Three Takeaways From Texans Loss vs. Vikings

The Houston Texans couldn't take a win on the road against the Minnesota Vikings.

Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans earned a tally in the loss column following a 34-7 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.

The game brought an ugly side out of the Texans, one that wasn't seen in the first two weeks.

Here's a look at three observations from the Week 3 contest:

Too Many Penalties

The Texans had 11 penalties for 88 yards, many of which were self-inflicted on the offensive end.

"Can't live on 3rd and long, especially with a defense like theirs," C.J. Stroud said postgame. "They cause a lot of issues on 3rd and long. You have to give yourself a chance. You keep shooting yourselves in the foot and moving backwards, backwards, backwards, you're not playing complementary football even for yourself."

The easiest way to get beaten in the NFL is to beat yourself, and the Texans cannot continue to keep doing that moving forward.

READ MORE: Texans Missed Run Game Against Vikings

Turnovers Aren't a Problem ... Yet

C.J. Stroud doesn't make a lot of turnovers, but he had two against the Vikings in Week 3.

"I was seeing it well, trying to just stay in the pocket and deliver as best I could, but they had some coverages and some pressures that they did at a very, very high level. Kudos to those guys. That's kind of what happened on that play. They made a great play," Stroud said of his second interception.

Considering the fact that Stroud is no longer a rookie, teams will better prepare for him this season than they did a year ago. Stroud and the Texans have to be able to make those adjustments throughout the season.

READ MORE: What Went Wrong for Texans During Vikings Beatdown

Hold Everyone Accountable

Nobody is leaving this game feeling like they did a good job. Mistakes were made all around the football, and coach DeMeco Ryans will ensure that everyone is held accountable for their errors.

"The main thing is everybody just has to be accountable for their role, their job," Ryans said postgame. "It takes everybody. It's not just about one person. It takes everybody working together. Again, we'll go back and look at the mistakes that were made on the film and see how we -- how the Texans can help the Texans. Right now today, the Texans helped the Vikings a lot, and the Vikings played really good. That's indicative of the final score."

Perhaps the loss will light a fire under the Texans and get them back on track as they look to close out September with a win in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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READ MORE: Turnovers, Penalties Lead to Texans Blowout Loss

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