Vikings 2018 schedule released: Vikings open against 49ers, face Packers Week 2, Eagles Week 5, Patriots Week 13

The Vikings 2018 schedule figures to be pretty tough with road games against Philadelphia, New England and the L.A. Rams.

By Rana L. Cash Star Tribune

April 19, 2018 — 7:39pm

The Vikings' stupendous run last season , a march that took them to the precipice of playing Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium, is officially out of view now that the 2018 NFL schedule has been released.

The Vikings will open the season against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 9 at U.S. Bank Stadium, followed by a Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 16 Lambeau Field. The regular season ends at home Dec. 30 against the Chicago Bears. The Vikings get the Packers at home on Nov. 25.

They return to the site of last year's season-ending 38-7 debacle — Lincoln Financial Field — when they play the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5 on Oct. 7.

But this will be a very different Vikings team when the season kicks off — Kirk Cousins is the new quarterback, former Eagles quarterbacks caoch John DeFilippo now holds the offensie coordinator position in Minnesota and new defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson will line up next to Linval Joseph. And that's just for starters.

In addition to six games against their NFC North opponents — Green Bay, Chicago and Detroit — they'll play against the AFC East and NFC West.

That includes another monster road game, at New England on Dec 2, followed by a road contest at Seattle on Monday Night Football on Dec. 10. Minnesota travels to Los Angeles to face the Rams on Sept. 27, a Thursday night game.

They face the Jets Oct. 21 on the road where there might be a chance of playing against former Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who'll compete for the starting job this summer if healthy, but is a presumed backup behind Josh McCown. Buffalo and Miami come to Minneapolis.

Last year the Vikings opened the year against the Saints on Monday Night Football. This year they get the Saints, whom they beat with the "Minneapolis Miracle" catch-and-run from Stefon Diggs, again at home on Oct. 28.

The preseason brings a trip to Denver to play the Broncos and last year's Vikings quarterback, Case Keenum in Week 1. The preseason slate is followed by home games against the Jaguars and Seahawks, and a Week 4 preseason game at Tennessee.