Why are the Vikings playing on Saturday? All you need to know about NFL Week 15 scheduling quirk

The Minnesota Vikings (7-6) are in contention to reach the playoffs this season and play their Week 15 game of the 2023 NFL season on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The Vikings will lock horns with the Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) in Week 15. The highly-anticipated game will take place at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

The matchup will take place on Saturday since college football action for the season is finally reducing. The NCAA usually hosts games on Saturday, but since there are only a select few bowl games, the NFL is free to fill the broadcast void with games of its own.

Minnesota is currently second in the NFC North. Kevin O'Connell's team got a sluggish 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are fourth in the AFC North. Zac Taylor's team has won against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts in the past two games, keeping Cincinnati's postseason hopes alive.

---

What channel is the Vikings game on this weekend?

Minnesota Vikings' WR Justin Jefferson

The Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals Week 15 NFL game will air on NFL Network. Fans in Cincinnati can catch the game on WCPO-TV.

The Vikings-Bengals contest can also be streamed live on Fubo TV.

• Game: Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals
• Stadium: Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Date: Saturday, Dec. 16
• Start Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV Channel: NFL Network, WCPO-TV (for locals in Cincinnati)
• Streaming: Fubo TV

Chris Rose will serve as the game's play-by-play announcer, while Jason McCourty will be the broadcast analyst. Steve Wyche will report on the contest from the sidelines.

---

Vikings vs. Bengals history and H2H record in NFL

The Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings have faced each other 14 times. The Vikings have won seven games, while the Bengals have emerged victorious on the other seven occasions.

This makes Saturday's game more interesting. Whichever team wins gets the advantage in the head-to-head record.

Here's a look at the past 10 results between the two teams:

• 23/11/1986: Bengals 24-20 Vikings
• 25/12/1989: Vikings 29-21 Bengals
• 27/9/1992: Vikings 42-7 Bengals
• 24/12/1995: Bengals 27-24 Vikings
• 15/11/1998: Vikings 24-3 Bengals
• 18/9/2005: Bengals 37-8 Vikings
• 13/12/2009: Vikings 30-10 Bengals
• 22/12/2013: Bengals 42-14 Vikings
• 17/12/2017: Vikings 34-7 Bengals
• 12/9/2021: Bengals 27-24 Vikings