It was a dominant display by the Vikings on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium as they put the rest of the NFL on notice with a 34-7 win the Houston Texans.

Whether it was quarterback Sam Darnold doing his thing once again, edge rusher Jonathan Greenard going crazy against his former team, or rookie kicker Will Reichard nailing a 58-yard field goal, the Vikings got star performances on offense, defense, and specials teams throughout the game.

Let’s take a deep look at how the win came to fruition.

Here are five takeaways from the Vikings’ 34-7 win over the Texans:

1. Sam Darnold was sharp in the red zone

Though it wasn’t the most prolific performance from Darnold in terms of passing yards, he was extremely effective in the red zone to help the Vikings create some separation. The first touchdown pass featured Darnold creating some time with his legs before finding star receiver Justin Jefferson in the end zone. The second touchdown pass was perhaps his easiest as Darnold hit running back Aaron Jones on a crossing route in open space and watch him run mostly untouched. The third touchdown pass might have been Darnold best throw of the game as he fit the ball into a tight window to find receiver Jalen Nailor. The fourth touchdown pass was another example of Darnold’s arm strength as he rifled a ball into tight end Johnny Mundt near the goal line. It could have been a much different game for the Vikings if Darnold wasn’t so sharp in the red zone.

2. Jonathan Greenard was a man possessed

There was some added motivation for Greenard going against his former team. It showed as Greenard made life miserable for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, finishing with a trio of sacks in the game. His most impressive play of the game came when he ran over Texans tight end Cade Stover in pass protection on his way a sack. The performance as a whole was a nice reward for Greenard after not recording a sack in wins over the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. He did generate a lot of quarterback pressures in those games, so it felt like the sacks would come at some point. They finally did against the Texans.

3. Kamu Grugier-Hill made the most of his opportunity

Filling in for injured linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., Grugier-Hill put forth an extremely impressive performance. He made a big splash to start the game with an interception on a tipped ball from defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. It looked like Grugier-Hill had forced another turnover shortly thereafter as he jarred the ball loose from Texans tight end Dalton Schultz. The officials reviewed the play and ruled it an incompletion to negate the forced fumble. Not that Grugier-Hill let that get him down. He continued to fly around with reckless abandon, proving he can be relied on in every situation, which could help him earn more playing time.

4. Justin Jefferson suffered a jammed finger

The television broadcast showed Jefferson flexing his right hand on the sideline. He confirmed after the game that he jammed his finger while making a catch over Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. It’s notable that Jefferson finished the game without missing much action, so he should be good to go moving forward. He finished the game with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also dropped a pair of passes and vowed to get some extra work on the JUGS machine this week.

5. Aaron Jones shows he has a lot left in the tank

Though he turns 30 years old in a few months, Jones still appears to be in his prime. He’s consistently showcased his burst since signing with the Vikings and it showed up once against against the Texans. He finished the game with 19 carries for 102 yards and he nearly scored a touchdown before being pulled down at the 1-yard line. He also added five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown. The fact that Jones has made such a big impact can’t be overstated. His presence on the ground makes the the Vikings much more dangerous on offense.

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