The Minnesota Vikings are entering their Week 6 bye with a surprising undefeated mark.
The Vikings are one of two NFC teams, along with the San Francisco 49ers, to get off to a 5-0 start to the 2026 NFL season. Minnesota has achieved that goal thanks to a stellar performance from its Brian Flores-led defense, which has allowed a league-low 12.8 points per game to open the season.
Nonetheless, questions exist about whether the Vikings' manner of winning will prove sustainable. Kyler Murray is still ingratiating himself into Kevin O'Connell's offense, so Minnesota ranks just 27th in offensive EPA per play to open the season, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats.
For Minnesota to emerge as a true contender, its offense will have to improve. Perhaps that will happen
once the Vikings get healthier, as Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Mason could all be in line to return to the lineup beginning in Week 7.
Even so, Vikings fans will be ecstatic with the way their team has started the 2026 NFL season. They are positioned for a potential playoff run, provided their elite defense can continue playing at a high level and that their offense eventually takes a step forward.
Here's what to know about the Vikings' schedule for the remainder of the 2026 campaign.
Are the Vikings playing today?
The Vikings will not be playing in Week 6, as they are joining the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins as teams that will be on bye.
Minnesota will look to keep its undefeated record intact once it returns from its break in Week 7. The Vikings will get a favorable matchup against the Colts coming out of their bye before beginning a difficult, three-game stretch against the Lions, Bills and Packers.
- Week 7: vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
- Week 8: at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 9: vs. Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
- Week 10: at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Minnesota Vikings schedule
- Week 1: Vikings 39, Green Bay Packers 22
- Week 2: Vikings 9, Chicago Bears 3
- Week 3: Vikings 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16
- Week 4: vs. Vikings 15, Miami Dolphins 10
- Week 5: Vikings 23, New Orleans Saints 13
- Week 6: BYE
- Week 7: vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
- Week 8: at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 9: vs. Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
- Week 10: at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 11: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC (in Mexico City)
- Week 12: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 13: vs. Carolina Panthers, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
- Week 14: at New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video ("Thursday Night Football")
- Week 15: vs. Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
- Week 16: vs. Washington Commanders, TBD
- Week 17: at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
- Week 18: vs. Chicago Bears, TBD
NFC North standings
- Minnesota Vikings: (5-0)
- Green Bay Packers: (3-2)
- Detroit Lions: (3-2)
- Chicago Bears: (3-2)
NFL Week 6 schedule
Here's a look at the Week 6 schedule (all times Eastern):
Thursday, Oct. 15
- Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video
Sunday, Oct. 18
- Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jaguars (Wembley, London), 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
- Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., Fox
- Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., Fox
- Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., Fox
- New York Jets at New England Patriots, 1 p.m., CBS
- New Orleans Saints at New York Giants, 1 p.m., Fox
- Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., CBS
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m., CBS
- Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m., Fox
- Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m., CBS
- Buffalo Bills at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m., CBS
- Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Monday, Oct. 19
- Washington Commanders at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are the Vikings playing today? NFL Week 6 schedule, next game, NFC North standings
