# 2021 Minnesota Vikings season

The 2021 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 61st in the National Football League (NFL), their sixth playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their eighth and final under head coach Mike Zimmer. They were eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight season following a Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The day after the team's last game of the season, the Vikings fired Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman.

## Draft

The Vikings entered the 2021 NFL draft with no second-round pick, having traded it to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for DE Yannick Ngakoue during the 2020 season; however, they picked up an extra third-round selection when they traded Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens a few weeks later. They also received an additional fifth-round selection from the Ravens as part of a multi-pick trade during the 2020 draft, as well as additional fourth-round selections from the Chicago Bears (as part of a multi-pick trade) and the Buffalo Bills (as part of the trade that sent Stefon Diggs to the Bills ahead of the 2020 season). The Vikings were also awarded two compensatory selections at the NFL's annual spring owners' meetings; they received one additional pick in the fourth round and one in the sixth round, compensating for the losses of Mackensie Alexander, Jayron Kearse, Andrew Sendejo, Trae Waynes and Stephen Weatherly. On March 19, 2021, the Vikings were forced to forfeit a seventh-round selection due to a salary cap violation relating to a practice squad player during the 2019 season.
On the first day of the draft, the Vikings traded their first-round pick and a fourth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for the first-round pick the Jets had received from the Seattle Seahawks (23rd overall) and two additional third-round picks. With their new first-round pick, the Vikings selected offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, the first player at the position to be taken in the first round by the Vikings since Matt Kalil with the fourth overall pick in 2012. With no second-round pick, the Vikings' draft resumed in the third round with the picks they received from the Jets the previous day and the one they received from Baltimore in exchange for Yannick Ngakoue, in addition to their original third-round pick. With these, they picked quarterback Kellen Mond, linebacker Chazz Surratt, guard Wyatt Davis and defensive end Patrick Jones II. In the fourth round, the Vikings took running back Kene Nwangwu, cornerback Camryn Bynum and defensive end Janarius Robinson, followed by wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and tight end/punter Zach Davidson in the fifth. The Vikings' final pick of the draft came in the sixth round, when they selected defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman with the 199th overall pick.
2021 Minnesota Vikings Draft :
| Round | Selection | Player name | Position | College | Contract | Notes |
| 1 | 14 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | |
| 1 | 23 | Christian Darrisaw | OT | Virginia Tech | 4 years, $13.35 million | From Seahawks via Jets |
| 2 | 45 | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| 3 | 66 | Kellen Mond | QB | Texas A&M | 4 years, $5.22 million | From Jets |
| 3 | 78 | Chazz Surratt | LB | North Carolina | 4 years, $5 million | |
| 3 | 86 | Wyatt Davis | G | Ohio State | 4 years, $4.9 million | From Jets |
| 3 | 90 | Patrick Jones II | DE | Pittsburgh | 4 years, $4.87 million | From Ravens |
| 4 | 119 | Kene Nwangwu | RB | Iowa State | 4 years, $4.23 million | |
| 4 | 125 | Camryn Bynum | CB | California | 4 years, $4.2 million | From Bears |
| 4 | 134 | Janarius Robinson | DE | Florida State | 4 years, $4.15 million | From Bills |
| 4 | 143 | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Traded to the New York Jets | Compensatory selection |
| 5 | 157 | Ihmir Smith-Marsette | WR | Iowa | 4 years, $3.8 million | |
| 5 | 168 | Zach Davidson | TE | Central Missouri | 4 years, $3.78 million | From Steelers via Ravens |
| 6 | 199 | Jaylen Twyman | DT | Pittsburgh | 4 years, $3.65 million | |
| 6 | 223 | Traded to the Arizona Cardinals | Traded to the Arizona Cardinals | Traded to the Arizona Cardinals | Traded to the Arizona Cardinals | Compensatory selection |
| 7 | — | Selection forfeited | Selection forfeited | Selection forfeited | Selection forfeited | |
Draft trades
* 1 2 3 4 5 The Vikings traded a first- and a fourth-round selection (14th and 143rd overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the first-round selection the Jets received from the Seattle Seahawks (23rd overall) and two third-round selections (66th and 86th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded a second-round selection and a conditional 2022 fifth-round selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. The fifth-round selection would have been upgraded to a fourth rounder if Ngakoue had been selected for the 2021 Pro Bowl.
* ↑ The Vikings traded defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Baltimore's third-round selection and a conditional 2022 fifth-round selection.
* ↑ The Vikings traded a 2020 fifth-round selection (155th overall) to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Chicago's fourth-round selection.
* ↑ The Vikings traded a 2020 seventh-round selection (239th overall) and wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Buffalo's fourth-round selection, and 2020 first-, fifth-, and sixth-round selections (22nd, 155th and 201st overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded 2020 sixth- and seventh-round selections (201st and 219th overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the fifth-round selection the Ravens received from the Pittsburgh Steelers and their 2020 seventh-round selection (225th overall).
* ↑ The Vikings traded a sixth-round selection (223rd overall) to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for center Mason Cole.
* ↑ The Vikings forfeited their seventh-round selection as punishment for a salary cap violation involving a 2019 practice squad player.
2021 Minnesota Vikings undrafted free agents :
| Name | Position | College |
| Turner Bernard | LS | San Diego State |
| Tuf Borland | LB | Ohio State |
| Christian Elliss | LB | Idaho |
| Zeandae Johnson | DT | California |
| Myron Mitchell | WR | UAB |
| Riley Patterson | K | Memphis |
| Whop Philyor | WR | Indiana |
| Blake Proehl | WR | East Carolina |
| A. J. Rose | RB | Kentucky |
| Jordon Scott | NT | Oregon |
| Zach Von Rosenberg | P | LSU |

