Vikings D claims Brock Osweiler, Texans as latest victims

MINNEAPOLIS – Nobody has an answer yet for these new Purple People Eaters.

Certainly not the Houston Texans, who seemed thoroughly overwhelmed by the Minnesota Vikings’ talented defense from the start of Sunday’s 31-13 laugher, leaving quarterback Brock Osweiler and company visibly frustrated.

Welcome to the club.

The Vikings are 5-0 entering their bye week on the strength of a defense that has now held nine consecutive opponents to 17 points or fewer. And that unit has stopped far better and more seasoned QBs than Osweiler, the big-money free agent acquisition who was shown by CBS cameras pounding a fist onto a binder and cursing shortly before going into halftime down 24-6.

It didn’t get better. Osweiler finished 19-of-42 passing for 184 yards with an interception and a touchdown on a fourth-quarter drive that padded his stats, with the Vikings ahead by 25 and content to give up throws underneath. The Texans failed on their first 12 third-down attempts.

Minnesota’s depleted offensive line – which lost another starter, right guard Brandon Fusco, to a concussion – had an uneven day in pass protection against Houston’s J.J. Watt-less defense. Run blocking remains a battle, too. But Sam Bradford completed 22 of 30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, extending his streak without an interception since the Vikings traded for him last month after Teddy Bridgewater’s season-ending knee injury.

The Vikings scored touchdowns on their first two drives Sunday, Marcus Sherels returned a punt 79 yards for another score and that was more than enough support for a defense that just keeps rolling.

Next up: rookie Carson Wentz and the Eagles on Oct. 23 at Philadelphia.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.

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