Vikings 2020 schedule released

Usually the schedule release really excites me, as I can place a date to the games I will be going to and figure out which games to sell to afford season tickets in the first place. 

Not this year. I remain very unsure if there will be a 2020 season at all, but even beyond that I know there is very little chance that fans will be allowed in to any games, so I won't actually be going to any of them.

But, presuming that the season WILL happen, and happen with this schedule, I do have some thoughts.

I don't like much about this schedule. Opening at home against the Packers is a much bigger game than you like to have right out the gate, especially with a young, retooled secondary in its first test. And with really no actual home field advantage. 

Week 2 at Indy could go either way. But we did handle Philip Rivers late last season. 

Week 3 back home against Tennessee should be easier. The Titans are primed for a fallback season. 

Then it's back on the road to face a Houston team that's gotten worse since the end of last season. But Deshaun Watson is dangerous, and this would be our 1st matchup against him.

Then we stay on the road to face Seattle on SNF, because for some reason we always have to play Seattle on the road in primetime. But here the lack of fans could really even the playing field.

That's a tough first 5 games. 4 against 2019 playoff teams. If we can come out of that even at 3-2 we should be set up well.

Week 6 we get a bit of a breather, with Atlanta at home. 

Week 7 is the bye. It's an earlier bye than I would like. The later bye last season really helped us.

On the plus side it gives us an extra week off before a week 8 game at Lambeau. November 1st isn't too bad for playing there.

Week 9 we are back home to play Detroit. Then week 10 we get our annual game at Soldier Field where regardless of the roster the whole team will look like it's their first time playing football. Oh and yet again we play at Chicago in prime time, this time a Monday.

So at this 9 game checkpoint any record above .500 puts the Vikings in great position to make the playoffs.

And then we get a 3 week homestand, our first since 2014. Dallas, Teddy's Panthers, and the Jaguars. That really needs to be 3 wins.

Then we have a trip to Tampa Bay to play their washed up QB. The Vikings have never beaten Brady, and this may be our last chance.

Week 15 is the home finale against the Bears. 5th straight year with our regular season home finale against the Bears.

Week 16 is the headliner. Christmas Day, a Friday, at New Orleans. So a short week. But man it would be nice to ruin Christmas for those fans.

Then finally week 17 we play at Detroit.

So this schedule has a dangerous start and a dangerous finish.

I really hope that it doesn't pan out that fans actually DO start to get allowed back in during the season. We finish with 3 of 4 on the road. But we will lose that true HFA against the Packers.

It may end up being 16 weird neutral site games. Who knows.

I believe that we will have a damn good team. And we will need one to navigate this schedule.