MINNEAPOLIS — When the Minnesota Vikings kick off their season, there will be some serious excitement surrounding their first matchup.
For the first time in franchise history, Minnesota will open the season as hosts to rival Green Bay.
The NFL announced its schedule Thursday evening and it slated the Minnesota Vikings to host the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Sept. 13 at noon.
It will be the first time Green Bay travels to Minnesota to open a season, providing even more intrigue as the two teams, both fresh off of postseason appearances last season, look to kick off their season's on a high note.
And an early leg up on any potential tiebreakers would provide just that.
The two teams battled down to the wire last season with the Packers winning a late-season meeting between the two teams to ultimately capture the NFC North title.
The Vikings will travel to Green Bay on Nov. 1 out of their bye week.
In Week 2, Minnesota will travel outside of the NFC for a road test with the Indianapolis Colts and their new quarterback, Philip Rivers.
Rivers spent 16 years with the Chargers before signing with the Colts this offseason. Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, played against Minnesota last season, where the Vikings picked him off three times as Minnesota routed the Chargers 39-10.
Minnesota returns home to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 before back-to-back road games against the Houston Texans and the Seattle Seahawks, respectively.
The Vikings' bye week comes on Week 7 after a home game with the Atlanta Falcons.
Minnesota will host the Detroit Lions in Week 9 and then travel to Chicago Week 10 for a meeting with the Bears.
The Vikings will then host three straight games, including a Week 12 contest against former Vikings quarterback and first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater.
The Cowboys and the Jaguars will be the other two opponents during that homestand before Minnesota hits the road to play Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14.
The Vikings' last regular-season home game will come against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 20 before closing out the season with road games against the New Orleans Saints and the Detroit Lions.
Minnesota finished 10-6 last season and upset the Saints in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
