Tag: Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson with a big day as the Vikings outlast the Chargers

Justin Jefferson turned in some impressive plays as the Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Los Angeles Chargers.

Last season, Justin Herbert topped wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the voting for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

On Sunday in Los Angeles, the Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings exacted a little revenge.

The second-year wide receiver led the way for Minnesota, catching nine passes for 143 yards in the Vikings’ 27-20 victory. While he was held out of the end zone, this marked the tenth time in his young career that Jefferson eclipsed over 100 receiving yards in a single game.

Perhaps more impressive than the sheer production, was how Jefferson delivered. Early in the game Kirk Cousins looked his way on a crossing route over the middle, and despite tight coverage around him, the LSU product found a way to win at the catch point and then bully his way towards the first down marker:

This comes on a 2nd and 20 play midway through the second quarter. Jefferson makes the reception with a defender draped on his back, and if he gets tackled right there it is still a good play, as the Vikings will face a manageable third-down situation. But the receiver is not done, as he drags three defenders along with him past the first-down marker.

Midway through the third quarter, the Vikings trailed the Chargers by four. Facing a 2nd and 7 in their own territory, Cousins and the Vikings looked to Jefferson on a vertical route along the left sideline.

Again, the receiver found a way to deliver:

This is a phenomenal catch from Jefferson, who has to contort his body back towards the football, extend for the reception and somehow manage to come down in bounds. As you can see on the replay angle, he almost makes the impossible look routine.

Still, Cousins was not done targeting Jefferson in the vertical passing game, and his receiver was not done making splash plays. With the fourth quarter winding down, the Vikings faced a crucial third down in their own territory. Clinging to a seven-point lead with just over three minutes remaining, a first down would truly put the Chargers in a difficult situation.

Again, Jefferson was sent streaking down the sideline, and he came through with another twisting reception for a pivotal first down:

With the ball thrown towards the boundary, Jefferson again contorts himself to the football at the high point and, as he is crashing to the SoFi Stadium turf, manages to tap that second foot in-bounds to complete the play. While the work at the catch point is impressive, do not forget his release off the line. As you can see from the replay angle, Jefferson has both the footwork and the upper-body strength to beat press alignment and technique.

The win moved the Vikings to 4-5 on the season, and with the Atlanta Falcons losing to the Dallas Cowboys, the Vikings are now sitting in eighth place in the NFC, just outside the playoffs. They still have a pair of games left with the Green Bay Packers remaining, as well as a pair of games with the Chicago Bears, so there is a chance the Vikings find away to make the NFC North a bit interesting down the stretch, while remaining in playoff contention.

More days like this from their talented second-year receiver will certainly help.

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ loss to Vikings

What the general population thought of the Chargers’ Week 10 loss to the Vikings.

In a game of a timid offense, dropped passes, and lack of defensive execution, the Chargers fell to the Vikings, 27-20.

Following Los Angeles’ loss to Minnesota in Week 10, here’s a look at how the general population reacted on social media.

5 Vikings players who pose biggest threat to Chargers

Highlighting a few Minnesota Vikings players who could make it difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday at 2:05 p.m. PT.

Here are a few Vikings players who the Bolts must hone in on to increase their chances of coming out victorious in Week 10.

RB Dalvin Cook

Despite facing a civil lawsuit from an ex-girlfriend accusing him of assault, battery and false imprisonment, Cook is still expected to play. The stats might not justify it, but the Chargers’ run defense has slowly improved since Justin Jones’ return. However, there’s no denying that Cook is the most superior back in that timespan. Even though he only has two touchdowns on the season, Cook has a knack for churning yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. With his explosiveness and elusiveness, one bad angle, one slow read could end up being costly.

WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson

Expect Minnesota to resort to its ground game often. But given that the Chargers could be without Michael Davis and/or Asante Samuel Jr. again, Kirk Cousins will likely look to take advantage of a thin cornerback room. Thielen has 45 receptions for 477 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while Jefferson has 46 catches for 632 yards and four scores. Both are capable of getting open and making plays at any given moment with their speed and crafty route-running.

EDGE Everson Griffen

Danielle Hunter, who had 31 quarterback pressures and six sacks, would have been included. However, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 8 and will miss the remainder of the season. Despite the Vikings’ loss, Griffen’s partner in crime has been wreaking havoc. Griffen has 30 pressures and five sacks in 364 snaps this season. While the Chargers’ protection plan was better last weekend against the Eagles, Griffen is more than capable of doing damage.

S Xavier Woods

Not only could Justin Herbert potentially be in the face of pressure, but he will also have someone in Minnesota’s secondary seeking to eliminate his pass-catching targets and looking to turn the ball over. The addition of Woods has paid dividends for the Vikings, as he has been a role that caters to his strengths, giving him the ability to play closer to the line instead of as a deep safety as he played with the Cowboys. As a result, Woods has a sack, two interceptions, and allows a passer rating of just 31.4.

Keys to a Chargers’ victory over Vikings in Week 10

Highlighting what the Los Angeles Chargers must do in order to capture a victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

On Sunday afternoon, the Chargers are set to face off against the Vikings, looking to stay in the win column after their bounce-back game against the Eagles in Week 9.

