The Minnesota Vikings got a win in their first preseason game of the 2025 season. They defeated the Houston Texans 20-10 at U.S. Bank Stadium, and plenty of veterans got playing time in the process.

There were ups and downs, but overall, fans could find positives with each phase of the game through all four quarters. Here are a few of the biggest takeaways from the win.

J.J. McCarthy looked comfortable and continued to find Jordan Addison

McCarthy had his first game experience since last year, when he appeared in the Vikings’ first preseason game. He completed 4/7 passes for 30 yards and scrambled eight yards for a first down on 4th-and-4.

He completed three of those passes to Addison for 33 yards, continuing the connection that has been on display during training camp. The two have developed a rapport over the past several weeks. Unfortunately, Addison’s three-game suspension will pause some of the progress, but it’s apparent the two players are on the same wavelength.

The running game looked more consistent than in past seasons

Jordan Mason showed why the Vikings traded for him this offseason, running four times for 20 yards. But it was third-year running back Zavier Scott who stole the show, running seven times for 40 yards, helping spearhead a 94-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.

Taking away 10 rushing attempts for three yards among the three backup Vikings quarterbacks, Minnesota ran 20 times for 83 yards. It was a promising showing against a defense that possesses tons of depth itself.

#Vikings RB Zavier Scott trained w/ @GameFaceTr before camp. Heavy emphasis was put on getting to full speed in a few steps. Saw that on display today. They also worked on driving force into the ground, + overall explosiveness & acceleration/deceleration. pic.twitter.com/r7oetKgzX9

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) August 9, 2025The EDGE room has depth

The Vikings are set with their top three EDGE rushers, but they had several players make an impact on Saturday. Gabriel Murphy, who was a priority undrafted free agent last year, registered 1.5 sacks. Bo Richter pushed the pocket on one of those sacks. He had three pressures according to PFF, and outside of a touchdown pass thrown to the zone he vacated in the flat, Richter had a good showing.

Undrafted rookie free agent Tyler Batty impacted the team’s third takeaway. He got his hands up to deflect a slant pass in the air, which was then intercepted by safety Kahlef Hailassie. Batty could make his way onto the roster, as he was one of the most sought-after undrafted free agents this year.