National Football League

2023 Minnesota Vikings Predictions: Game and win/loss record projections

Updated Aug. 15, 2023 2:12 p.m. ET

The NFL's 2023 schedule has been released. While a lot is bound to change from early May to the start of each game, here are our best guesses as to how the Vikings will fare from week to week — and their final record at the end of the campaign.

All game times are listed in ET.

Week 1 (Sunday, Sept. 10) — vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m.: W

Week 2 (Thursday, Sept. 14) — at Philadelphia Eagles (TNF), 8:15 p.m.: L

Week 3 (Sunday Sept. 24) — vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.: L

Week 4 (Sunday, Oct. 1) — at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m.: L

Week 5 (Sunday, Oct. 8) — vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m.: L

Week 6 (Sunday, Oct. 15) — at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.: W

Week 7 (Monday, Oct. 23) — vs. San Francisco 49ers (MNF), 8:15 p.m.: L

Week 8 (Sunday, Oct. 29) — at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.: W

Week 9 (Sunday, Nov. 5) — at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.: W

Week 10 (Sunday, Nov. 12) — vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.: L

Week 11 (Sunday, Nov. 19) — at Denver Broncos (SNF), 8:20 p.m.: L

Week 12 (Monday, Nov. 27) — vs. Chicago Bears (MNF), 8:15 p.m.: W

Week 13 (Sunday, Dec. 3) — BYE

Week 14 (Sunday, Dec. 10) — at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m.: W

Week 15 (TBD) — at Cincinnati Bengals, TBD: L

Week 16 (Sunday, Dec. 24) — vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.: W

Week 17 (Sunday, Dec. 31) — vs. Green Bay Packers (SNF), 8:20 p.m.: L

Week 18 (TBD) — at Detroit Lions, TBD: L

Final record: 7-10

The NFC North is going to be much more competitive this year, despite the fact that the conference as a whole seems more wide-open. I just didn’t see the Vikings get a whole lot better this offseason. They brought in defensive coordinator Brian Flores but considering all of the defensive departures and the lack of draft capital the Vikings possessed, I’m not sure they have enough to run Flores’ defense to its potential.

Losing Adam Thielen to free agency is going to hurt the offensive side of the ball as well. Jordan Addison was a great pick in the first round but he’s undersized and may have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to transitioning to the NFL game. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said it himself: the Vikings are going into a ‘competitive rebuild,’ which is code for tempering expectations a bit. This isn’t a team that will be able to win the division by four games this season and it doesn’t look like one that will be able to win the division at all.

They have the added bonus of being on primetime the maximum allotted five times this season, as well. I have them stealing a win over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 12, but we all know the Vikings’ track record in night games, right?

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.

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