Takeaways From the Vikings' 2020 Schedule: All Three Primetime Games on the Road

The Vikings have a tough road schedule in 2020.

The Vikings' 2020 schedule has officially been announced. Here are a few takeaways from what looks like a fairly difficult slate.

Just three primetime games, all on the road

In each of the last two schedule releases, the Vikings were given the maximum of five primetime games. This time around, they have just three:

• Week 5 at Seahawks on Sunday Night Football
• Week 10 at Bears on Monday Night Football
• Week 16 at Saints on the afternoon of Christmas Day (a Friday)

Earlier this week, Rick Spielman said he was hoping for some primetime games at U.S. Bank Stadium. He did not get his wish. The Vikings will be on the road for all three of these games, and they all figure to be tough games in hostile environments. They'll face the Seahawks in Seattle for a night game for the third straight year, having lost each of the last two.

The two night games would be the fewest the Vikings have had since they had just one in 2014, Mike Zimmer's first year as head coach.

Week 1 is going to be huge

The Vikings won't have won the NFC North if they beat the Packers at home in Week 1, and they won't be doomed to a miserable season if they lose that game. But it's sure going to feel like that, isn't it? The Vikings are opening with a home game against Green Bay for the first time EVER, which should make for a very fun way to get things started.

If the Vikings can't win that one at home, they'll be facing an uphill battle towards winning the division.

Primetime flex possibility

The Vikings only have two night games right now, but they could end up with a third if they're in the playoff hunt late in the season. Their Week 14 game in Tampa Bay against Tom Brady's Buccaneers stands out as a potential candidate to be flexed to Sunday Night Football if there aren't any network protections. The current Week 14 SNF game is Steelers at Bills, which could be a dud if one of those teams disappoints.

That seems like the only realistic flex candidate.

Quick turnaround for Christmas game

The Vikings will play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2005 when they travel to take on the Saints on a Friday. That'll be a quick turnaround for a road game, with the Vikings hosting the Bears the previous Sunday.

Playing on Christmas might not be the preference of every player, but there will certainly be a lot of eyes on that game since it's the only one of the day.

Weather shouldn't be much of an issue

Of the Vikings' eight road games, four come against teams that have either a domed stadium or a retractable roof: the Colts in Week 2, the Texans in Week 4, the Saints in Week 16, and the Lions in Week 17. One of the other four is Tampa Bay, where weather isn't a concern.

The only three games with potential weather issues are Week 5 (Oct. 11) at the Seahawks, Week 8 (Nov. 1) at the Packers, and Week 10 (Nov. 16) at the Bears. It wouldn't be unlike the midwest to produce some snow in November, but it's nice that neither the Packers nor Bears game fell any later.

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