Daily Norseman
The Minnesota Vikings played their preseason opener at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and there were a lot of encouraging signs from both sides of the ball to work with going forward.
The Vikings saw some good things from starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and the defense forced three fourth-quarter turnovers to help close things out and push the Vikings to a 20-10 victory over the Houston Texans in preseason action.
The Vikings got on the board first, as J.J. McCarthy led the Vikings down the field and got them into position for a 48-yard field goal from Will Reichard to put them ahead, 3-0. McCarthy, in what would be his only drive of the afternoon, completed 4-of-7 passes for 30 yards, and also had an 8-yard scramble that converted a first down on a 4th-and-5. There wasn’t a whole lot to complain about from the youngster on his first action in almost exactly a year.
Houston’s offense answered on the next possession with the game’s first touchdown, as Davis Mills found Braxton Berrios for a 14-yard score to make it 7-3 late in the first quarter. Will Reichard converted again on the Vikings’ first possession of the second half, connecting from 38 yards out to make it a 7-6 game, and the Vikings finally found the end zone on their third possession. Sam Howell led a 94-yard scoring drive, powered by the running of Zavier Scott and some timely completions from Howell to Lucky Jackson and Jeshaun Jones. The drive ended with Howell going over on a sneak from one yard out to make it 13-7. That’s how the two teams went into the locker room at halftime.
The lowlight for the Vikings in the first half was receiver and punt returner Rondale Moore appearing to suffer another serious leg injury. Moore, who missed all of 2024 after tearing an ACL, was tackled near the sideline on a punt return early in the second quarter and immediately grabbed for his leg. The cart came out and took him back to the locker room, and it looks like it could be another lost season for Moore, who has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career.
Houston cut into the lead with their first possession of the second half, as Kai’mi Fairbairn converted on a 43-yard field goal attempt to make it 13-10 early in the third quarter. That was the score going into the fourth quarter, and then the Minnesota defense forced the game’s first turnover as Ambry Thomas picked off Houston quarterback Graham Mertz in Houston territory.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings’ second touchdown of the afternoon came from none other than former Golden Gophers’ quarterback Max Brosmer. After a pass that was initially ruled a touchdown was changed to an incompletion after review, the Vikings went for it on 4th-and-goal from the Houston 3-yard line, and Brosmer found Myles Price in the back of the end zone for a score to put the Vikings ahead 20-10....
