Tag: Houston Texans vs. Minnesota Vikings

‘It’s disrespectful’: Former Texans DE Jonathan Greenard calls out Houston’s offensive strategy

Former Houston Texans star Jonathan Greenard had a performance to remember Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline

Jonathan Greenard likely didn’t need any extra motivation to play against his former team Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. 

The Houston Texans gave him a bit more juice on the opening play. 

Greenard, who finished with three sacks in the Minnesota Vikings 34-7 win over the Texans, took on rookie tight end Cade Stover for a one-on-one matchup. C.J. Stroud connected for a 17-yard pickup, but the play was negated since Stover was called for a holding penalty against Greenard. 

That’s when the former third-round pick became locked in on winning every battle against Houston for the next four quarters. 

“First play of the game, they tried to block me with a rook,” Greenard told the Houston Chronicle following the game. “They tried to block me with a rookie tight end. It’s disrespectful. I ain’t never seen that.”  

Greenard, who arguably was the Texans’ top defensive player for two years under Lovie Smith and DeMeco Ryans, already felt disrespected by the AFC South champs after not reportedly getting an offer in the offseason. Even though he didn’t say anything publically, players knew the importance of Sunday’s victory to Greenard’s persona. 

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“He was amazing,” former cornerback Shaq Griffin told Vikings reporters. “He was absolutely amazing. I feel like it was the perfect time to get three in one day. I’m glad it was against the Texans. So I’m happy for him.”

After a breakout 2023 season that resulted in 12.5 sacks, Greenard inked a four-year, $76 million contract with the Vikings in March. Houston responded by signing former Vikings star Danielle Hunter on a two-year deal. 

Through three games, Greenard has 4.5 sacks to Hunter’s 1.5. The season is long, but the Vikings are certainly pleased with how Greenard’s looked to begin an undefeated season. 

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“J.G.’s been huge for us all year with pressure production, but I know all of us are happy to see him ring the bell three times there with three sacks,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.

Greenard seems to be content with his decision to leave Houston, especially after the offense tried to block him with a fourth-round rookie tight end.

“I’m glad I’m here in Minnesota because obviously they respect me,” Greenard told KPRC 2 Sports‘ Aaron Wilson. “If anyone else want to do that, they can try.”

Texans-Vikings Week 3: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

Here’s how many snaps C.J. Stroud, Jalen Pitre and the rest of the Houston Texans saw in Sunday’s loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Houston Texans’ offense was expected to be one of the league’s finest with the arrival of Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs.

So far, the pedestrian results have led to the downfall of dominance over three weeks.

The Minnesota Vikings secured a 34-7 victory over Houston thanks to a four-touchdown day from Sam Darnold. The former No. 3 overall pick sliced and diced the Texans’ secondary to help Minnesota keep its undefeated season alive.

C.J. Stroud never got in a rhythm after tossing his first interception in 278 pass attempts on his first throw. The offensive line was marred by penalties, including five against Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Former Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard made the most of his afternoon, totaling three sacks and two tackles for loss. Kanu Grugier-Hill, Houston’s leading tackler in 2021, intercepted Stroud to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to Justin Jefferson in the first quarter.

Diggs, a former Vikings star best known for his ‘Minneapolis Miracle’ catch,  might have been the lone bright spot on offense thanks to his six first-down receptions. Not only did Diggs lead Houston’s passing game with 90 receiving yards, but his 10 catches marked a season-high by any Texans’ receiver.

“We’re still a force to be reckoned with. and we’re still very dangerous,” Stroud said postgame. “We’ve built a foundation solid on rock. We’re not going to act like everything was perfect out there, but we’re not going to act like there wasn’t some positives.”

Here are the snap counts for every player that contributed to the Texans’ Week 3 loss.

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Offensive snaps: 67
Defensive snaps: 63
Special teams snaps: 14

Diggs and tight end Dalton Schultz led Houston’s skill players in reps and were the only two to record more than 56 snaps. Nico Collins, who finished with four catches for 86 yards, played 82 percent of snaps.

Without Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce, Cam Akers was expected to take over as the new lead back. That actually wasn’t the case since Dare Ogunbowale totaled 28 reps as the No. 2 option.

