1. The Vikings Have A Lot of Very Winnable Games

The Vikings’ mid-season schedule has a lot of very winnable games. Besides the matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and the division matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings match up very well against their opponents.

They won’t be easy wins, but if the Vikings could manage nine wins out of the remaining 13 that could be enough to get into the playoffs. That seems hard, but the Jaguars, Panthers, and winless Falcons and Texans are all non-division games. They also have to play the Lions twice and a Bears team whose 3-0 record is somewhat deceptive.

That is eight very winnable games right there. The Vikings will just have to steal a few games from Seattle, Dallas, New Orleans, Green Bay, or Tampa. Minnesota has a lot of talent and could steal games from any of those teams. It would be an interesting story if Minnesota does make the playoffs, but they’ve shown the ability to rally in the past. With this schedule, they could do it again this season.

While right now they shouldn’t panic, if Houston beats the Vikings in Week 4, they will be in deep trouble. Houston is in a very similar situation to Minnesota. Both teams have playoff experience and have the talent to make the playoffs. However, coming back from an 0-4 deficit will be almost impossible. It is a must-win game for both teams, and they will both look to save their seasons.

Minnesota must win, or else it will be time to panic and possibly look towards their future.