Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stephon Gilmore (2) during the second half after the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.
It’s time for the Week 3 key personnel battles for the Vikings vs. Texans game.
After an excellent win over the 49ers, Minnesota will face another tough game against strong opposition as they welcome the Texans for only the third time ever.
The Vikings’ season has started exceptionally well, but the same can be said for the Texans — both teams are 2-0 after two games. Something has to give in Week 3, and there are some fascinating matchups on the field and on the sideline that I’m excited to see play out.
A favorite among Minnesota fans over the last nine years, Danielle Hunter returns to Minnesota after a good start to life as a Houston Texan. Hunter has 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 9 pressures, and 1 pass deflection. Brian O’Neill has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, allowing just two pressures, with no sacks, hits, or penalties against his name, while coming up against some very good edge defenders.
The former teammates will know each other’s game well, and everyone at the Vikings will know the importance of not letting Hunter wreck the game.
On the other hand, Christian Darrisaw vs. Will Anderson Jr should be tasty, too.
Anderson was last year’s third overall pick, and after an impressive rookie season, he has started this one well, too. With eight pressures and two sacks from the first two games, he has already formed one of the most formidable edge-rushing duos in the league with his new teammate. Darrisaw has proved he can go toe-to-toe with the best, and the Vikings need him to do it again this weekend.
The Vikings’ left tackle hasn’t been flawless in the opening two weeks, but allowing just four pressures and one sack against good opposition has been a strong start to the season.
After a difficult Week 1, Garrett Bradbury bounced back in Week 2 against the 49ers. The Vikings center only gave up one pressure and hasn’t given up a sack yet this season. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 84.4, with an 85.3 run-blocking grade and a 78.2 pass-blocking grade. Bradbury has reached these heights before but never consistently.
Can Bradbury follow last week’s good performance up against a stout Texans defense that only let the Bears gain 25 rushing yards from their RBs and is among the best in the league at getting to the quarterback? His primary opponent is likely to be Folorunso Fatukasi, and Bradbury’s strength of opening lanes in the run game for Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler will be vital. The Vikings need to establish the run if they are going to win this game.
The Texans drafted Nico Collins in the third round back in 2021. After a couple of ok seasons, he broke out last term with a 1297 receiving yards season with eight touchdowns. The early signs this season are for Collins to be even better as he leads the league with 252 receiving yards after two games — surpassing 100 yards in each game. Continuing at that pace will thrust him into the elite receivers’ conversation.
The late addition of 2x All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Vikings’ defense has looked like a masterstroke. The veteran might have just turned 34, but he still has plenty left in the tank and has immediately improved the Vikings’ secondary.
Minnesota particularly struggles with big, physical receivers, and they don’t come much better than the 6’4″, 222 lb Collins. Can Gilmore and the Vikings slow him down this week? If they can, there’s still the small matter of Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, Dalton Shultz, and Joe Mixon, but right now, it’s Collins who poses the Texans’ biggest threat.
Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is the latest young coach to emerge from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree. A young assistant at Washington from 2011-13, Slowik went to San Francisco with Kyle Shanahan, where he would fill numerous roles over the next decade. Last year came his big chance as the OC of the Texans, and he has received praise for his role in the speedy rise of quarterback CJ Stroud. Slowik and Stroud have to work their magic against Brian Flores and his defense this week.
It will be a test of the young OC/QB duo against a Vikings defense that prides itself on confusing the opposition with its fearless aggression and disguise, which sees the defensive players appearing all over the field. Quick screen passes often solved the problem last season, but with Andrew Van Ginkel lurking at the line of scrimmage, that’s now a dangerous game — he already has a pick-six and almost intercepted another last week.
No permanent solution to getting the better of the Vikings’ defense was found in the first two games; if Slowik can find one, his reputation will be further enhanced.