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Vikings Get Early Week 6 Bye, Face Colts Without Jones

5/16/2026

Summary

Vikings Early Bye

The Minnesota Vikings have a Week 6 bye in the 2026 season, marking their third consecutive early bye.
The early bye splits three winnable games, a home contest versus the Miami Dolphins and a road game against the New Orleans Saints before the break.
After the bye, the Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts, who may be without quarterback Daniel Jones, absent during the Colts’ 0-4 record last season.

Summary

Murray Signs

Quarterback Kyler Murray signed a one-year league-minimum contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, added Jauan Jennings, drafted Caleb Banks at No. 18, and released Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen to meet cap limits.
Market analysts list Minnesota at +190 to reach the playoffs, +5000 to win the Super Bowl, rank it No. 17, and give its draft class a C+ grade.

Summary

Bears Christmas Game

Chicago hosts Packers on Christmas Day, first Christmas game since 2011, streamed on Netflix.
Chicago’s Week 10 bye is its first since 2021 and second since 1990.
Chicago opens on the road at Carolina as its first Week-1 road game since 2021.
The Bears will play Thanksgiving for the second time in three seasons, holding a 20-win record, most for non-annual Thanksgiving teams.

Summary

Vikings Schedule

The Vikings' 2026 schedule features only four nationally televised games, down from seven the prior season.
Three late-afternoon windows include two 3:05 p.m. kickoffs (Weeks 3 and 4) and a Mexico City Sunday Night Football game against the 49ers, leaving the team with seven road trips.
Minnesota will host nine games, travel for eight, and play five of its seven contests at U.S. Bank Stadium, giving a home-field cushion if the season starts slowly.

History

Historical Context

After the NFL’s 2002 realignment created eight divisions and a 32-team league, commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s schedule office standardized early-season byes, giving the Vikings a Week 5 rest. The 2026 Vikings-Bears matchup repeats that clustered early-bye pattern, forcing both clubs to lean on home-field advantage at U.S. Bank Stadium to significantly mitigate travel fatigue.

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Vikings Early Bye

The Minnesota Vikings have a Week 6 bye in the 2026 season, marking their third consecutive early bye.
The early bye splits three winnable games, a home contest versus the Miami Dolphins and a road game against the New Orleans Saints before the break.
After the bye, the Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts, who may be without quarterback Daniel Jones, absent during the Colts’ 0-4 record last season.

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