Akers, who scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Stroud in the third quarter, finished with 29.

Safety Jimmie Ward was the only player to play 100 percent of the reps on defense. Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jalen Pitre finished with 62 reps after being pulled on one play.

The Texans return to NRG Stadium for their first divisional matchup of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Texans Wire Player of the Game: WR Stefon Diggs

Stefon Diggs wasn’t perfect, but he was the Houston Texans’ most consistent target in Sunday’s loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

While the Houston Texans suffered an embarrassing 34-7 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, they did win in one area.

Leadership.

And the man at the helm? All-Pro receiver and newcomer Stefon Diggs, who stepped into the captain role after Houston found itself trailing 14-0 entering the second quarter.

Diggs, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the NFC North franchise, wasn’t pleased with how the team looked after promising outings against Indianapolis and Chicago. He told reporters postgame that no one was playing the standard expected from a contending club.

“At the end of the day, we’ll be fine,” Diggs said postgame in the locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium. “Obviously, things didn’t go as planned, but was trying to get things back on track.”

While the Texans’ offense stalled, Diggs delivered. In his first game back since being traded to Buffalo in 2020, the four-time Pro Bowler Houston in receptions (10), targets (12) and receiving yards (90). He also picked up seven of the Texans’ 16 first downs.

“I played here for a long time, and I saw lots of offenses struggle when I was on the other side,” Diggs said. “Obviously, it was a tough atmosphere, but a lot of it was self-inflicted.”

Overall, no one stood out on either side. Tim Settle Jr. had two sacks in his first start. Cam Akers, who filled in for the injured Joe Mixon, found the end zone on a 6-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud but mustered up only 21 rushing yards.

Stroud, who was consistent in his first two starts, finished 20-of-31 for 215 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. His first pass of the afternoon was picked off when Harrison Phillips batted the ball right into the hands of former Texans linebacker Kamu Gruiger-Hill for a 21-yard return.

His second interception was just a late pass intended for Nico Collins, who finished with four catches for 86 yards.

“We’re still a force to be reckoned with. and we’re still very dangerous,” Stroud said. “We’ve built a foundation solid on rock.”

Someone has to earn player of the game stats. When looking at the emotions surrounding Diggs’ return to the place that kickstarted his All-Pro career, it’s hard to argue with the results.

For his efforts, Diggs is Texans Wire’s Player of the Week and the third recipient of the award, joining Mixon and kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn.

Watch: Texans RB Cam Akers scores TD against Vikings

Cam Akers puts the Houston Texans on the board against the Minnesota Vikings.

Cam Akers played six games with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 before suffering a season-ending Achille tear. He never found the end zone while at U.S. Bank Stadium.

That statement is now false, although Akers didn’t score in a Vikings uniform.

The Houston Texans are on the board after a sluggish first half thanks to an 8-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Akers. Entering the fourth quarter, the Texans trail by two scores.

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The Texans entered “urgency mode” after Minnesota went up 21-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Stroud, who threw an interception on the opening drive to former Houston linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, connected with Nico Collins for a 34-yard pickup on third-and-11 from the Minnesota 47 to land inside the red zone.

Akers, who hadn’t scored since Oct. 29 against the Green Bay Packers, evaded a tackle against Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and punched it for six points.

That was the version of the Texans that set a standard in Week 1’s win against the Colts. Collins, who only had one reception in the first half, has been the vertical threat downfield for Houston’s offense through three games.

The Texans must see more of that version if they plan to mount a comeback in the final 15 minutes of action.

Texans vs. Vikings: WR John Metchie inactive for third game

For the third consecutive game, John Metchie III won’t suit up for the Houston Texans.

Running backs Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce were ruled out before the Houston Texans traveled to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Vikings.

John Metchie III, however, wasn’t. For the third straight week, he won’t suit up as a piece of the passing game.

Metchie was one of seven players ruled inactive before kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium. Rookie linebacker Jamal Hill, defensive back Myles Bryant and defensive end Rashad Weaver also won’t take the field.

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Second-year offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson was ruled out before the team left Houston after suffering a calf injury. According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Juice Scruggs is expected to start at center after missing last week’s win over the Chicago Bears.

