Not long after J.J. McCarthy went down with a torn meniscus last summer, Kevin O’Connell doubled down on his signal caller, proclaiming that the organization had found its next franchise quarterback.
That might explain why the hype surrounding the Vikings is already palpable with McCarthy set to take over under center.
It will be sink or swim for McCarthy next season as he will immediately be thrown into the deep end of the pool.
Not only will he be thrust into the spotlight with the Vikings prominently featured in primetime — including a pair of international games across the pond — he also will get to see how he compares to some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Here’s a look at the Vikings’ schedule with a game-by-game breakdown:
Week 1: Vikings at Bears
Monday, Sept. 8, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Why not kick things off against an NFC North rival in primetime? The opener should be a good measuring stick for the NFC North rivals. It will be a chance for McCarthy to prove himself against Caleb Williams in a clash of young quarterbacks, and a chance for the Vikings to spoil Ben Johnson’s debut as the head coach of the Bears.
Week 2: Vikings vs. Falcons
Sunday, Sept. 14, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)
No longer is this game defined by Kirk Cousins playing the Vikings. Not when the Falcons have handed the keys to Michael Penix Jr. This will be another chance for McCarthy to prove himself against a young quarterback selected ahead of him in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Week 3: Vikings vs. Bengals
Sunday, Sept. 21, Noon (CBS)
The defense will face an early test against the Bengals with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase coming to town. They were former college teammates with Justin Jefferson at LSU, and will be looking to score some bragging rights.
Week 4: Vikings at Steelers (Dublin, Ireland)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 8:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
After having some discussions with Aaron Rodgers this spring, the Vikings might end up playing againts him this fall if he signs with the Steelers. That would be the main topic heading into the international game in Dublin, Ireland.
Week 5: Vikings at Browns (London, England)
Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
When the Vikings play the Browns it will mark the first time a team has played international games on consecutive weekends in different countries. There could be a slight advantage for the Vikings getting to acclimated to the time change ahead of this game in London.
Week 6: Bye
This will be a much-needed break for the Vikings after spending a week and a half across the pond.
Week 7: Vikings vs. Eagles
Sunday, Oct. 19, Noon (Fox)
A matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion should give the Vikings a good idea of where they stand. It shouldn’t be overlooked that the Vikings invested in the interiors of both lines in free agency largely because the Eagles dominated Kansas City in the trenches in a blowout Super Bowl victory.
Week 8: Vikings at Chargers
Thursday Oct. 23, 7:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
Though the game is technically a battle between the Vikings and Chargers, also will be a battle between McCarthy and Jim Harbaugh. They won a national championship together at Michigan before they each made the jump to the next level.
Week 9: Vikings at Lions
Sunday, Nov. 2, Noon (Fox)
This game could go a long way toward determining who wins the NFC North. If the Vikings beat the Lions, they will put themselves in the driver’s seat. If the Vikings lose, they will be in chase mode.
Week 10: Vikings vs. Ravens
Sunday, Nov. 9, Noon (Fox)
It might be impossible for the Vikings to slow down the Ravens with Lamar Jackson running the show. He’s arguably the most dynamic player in the NFL, so the Vikings are going to have their hands full. They might simply have to outscore him if they want to win the game.
Week 11: Vikings vs. Bears
Sunday, Nov. 16, Noon (Fox)
Maybe the best part about the Vikings playing the Bears on the road early in their slate? They should get to avoid sloppy conditions at Soldier Field. The rematch at home will feature an optimal playing surface inside U.S. Bank Stadium regardless of what the weather looks like outside.
Week 12: Vikings at Packers
Sunday, Nov. 23, Noon (Fox)
The rivalry matchup will have to wait as the Vikings and the Packers aren’t scheduled to face off until right before Thanksgiving. The playoff picture in the NFC North should be starting to come into focus by this time, so the game itself could be extremely important for both teams.
Week 13: Vikings at Seahawks
Sunday, Nov. 30, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)
It won’t necessarily be a revenge game considering the Vikings helped Sam Darnold get his career back on track. That said, Darnold will no doubt be looking to put his best foot forward when the Seahawks host the Vikings.
Week 14: Vikings vs. Commanders
Sunday, Dec. 7, Noon (Fox)
The defense for the Vikings will have to bring it when the Commanders descend upon the Twin Cities with Jayden Daniels in tow. He was electrifying as a rookie, leading Washington into the NFC championship game.
Week 15: Vikings at Cowboys
Sunday, Dec. 14, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)
A pilgrimage to Jerry World in Dallas will offer its own set of challenges as the Vikings attempt to take down the Cowboys. It will likely take a complete effort from the Vikings on both sides of the ball to score a win.
Week 16: Vikings at Giants
Sunday, Dec. 21, Noon (Fox)
There’s no place like New York City around Christmas. It’s likely that the Vikings will be heavy favorites when they travel to play the New York Giants. They have to take care of business to make sure the trip doesn’t take on a sour note.
Week 17: Vikings vs. Lions
Thursday, Dec. 25, 3:30 p.m. (Netflix)
The good news for the Vikings is they will be home for the holidays when they host the Lions on Christmas. The bad news for the Vikings is it will be a quick turnaround against arguably the best team in the division.
Week 18: Vikings vs. Packers
Sunday, Jan. 4, TBD (TBD)
The competitive nature of the NFC North should keep everybody relatively close in the standings. It would certainly be something if the finale between the Vikings and the Packers had major implications.
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