There are a few key things that Los Angeles will need to do to secure a victory against Minnesota this week.

First and foremost, the Bolts need to stop the run. Teams like the Patriots and the Ravens figured out that one way to be successful was to run the ball early and often. So Los Angeles has to be stout at the point of attack up front and disciplined tacklers to limit Dalvin Cook from running wild.

The duo of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson is how Minnesota has earned most of its points this season. But, with Ryan Smith out for the season and rookie Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis’ statuses still up in the air, Tevaughn Campbell and Kemon Hall must step up.

In addition, it’s crucial that when Cousins is throwing the ball, the front must get pressure to mitigate the lack of depth in the cornerback room.

Offensively, the Chargers need to continue to let quarterback Justin Herbert cook. This means Joe Lombardi must draw up a good game plan, like he did last Sunday against Philadelphia, to put him in manageable situations early and often and control the time of possession.

That includes the protection plan, which proved to be formidable, allowing more time for Herbert to throw. Further, getting Herbert on the move more often is essential.

It isn’t a question of whether Herbert and his offensive weapons are talented, but it’s about execution. Every piece of the puzzle needs to be firing on all cylinders. If they can replicate that performance, Los Angeles ‘ offense should dominate and force the Vikings’ defense to defend more plays.

“In terms of where we’re at halfway, we still have a lot of room to improve as a team, in all three phases,” Brandon Staley said. “We’ve seen some good improvement in all three phases; but we need to keep that coming to life by being intentional on first and second down run defense, getting negative plays.”

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson’s block turned into an absolutely incredible meme

Justin Jefferson threw the most ridiculous block, and NFL fans made so many jokes.

Overall, the Vikings offense lacked explosiveness in their Week 9 loss to the Ravens. But the group did have its moments.

For instance, Minnesota RB Dalvin Cook scampered for a 66-yard run during the first half of the game against the Ravens. Cook finished with 110 rushing yards on 17 carries in the overtime loss.

Cook’s run was good and all, but Vikings WR Justin Jefferson’s block on the play was what piqued the interest of NFL fans and analysts across social media. Jefferson ran out ahead of Cook to try and free up space for the running back. The wide receiver’s results were, well, mixed.

See for yourself:

Of course, people had jokes:

Jefferson made his presence known with more than just his unconventional blocking. He caught a 50-yard pass from Vikings QB Kirk Cousins for a touchdown in Week 9. Jefferson finished with 69 receiving yards, which was the highest mark of any Minnesota player on Sunday. He also had 11 rushing yards.

Vikings warm up in ‘Free Odell’ shirts

Minnesota Vikings players had interesting fashion statements before their game with the Ravens

A number of Minnesota Vikings sent a message before their game with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

The players, including Cameron Dantzler and Justin Jefferson, wore shirts that read “Free Odell.”

They were referring to former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. who was released by the team earlier this week after a turbulent stay.

Have to wonder if the players are also hoping team management finds a way to add the former LSU star to the Vikings.

The Ravens’ defense set to face a tough test in the Vikings

The Ravens face a tough Vikings team in Week 9 that could give their defense some problems if they aren’t disciplined

Coming out of the bye week, the 5-2 Baltimore Ravens will face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 of the 2021 season. Baltimore defensive coordinator Don Martindale needs to have his defense ready for this game, as the Vikings have plenty weapons on offense that could give the unit some fits. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins is a talented player, and running back Dalvin Cook is one of the best rushers in the league.

The Vikings also have one of the better wide receiver duos in the NFL in Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.  Baltimore needs to play disciplined football or else Cook could break some long runs and/or Cousins will pick apart the Ravens’ secondary.

Minnesota is somewhat of a middling offense on paper, as through eight weeks they rank 12th in the NFL with 4.5 yards per carry and 14th in the league with 6.6 net yards per passing attempt. However that doesn’t tell the whole story, as players like Cook, Thielen and Jefferson are threats to make a house call at any point.

The bye week came at a great time for Baltimore. They were able to figure out how to attack some of their issues and hopefully will be able to come out of their break as a better football team.

Under head coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have a great record coming off of their bye week at 10-3.  If the team stays disciplined on defense and the offense comes out on fire, then Baltimore should have a good shot to win this game, but they definitely need to be prepared for Minnesota’s offensive weapons.

Vikings PFF grades: Worst offensive scores from the loss to the Cowboys

The Vikings offense struggled on Sunday night.

The Cowboys offense, without their starting quarterback, carved up the Vikings defense. I’d say that was the biggest reason why Minnesota lost the Week 8 game.

However, the Vikings offense did not look great. Minnesota had the potential to pick apart a defense that is capable of allowing big plays. The Dallas defense held Kirk Cousins and company in check on Sunday night.

Minnesota needs to do better on offense in Week 9. Here are the lowest-graded players on offense from Week 8:

WRU: Ja’Marr Chase is ahead of Justin Jefferson’s blistering 2020 pace

Not a bad start for UNO

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There was a lot of chatter about Ja’Marr Chase after the preseason. Given how his rookie season has gone through six games, he has shown that preseason means nothing.

