Ponder is competing with Joe Webb to be the primary backup to Donovan McNabb. Webb went 5 for 6 for 43 yards.
Matt Leinart was 13 for 16 for 145 yards for the Texans, looking efficient as he prepares to back up Matt Schaub this season. Newly signed receiver Bryant Johnson had three catches for 64 yards.
Adrian Awasom had two sacks and a forced fumble and Caleb King rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings, who open the regular season at San Diego on Sept. 11.
Both teams rested almost their entire starting lineups with the regular season opener just 10 days away. That made for some ugly play throughout the game, with down-the-roster names trying to make one more good impression for final cuts are made Saturday.
Texans tight end Garrett Graham had six catches for 71 yards and Chris Ogbonnaya rushed for 62 yards and had two other long runs called back because of holding penalties. Texans coach Gary Kubiak was hoping to have Steve Slaton (hamstring) play, but he was held out, and the Texans now have to hold their breath to see if star running back Arian Foster's hamstring will be ready by the time they open the season at home against Indianapolis.
Cornerback Brandon Burton intercepted a pass and Marcus Sherels added a nifty punt return that may have sealed his roster spot for the Vikings.
Ponder was a little ragged, especially on his throws from in the pocket. But the rookie made plays when he had to, eluding the Texans rush, blitzing linebacker Tim Dobbins in particular, time and time again to pick up big chunks on the ground.
The rookie is clearly most comfortable operating on the edge on designed rollouts, or when the pocket breaks down and he tries to buy time by scrambling. On the lone scoring drive he led, an on-the-run Ponder completed a 17-yard strike to Jaymar Johnson, then eluded Dobbins to rush for 15 yards before he hit Kyle Rudolph for a 5-yard TD, his first touchdown as a Viking.
In contrast there was Leinart, the six-year veteran who has never fulfilled the promise he had as a Heisman Trophy winner at USC. Despite his uneven play throughout his pro career, he looked much more polished and at ease in the pocket, hitting big plays down the field to Graham and Johnson, who just signed on Monday to try to bolster depth behind Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones.
But the Texans drives were all derailed by penalties and Neil Rackers' 42-yard field goal attempt hit off the left upright just before halftime.
