Houston Texans

Texans at Vikings: 3 things we learned

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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What we learned from the Minnesota Vikings’ 31-13 victory over the Houston Texans.

The Minnesota Vikings scored touchdowns in each of their first two possessions on Sunday, as they raced to an impressive 31-13 victory over the Houston Texans. An incredible defense and an efficient offense led the way again for Minnesota, as they now sit at 5-0 on the season.

The Vikings may be the single best team in the NFL and they imposed their will on the Texans on Sunday.

Quarterback Sam Bradford was not perfect, but he was more than good enough again. Bradford completed 22 of 30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He is never going to put up massive numbers, but with the backing of the Vikings’ elite defense, he simply does not have to.

As long as Bradford can continue to protect the football, the Vikings will have a chance to win against anybody.

What were the three major takeaways from this game?

1. Minnesota has the best defense in the NFL

The Vikings legitimately have elite talent at each level of their defense, and they stepped up in a huge way on Sunday. Brock Osweiler and the Texans’ offense could not get anything going in this game.

Osweiler was consistently running for his life, and could not get the ball to his play-makers at all. The Vikings did an incredible job of shutting down the Texans’ offense, and I expect that we will see much more of this going forward.

An attacking defensive line, incredible linebacking corps and a play-making secondary gives the Vikings’ defense huge talent all over the field. This is easily the best defense in the entire NFL.

2. Brock Osweiler is not a good NFL quarterback

The Texans spent huge on Brock Osweiler this off season, making him their franchise quarterback. Osweiler has been okay at times, but he is not playing at a high level this season. Now, the Vikings’ defense is a struggle for anybody, but Osweiler looked particularly terrible in this game.

Osweiler only completed 19 passes on 42 attempts for 184 yards and one touchdown. He also threw one interception. More than his numbers, Osweiler simply did not look comfortable in this game.

The Vikings’ defense had him reeling throughout this one and Osweiler simply did not know how to react. He has the arm talent to be a strong pocket passer, but I simply do not see him being a good NFL starting quarterback.

Sorry Texans’ fans, but Brock Osweiler is not your answer.

3. The Vikings have better offensive weapons than you would think

Heading into the season, Adrian Peterson was the primary option on the Vikings’ offense. However, they have likely lost him for the season, forcing others to step up.

Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph have been great this season, and Jerick McKinnon continues to show plenty of upside. Diggs was hurt in this game, but wide receiver Adam Thielen stepped up in a huge way for Bradford and company.

Thielen caught seven passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in this game. He was a consistent play-maker for the Vikings in the middle of the field, and should be a strong weapon for them down the line.

With Diggs, Rudolph, Thielen, McKinnon and others, the Vikings all of a sudden have more offensive weapons than we ever expected when Peterson went down.