Games all over the place, and we have no idea when they will be played. The Commish has pushed through "virtually" everything on schedule, and I'm very curious to see how this all shakes out.
To wit, if the Viking are set to host Houston to start the preseason. I believe that would be "ByFootballFaith" teams have ample on-field conditioning/OTA/training camp time.Sooooo, if they do not hit the plush fields at TCO Performance Center until say July I'm not sure about those early preseason games. But, again, "ByFootballFaith" we trudge through the Pandemic Purge, stay safe, wait for change and hope they squeeze them all in. Here are some intriguing Vikings 2020 schedule-related tidbits:
PRESEASON: That week-three ditty at Cleveland is super cool. Baker Mayfield. Andrew Sendejo. Former Vikes OC Kevin Stefanski, new HC for the Cleveland Browns. OBJ, perhaps wondering why he's not wearing our colors. Even with it being a preseason game Kevin will throw a ton with Baker and test our inexperienced corners. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if opposing coaches privately execute a confab up to the game to help each team build on weaknesses/question marks. That does happen in the preseason.
SEASON-OPENER:Holy cow, ARodg right out of the gate and at home. Key start here because Vikings corners are very young, and there could be a couple playing the majority of the game who have either never played or have minimal game experience. To start the 2020 the Vikes offense will have more experience and continuity than the defense, so let's run up some numbers on these Green-and-Gold rivals. We will need our offense to start the season fast, mark my words.
WEEKS 2-4:Interesting all three of these are AFC South games. Maybe they have been placed here in case The Commish has to postpone/eliminate some games due to COVID-19? Nevertheless, at Phil Rivers, the tough-minded Titans here and at Deshaun Watson is daunting after hooking HOF QB week one. Oh, and week five they are at Seattle. For Sunday Night Football. Shocker, another late one in the Cappuccino Capital. Bosses at KFAN already have implored me to be in studio Monday morning despite arriving home at like 6 a.m. My bosses are "cracking in the purge." LOL.
NFC NORTH: After the week-seven BYE off to Lambeau, then Detroit here and at Chicago for Monday Night Football. Key, key stretch right here, friends. Three consecutive division games out of the off week, and this is where the Vikes make their push to win the division
MONEY IN THE (U.S.) BANK (STADIUM): From November 8 (home for Detroit) to December 20 (Bears, here) the Vikings will have five of seven games at home, including the advantageous three consecutive here November 22 (Dallas) to December 6 (Jags) with Too Much Time for Teddy in between. Yep, Teddy Bridgewater (Carolina) returns to Minnesota week 12 to contest a Mike Zimmer defense. That's very, very cool.
CAPTAIN COOL: Tom Brady and the Bucs at Raymond James week 14. That production should be well oiled by then, but it beats Tampa Bay in September when it's all sticky and hot and stuff. Can't wait for this one.
MERRY CHRISTMAS: No Thursday game this season for Minnesota, instead Christmas Day at New Orleans and on a Friday.Bah humbug? Nah, a win over the Saints then one the next week at Ford Field and --boom-- Our Favorite Team wins the division and heads into the postseason with cheery vibes.
That is unless real-life stuff worsens -- God willing it doesn't -- and everything or some of what you just read goes by the wayside. I'm guessing we get the regular season in as we see it, not sure if there will be fan inclusion from the outset, the NFL will be hyper safe with testing/protocol, etc., and assuming we get these games in, yeah, I'm excited to see what it looks like.
Chatted with Zimmer briefly earlier today and he's never one to say whether he likes or loathes a slate of games. He pointed out "a bunch of playoff teams early," he "likes all the home games late" and that he's "impressed with the way the virtual meetings" are going.
Then he hung up on me. Might have seen a raccoon savaging one of his emerging flowers or corn. It was "Zimm being Zimm." Love that guy.