The Houston Texans suffered their first loss of the season, but it felt more like a punch in the stomach as the Minnesota Vikings catapulted their way to a 34-7 win on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense never found a rhythm as they fought pre-snap penalties and pressure while the defense struggled to slow Sam Darnold and the Vikings’ ground game.
Houston dropped to 2-1 and lost its two-game lead in the division, with the Indianapolis Colts picking up their first win against Chicago. The Texans return to NRG Stadium with a chance to bounce back and win their second divisional game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Here are five takeaways from the loss to in Minneapolis.