The Vikings 2019 schedule, which was announced Wednesday, will**open at home**against the Falcons, include**five prime-time games**and feature**captivating 1-on-1 matchups**.

The Vikings.com crew will break down the 16-game slate into four quarters during this Icebreakers series that is presented byTicketmaster.

First Quarter (Thursday)

Second Quarter (Friday)

Third Quarter (Saturday)

Fourth Quarter (Sunday)

Minnesota's home game against Atlanta will mark the third straight season that has opened in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Vikings are heading back to Lambeau Field in Week 2 for the second consecutive season before hosting the new-look Raiders in Week 3. The Vikings will play the Bears in Chicago in September for the first time since 2013.

Week 1

Vikings vs. Falcons by **@EricLSmith**

Noon | Sunday, Sept. 8 | U.S. Bank Stadium

Series results

Vikings W-L: 19-11

Home: 11-4; Away: 8-7

Last time in regular season: Vikings defeated Falcons 14-9 on Dec. 3, 2017

Last time in regular season in Minnesota: Vikings defeated Falcons 41-28 on Sept. 28, 2014

Atlanta's 2018 offensive rankings:

Total yards/game: 389.1 (6th in NFL); Rushing yards/game: 98.3 (27th); Passing yards/game: 290.8 (4th); Points/game: 25.9 (10th); Sacks allowed/pass play: 6.81 percent (16th); Interception rate: 1.13 percent (2nd); Average time of possession: 29:23 (23rd)

Atlanta's 2018 defensive rankings:

Total yards allowed/game: 384.5 (28th); Rushing yards allowed/game: 124.9 (25th); Passing yards allowed/game: 259.6 (27th); Points allowed/game: 26.4 (25th); Sacks/pass play: 6.32 percent (26th); Interception rate: 2.56 percent (12th)

Icebreakers: Minnesota is 4-0 all-time in season openers against Atlanta (1968, 1980, 1999, 2007). … The last time these teams met, it resulted in a defensive slugfest in one of the most entertaining games of the 2017 season, especially for Head Coaches Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn. … Both teams are coming off a disappointing 2018 season in which they missed the postseason a year after each team had double-digit wins and a playoff victory. … Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan put up big numbers once again in 2018, throwing for 4,924 yards with 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions. … Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones had 1,677 receiving yards in 2018 to mark his fifth straight season with at least 1,400 yards. … The Falcons offense put up plenty of stats but ranked 23rd in goal-to-go situations at just 70.37 percent. … Atlanta's defense struggled on third down as the unit ranked 31st by allowing opponents to convert 48.72 percent of the time. … Defensive starters Ricardo Allen, Deion Jones and Keanu Neal each missed at least 10 games with injuries. … Quinn is taking over the defensive play-calling in 2019. … Atlanta's 7-9 record in 2018 marked the team's first losing season since 2014. … The Falcons currently have the 14th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Vikings at Packers by **@EricLSmith**

Noon | Sunday, Sept. 15 | Lambeau Field

Series results

Vikings W-L-T: 54-60-3 (includes 1-1-0 postseason)

Home: 29-28; Away: 25-32-3 (includes 1-1-0 postseason)

Last time in regular season: Vikings defeated Packers 24-17 on Nov. 25, 2018, in Minneapolis

Last time in regular season in Green Bay: Vikings and Packers tied 29-29 on Sept. 16, 2018, in Green Bay

Green Bay's 2018 offensive rankings:

Total yards/game: 369.1 (12th in NFL); Rushing yards/game: 104.2 (22nd); Passing yards/game: 264.9 (9th); Points/game: 23.5 (T-14th); Sacks allowed/pass play: 8.28 percent (22nd); Interception rate: 0.63 percent (1st); Average time of possession: 29:38 (T-20th)

Green Bay's 2018 defensive rankings:

Total yards allowed/game: 354.4 (18th); Rushing yards allowed/game: 119.9 (22nd); Passing yards allowed/game: 234.5 (12th); Points allowed/game: 25.0 (22nd); Sacks/pass play: 8.35 percent (7th); Interception rate: 1.33 percent (31st)

Icebreakers: The Vikings haven't lost in two years at historic Lambeau Field, as Minnesota pitched a 16-0 shutout in 2017 and then rallied for a 29-29 tie in 2018. … The last time Minnesota went consecutive seasons without a regular-season loss in Green Bay was in the 1992 and 1993 seasons. … Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw just two interceptions in 2018, the fewest among all starting quarterbacks. … Rodgers threw for 4,442 yards in 2018, which was the seventh 4,000-yard season of his career. … Longtime wide receiver Randall Cobb signed with Dallas in free agency. … Aaron Jones led Green Bay with 728 rushing yards and eight touchdowns this past season. … Davante Adams recorded 111 catches for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018. … Green Bay hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Eddie Lacy in 2014.

