The Minnesota Vikings let Danielle Hunter leave as a free agent this year, deciding not to pay market price for a player who'd flourished into the franchise's latest in a long line of prolific pass rushers.

The Texans, fresh off a prime-time win in Houston, head to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Why it matters: The Week 3 matchup features two teams hoping to remain undefeated as the 2024-25 campaign marches on.

Vikings beat the Texans 31-23 in Houston on Oct. 4, 2020. Last week: Texans beat the Bears 19-13; Vikings beat the 49ers 23-17. Texans offense: overall (9), rush (10), pass (12), scoring (8). Texans defense: overall (3),

Even when everything seems to be stalling, C.J. Stroud makes things interesting. Stroud's first-half success in the

After Houston defeated Chicago on "Sunday Night Football," Stroud went out of his way to give words of encouragement to Williams. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick struggled in his first prime-time matchup, completing 23 of his 37 pass attempts for just 174 yards, as well as two interceptions in the 19-13 loss for the Bears .

Stroud, a former Elite 11 standout from Rancho Cucamonga High School, a two-time Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State and the second overall pick of the draft last year, has thrived while last year’s top overall pick, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, has already been benched.