Metchie, a former second-round pick out of Alabama, has been inactive in each matchup this season. He showed progress in the preseason as a quality second option behind the trio of starters, but Houston has elected to play the hot hand of Xavier Hutchinson.

The Texans are looking for their first win over the undefeated Vikings in franchise history. With a win, Houston will be off to its best start since 2012.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Texans vs. Vikings: Three key players out for Minnesota in Week 3

Three key Minnesota Vikings are out for Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium.

While the Houston Texans must handle Minnesota Vikings All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, they won’t have to take on his running mate.

On top of that, two key defensive players won’t suit up for Sunday’s game on Minnesota’s side due to injury.

The Vikings ruled receiver Jordan Addison, edge rusher Dallas Turner and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. out for Sunday’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Addison and Turner didn’t practice all week, while Pace was limited entering Friday’s walk-throughs.

Addison, a former first-round pick out of USC, left early in the Week 1 win over the New York Giants due to an ankle injury. He didn’t play last Sunday in a 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

When asked about Addison’s status, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell noted that he made some good progress this week.

“Not all the way to the point where we could be 100 percent confident he wouldn’t have a setback of any kind,” O’Connell told reporters. “Ultimately the most important thing is over the long term of this season getting him back to a place where he’s ready to rock and roll.”

Turner, a former teammate of Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. at Alabama, left early in Sunday’s win because of a knee issue. Over his first two weeks, Turner has totaled five tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss.

Pace, who impressed last season as an undrafted free agent from Cincinnati, has recorded 15 tackles in two starts. He’s been reportedly dealing with a quad injury and was limited throughout the week.

Jalen Nailor is expected to fill the void as the No. 2 target opposite Jefferson.  Edge rusher Pat Jones II will likely see an increased role in place of Turner opposite former Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard.

As for Pace, former Houston linebacker Blake Cashman likely takes over as the voice of the defense while Brian Asamoah and Kamu Grugier-Hill split reps in his spot.

In place of Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon, the Texans plan to have an increased role for Cam Akers. Vikings fans should remember the former second-round pick since he played six games in Minneapolis last season before suffering a torn Achilles in early November.

After a promising preseason, Akers took over the No. 3 RB role entering the regular season. Last week when Mixon left with an ankle injury, he became the feature back, totaling 32 yards on seven carries.

Akers told reporters earlier this week he’s always waiting for a moment to present itself.”

You don’t got to get ready when you stay ready,” Akers said. “I’ve been preparing for this moment, and I’m ready for it. I’m ready to take advantage.”

Kickoff from U.S. Bank Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

The Texans are looking for their first 3-0 start since 2012 and their first victory over Minnesota in franchise history.

Texans RB Joe Mixon ruled out for Vikings game

Joe Mixon will not travel to Minneapolis with the Houston Texans to take on the Minnesota Vikings.

Joe Mixon’s status for Sunday’s game has officially been revealed.

According to the Houston Texans‘ public relations staff, Mixon will not travel to Minnesota with the team on Saturday to face the Vikings in Week 3. Initially, Mixon was ruled doubtful with an ankle injury but instead will stay back to rehabilitate.

Running back J.J. Taylor was from the practice squad to the active roster in place of Mixon. Houston also elevated linebacker and special teams standout Zeke Turner to bolster kick coverage in place of Dameon Pierce, who was also ruled out due to a hamstring issue.

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Traded by the Bengals this offseason to Houston, Mixon is expected to be the bell cow runner when healthy. Over his first two weeks, the 2021 Pro Bowl has rushed for 189 yards on 39 carries and a touchdown in two games while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.

He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 1 after rushing for 159 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown against the Colts. In Week 2’s win over the Bears, Mixon finished with 50 total yards.

Houston now turns to Cam Akers to serve as the top rushing option in the battle between the two undefeated rosters. Akers, a former second-round pick out of Florida State, took over for Mixon in the fourth quarter. He rushed for 32 yards on seven carries, but also had a fumble.

As one of the top preseason stars, Akers proved to be a valuable asset for Houston’s ground game in August. Injuries have derailed his promising career. In 2021, he suffered an Achilles tear as a member of the Rams.

