Vikings Duo Sets New Franchise Record
There are numerous excellent wide receivers in Minnesota’s history, and some duos have been remarkable, too. Justin Jefferson teamed up with Adam Thielen for the first three seasons of his career. In the years prior to that, of course, Thielen shared the field with Stefon Diggs. A couple of decades earlier, perhaps the greatest receiver duo ever ‒ Randy Moss and Cris Carter ‒ terrorized defensive units.
Vikings Duo Sets New Franchise Record
Nowadays, Jefferson and wingman Jordan Addison are supposed to be the top two weapons in the passing game, especially with tight end T.J. Hockenson sidelined because of his knee injury suffered at the end of last season.
Addison, however, has only experienced a fraction of the action. A sprained ankle sustained on an outlawed hip-drop tackle in Week 1 forced him to miss Weeks 2 and 3. Unsurprisingly, folks were concerned. Without Hockenson and Addison, teams could focus on Jefferson without anyone else capable of punishing those strategies.
The backups ‒ guys barely known outside of the Twin Cities ‒ had to step up. Jalen Nailor and Brandon Powell competed for the WR3 spot in training camp. Both are needed to produce a functioning and versatile passing attack without its secondary and tertiary options available.
Nailor has been a fun story so far. He barely saw the field in his rookie season but showed flashes when he did, and injury problems overshadowed his sophomore campaign. Through three games in year three, he has finally become a reliable target, stepping up and becoming that WR2 the Vikings needed during Addison’s absence.
In the three contests, Nailor caught seven passes for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Jefferson, meanwhile, tallied 273 yards and three scores. Combined, the unexpected duo has set a new franchise record in Week 3.
Vikings PR tweeted: “.@JJettas2 and @jalennailor are the first duo in franchise history to both score a receiving touchdown in each of the team’s first three games of a season. They are the first pair to achieve the feat league-wide since 2018 (WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin).”
On Tuesday, Cris Carter chimed in.
Addison has a chance to return on Sunday when the Vikings play the first divisional contest against the Packers. However, Nailor has been an outstanding replacement, teaming up with Jefferson on the outside.
The passing attack has been a remarkable story thus far, as veteran quarterback Sam Darnold has never looked this good. He had a tough time establishing himself as the franchise quarterback he was supposed to be when drafted in 2018.
Stints with the Jets and Panthers were a disaster, but the dysfunction within the organizations and the lack of a proper supporting cast certainly played a role. He spent last year in San Francisco backing up Brock Purdy and developed into a more mature version of the talented but raw passer.
The infrastructure ‒ coaching and talent around him ‒ is helping him revive his career in the Twin Cities. Jefferson has a good case for being the best receiver in the NFL, and Nailor keeps making plays.
The duo wants to add to the streak on Sunday.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt