The Houston Texans visit the Minnesota Vikings this afternoon in their preseason opener at U.S. Bank Stadium.
For the Vikings, this marks the beginning of the J.J. McCarthy era — or so they hope. Their 2024 first-round pick tore his meniscus at last year’s first preseason game, prematurely ending his season.
With that in mind, expect his gameplay to be brief this afternoon. But, nonetheless, Vikings fans will get to see him in action for the first time since last year. And with Sam Darnold now a Seattle Seahawk, they’ll get a taste today of what McCarthy can do in a Kevin O’Connell offense.
Behind McCarthy, Sam Howell, veteran Brett Rypien, and rookie Max Brosmer battle for depth.
The Minnesota offense’s weapons — especially RBs Ty Chandler and Zavier Scott — are competing for roles behind Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, while tight end Ben Yurosek and O‑line standout Walter Rouse may emerge as surprises.
As for the Texans, expect QB C.J. Stroud to see limited action, if at all. With Joe Mixon out, watch for others in the revamped RB rotation, including Dameon Pierce, and a refreshed offensive line after injury‑induced reshuffles.
Veterans Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter anchor a defense poised to lead the team’s next surge in the AFC South.
How to Watch Texans vs. Vikings
Kickoff for this afternoon’s Texans-Vikings game is set for just after 4:00 PM Eastern/3:00 PM Central at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.
The game will air live on the NFL Network, as well as ABC‑13 in Houston and Fox 9 in Minneapolis.
So, if you’re a local, you can watch the game for free on a good ol’ antenna. (Millions still use them!)
There are also ways to stream for free. If the NFL Network is not included in your existing cable, satellite, or streaming package, you can watch NFL Network for free through a DIRECTV 5-day free trial or a Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial.
The game can also be streamed through an NFL+ subscription, which starts at $6.99/month and $39.99/year.
We’ve got the full viewing and streaming details below.
Texans vs. Vikings
Date: Saturday, August 9, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM Eastern/3:00 PM Central
TV: NFL Network (National), ABC‑13 (Houston), Fox 9 (Minneapolis)
Streaming: NFL+ (out-of-market), Texans and Vikings apps and websites (local)
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