According to this tweet from Pro Football Focus, Ja’Marr Chase is actually ahead of his teammate from the 2019 national championship team. During that historic season, the duo combined for 3,320 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Through six games of their rookie seasons, Chase is slightly ahead. Jefferson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL draft and finished with 1,400 yards. Chase was reunited with quarterback Joe Burrow and they have continued their chemistry from the title run.

Looking at the numbers, if Chase stays on this level of play, could he pass what Jefferson did in 2020 overall? Chase would have the advantage with an extra game being played in 2021 but we projected his numbers on a 16 game schedule to keep it on par with Jefferson’s rookie campaign. Chase would exceed his production with fewer catches.

Player Rec Yards YPR TDs
Jefferson 28 537 19.2 3
Chase 27 553 20.5 5
Jefferson final numbers 88 1,400 15.9 7
Chase projected numbers 72 1,432 20.5 13

Regardless if Chase is able to pass his counterpart, it goes to show you that LSU is one of the best at producing top young receivers in the NFL. Kayshon Boutte could be the next in line when he leaves for the NFL in a season or two.

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Week 6 with Vikings Wire

It’s almost been one year since the Panthers and Vikings have met. So what’s been going on with Minnesota since then? We asked Vikings Wire managing editor @JackWhiteMN ahead of the Week 6 matchup.

Even though the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings just saw each other last season, things have changed a little bit on both sides. So it’s time to reintroduce ourselves.

We mixed it up with Vikings Wire managing editor Jack White to see what the Panthers’ Week 6 opponents are currently up to heading into Sunday.

Panthers Wire: With the recent (and unsurprising) struggles along the Panthers’ offensive front, Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter will certainly be of particular interest in this matchup. What makes him one of the league’s most destructive wrecking balls?

Vikings Wire: Hunter has a variety of ways to attack opposing offensive lines.

He can vary his speed well, he has a good rip move, he has a good spin move. Draft analysts tabbed Hunter as a raw prospect out of college, and he didn’t produce absurd numbers at LSU.

However, he’s honed his craft at the NFL level and has transformed into one of the best edge rushers in the game. Even better: he’s only 26. Hunter’s absence from 2020, due to injury, was likely the biggest loss for the team in 2020.

PW: The rest of that Minnesota defensive line isn’t full of slouches either. What have the additions of guys like Dalvin Tomlinson and Everson Griffen done for the unit thus far?

VW: I think Tomlinson has probably under performed. The Vikings signed Tomlinson to be a three-technique player, despite his most productive position being nose tackle. He hasn’t been getting pressure on a regular basis.

Griffen, though, has exceeded expectations. Griffen reunited with the Vikings this offseason, and he’s looked like the Griffen of old so far. He has four sacks already, playing his way into the starting edge rusher spot opposite Hunter.

PW: Speaking of Dalvins, that guy who carries the ball is a pretty okay player. He’s also cut from a similar cloth to Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, as they’re both a nightmare for defenses on the ground and through the air. How does his presence affect what the Vikings do on offense?

VW: Under Mike Zimmer’s leadership, the Vikings have been a run-heavy team, so it helps to have a player like Cook.

He’s explosive. He can beat defenses with his speed, but also has a power to his game. He might be the most balanced running back in the NFL. He can thrive in the receiving game at times, but he mostly catches screens and dump offs.

If he was as good as McCaffrey in the receiving game, the Vikings might have the best running back in the NFL. But the team still has a good one in Cook. The biggest drawback is how many injuries he’s had during his NFL career already. However, he should be ready for Week 6.

PW: In the same breath, both McCaffrey and Cook have dealt with numerous injuries in their careers, perhaps, due to heavy workloads. And even though they’re clearly special players, do you think this is a warning of sorts for teams looking to pay running backs?

VW: I think it is. Whenever a team relies on a running back, it can be trouble.

The Vikings have an explosive offense, but so much of it is dependent upon Cook staying healthy. Running back is such a physically demanding position.

There is, of course, a long track record of team’s extending running backs who end up not living up to their large deals. The whole theory behind “running backs don’t matter” is that a running back who’s top tier needs to stay healthy and needs an offensive line that can run block.

Not much separates an average running back and an elite one, compared to quarterback and other premium positions. When you put too many eggs in the running back basket, there ends up being a lot of factors outside your control.

Minnesota would probably be better off allocating some of Cook’s money to other positions. But Cook is still great, and this current Minnesota team, with the way it’s constructed, needs him.

PW: We’ve gone over a handful of premier names for the Vikings. So is there one player, who isn’t as heralded, Panthers fans might want to keep a mental note of heading into Sunday?

VW: I think Eric Kendricks might be underrated around the league. He may be the best off-ball linebacker in the entire NFL. Last game, he made a one-handed interception.

There’s also Tyler Conklin, a player who’s become the primary tight end after Irv Smith Jr. went down with what is likely a season-ending injury. Conklin has played well in relief. 

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