## Preseason
### Schedule

The Vikings' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on May 12. The exact dates and times were finalized on June 3.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | August 14 | Denver Broncos | L 6–33 | 0–1 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,028 | Recap |
| 2 | August 21 | Indianapolis Colts | L 10–12 | 0–2 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,022 | Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 25–28 | 0–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 72,680 | Recap |

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 9 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 33 |
| Vikings | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: August 14
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,028
* Referee: Alex Kemp (55)
* TV announcers (KMSP): Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Penalty on Dakota Dozier enforced in the end zone for a safety, 8:45. Broncos 2–0.
DEN – K. J. Hamler 80-yard pass from Drew Lock (Brandon McManus kick), 8:28. Broncos 9–0. Drive: 1 play, 80 yards, 0:17.
MIN – Greg Joseph 34-yard field goal, 3:13. Broncos 9–3. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:15.
Second quarter
DEN – Trinity Benson 4-yard pass from Drew Lock (Brandon McManus kick), 12:59. Broncos 16–3. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 5:14.
DEN – Patrick Surtain II 30-yard interception return (Brandon McManus kick), 11:49. Broncos 23–3.
DEN – Brandon McManus 34-yard field goal, 2:49. Broncos 26–3. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 6:15.
MIN – Greg Joseph 25-yard field goal, 0:00. Broncos 26–6. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 2:49.
Third quarter
DEN – Trinity Benson 4-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Brandon McManus kick), 10:30. Broncos 33–6. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 4:30.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
DEN – Drew Lock – 5/7, 151 yards, 2 TD
MIN – Kellen Mond – 6/16, 53 yards
Top rushers
DEN – Damarea Crockett – 16 rushes, 59 yards
MIN – A. J. Rose – 25 rushes, 100 yards
Top receivers
DEN – K. J. Hamler – 2 receptions, 105 yards, TD
MIN – A. J. Rose – 1 reception, 18 yards :

#### Week 2: vs. Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colts | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: August 21
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,022
* Referee: Clay Martin (19)
* TV announcers (KMSP): Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
IND – Rodrigo Blankenship 47-yard field goal, 6:00. Colts 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:54.
MIN – Troy Dye 33-yard interception return (Greg Joseph kick), 3:45. Vikings 7–3.
Second quarter
IND – Eddy Piñeiro 31-yard field goal, 14:53. Vikings 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:52.
MIN – Greg Joseph 49-yard field goal, 0:45. Vikings 10–6. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 1:16.
Third quarter
IND – Eddy Piñeiro 50-yard field goal, 3:37. Vikings 10–9. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 5:58.
Fourth quarter
IND – Eddy Piñeiro 28-yard field goal, 6:22. Colts 12–10. Drive: 13 plays, 69 yards, 6:30.
Top passers
IND – Jacob Eason – 16/27, 132 yards
MIN – Jake Browning – 6/15, 82 yards
Top rushers
IND – Jordan Wilkins – 5 rushes, 20 yards
MIN – Ameer Abdullah – 6 rushes, 35 yards
Top receivers
IND – Dezmon Patmon – 4 receptions, 60 yards
MIN – Chad Beebe – 2 receptions, 47 yards :

#### Week 3: at Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 3 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 25 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: August 27
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 91 °F (33 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,680
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli (83)
* TV announcers (KMSP): Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
KC – Tyreek Hill 35-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes (Harrison Butker kick), 12:22. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:38.
MIN – Greg Joseph 26-yard field goal, 7:55. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:27.
KC – Blake Bell 5-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes (Harrison Butker kick), 3:06. Chiefs 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:49.
Second quarter
KC – Marcus Kemp 23-yard pass from Shane Buechele (Harrison Butker kick), 0:26. Chiefs 21–3. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 1:37.
Third quarter
MIN – A. J. Rose 32-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 9:23. Chiefs 21–10. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 3:34.
KC – Derrick Gore 56-yard pass from Shane Buechele (Harrison Butker kick), 8:05. Chiefs 28–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:18.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Parry Nickerson 10-yard interception return (Kellen Mond–Myron Mitchell pass), 8:24. Chiefs 28–18.
MIN – A. J. Rose 1-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 1:24. Chiefs 28–25. Drive: 8 plays, 89 yards, 2:19.
Top passers
MIN – Kellen Mond – 16/23, 196 yards, INT
KC – Shane Buechele – 20/33, 231 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – A. J. Rose – 6 rushes, 41 yards, 2 TD
KC – Derrick Gore – 6 rushes, 26 yards
Top receivers
MIN – K. J. Osborn – 3 receptions, 68 yards
KC – Derrick Gore – 5 receptions, 80 yards, TD :

