The Houston Texans were considered title contenders even before the 2024 NFL season started. However, the Minnesota Vikings made defeating them easy while enjoying home-field advantage during their Week 3 encounter.
The game wasn’t even close, as the Vikings scored 21 unanswered points to start the game. Those points included three touchdown passes from Sam Darnold to Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, and Jalen Nailor, respectively. Darnold added another touchdown pass to Johnny Mundt in the fourth quarter, while two field goals from Will Reichard settled Minnesota’s final score.
Darnold’s four touchdown passes make him the league’s leader in that category. His eight touchdown throws are two more than second-placers Derek Carr and Baker Mayfield (6). More importantly, Darnold has thrown only two interceptions.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings didn’t allow the Texans to score until the 3:56 mark in the third quarter when C.J. Stroud found Cam Akers in the end zone. That scoring play and Ka’imi Fairbairn’s point-after was all Houston could generate against a Minnesota defense that generated five sacks, nine tackles for losses, eight pass deflections, eight quarterback hits, and two interceptions.
Most sacks this season@Vikings 16
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) September 22, 2024
Giants 14
Jets 14
Texans 13 pic.twitter.com/IrO3RZSSQn
Those five sacks make the Vikings the league leader in sacks through Week 3. Pat Jones and Jonathan Greenard lead the way with four apiece, while Andrew Van Ginkel has three.
This impressive win over the Texans has the Vikings on everyone’s radar. They have overflowing confidence coming into Week 4, when they visit their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, at Lambeau Field.
-Lance Fernandez