When the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field in Dublin this September, they won’t just be the home team on paper. It’ll feel like a pro-Steelers crowd. The Irish-owned franchise will have the fanbase on their side, even if there is general excitement for the NFL’s first regular-season game in Ireland. That will give Pittsburgh a clear advantage for what is intended to be a neutral site. But if there’s a team ready to combat that, it’s their opponent, the Minnesota Vikings.
No team has enjoyed the international success that Minnesota has. Since the NFL began playing overseas games in 2007, no team has a better record than the Vikings. Four games. Four wins.
Their first came in the Steelers’ last international game, a 34-27 victory in 2013. Jet lag caused Pittsburgh to come out flat with a failed comeback attempt. Minnesota dispatched another AFC North foe in 2017 against the Cleveland Browns, 33-16. This time, the Vikings had a strong second half, outscoring the Browns 21-3 over the final two frames.
In 2022, Minnesota took on the New Orleans Saints in London. They walked away with another win, 28-25, with kicker Greg Joseph nailing a game-winner with 24 seconds left. And last year, the Vikings beat up on Aaron Rodgers. Minnesota picked him off three times, returning one for a touchdown, in a 23-17 win.
Combined, Minnesota won the four games by a combined 118-85. In the first half, they outscored their opponent 62-30. For whatever reason, be it the logistics of their travel or focus once they arrive, they have the secret sauce of winning internationally. And they have plenty of experience to troubleshoot.
On the other hand, Pittsburgh hasn’t played an international game in over a decade. It helps that Mike Tomlin was the head coach then, but given how poorly planned the last game was, leaving too late, as multiple players have said, and with Art Rooney II indicating the Steelers will follow the same schedule as before, the Vikings could be the team with the real edge instead.
The Vikings’ biggest question mark is at quarterback. J.J. McCarthy missed his entire rookie year but still has the faith of the coaching staff, who let Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones leave in free agency while turning down a potential Aaron Rodgers pursuit. The rest of their roster is strong, with great wide receivers and a tough defense with a chaotic-inducing coordinator in Brian Flores.
The Steelers landed their Ireland game, a contest they’ve been pushing to the league since the idea of playing in Dublin was formed. It’ll be a great week leading up to kickoff, with different events and parties to celebrate. But if history keeps repeating, they could have a disappointing flight back home.