## Regular season
### Schedule

In addition to their usual six games home and away against their NFC North rivals, the Vikings would also play games against each of the teams from the NFC West and the AFC North, as well as the two teams that, like the Vikings, finished in third place in their divisions in the NFC East and NFC South in 2020: the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers. Following an agreement between the league and the National Football League Players Association to expand the regular season schedule to 17 games, the Vikings also played against the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the third-placed teams from the American Football Conference (AFC) whom they were not originally scheduled to play in 2021. The Vikings' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | September 12 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 24−27 (OT) | 0−1 | Paul Brown Stadium | 56,525 | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 33−34 | 0–2 | State Farm Stadium | 60,115 | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | Seattle Seahawks | W 30–17 | 1–2 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,729 | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | Cleveland Browns | L 7–14 | 1–3 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,703 | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | Detroit Lions | W 19–17 | 2–3 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,538 | Recap |
| 6 | October 17 | at Carolina Panthers | W 34–28 (OT) | 3–3 | Bank of America Stadium | 72,104 | Recap |
| 7 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 8 | October 31 | Dallas Cowboys | L 16–20 | 3–4 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,633 | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 31–34 (OT) | 3–5 | M&T Bank Stadium | 70,599 | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | at Los Angeles Chargers | W 27–20 | 4–5 | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 | Recap |
| 11 | November 21 | Green Bay Packers | W 34–31 | 5–5 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,959 | Recap |
| 12 | November 28 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 26–34 | 5–6 | Levi's Stadium | 71,493 | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | at Detroit Lions | L 27–29 | 5–7 | Ford Field | 45,691 | Recap |
| 14 | December 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 36–28 | 6–7 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,718 | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | at Chicago Bears | W 17–9 | 7–7 | Soldier Field | 60,082 | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Los Angeles Rams | L 23–30 | 7–8 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,708 | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | at Green Bay Packers | L 10–37 | 7–9 | Lambeau Field | 77,832 | Recap |
| 18 | January 9 | Chicago Bears | W 31–17 | 8–9 | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,625 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Vikings | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| Bengals | 0 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: September 12
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Mostly sunny, 84 °F (29 °C)
* Game attendance: 56,525
* Referee: Adrian Hill (29)
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 6:39. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 91 yards, 8:21.
CIN – Tee Higgins 2-yard pass from Joe Burrow (Evan McPherson kick), 1:47. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:52.
CIN – Ja'Marr Chase 50-yard pass from Joe Burrow (Evan McPherson kick), 0:35. Bengals 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 0:36.
Third quarter
CIN – Joe Mixon 2-yard run (Evan McPherson kick), 9:15. Bengals 21–7. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:45.
MIN – Adam Thielen 24-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 2:24 Bengals 21–14. Drive: 4 plays, 30 yards, 0:51.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Evan McPherson 53-yard field goal, 14:13. Bengals 24–14. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 3:11.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 1-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 9:23. Bengals 24–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:50.
MIN – Greg Joseph 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 24–24. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 1:48.
Overtime
CIN – Evan McPherson 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 27–24. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 1:48.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 36/49, 351 yards, 2 TD
CIN – Joe Burrow – 20/27, 261 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 20 rushes, 61 yards, TD
CIN – Joe Mixon – 29 rushes, 127 yards, TD
Top reveivers
MIN – Adam Thielen – 9 receptions, 92 yards, 2 TD
CIN – Ja'Marr Chase – 5 receptions, 101 yards, TD :
This was head coach Mike Zimmer's first return to Cincinnati since 2013, his last season with the Bengals before departing to become the Vikings head coach. Zimmer served as defensive coordinator for the Bengals under then-head coach Marvin Lewis from 2008 to 2013.

#### Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 14 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 33 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: September 19
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CDT/1:05 p.m. MST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 60,115
* Referee: Bill Vinovich (52)
* TV announcers (Fox): Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib and Megan Olivi
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – K. J. Osborn 64-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 14:16. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:44.
ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 15-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 5:49. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:36.
MIN – Adam Thielen 7-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 0:24. Vikings 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:25.
Second quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 14-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (kick failed, wide right), 8:56. Vikings 20–7. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 5:18.
ARI – Kyler Murray 12-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:15. Vikings 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:41.
ARI – Rondale Moore 77-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 1:33. Cardinals 21–20. Drive: 1 play, 77 yards, 0:13.
MIN – Greg Joseph 52-yard field goal, 0:21. Vikings 23–21. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 1:12.
ARI – Matt Prater 62-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 24–23. Drive: 3 plays, 22 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
MIN – Nick Vigil 36-yard interception return (Greg Joseph kick), 14:00. Vikings 30–24.
ARI – A. J. Green 9-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 9:11. Cardinals 31–30. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:49.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 52-yard field goal, 14:12. Vikings 33–31. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 4:17.
ARI – Matt Prater 27-yard field goal, 4:25. Cardinals 34–33. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:26.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 22/32, 244 yards, 3 TD
ARI – Kyler Murray – 29/36, 400 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 22 rushes, 131 yards
ARI – Chase Edmonds – 8 rushes, 46 yards
Top receivers
MIN – K. J. Osborn – 5 reception, 91 yards, TD
ARI – Rondale Moore – 7 receptions, 114 yards, TD :

#### Week 3: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Vikings | 7 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,729
* Referee: Clay Martin (19)
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
SEA – DK Metcalf 10-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Jason Myers kick), 10:26. Seahawks 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:34.
MIN – Tyler Conklin 7-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 6:37. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:49.
SEA – Jason Myers 53-yard field goal, 0:27. Seahawks 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 40 yards, 6:10.
Second quarter
SEA – Chris Carson 30-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 11:12. Seahawks 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 76 yards, 3:33.
MIN – Adam Thielen 15-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 5:28. Seahawks 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 5:44.
MIN – Justin Jefferson 3-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 0:16. Vikings 21–17. Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 2:58.
Third quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 43-yard field goal, 6:34. Vikings 24–17. Drive: 16 plays, 50 yards, 8:26.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 34-yard field goal, 13:47. Vikings 27–17. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 5:01.
MIN – Greg Joseph 20-yard field goal, 4:31. Vikings 30–17. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 7:08.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 23/32, 298 yards, TD
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 30/38, 323 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
SEA – Chris Carson – 12 rushes, 80 yards, TD
MIN – Alexander Mattison – 26 rushes, 112 yards
Top receivers
SEA – DK Metcalf – 6 receptions, 107 yards, TD
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 9 receptions, 118 yards, TD :

#### Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 14 |
| Vikings | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: October 3
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,703
* Referee: Tony Corrente (99)
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 12-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 7:26. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 7:34.
Second quarter
CLE – Kareem Hunt 1-yard run (Baker Mayfield–Andy Janovich pass), 1:16. Browns 8–7. Drive: 18 plays, 64 yards, 8:39.
CLE – Chase McLaughlin 48-yard field goal, 0:02. Browns 11–7. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 0:43.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
CLE – Chase McLaughlin 53-yard field goal, 6:16. Browns 14–7. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 3:29.
Top passers
CLE – Baker Mayfield – 15/33, 155 yards
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 20/38, 203 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
CLE – Nick Chubb – 21 rushes, 100 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 9 rushes, 34 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Rashard Higgins – 4 receptions, 63 yards
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 6 receptions, 84 yards, TD :

#### Week 5: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 17 |
| Vikings | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: October 10
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,538
* Referee: Clete Blakeman (34)
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Austin Seibert 39-yard field goal, 10:34. Lions 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:26.
MIN – Greg Joseph 38-yard field goal, 6:30. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:04.
Second quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 38-yard field goal, 9:50. Vikings 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 6:04.
MIN – Alexander Mattison 15-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 2:20. Vikings 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 4:16.
DET – Austin Seibert 52-yard field goal, 0:41. Vikings 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 1:39.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 55-yard field goal, 4:28. Vikings 16–6. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 5:11.
DET – Austin Seibert 40-yard field goal, 2:30. Vikings 16–9. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 0:47.
DET – D'Andre Swift 7-yard run (Jared Goff–KhaDarel Hodge pass), 0:37. Lions 17–16. Drive: 3 plays, 20 yards, 1:19.
MIN – Greg Joseph 54-yard field goal, 0:00. Vikings 19–17. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 0:37.
Top passers
DET – Jared Goff – 21/35, 203 yards, INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 25/34, 275 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
DET – Jamaal Williams – 13 rushes, 57 yards
MIN – Alexander Mattison – 25 rushes, 113 yards
Top receivers
DET – Amon-Ra St. Brown – 7 receptions, 65 yards
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 7 receptions, 124 yards :

#### Week 6: at Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Vikings | 6 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 34 |
| Panthers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 28 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: October 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 63 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 72,104
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad (4)
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Sara Walsh
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 25-yard field goal, 11:52. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 16 yards, 2:56.
CAR – Chuba Hubbard 2-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 8:27. Panthers 7–3. Drive: 2 plays, 18 yards, 0:42.
MIN – Greg Joseph 25-yard field goal, 2:57. Panthers 7–6. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 5:30.
Second quarter
MIN – Chris Herndon 2-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (run failed), 10:59. Vikings 12–7. Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 4:08.
CAR – Zane Gonzalez 47-yard field goal, 4:20. Vikings 12–10. Drive: 10 plays, 32 yards, 4:23.
Third quarter
CAR – Kenny Robinson 4-yard return of blocked punt (Zane Gonzalez kick), 6:49. Panthers 17–12.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 16-yard run (pass failed), 4:00. Vikings 18–17. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:49.
MIN – Adam Thielen 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 2:24. Vikings 25–17. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:27.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 38-yard field goal, 10:15. Vikings 28–17. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:37.
CAR – Zane Gonzalez 23-yard field goal, 4:41. Vikings 28–20. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 2:19.
CAR – Robby Anderson 7-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Sam Darnold–Tommy Tremble pass), 0:42. Tied 28–28. Drive: 11 plays, 96 yards, 1:27.
Overtime
MIN – K. J. Osborn 27-yard pass from Kirk Cousins, 5:48. Vikings 34–28. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:12.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 33/48, 373 yards, 3 TD
CAR – Sam Darnold – 17/41, 207 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 29 rushes, 140 yards, TD
CAR – Chuba Hubbard – 16 rushes, 61 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIN – Adam Thielen – 11 receptions, 126 yards, TD
CAR – D. J. Moore – 5 receptions, 73 yards :

#### Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 20 |
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,633
* Referee: Scott Novak (1)
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 20-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 11:49. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:11.
Second quarter
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 6:09. Vikings 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:25.
MIN – Greg Joseph 45-yard field goal, 1:44. Vikings 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:25.
Third quarter
DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 73-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:07. Tied 10–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:53.
MIN – Greg Joseph 40-yard field goal, 6:31. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 33 yards, 3:01.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 39-yard field goal, 0:04. Tied 13–13. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:07.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 24-yard field goal, 2:51. Vikings 16–13. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 5:17.
DAL – Amari Cooper 5-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:51. Cowboys 20–16. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:00.
Top passers
DAL – Cooper Rush – 24/40, 325 yards, 2 TD, INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 23/35, 184 yards, TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 16 rushes, 50 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 18 rushes, 78 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Amari Cooper – 8 receptions, 122 yards, TD
MIN – Adam Thielen – 6 receptions, 78 yards, TD :

#### Week 9: at Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Vikings | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
| Ravens | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
* Date: November 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 70,599
* Referee: Carl Cheffers (51)
* TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Justin Tucker 37-yard field goal, 10:34. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 4:26.
MIN – Justin Jefferson 50-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 8:32. Vikings 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:02.
Second quarter
MIN – Kirk Cousins 1-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 13:15. Vikings 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 94 yards, 6:29.
MIN – Greg Joseph 36-yard field goal, 1:25. Vikings 17–3. Drive: 4 plays, −1 yards, 0:16.
BAL – Devonta Freeman 5-yard pass from Lamar Jackson (Justin Tucker kick), 0:19. Vikings 17–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:06.
Third quarter
MIN – Kene Nwangwu 98-yard kickoff return (Greg Joseph kick), 14:47. Vikings 24–10. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:13.
BAL – Patrick Ricard 1-yard pass from Lamar Jackson (Justin Tucker kick), 8:39. Vikings 24–17. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 6:08.
Fourth quarter
BAL – Devin Duvernay 5-yard pass from Lamar Jackson (Justin Tucker kick), 9:19. Tied 24–24. Drive: 18 plays, 82 yards, 10:17.
BAL – Le'Veon Bell 1-yard run (Justin Tucker kick), 3:29. Ravens 31–24. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 4:16.
MIN – Adam Thielen 1-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 1:03. Tied 31–31. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:26.
Overtime
BAL – Justin Tucker 36-yard field goal, 0:16. Ravens 34–31. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 5:01.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 17/28, 187 yards, 2 TD
BAL – Lamar Jackson – 27/41, 266 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 17 rushes, 110 yards
BAL – Lamar Jackson – 21 rushes, 120 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD
BAL – Marquise Brown – 9 receptions, 116 yards :

#### Week 10: at Los Angeles Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 0 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Chargers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
* Date: November 14
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 70,240
* Referee: Clay Martin (19)
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 46-yard field goal, 14:12. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 6:00.
LAC – Dustin Hopkins 46-yard field goal, 11:28. Tied 3–3. Drive: 6 plays, 48 yards, 2:44.
MIN – Greg Joseph 30-yard field goal, 6:38. Vikings 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards, 4:50.
MIN – Tyler Conklin 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 3:26. Vikings 13–3. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 3:00.
LAC – Larry Rountree III 1-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:30. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:56.
Third quarter
LAC – Austin Ekeler 2-yard pass from Justin Herbert (Dustin Hopkins kick), 10:40. Chargers 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:20.
MIN – Tyler Conklin 1-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 2:33. Vikings 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 3:52.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Dalvin Cook 1-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 9:29. Vikings 27–17. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 7:04.
LAC – Dustin Hopkins 24-yard field goal, 4:36. Vikings 27–20. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 4:53.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 25/37, 294 yards, 2 TD
LAC – Justin Herbert – 20/34, 195 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 24 rushes, 94 yards, TD
LAC – Austin Ekeler – 11 rushes, 44 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 9 receptions, 143 yards
LAC – Keenan Allen – 8 receptions, 98 yards :

#### Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
| Vikings | 9 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 34 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: November 21
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,959
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli (83)
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 54-yard field goal, 13:17. Packers 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 1:43.
MIN – Greg Joseph 51-yard field goal, 9:14. Tied 3–3. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 4:03.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 1-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 1:48. Vikings 9–3. Drive: 6 plays, 84 yards, 3:20.
Second quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 10-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 7:37. Vikings 16–3. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 3:38.
GB – Josiah Deguara 25-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 0:30. Vikings 16–10. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 3:48.
Third quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 9-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 8:26. Vikings 23–10. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 6:34.
GB – Davante Adams 10-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 3:35. Vikings 23–17. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:51.
Fourth quarter
GB – Davante Adams 18-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:49. Packers 24–23. Drive: 12 plays, 94 yards, 7:02.
MIN – Justin Jefferson 23-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dalvin Cook run), 2:17. Vikings 31–24. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 5:32.
GB – Marquez Valdes-Scantling 75-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 2:08. Tied 31–31. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:09.
MIN – Greg Joseph 29-yard field goal, 0:00. Vikings 34–31. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:08.
Top passers
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 23/33, 385 yards, 4 TD
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 24/35, 341 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
GB – A. J. Dillon – 11 rushes, 53 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 22 rushes, 86 yards, TD
Top receivers
GB – Marquez Valdes-Scantling – 4 receptions, 123 yards, TD
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 8 receptions, 169 yards, 2 TD :

#### Week 12: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 7 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 26 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 34 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: November 28
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST/1:25 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Clear, 67 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 71,493
* Referee: Brad Rogers (126)
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Sara Walsh
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 2-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 8:27. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 3:33.
SF – Deebo Samuel 20-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 5:31. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:56.
Second quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 20-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 12:42. Vikings 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:50.
SF – Jauan Jennings 3-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 0:18. Tied 14–14. Drive: 15 plays, 85 yards, 8:20.
Third quarter
SF – Deebo Samuel 3-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 11:31. 49ers 21–14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:29.
SF – Elijah Mitchell 2-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 11:09. 49ers 28–14. Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:04.
MIN – Alexander Mattison 6-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 8:28. 49ers 28–20. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:41.
SF – Robbie Gould 46-yard field goal, 4:58. 49ers 31–20. Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:30.
MIN – Kene Nwangwu 99-yard kickoff return (pass failed), 4:46. 49ers 31–26. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12.
SF – Robbie Gould 22-yard field goal, 0:09. 49ers 34–26. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:21.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 20/32, 238 yards, 2 TD, INT
SF – Jimmy Garoppolo – 17/26, 230 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 10 rushes, 39 yards
SF – Elijah Mitchell – 27 rushes, 133 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 4 receptions, 83 yards
SF – Brandon Aiyuk – 3 receptions, 91 yards :

#### Week 13: at Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 6 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 27 |
| Lions | 0 | 20 | 3 | 6 | 29 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: December 5
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 45,691
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad (4)
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Jay Feely
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 41-yard field goal, 6:49. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 2:51.
MIN – Greg Joseph 31-yard field goal, 0:59. Vikings 6–0. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 4:11.
Second quarter
DET – T. J. Hockenson 9-yard pass from Jared Goff (Riley Patterson kick), 13:50. Lions 7–6. Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 2:09.
DET – Brock Wright 23-yard pass from Jared Goff (Riley Patterson kick), 9:45. Lions 14–6. Drive: 3 plays, 56 yards, 1:23.
DET – Riley Patterson 31-yard field goal, 1:33. Lions 17–6. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 5:33.
DET – Riley Patterson 41-yard field goal, 0:06. Lions 20–6. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 0:26.
Third quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 31-yard field goal, 9:26. Lions 20–9. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 4:47.
MIN – Alexander Mattison 8-yard run (run failed), 6:13. Lions 20–15. Drive: 5 plays, 67 yards, 1:36.
DET – Riley Patterson 49-yard field goal, 1:56. Lions 23–15. Drive: 8 plays, 44 yards, 4:17.
Fourth quarter
MIN – K. J. Osborn 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (run failed), 11:57. Lions 23–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:59.
MIN – Justin Jefferson 3-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (pass failed), 1:50. Vikings 27–23. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 2:11.
DET – Amon-Ra St. Brown 11-yard pass from Jared Goff, 0:00. Lions 29–27. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 1:50.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 30/40, 340 yards, 2 TD
DET – Jared Goff – 25/41, 296 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Alexander Mattison – 22 rushes, 90 yards, TD
DET – Jamaal Williams – 17 rushes, 71 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 11 receptions, 182 yards, TD
DET – Amon-Ra St. Brown – 10 receptions, 86 yards, TD :

#### Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 28 |
| Vikings | 6 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 36 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: December 9
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,718
* Referee: Clete Blakeman (34)
* TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 14-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (kick failed, wide right), 3:31. Vikings 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 2:01.
Second quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 38-yard field goal, 14:43. Vikings 9–0. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 2:02.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 29-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 9:55. Vikings 16–0. Drive: 5 plays, 78 yards, 3:06.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 7-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 2:20. Vikings 23–0. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 5:19.
Third quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 42-yard field goal, 9:36. Vikings 26–0. Drive: 7 plays, 10 yards, 2:49.
MIN – Greg Joseph 25-yard field goal, 6:15. Vikings 29–0. Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 2:07.
PIT – Najee Harris 3-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Chris Boswell kick), 2:11. Vikings 29–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:04.
Fourth quarter
PIT – Najee Harris 1-yard run (Chris Boswell kick), 14:49. Vikings 29–14. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 2:14.
PIT – James Washington 30-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (pass failed), 12:11. Vikings 29–20. Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 1:06.
MIN – K. J. Osborn 62-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 10:51. Vikings 36–20. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:20.
PIT – Pat Freiermuth 15-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Ben Roethlisberger–Diontae Johnson pass), 4:14. Vikings 36–28. Drive: 2 plays, 21 yards, 0:44.
Top passers
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 28/40, 308 yards, 3 TD, INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 14/31, 216 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
PIT – Najee Harris – 20 rushes, 94 yards, TD
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 27 rushes, 205 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
PIT – Chase Claypool – 8 receptions, 93 yards
MIN – K. J. Osborn – 3 receptions, 83 yards, TD :

#### Week 15: at Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Bears | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
* Date: December 20
* Game time: 7:15 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Clear, 38 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 60,082
* Referee: Scott Novak (1)
* TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 12-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 5:03. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 4:37.
Second quarter
MIN – Greg Joseph 37-yard field goal, 13:28. Vikings 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 4:09.
CHI – Cairo Santos 34-yard field goal, 1:33. Vikings 10–3. Drive: 12 plays, 49 yards, 5:55.
Third quarter
MIN – Ihmir Smith-Marsette 7-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 5:51. Vikings 17–3. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 5:41.
Fourth quarter
CHI – Jesper Horsted 19-yard pass from Justin Fields, 0:00. Vikings 17–9. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 1:52.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 12/24, 87 yards, 2 TD, INT
CHI – Justin Fields – 26/39, 285 yards, TD
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 28 rushes, 89 yards
CHI – David Montgomery – 18 rushes, 60 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 4 receptions, 47 yards, TD
CHI – Cole Kmet – 6 receptions, 71 yards :

#### Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 23 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,708
* Referee: John Hussey (35)
* TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LAR – Sony Michel 1-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 7:13. Rams 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:44.
Second quarter
LAR – Matt Gay 32-yard field goal, 6:37. Rams 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:31.
MIN – Greg Joseph 23-yard field goal, 2:34. Rams 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:28.
LAR – Matt Gay 31-yard field goal, 0:11. Rams 13–3. Drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 2:23.
Third quarter
MIN – Alexander Mattison 2-yard run (Greg Joseph kick), 11:01. Rams 13–10. Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:06.
LAR – Brandon Powell 61-yard punt return (Matt Gay kick), 7:06. Rams 20–10.
MIN – Greg Joseph 24-yard field goal, 1:31. Rams 20–13. Drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 5:35.
Fourth quarter
LAR – Odell Beckham Jr. 7-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 11:37. Rams 27–13. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:54.
MIN – K. J. Osborn 6-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 8:21. Rams 27–20. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:16.
LAR – Matt Gay 24-yard field goal, 2:03. Rams 30–20. Drive: 13 plays, 69 yards, 6:18.
MIN – Greg Joseph 44-yard field goal, 0:32. Rams 30–23. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 1:31.
Top passers
LAR – Matthew Stafford – 21/37, 197 yards, TD, 3 INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 27/38, 315 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
LAR – Sony Michel – 27 rushes, 131 yards, TD
MIN – Alexander Mattison – 13 rushes, 41 yards, TD
Top receivers
LAR – Cooper Kupp – 10 receptions, 109 yards
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 8 receptions, 116 yards :

#### Week 17: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Packers | 3 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 37 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: January 2
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Clear, 11 °F (−12 °C)
* Game attendance: 77,832
* Referee: Clay Martin (19)
* TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Kathryn Tappen and Terry McAulay
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 35-yard field goal, 11:48. Packers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 3:12.
Second quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 36-yard field goal, 9:11. Packers 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 4:18.
GB – Allen Lazard 20-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 4:11. Packers 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 66 yards, 3:21.
GB – Davante Adams 11-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 1:05. Packers 20–0. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 1:03.
MIN – Greg Joseph 51-yard field goal, 0:00. Packers 20–3. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 1:05.
Third quarter
GB – A. J. Dillon 4-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 9:28. Packers 27–3. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 3:51.
GB – Mason Crosby 37-yard field goal, 3:22. Packers 30–3. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 3:48.
MIN – K. J. Osborn 14-yard pass from Sean Mannion (Greg Joseph kick), 0:00. Packers 30–10. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:22.
Fourth quarter
GB – A. J. Dillon 7-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 8:41. Packers 37–10. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 6:19.
Top passers
MIN – Sean Mannion – 22/36, 189 yards, TD
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 29/38, 288 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
MIN – Sean Mannion – 2 rushes, 14 yards
GB – Aaron Jones – 8 rushes, 76 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 6 receptions, 58 yards
GB – Davante Adams – 11 receptions, 136 yards, TD :

#### Week 18: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 3 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 7 | 21 | 31 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: January 9
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,625
* Referee: Brad Allen (122)
* TV announcers (Fox): Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib and Megan Olivi
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CHI – Cairo Santos 43-yard field goal, 12:09. Bears 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 2:51.
Second quarter
CHI – Cairo Santos 46-yard field goal, 4:55. Bears 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 36 yards, 4:03.
CHI – Damien Williams 23-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Andy Dalton-Allen Robinson pass), 0:31. Bears 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 2:39.
MIN – Greg Joseph 39-yard field goal, 0:00. Bears 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 55 yards, 0:31.
Third quarter
MIN – Ihmir Smith-Marsette 44-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 12:24. Bears 14–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:36.
CHI – Cairo Santos 42-yard field goal, 1:37. Bears 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 34 yards, 4:10.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Justin Jefferson 45-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 13:35. Tied 17–17. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:02.
MIN – K. J. Osborn 21-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 8:04. Vikings 24–17. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 2:49.
MIN – Patrick Peterson 66-yard interception return (Greg Joseph kick), 4:54. Vikings 31–17.
Top passers
CHI – Andy Dalton – 33/48, 325 yards, TD, 2 INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 14/22, 250 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
CHI – David Montgomery – 20 rushes, 72 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 14 rushes, 79 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Darnell Mooney – 12 reception, 126 yards
MIN – Justin Jefferson – 5 receptions, 107 yards, TD :

### Standings
#### Division

NFC North :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Green Bay Packers | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 450 | 371 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 6–6 | 425 | 426 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 311 | 407 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 13 | 1 | .206 | 2–4 | 3–9 | 325 | 467 | W1 |

#### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division winners ||||||||||||
| 1 | Green Bay Packers | North | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .479 | .480 | L1 |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 13 | 4 | 0 | .765 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .467 | .443 | W3 |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 6–0 | 10–2 | .488 | .431 | W1 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .483 | .409 | L1 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .490 | .492 | L1 |
| 6 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .500 | .438 | W2 |
| 7 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .469 | .350 | L1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .512 | .516 | W2 |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .507 | .434 | W1 |
| 10 | Washington Football Team | East | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .529 | .420 | W1 |
| 11 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .519 | .424 | W2 |
| 12 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .472 | .315 | L2 |
| 13 | Chicago Bears | North | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .524 | .373 | L1 |
| 14 | Carolina Panthers | South | 5 | 12 | 0 | .294 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .509 | .412 | L7 |
| 15 | New York Giants | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .536 | .485 | L6 |
| 16 | Detroit Lions | North | 3 | 13 | 1 | .206 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .528 | .627 | W1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record (9–3 vs. 8–4). 1 2 Dallas finished ahead of LA Rams based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4). 1 2 Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 3 Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head victories. 1 2 Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games (4–2 vs. 3–3 against: San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and Detroit). ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||

## Statistics
### Team leaders

| Category | Player(s) | Total |
| Passing yards | Kirk Cousins | 4,221 |
| Passing touchdowns | Kirk Cousins | 33 |
| Rushing yards | Dalvin Cook | 1,159 |
| Rushing touchdowns | Dalvin Cook | 6 |
| Receptions | Justin Jefferson | 108 |
| Receiving yards | Justin Jefferson | 1,616 |
| Receiving touchdowns | Justin Jefferson Adam Thielen | 10 |
| Points | Greg Joseph | 135 |
| Kickoff return yards | Kene Nwangwu | 579 |
| Punt return yards | Dede Westbrook | 183 |
| Tackles | Eric Kendricks | 143 |
| Sacks | D. J. Wonnum | 8.0 |
| Interceptions | Anthony Barr Xavier Woods | 3 |
| Forced fumbles | Bashaud Breeland Armon Watts Xavier Woods | 2 |
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

### League rankings

| Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
| Passing offense | 4,238 | 249.3 | 11th |
| Rushing offense | 1,930 | 113.5 | 17th |
| Total offense | 6,168 | 362.8 | 12th |
| Passing defense | 4,300 | 252.9 | 28th |
| Rushing defense | 2,222 | 130.7 | 26th |
| Total defense | 6,522 | 383.6 | 30th |
Source: ProFootballReference.com

## Pro Bowl

Three Vikings players were named to the 2022 Pro Bowl when the rosters were announced on December 20, 2021. On offense, Dalvin Cook led the voting among NFC running backs to reach his third straight Pro Bowl, while WR Justin Jefferson made it two in a row; on defense, Harrison Smith received the most fan votes among NFC safeties to go to his sixth Pro Bowl. Those three were joined by T Brian O'Neill on January 26, 2022, after Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs was ruled out due to injury. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was added to the NFC roster on January 31 following the withdrawal of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers due to injury.