS
HYPE METER: 3.5 skols/5
Analysis: Rating these last couple weeks is tricky because it’s so hard to know whether or not this team will be competing for a playoff spot. Assuming they’re at least in the conversation, it’s safe to assume Green Bay will be in a better spot in the race than Minnesota and could deal a death blow to the Vikings’ playoff hopes much like they did on New Year’s Eve last season.
WEEK 18 – @ DETROIT LIONS
HYPE METER: ? skols/5
Analysis: Absolutely no idea what this game is going to be. Very good chance that one way or another, McCarthy will be starting, which is cause for hype. At the same time, this game is heavily clouded by that end-of-season depression, knowing the regular season is done when the clock hits triple zeros.
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