After being traded to Minnesota last season, he suffered a second Achilles tear in early November.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said he remained confident in Akers, given his knowledge of the offensive personnel from his time in Los Angeles and Minnesota.

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“He’s been running — ran zone scheme he came from — he did the same thing in Minnesota,” Slowik said Thursday. “He’s really good at reading that, we call it riding the wave, finding the right hole to hit. He always plays under control. When he sees it, he hits it. He finishes physical. And he has really good contact balance and I’d say those are the things that jump out with Cam.”

Houston is looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2012. Kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is scheduled for noon CT.

Who wins Week 3 game between Texans and Vikings?

Who wins Sunday afternoon when the Houston Texans take on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium?

The Houston Texans will battle the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon for what could be the top early slate game of Week 3. 

These two potential contenders met earlier will have plenty in common after a promising offseason. After winning the AFC South for the first time in four years, the Texans bolstered both sides of the ball by adding former Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter and All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs. 

Minnesota, which parted ways with Kirk Cousins in favor of Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, actually landed several former Texans in the offseason. Defensive end Jonathan Greenard inked a four-year deal to serve as Hunter’s replacement while Texans leading tackler Blake Cashman returned to his home state.

The Vikings also signed cornerback Shaq Griffin, who started the season with Houston before being released in November.

And if that’s not enough ties between the two sides, Houston traded its 2024 first-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for two second-round picks, including a 2025 selection. That pick was used to acquire Diggs from Buffalo, who previously spent five seasons with the Vikings before being traded in 2020.

Crazy offseason leading up to kickoff, right?

Houston secured a 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football thanks to four field goals from AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Ka’imi Fairbairn. C.J. Stroud connected with Nico Collins eight times for an NFL-leading 135 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings dominated against the reigning NFC champions San Francisco in a 23-17 win. Please don’t let the score fool you since Minnesota jumped out to a 20-7 lead entering the fourth quarter.

All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, who suffered a calf injury last week, will play in Sunday’s contest. And while the Vikings will be without stars Jordan Addison and Dallas Turner, the Texans will be without Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce.

The Texans are a 2.5-point road favorite against the Vikings, per BetMGM. It’s a slight surprise since Houston is 0-for-2 against the spread to begin the year. 

Will Houston set a standard and remain undefeated? Will the Vikings become the team people must discuss heading into Week 4? 

Who wins on Sunday?

VOTE!

Texans WR Stefon Diggs excited for ‘Minnesota nice’ welcome from Vikings in first game back

For the first time since being traded, Stefon Diggs will return to US Bank Stadium as the Houston Texans take on the Minnesota Vikings.

Stefon Diggs knows how things ended with the Minnesota Vikings.

The future All-Pro receiver was frustrated with his limited role in the offense despite proving his value as a legitimate No. 1 target. Tensions rose between the two sides, ultimately leading to an offseason trade in 2020 to Buffalo.

But the newest Houston Texans target is still thankful for his five seasons with Minnesota. He only talks positively about his time with the franchise that saw his worth in the fifth round back in 2015.

“They took a real chance for me,” Diggs told reporters Thursday afternoon. “I’m forever thankful for that.”

Diggs will return to US Bank Stadium for the first time since being traded on Sunday as the Texans take on an undefeated Vikings team that has new life under Sam Darnold. While Minnesota might not have envisioned a future without Diggs, things have been better than advertised with their net investment of Justin Jefferson.

“They got a hell of a team,” Diggs said. “Obviously, they got off to a hot start. They’re 2-0. They’ve got a lot of good players over there. They’ve got a defense that’s flying around, definitely looking impressive on tape.”

Vikings fans should still have fond memories of Diggs’ dominance for five seasons in the NFC North. He’s perhaps best known for his game-winning 61-yard touchdown pass from then-Viking and current Texans quarterback Case Keenum against the New Orleans Saints in the 2017 NFC Divisional Round.

On top of being one half of the “Minneapolis Miracle,” Diggs posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons while helping Minnesota reach the playoffs three times, including 2019.

“‘Minnesota nice’ was always a thing,” Diggs said of the fans. “I had a hell of a time there. The people were amazing. I kind of look forward to going back.”

