Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings: 5 keys to victory
By Adam Carlson
#5: Grind the Texans down
If the Minnesota Vikings can win the time of possession and rotate in players to keep fresh on the defensive line, Minnesota should be able to win this game.
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Houston is one of the worst offenses in the NFL, scoring only 69 points through 4 games and passing for 222 yards per game. Their strength is in their run game, where they are averaging a 112.5 yards per game on the ground and relying on their offensive line to win the battle in the trenches.
Minnesota is tied for 7th in the NFL when it comes to yards per rush allowed, giving up only 3.6 per attempt. Houston will want to control the time of possession by running the ball to keep the game a low scoring affair while playing mistake-free football.
If this continues to be the strategy of the Texans, they could find themselves playing right into the Vikings hands. But it should all come down to who can pick up first downs and move the chains on a regular basis, as field position and time of possession could be powerful statistics in this game.
Next: Full game-by-game 2016 Vikings season preview
It may only be week 5 of the NFL season, but this game could have major implications when it comes to these two franchises down the road. Don’t miss the Houston Texans taking on the Minnesota Vikings live from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday, October 9, 2016.