Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and his world-beating defense have been gliding through the season with grace, and continue to be complimentary of opponents that they are clearly better than.
But when it comes to the Houston Texans and their receiving tandem of DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, is it fair to wonder if this is the toughest challenge they've faced yet?
"It's nerve-racking to say the least," Zimmer said specifically of Fuller's blinding speed. "He is a big-play receiver and he's doing a great job. But you know all guys with speed bother DBs. That's the first thing they look at when they get on tape. How fast is a guy? How quick do they have to get out of their back pedal?"
Is Zimmer just being nice, or does he really believe that this is the team that can finally give this defense a run for its money?
The Vikings held the tandem of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to 115 yards and a touchdown. Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin? Six catches for 64 yards (Olsen had all of them, Benjamin was targeted once and did not catch a pass). Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepherd and Victor Cruz? 12 catches for 103 yards and zero scores. That's not to mention the quarterbacks they've also mowed down in that time: Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton and Eli Manning.
We're running out of elite wide receiver tandems for the Vikings to face, though the combination of Hopkins, Fuller and Bill O'Brien's play-calling could bring a unique component to the mix. The Texans fancy themselves more of a power running team than they might be -- fifth in the league in rushing attempts but 11th in yards -- which would mean that they would be trying to do something no one has done effectively against Minnesota all season long. They are effectively getting the balls to their best receivers (34 targets for Fuller and 33 for Hopkins) but nowhere near the level anyone expected after the team loaded up on receiving talent this offseason.
At some point, the Vikings will bend. No defense is perfect. But is this the week?