While Diggs, who leads Houston with two touchdown receptions, might be remembered for his arrival as a Vikings’ foundation piece, most haven’t forgotten about his departure. He was fined multiple times in 2019 for missing meetings and practice, which was the start to the end.

Both sides ended up walking away better from the breakup. Diggs, who helped revive the fandom in Buffalo, went on to have four Pro Bowl seasons while helping the Bills reach the playoffs four times. He also finished with over 101 receptions each of his seasons as Josh Allen’s top target.

Jefferson, who was selected with the draft pick used to acquire Diggs, has transformed into the league’s top receiver. The All-Pro has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns while totaling back-to-back 100-plus reception seasons.

Through two games, he remains Darnold’s security blanket, hauling in eight passes for 192 yards and two scores.

“He’s a hell of a receiver,” Diggs said of Jefferson. “He’s nothing short of exceptional as I like to say. He accounts for 50 percent of their offense so that says alot of about not just him as a player but also their offense.

“He’s going to definetly be a task for our defense. They say the good receivers you can’t stop for long but can only control them for a little bit.”

The team Diggs left is no longer the team he’ll face. Kirk Cousins, who replaced Keenum in 2018, is now with the Atlanta Falcons. Adam Thielen, Diggs’ counterpart, is now catching passes for the Carolina Panthers. Running back Davlin Cook is with the Dallas Cowboys. Tight end Kyle Rudolph retired in 2022.

Defensive guru Mike Zimmer was replaced by offensive mastermind Kevin O’Connell as head coach two years after Diggs left. And fellow 2015 draft selection Danielle Hunter has reunited with his Viking teammate in Houston. Former Texans star Jonathan Greenard became Hunter’s replacement up north following a breakout year in 2023.

“The team doesn’t look exactly how it used to look, but it’s some familiar faces over there,” Diggs said. “It’s definitely exciting times. Kind of nostalgic, I guess a little bit going back. But, you know, we’re going there on business too.”

Diggs said he tries not to get too attached to the past and focus on the present. He also knows there will be a moment when it all hits for the first time he returns as a foe rather than a friend.

“It’s obviously something you can’t avoid or can’t ignore, going back to Minnesota where I spent the majority of my career,” Diggs said. “I look forward to going back, seeing some familiar faces and trying to get a dub.”

Report: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson ‘on track’ to play against Texans

Justin Jefferson is likely taking the field against the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson suffered a quad injury during Sunday’s 23–17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, but head coach Kevin O’Connell offered a positive update during his press conference heading into Week 3’s showdown against the Houston Texans. 

“Justin did come in today feeling pretty good, which was a positive based upon the initial quad contusion that kinda happened on that run play,” O’Connell said. “We’ll be day-to-day with Justin. We’ll keep you guys posted throughout the week on his workload and what it looks like for Sunday, but pretty positive in the early returns there.”

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, despite being limited in Wednesday’s practice, Jefferson is ‘on track’ to face Houston at home in what will be a showdown between two undefeated squads.

Jefferson said following Sunday’s game that he wasn’t planning on missing any games due to injury. He might be limited in practice, but a half-healthy Jefferson is better than not having the All-Pro target on the field against a fierce Texans’ defensive front.

“I’m not seriously injured,” Jefferson said. “So that’s the main important thing. So it’s just all about getting to the training room, making sure my body is right for next week, and I’ll be ready to go next Sunday.”

Jefferson’s will create a more dynamic matchup for Texans cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr and Kamari Lassiter. If DeMeco Ryans elects not to have Stingley travel, Lassiter, who recorded his first interception in last week’s win over the Bears, will be tasked with slowing down perhaps the league’s top target.

Late last season, Ryans started having Stingley travel to match up with a team’s No. 1 receiver. It helped eliminate explosive plays while securing a postseason berth for the first time in four years.

With Sam Darnold taking over as the starting quarterback, Jefferson is on pace for another 1,000-yard campaign. He’s totaled 192 yards through two weeks, including four receptions of over 20 yards. In Sunday’s 23-17 win over the 49ers, he caught a 97-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Since being drafted out of LSU in 2020, Jefferson has recorded 400 receptions for 6,091 yards, 32 touchdowns, and an average of 15.2 yards per reception in 62 games.