Rewind to Week 18 of the 2025 regular season. The Green Bay Packers, who had already clinched a playoff spot and had nothing to gain by playing their starters, ended up losing to the Minnesota Vikings.
Packers fans probably didn't think too much about the loss considering it was a meaningless game and their season was continuing through the next week. Vikings fans were probably puffing their chests out a bit though because the win put them over .500 on the year and ended their season on a high note.
Well, now that's all come crashing down for the Vikings. Winning that game resulted in Minnesota not receiving the easiest schedule for the 2026 season and the Lions getting that distinction instead. The Vikings now will have the 16th toughest schedule so they're right in the middle of the pack. For those wondering, Green Bay sits just one spot behind with the 17th most difficult schedule.
Packers fans will enjoy how Week 18 result backfired on Vikings
While the Lions will now get the easiest schedule in the league, Packers fans can at least take comfort in that the Vikings will have a tougher road this year. As we saw in 2025, last place schedules can play a huge role in getting teams to the playoffs, as the Patriots went from worst to first in the AFC East and ended up making it all the way to the Super Bowl. Packers fans won't have to worry about that happening to the Vikings.
A fourth place schedule can be the difference between a team turning things around and once again watching the playoffs from home. If the Packers can't have an easy schedule, then they're sure as heck hoping the Vikings can't have one either and, thanks to that meaningless Week 18 game, now they won't. Poetic justice.
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