Vikings Schedule 2012: Strong Start Likely, But Winter Will Be Worse

the Minnesota Vikings schedule for 2012 starts out just fine, but as winter sets in, so will the most difficult portion of this year's slate of games.

2012 NFL Schedule: Minnesota Vikings Host Green Bay Packers In Season Finale

The Minnesota Vikings will open the season on Sunday Sept. 9 at 1:00 p.m. ET against the Jacksonville Jaguars before traveling to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. for Week 2 to take on Andrew Luck and the Colts.

The Vikings do not have their Bye Week until Week 11, which heralds in a very tough, three-game Divisional stretch. In Week 12, Minnesota visits the Chicago Bears at 1:00 p.m. on FOX. The following week, the Vikings are on the road against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Dec. 2 at 1:00 p.m. on FOX. On Sunday Dec. 9, Minnesota hosts the Chicago Bears at 1:00 p.m. on FOX.

In the season finale, the Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers at 1:00 p.m. on FOX. Here is the complete Vikings 2012 NFL Schedule.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman. All your NFL news and analysis can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, or check out SB Nation's YouTube channel:

Vikings Schedule 2012: Official Schedules To Be Released Tuesday Evening

The NFL will announced the official 2012 schedule for the Minnesota Vikings, along with the other 31 teams, Tuesday night at 7 ET.

While we have to wait a few hours yet to get the dates and kickoff times, we do already know the 2012 opponents:

Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

Away: St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

As always, the Vikes will face their intradivision rivals -- the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers -- once at home and once on the road.

While the NFC North is loaded, and while the 49ers and Texans had solid 2011 campaigns, the Vikings' schedule is chock full of teams that struggled last season. St. Louis was 2-14; Tampa Bay was 4-12; Jacksonville was 5-11; Indianapolis was 2-14.

The preseason schedule is already out (times central):

August 10, 8 p.m: @ San Francisco 49ers

August 17, 7 p.m: vs. Buffalo Bills

August 24, 7 p.m: vs. San Diego Chargers

August 30, 6 p.m: @ Houston Texans

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman. All your NFL news and analysis can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, or check out SB Nation's YouTube channel:

Vikings Preseason Schedule 2012: Times Announced For All Four Games

With the opponents already selected, all that was left to decide was when and where. On Friday morning, the Minnesota Vikings officially announced their 2012 preseason schedule.

The Vikings will open up by travelling to San Francisco to take on the defending NFC West champions, the 49ers. From there, the team will return to Minnesota to host a pair of home games against the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers. They will then travel to Houston to finish off the warmup schedule against the reigning AFC South champion,Texans.

Here is a list of the dates and times (all Central):

August 10, 8 p.m: @ San Francisco 49ers

August 17, 7 p.m: vs. Buffalo Bills

August 24, 7 p.m: vs. San Diego Chargers

August 30, 6 p.m: @ Houston Texans

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman. All your NFL news and analysis can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Vikings Preseason Schedule 2012

The Minnesota Vikings 2012 preseason schedule has been released by the NFL.