The undefeated Houston Texans (2-0) hit the road in Week 3 of the 2024-25 NFL Season for a trip to Minneapolis and a showdown with the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings (2-0). Both teams will be looking to start the year a perfect 3-0, and oddsmakers are expecting this game to remain close throughout. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM EST on September 22nd at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Not many experts expected the new look Vikings to record two consecutive victories right out of the gate, especially with Sam Darnold replacing veteran Kirk Cousins at quarterback. The same can’t be said of the Houston Texans, as their impressive 2023-24 regular season and subsequent playoff run resulted in high expectations to start the year.
Both of these offenses have looked strong both through the air and on the ground in back to back games, so it will be very interesting to see how each head coach designs their respective game plan. There is no doubt that the Texans will continue to look to get the ball to their trio of talented wideouts, while the Vikings will likely look to control possession using Aaron Jones on the ground in an attempt to keep the ball out of C.J. Stroud’s hands.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Texans listed as 1-point road favorites. The spread has increased by a full point after early betting, as Houston is currently available at -2 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 46 points, which is one of the largest on the board here in Week 3. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on CBS. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Houston Texans Grind Out Tough Win On Sunday Night Football
The Texans jumped out to an early lead at home against Chicago on Sunday Night Football and never looked back, keeping the Bears out of the end zone the entire second half en route to a 19-13 victory. It was a very impressive rebound performance for the defense after giving up 27 points on the road to Indianapolis in Week 1, although the struggles of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams certainly helped as well.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud had a below average game considering his usual lofty standards, going 23/36 for 260 yards and a single touchdown through the air. RB Joe Mixon also came back to earth a little bit after a monster performance in Week 1, rushing for just 25 yards on nine carries.
The star of the game on offense for Houston was undoubtedly Nico Collins, as the explosive wideout torched the Bears secondary for 135 yards and a touchdown on a game-high eight total receptions.
The Texans played very well defensively, limiting Caleb Williams to just 176 yards through the air and 44 rushing yards on the ground. Houston also forced several mistakes from the rookie, as Williams threw two very costly interceptions that proved to be too much for Chicago to overcome in a tough, defensive battle.
Minnesota Vikings Upset 49ers At Home
Fans at U.S. Bank Stadium were thrilled to see the home side pull off a bit of an upset last Sunday afternoon, as their beloved Vikings shocked the visiting San Francisco 49ers with a very impressive 23-17 win. It certainly wasn’t easy down the stretch for Minnesota, as they were outscored 10-3 in the final quarter but still managed to hold on for the win.
Sam Darnold continued his resurgence at quarterback in his first season with the Vikings, going 17/26 for 268 yards and two touchdowns through the air, although he did also get picked off once by a tough Niners secondary. Star wideout Justin Jefferson certainly had no problem getting open despite the tough matchup, exploding for 133 yards and a touchdown on just four receptions.
The running back tandem of Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler was also very effective in Week 2, as Chandler led the way on the ground with 82 rushing yards on ten total carries while Jones chipped in with 32 rushing yards and another 36 receiving yards on five total catches.
Despite surrendering well over 400 total yards of offense to a very skilled San Francisco squad, the Vikings defense stood tall when it mattered the most. Brock Purdy only managed to throw one touchdown through the air, but Deebo Samuel and George Kittle combined for a monster performance of almost 200 yards receiving on 15 total catches. Minnesota also couldn’t find a way to keep RB Jordan Mason in check in the second half, as he scored a critical touchdown on one of his game-high 20 carries to keep San Francisco in the game late.
Our Texans vs Vikings NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
There is no doubt that Minnesota shouldn’t be underestimated at home in this particular spot, especially after their hot start to the season. However, the value in this matchup definitely still sits on Houston’s side even though the spread has doubled since the start of the week. Not only are the Texans the vastly deeper team on offense, they also seemed to iron out some defensive issues last Sunday after a below average performance versus the Colts back in Week 1.
While Sam Darnold has certainly been one of the “feel good” redemption stories through the first few weeks of September, it seems overly optimistic to expect him to keep pace with the explosive Texans offense for four consecutive quarters this weekend. Justin Jefferson may be able to break off a long reception or two, but the trio of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs is undoubtedly the best in the entire NFL.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Texans -2
As long as this spread stays below a full field goal leading up to Sunday afternoon, laying the two points and siding with the road favorite is the optimal play in this matchup. Houston’s offense should be able to find more success than San Francisco did in Week 2, especially considering they are currently at full health on offense whereas the 49ers were clearly still missing Christian McCaffrey despite the second consecutive strong outing from backup Jordan Mason.
Houston also did a great job getting constant pressure on Caleb Williams their last time out, and I expect that trend to continue on the road against a quarterback who has historically been very prone to untimely turnovers. Minnesota will battle hard and keep it close throughout, but I like this high-powered Texans offense to pull away late and come away with the win. Give me Houston to Cover!