Vikings vs. Raiders by **@EricLSmith**

Noon | Sunday, Sept. 22 | U.S. Bank Stadium

Series results

Vikings W-L: 5-10 (includes 0-1 in postseason)

Home: 3-4; Away: 2-5; Neutral: 0-1

Last time in regular season: Vikings defeated Raiders 30-14 on Nov. 15, 2015, in Oakland

Last time in regular season in Minneapolis: Raiders defeated Vikings 27-21 on Nov. 20, 2011

Oakland's 2018 offensive rankings:

Total yards/game: 336.2 (23rd in NFL); Rushing yards/game: 101.8 (25th); Passing yards/game: 234.4 (18th); Points/game: 18.1 (28th); Sacks allowed/pass play: 9.35 percent (25th); Interception rate: 1.80 percent (9th); Average time of possession: 30:43 (T-10th)

Oakland's 2018 defensive rankings:

Total yards allowed/game: 381.4 (26th); Rushing yards allowed/game: 140.6 (30th); Passing yards allowed/game: 240.8 (19th); Points allowed/game: 29.2 (32nd); Sacks/pass play: 2.71 percent (32nd); Interception rate: 2.92 percent (7th)

Icebreakers: The Raiders are one of the league's most intriguing teams of the 2019 offseason, as Oakland has three first-round picks (4th, 24th and 27th overall selections) under first-year General Manager Mike Mayock, the former NFL Network analyst. … Head Coach Jon Gruden is in his second stint with the Raiders and went 4-12 in his first season back. … The Raiders made perhaps the splashiest trade of the offseason when they acquired Antonio Brown from Pittsburgh. The wide receiver has 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns in nine seasons. … Oakland will hope for improvements on defense, as the unit compiled a league-low 13 sacks. … The Raiders defense also finished last in points allowed per game and was 30th in third-down percentage (46.3). … Quarterback Derek Carr had 19 touchdowns in 2018, the lowest total of his five-year career. … Oakland was active in free agency with the additions for former patriots left tackle Trent Brown, former Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams, former Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner and former Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. … The Raiders are slated to play their final season in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas for the 2020 season and beyond.

Vikings at Bears by **@LindseyMNSports**

3:25 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 29 | Soldier Field

Series results

Vikings W-L-T: 60-54-2 (includes 0-1 in the postseason)

Home: 37-22-0; Away: 23-32-2

Last time in regular season: Vikings fell 24-10 to the Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 30, 2018

Last time in regular season in Chicago: Vikings fell 25-20 to the Bears at on Nov. 18, 2018

Chicago's 2018 offensive rankings:

Total yards/game: 343.9 (21st in NFL); Rushing yards/game: 121.1 (11th); Passing yards/game: 222.8 (21st); Points/game: 26.3 (9th); Sacks allowed/pass attempt: 6.45 percent (10th); Interception rate: 2.73 percent (22nd); Average time of possession: 31:48 (3rd)

Chicago's 2018 defensive rankings:

Total yards allowed/game: 299.7 (3rd); Rushing yards allowed/game: 80.0 (1st); Passing yards allowed/game: 219.7 (7th); Points allowed/game: 17.7 (1st); Sacks/pass attempt: 8.13 percent (9th); Interception rate: 4.39 percent (1st)

Icebreakers: The Vikings will look to rebound and net a win at Soldier Field after falling 25-20 there last season. … Chicago and Minnesota each have new coordinators this season: Vikings Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who took over following the Week 14 contest at Seattle last season, and Bears Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano, who was hired after Vic Fangio accepted the Broncos head coach position. … Key free agency departures for each team include running back Jordan Howard and receiver Kevin White (Chicago) and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, running back Latavius Murray and punt return specialist Marcus Sherels (Minnesota). … In the NFC North rivals' last meeting at Soldier Field, Cody Parkey made three field goals for the Bears, and Dan Bailey made two field goals for the Vikings. … Aldrick Robinson and Stefon Diggs each caught a touchdown for Minnesota. … The 2018 Bears ranked No. 1 defensively in rushing yards allowed per game (80.0), points allowed per game (17.7) and interception rate (4.39 percent). … Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is entering his third pro season.

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