Inside The Vikings

NFL Schedule Release: Vikings to Play Jets in London in Week 5

The Vikings will battle Aaron Rodgers and the Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Will Ragatz|
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18)
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) | Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings will play the Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London during Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season, the league announced on Wednesday morning. The game will take place on October 6th, with the Vikings counting as the home team for the contest.

We've known for a while that Minnesota would be "hosting" a game across the pond this fall. Now we know the date and the opponent. This should be quite the matchup; Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are a team to watch this season after Rodgers' 2023 campaign ended just minutes into his debut with New York. If the 40-year-old former MVP can stay healthy, the Jets' offense will be much-improved this year. Paired with one of the NFL's elite defenses, Rodgers' presence could make the Jets legitimate contenders in the AFC this year.

To complement their veteran quarterback, the Jets signed offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses this offseason, as well as wide receiver Mike Williams. They already had a dangerous duo of weapons with Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson. Defensively, Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner are the stars of a deep, outstanding unit that finished third in DVOA last year.

It'll be fascinating to see who the Vikings' starting quarterback is when this Week 5 game in London rolls around. Will it be veteran Sam Darnold, who was signed to be the bridge option? Or will it be rookie J.J. McCarthy, who was drafted tenth overall out of Michigan a few weeks ago? Whoever is playing QB will be throwing to superstar Justin Jefferson, who had 147 receiving yards when the Vikings played the Saints in London two years ago.

The Vikings are 3-0 all-time when playing in London. They beat the Steelers in 2013, the Browns in 2017, and the Saints in 2022. They'll be playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second time in three years. Because this counts as one of their nine home games, the Vikings essentially have eight true home games, eight road games, and the London contest. Their full schedule will be announced tonight at 7 p.m. central time.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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