Essentially evenMIN
Minnesota Vikings
79.0PFM Team Score#17 NFL
Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: PFM Team Comparison
PFM has the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers essentially even overall. Minnesota has the better argument in explosiveness, while Pittsburgh answers in defense. Only 0.2 points separate Minnesota and Pittsburgh in PFM Team Score.
Current PFM Team Scores
Essentially evenPIT
Pittsburgh Steelers
78.8PFM Team Score#18 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Has the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers So Close
Only 0.2 points separate the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the current PFM ratings. Minnesota's strongest argument is Explosiveness. Pittsburgh's best narrow advantage is Defense. PFM keeps the teams in the essentially-even range.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
MINMinnesota Vikings
PITPittsburgh Steelers
THE BETTER CASE
Where Each Team Has the Better Case
Only 0.2 points separate the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the current PFM ratings.
Explosiveness is a concern for both teams, but the Minnesota Vikings have the smaller problem. The gap is narrow, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have the more dependable defense. It does not need the offense to answer every possession to keep control of a game. The gap is real, but not large enough to control the overall judgment. Neither argument creates enough separation to move the overall judgment out of the essentially-even range.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
MIN79.0
Minnesota Vikings 79.0PIT78.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.8Overall NFL Rank
MIN#17
Minnesota Vikings #17PIT#18
Pittsburgh Steelers #18QB Stability
MIN76.4
Minnesota Vikings 76.4PIT75.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.8Roster Strength
MIN79.1
Minnesota Vikings 79.1PIT78.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 78.8Coaching Direction
MIN82.2
Minnesota Vikings 82.2PIT83.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2Recent Performance
MIN79.9
Minnesota Vikings 79.9PIT79.3
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.3Offense
MIN77.2
Minnesota Vikings 77.2PIT77.5
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.5Defense
MIN82.0
Minnesota Vikings 82.0PIT83.1
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.1Franchise Direction
MIN77.0
Minnesota Vikings 77.0PIT74.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.9Explosiveness
MIN77.1
Minnesota Vikings 77.1PIT71.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 71.2Conference Rank
MIN#8
Minnesota Vikings #8PIT#10
Pittsburgh Steelers #10Division Rank
MIN#4
Minnesota Vikings #4PIT#3
Pittsburgh Steelers #3Outlook
MINIn the Playoff MixPITIn the Playoff Mix
Same outlookTEAM CONSTRUCTION
How These Teams Are Built Differently
Minnesota Vikings
- Strongest Rating
- Coaching Direction
- Category Edge
- Explosiveness
- Biggest Matchup Concern
- Defense
Minnesota's clearest category edge is Explosiveness. Minnesota's Explosiveness concern is smaller than Pittsburgh's, but the grade remains below the strength range. The biggest problem in this matchup is Defense, where Pittsburgh owns the clearer advantage.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Strongest Rating
- Coaching Direction
- Category Edge
- None in this matchup
- Biggest Matchup Concern
- Explosiveness
SCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Minnesota Vikings
Remaining schedule rank: #17
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers
Strongest opponents: San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills
Next five difficulty: 78.6
View Minnesota Vikings Road AheadPittsburgh Steelers
Remaining schedule rank: #27
Toughest stretch: Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans
Strongest opponents: Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos
Next five difficulty: 77.7
View Pittsburgh Steelers Road AheadMinnesota has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 17. The strongest opponents include San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Minnesota still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated September 8, 2026. Schedule data updated September 10, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams