The Minnesota Vikings come off another amazing win and start off the season 2-0 for the first time since 2016. Sunday’s huge statement win was a big confidence booster, confirming that the Minnesota Vikings can go head-to-head with any team in the NFL. The next couple of matchups will be tough, next up is the Houston Texans. Followed by the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and then another division matchup against the Detroit Lions. After this, the Vikings go into the bye week, and I think whatever their record is going into the bye week will quickly determine if this is a playoff-caliber team or not.
Minnesota Vikings Going Into Week 3 Oozing Confidence After Huge Week 2 Victory
The Minnesota Vikings now sit at 2-0, They’re being coached better than just about any other team in the league. And Quarterback Samuel Richard Darnold playing some of the best football of his career. Also, the defense looks incredible under defensive coordinator Brian Flores which has been a huge part of this 2-0 start to the season. The Vikings stay at home this week to face off against the Houston Texans. The Texans seemed to struggle in their victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, but a win is a win and the Texans are still a powerhouse and can flip the switch at any moment, so they shouldn’t be taken lightly at all.
The Vikings currently hold a 5-0 record against the Texans all time, which is a good sign going into Sunday. However going into Week 3, people have the Houston Texans sitting at a two-point favorite over the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have never had to face a DeMeco Ryans-led Texans team with C.J. Stroud as the starting quarterback, so this will be one heck of a challenge going into Week 3.
Other Storylines In Minnesota Vikings Vs Houston Texans In Week 3
This week, Stefon Diggs has a chance to go off against his former team. The Vikings’ secondary was weak last week in their win against the San Francisco 49ers. They gave up 319 passing yards, 110 of them to Deebo Samuel. With Stefon Diggs’s speed and route running ability he should be able to get behind the Vikings’ corners, and if the Vikings’ defense is unable to stop Diggs, you may hear some loud booing coming from the Minnesota crowd.
Another former Viking is coming back into town, and that’s Danielle Hunter. In Hunter’s first two games with the Houston Texans this season he has 1.5 sacks, nine QB pressures, and seven QB hurries. Hunter’s had a good game against the Chicago Bears weak offensive line, but this week he will be matching up against Vikings left tackle Brian O’Neil. O’Neil is probably one of the most underrated right tackles in the league, he hasn’t been named an All-Pro player, but he does have a Pro Bowl appearance.
Things could go either way due to the fact that Hunter is familiar with O’Neil from practicing with him for the past six seasons. The familiarity could be really good, or really bad for the Vikings.
Another Return Game, This Time For A Former Texan
Now on the Vikings side, they got Blake Cashman, who spent two short seasons with the Houston Texans, in 2022 and 2023. He broke out last season, and so far this season he’s still flying around the field and gathering 19 combined tackles and one sack. Cashman’s stellar play so far this season will definitely make it hard for the Texans to run up the middle. Backup running back Cam Akers is slated to take the starting running back role against the Vikings, as Joe Mixon is out with an ankle injury.
Aker’s most likely will be trying to push up the middle like he did last week against the Bears, but the way Blake Cashman has been flying to the football, Cam Akers shouldn’t expect the same results this week. In the passing game, Cashman will have to deal with dump-offs to the running backs and tight ends in the middle of the field.
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