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PFM TEAM COMPARISON

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 evenMIN

Minnesota Vikings

78.9PFM Team Score#19 NFL
Essentially evenPIT

Pittsburgh Steelers

79.1PFM Team Score#18 NFL
Swap Teams Clear Comparison
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 strongest argument 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
Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Team DNA comparisonPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale. QB Stability: Minnesota Vikings 76.4, Pittsburgh Steelers 75.8, edge MIN +0.6; Offense: Minnesota Vikings 76.6, Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6, edge PIT +1.0; Defense: Minnesota Vikings 80.2, Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4, edge PIT +3.2; Coaching Direction: Minnesota Vikings 82.2, Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2, edge PIT +1.0; Roster Depth: Minnesota Vikings 79.8, Pittsburgh Steelers 79.8, edge Even. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team at a time.
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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 Pittsburgh Steelers have the more dependable defense. It does not need the offense to answer every possession to keep control of a game. 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

MIN78.9
Minnesota Vikings 78.9
PIT79.1
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.1
Essentially even

Overall NFL Rank

MIN#19
Minnesota Vikings #19
PIT#18
Pittsburgh Steelers #18
Pittsburgh Steelers ranks higher

QB Stability

MIN76.4
Minnesota Vikings 76.4
PIT75.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 75.8
Slight Minnesota Vikings edge

Roster Strength

MIN79.8
Minnesota Vikings 79.8
PIT79.8
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.8
Essentially even

Coaching Direction

MIN82.2
Minnesota Vikings 82.2
PIT83.2
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.2
Slight Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Recent Performance

MIN79.9
Minnesota Vikings 79.9
PIT79.3
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.3
Slight Minnesota Vikings edge

Offense

MIN76.6
Minnesota Vikings 76.6
PIT77.6
Pittsburgh Steelers 77.6
Slight Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Defense

MIN80.2
Minnesota Vikings 80.2
PIT83.4
Pittsburgh Steelers 83.4
Clear Pittsburgh Steelers edge

Franchise Direction

MIN77.0
Minnesota Vikings 77.0
PIT74.9
Pittsburgh Steelers 74.9
Clear Minnesota Vikings edge

Explosiveness

MIN77.1
Minnesota Vikings 77.1
PIT71.1
Pittsburgh Steelers 71.1
Clear Minnesota Vikings edge

Conference Rank

MIN#9
Minnesota Vikings #9
PIT#10
Pittsburgh Steelers #10
Minnesota Vikings ranks higher

Division Rank

MIN#4
Minnesota Vikings #4
PIT#3
Pittsburgh Steelers #3
Pittsburgh Steelers ranks higher

Outlook

MINIn the Playoff MixPITIn the Playoff Mix
Same outlook
TEAM 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
Defense
Category Edge
Defense
Biggest Matchup Concern
Explosiveness
SCHEDULE CONTEXT

Which Team Has the Tougher Road?

Minnesota Vikings

Full schedule rank: #17

Toughest stretch: Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers

Strongest opponents: Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots

View Minnesota Vikings Road Ahead

Pittsburgh Steelers

Full schedule rank: #27

Toughest stretch: Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans

Strongest opponents: Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Houston Texans

View Pittsburgh Steelers Road Ahead

Minnesota has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 17. The strongest opponents include Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and New England Patriots. Pittsburgh gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Minnesota still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.

View the complete all-32 Road Ahead

Ratings and Schedule Freshness

PFM ratings updated July 24, 2026. Schedule data updated June 29, 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.

See the complete PFM NFL Team Rankings and methodology.

PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams