MOCKSLATE

Minnesota Vikings Schedulegami: Opponents Never Faced in Primetime

What is a schedulegami? MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they’ve never shared before.

The Vikings have faced the Panthers 17 times, but never on Monday night. If they were scheduled there, that would be a schedulegami, their first-ever Monday night meeting.

The Vikings have never faced 4 of their 31 possible opponents on Monday, Sunday, or Thursday night. Of those 4, one has only ever met Minnesota on a Sunday afternoon. The other three have met in at least one other scheduling window, such as a Saturday or a game abroad.

The 2026 schedule adds four schedulegamis across three games: Buffalo on Monday night in Week 9, San Francisco on Sunday night and in an international game in Week 11, and New England on Thursday night in Week 14. One game counts twice because it fits two windows, a Sunday night game abroad.

Every Vikings opponent by scheduling window, 1966–2025

Each number shows how many times Minnesota has faced that opponent in the listed window. “Never” means the matchup has not happened there yet; “2026 first” means this season will be the first.

OpponentGamessince 1966Mon nightsince 1970Sun nightsince 1987Thu nightsince 1978Thanksgivingsince 1966Christmassince 1966Saturdaysince 1966Kickoffsince 2002Intlsince 2005Fridaysince 1966Wednesdaysince 1966
Bears1191992nevernever1nevernevernevernever
Lions119233515nevernevernevernever
Packers1199103nevernever4nevernever1never
Buccaneers57221nevernever2nevernevernevernever
49ers3552026 first1nevernever2never2026 firstnevernever
Falcons3321nevernevernever2nevernevernevernever
Saints3322nevernever1never111never
Rams312never2nevernevernevernevernever1never
Cardinals28111nevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Giants2761nevernevernever1nevernevernevernever
Cowboys262523nevernevernevernevernevernever
Eagles26311nevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Commanders24213nevernever2nevernever1never
Seahawks2022nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Panthers17never1nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Colts1721nevernevernever1nevernevernevernever
Steelers171never1nevernevernevernever2nevernever
Bengals161nevernevernever12nevernevernevernever
Browns16nevernevernevernevernever1never2nevernever
Broncos1633nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Chargers16nevernever1nevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Raiders1611nevernevernever1nevernevernevernever
Bills152026 firstnever1nevernever1nevernevernevernever
Titans15nevernevernevernevernever1nevernevernevernever
Patriots141never2026 first1nevernevernevernevernevernever
Chiefs13never2nevernevernever2nevernevernevernever
Dolphins13nevernevernevernevernever2nevernevernevernever
Jets132nevernevernevernevernevernever1nevernever
Ravens811nevernever1nevernevernevernevernever
Jaguars8never1nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever
Texans6nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever

2026 Vikings schedulegamis

  • Week 9 — Vikings vs. Bills

    First-ever Vikings–Bills Monday night meeting.

  • Week 11 — Vikings at 49ers

    First-ever Vikings–49ers Sunday night and International meeting.

  • Week 14 — Vikings at Patriots

    First-ever Vikings–Patriots Thursday night meeting.

Vikings venue-first matchups, 1966–2025

Schedulegami vs. venue first: A schedulegami means the teams have never met in that scheduling window. A venue first means they have met in the window, but one team has never hosted it.

Some matchups have appeared in a primetime window several times, but always with the same team hosting. The table below shows where the other team has never hosted that matchup in the same window.

MatchupWindowGamesHosted bydesignated home teamNever hosted by
Vikings–LionsThanksgiving5LionsVikings
Vikings–EaglesMonday night3EaglesVikings
Vikings–LionsThursday night3VikingsLions
Vikings–CommandersThursday night3VikingsCommanders
Vikings–CowboysThanksgiving3CowboysVikings
Vikings–FalconsMonday night2FalconsVikings
Vikings–CowboysMonday night2VikingsCowboys
Vikings–LionsMonday night2LionsVikings
Vikings–JetsMonday night2JetsVikings
Vikings–SeahawksMonday night2SeahawksVikings
Vikings–SeahawksSunday night2SeahawksVikings
Vikings–BuccaneersSunday night2BuccaneersVikings
Vikings–BearsThursday night2VikingsBears
Vikings–RamsThursday night2RamsVikings
Vikings–FalconsSaturday2VikingsFalcons
Vikings–49ersSaturday249ersVikings
Vikings–BuccaneersSaturday2BuccaneersVikings
Vikings–CardinalsMonday night1Cardinals (St. Louis)Vikings
Vikings–RavensMonday night1RavensVikings
Vikings–BillsMonday night1VikingsBills
Vikings–BengalsMonday night1VikingsBengals
Vikings–RaidersMonday night1VikingsRaiders
Vikings–PatriotsMonday night1VikingsPatriots
Vikings–SteelersMonday night1VikingsSteelers
Vikings–CardinalsSunday night1CardinalsVikings
Vikings–FalconsSunday night1VikingsFalcons
Vikings–RavensSunday night1RavensVikings
Vikings–PanthersSunday night1PanthersVikings
Vikings–ColtsSunday night1VikingsColts
Vikings–JaguarsSunday night1VikingsJaguars
Vikings–RaidersSunday night1Raiders (Oakland)Vikings
Vikings–GiantsSunday night1VikingsGiants
Vikings–EaglesSunday night1VikingsEagles
Vikings–49ersSunday night149ers (Mexico City)Vikings
Vikings–CommandersSunday night1VikingsCommanders
Vikings–CardinalsThursday night1CardinalsVikings
Vikings–BillsThursday night1BillsVikings
Vikings–ChargersThursday night1ChargersVikings
Vikings–PatriotsThursday night1PatriotsVikings
Vikings–EaglesThursday night1EaglesVikings
Vikings–SteelersThursday night1VikingsSteelers
Vikings–49ersThursday night1Vikings49ers
Vikings–BuccaneersThursday night1VikingsBuccaneers
Vikings–PatriotsThanksgiving1VikingsPatriots
Vikings–RavensChristmas1RavensVikings
Vikings–BengalsChristmas1VikingsBengals
Vikings–LionsChristmas1VikingsLions
Vikings–SaintsChristmas1SaintsVikings
Vikings–BillsSaturday1BillsVikings
Vikings–BearsSaturday1VikingsBears
Vikings–BrownsSaturday1VikingsBrowns
Vikings–ColtsSaturday1VikingsColts
Vikings–RaidersSaturday1VikingsRaiders
Vikings–GiantsSaturday1VikingsGiants
Vikings–TitansSaturday1TitansVikings
Vikings–SaintsKickoff Game1SaintsVikings
Vikings–PackersFriday1VikingsPackers
Vikings–RamsFriday1RamsVikings
Vikings–SaintsFriday1SaintsVikings
Vikings–CommandersFriday1CommandersVikings

2027 Vikings matchups that could become schedulegamis

These are Minnesota’s projected 2027 opponents and the scheduling windows where each matchup has never happened. Three opponents still depend on Week 18 standings. The full projection is on the Vikings team page.

OpponentWhy they playWindows never playedStatus
Chicago BearsDivision — twice a yearThanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Detroit LionsDivision — twice a yearKickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Green Bay PackersDivision — twice a yearThanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Wednesdayconfirmed
Denver BroncosInterconference rotationThursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Las Vegas RaidersInterconference rotationThursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Los Angeles RamsConference rotationSunday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Wednesdayconfirmed
Seattle SeahawksConference rotationThursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Kansas City ChiefsInterconference rotationMonday night, Thursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Los Angeles ChargersInterconference rotationMonday night, Sunday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
Arizona CardinalsConference rotationThanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
San Francisco 49ersConference rotationThanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, Friday, Wednesdayconfirmed
New York GiantsSame-place finish, NFC EastThursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdaypending Week 18 standings
Carolina PanthersSame-place finish, NFC SouthMonday night, Thursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesdaypending Week 18 standings
Cleveland Browns17th game — same-place finishMonday night, Sunday night, Thursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, Friday, Wednesdaypending Week 18 standings

Vikings schedulegami FAQ

What is a schedulegami?
MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they've never shared before. The Vikings have faced the Panthers 17 times, but never on Monday night. If they were scheduled there, that would be a schedulegami, their first-ever Monday night meeting.
How many opponents have the Vikings never faced in primetime?
Minnesota has never faced 4 of its 31 possible opponents in primetime. Those teams are the Browns, Titans, Dolphins, and Texans. Counted one window at a time, the Vikings have never faced 9 opponents on Monday night, 12 on Sunday night, and 18 on Thursday night; the 4 above are the ones missing from all three.
Which teams have the Vikings never played on Monday night?
The Vikings have never played the Panthers, Browns, Chargers, Bills, Titans, Chiefs, Dolphins, Jaguars, and Texans on Monday night. That's 9 of their 31 possible opponents through the 2025 season.
Which Vikings matchups have only happened on Sunday afternoons?
One Vikings matchup has occurred only in Sunday afternoon windows: Houston. That opponent is among the 4 opponents Minnesota has never faced in primetime. Nothing on the 2026 schedule changes that.
Which Vikings games are schedulegamis in 2026?
Three: Week 9 vs. Buffalo on Monday night, Week 11 at San Francisco on Sunday night and in an international game, and Week 14 at New England on Thursday night. Each matchup will appear in that window for the first time.
What is the difference between a schedulegami and a venue first?
A schedulegami is the first time two teams meet in a scheduling window. A venue first means they have met in that window before, but one team has never hosted it.

About the data

MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they have never shared before. The order of the two teams does not matter, and neither does the venue: two teams that have only ever met on Sunday night in one city have still met on Sunday night, so the same game in the other city is a venue first, not a schedulegami. Sunday afternoon windows never count. A game counts in every window it fits, so a Monday night game in Mexico City is both a Monday night game and an international game. Primetime here means Monday, Sunday, and Thursday night. Two levels are tracked: the first time two teams meet in one window, and the first time they meet anywhere but a Sunday afternoon.

Game history is the same record as Primetime & Holiday History, regular season only, with franchises carried forward under their current names; Monday night counts every Monday game the way that tool counts it. Coverage by window: Monday night: since 1970, every Monday game as Slot History counts it; Sunday night: since 1987; Thursday night: all Thursday games since 1966 as Slot History counts them; the first non-Thanksgiving Thursday game in the data is 1978; the weekly package began in 2006; Thanksgiving: since 1966; Christmas: since 1966; Saturday: since 1966; Kickoff Game: since 2002; International: since 2005; Friday: since 1966; Wednesday: all-time. A Sunday international game with a verified 8 PM ET or later kickoff counts as International and Sunday night; two games count, the 2005 49ers at Cardinals game in Mexico City and the 2026 Vikings at 49ers game in Mexico City. Schedulegami is a MockSlate term, first published September 2026.

More Vikings: Primetime & holiday history · Team page · Scorigami · Rest & travel · All schedulegami teams

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Updated: October 26, 2026