Daunting Schedule: Vikings Play Each of NFL's Final Four Teams in 2023
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs is in the books, and the final four is set. The No. 1 seed Eagles will host the No. 2 seed 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at 2:00 p.m. CT next Sunday, followed by the No. 1 seed Chiefs hosting the No. 3 seed Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.
On paper, this is one of the most even final fours in recent history. There's no clear favorite, which is unusual. Both conference title games currently have spreads within three points.
The Eagles look like the NFL's most complete team, but they have a tough matchup against the 49ers' elite defense and skill position weapons. The Chiefs might've been the favorites if Patrick Mahomes hadn't suffered an ankle injury — which he was able to play through — in Saturday's win over the Jaguars. The Bengals, led by Joe Burrow and an underrated defense, could easily be headed back to a second consecutive Super Bowl.
All four teams are fantastic. These are clearly the four best teams in the NFL, and I think even Bills and Cowboys fans would agree with that assessment. It should make, let's hope, for two excellent games this coming Sunday.
The concerning — or at least notable — angle for Vikings fans is that Minnesota plays all four of these teams next season. The schedule gets a lot tougher in 2023, which will make it quite difficult for Kevin O'Connell's team to go 13-4 again, even if they take major strides in his second year as head coach.
When you win your division, you get a first-place schedule. The Vikings were already set to play the entire AFC West next season, which will include the Chiefs and Chargers becoming the final two teams to play a game at U.S. Bank Stadium. They'll also play the NFC South, and get the first-place teams from the NFC East (Eagles), NFC West (49ers), and AFC North (Bengals).
The Chiefs and 49ers will come to Minneapolis. The Vikings will travel to play the Eagles and Bengals.
That can be framed in a positive light, too. By playing those four teams, the Vikings will have a good sense of how close they are to contending against the NFL's elite class.
One thing is clear: improvement is needed. The Vikings went 13-4, but had a negative point differential and finished 27th in DVOA. The defense needs to get much better, which underscores the importance of Minnesota's current defensive coordinator search. The offense, despite putting up good numbers and flashing dominant potential, needs to become more consistent.
As you watch the final three games of this NFL postseason, keep in mind that the Vikings will get to test their mettle against all of these teams later this year.
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