Tag: Texans vs. Vikings

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.

Gallery: Vikings secure 34-7 win over Texans in Week 3

Check out the best photos from Sunday’s performance at U.S. Bank Stadium between the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings.

The Texans fell to 2-1 after losing 34-7 to the Minnesota Vikings on the road at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 3. Here are the best photos from the afternoon in Minneapolis.

Instant analysis: Texans struggle to find offensive consistency in loss to Vikings

The Houston Texans stumble on offense en route to their first loss of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings.

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

They don’t call it the Frozen Thundra for nothing.

The Houston Texans’ offense remained cold as C.J. Stroud threw a pair of interceptions en route to a 34-7 loss against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Davis Mills replaced Stroud in the final five minutes to ensure he remained healthy for next week’s divisional matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In a game with countless history between both sides, Minnesota (3-0) set the standard thanks to a pair of former Texans. Jonathan Greenard, who led the Texans in sacks last year, pressured Stroud into throwing a tad late on the opening drive.

His pass was batted at the line of scrimmage and landed in the arms of former Texans linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill for an interception.

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Stroud, who was 20 of 31 for 215 yards, was sacked four times. The rhythm between the Pro Bowl quarterback and go-to receiver Nico Collins was off, minus a 34-yard gain in the third quarter.

That set up a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers, who recorded his first start since Week 1 of the 2023 season in place of the injured Joe Mixon.

Defensively, Houston couldn’t slow down former first-round pick Sam Darnold’s connection with Justin Jefferson in the first half. Following Stroud’s first interception, the duo connected on an 8-yard pass to take an early 7-0 lead.

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Darnold, who was 17 of 28 for 181 yards, connected with Aaron Jones for scores in the first quarter to extend the lead to 14. In the second half, he delivered a touchdown to Jalen Nailor for the third straight game and before tying his career-high in touchdown passes on a 4-yard pass to tight end Johnny Mundt in the fourth.

Houston’s defense recorded four sacks but allowed four explosive plays of 20-plus yards.

The Texans never capitalized and were clearly off-balance between a blend of crowd noise and pressure generated by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Last week against the 49ers, Flores forced Brock Prudy into throwing two interceptions because of his pressure rate.

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Greenard finished with three sacks against his former teammate. Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was flagged five times, including three for false starts, bringing his season total to seven through three games.

Stefon Diggs, who returned to Minneapolis for the first time since being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2020, led the Texans with 10 catches for 94 yards. Collins, who entered Sunday as the NFL’s leading receiver, finished with 86 yards on four catches.

The Vikings improved to 6-0 all-time against the Texans and 3-0 on the season for the first time since 2016.

The Texans return home to take on the Jaguars next Sunday at noon CT.

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 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.”