Well, Justin Jefferson Is Sick of Having Good Games.
Despite losing on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings are 5-1 after roughly a third of the 2024 campaign. The season was expected to be a transition year, but the team is suddenly in a position to reach the playoffs and surely has been good enough in those six games to be considered a contending team.
Well, Justin Jefferson Is Sick of Having Good Games.
Some new stars have arrived in Minnesota. Defenders Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Jonathan Greenard have been outstanding in the front seven, while secondary players Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin have played well, too. Running back Aaron Jones has infused some life in a dead rushing game, which certainly helps the entire offense.
Kevin O’Connell’s offense is more balanced compared to years past. It’s about getting multiple playmakers involved. That, however, has led to a down year for Justin Jefferson, the team’s superstar. The wideout has been good in the six games but hasn’t had a statistical breakout. Instead, his yardage totals are 59, 133, 81, 85, 92, and 81.
His numbers show 33 catches for 531 yards and five touchdowns, with an average yards per catch of 16.1. The 2022 Offensive Player of the Year is on pace for 94 catches, 1,504 yards, and 14 touchdowns.
The touchdowns are an easy career high, but the catch and yard totals are underwhelming for the prolific pass-catcher. Still, he ranks fourth in receiving yards despite already having his bye week.
Those numbers are outstanding for most other players, but for Jefferson, they are somewhat disappointing. His career average yards per game is 97.4 (an NFL record), but he reached that number in only one of his six games in 2024.
After Tuesday’s practice session, Jefferson was asked about having a “massive game.”
It’s right there. It’s right there. I’m definitely sick of these 80, 90-yard games. I definitely got to get over that hump of 100 yards. That’s definitely my plan. But I mean, if you see it on tape, the explosive plays are all over the field. Not just me, just all over the field. And we just got to be dialed in, all 11, to execute those plays, give Sam (Darnold) a little more time. It’s going to be one of those games that we’re going to show the world what we’re really capable of, and hopefully, it’s Thursday night.
The man is sick of having 80 or 90-yard games, quietly showing his excellence. Calvin Johnson ranks second in NFL history (with at least 200 receptions) with 86.1 receiving yards per game. Only six players have an average over 80.
It’s Jefferson’s first season without Kirk Cousins in the building, but he has quickly formed a connection with Sam Darnold. His biggest challenge remains the opposing double teams, but he’s still capable of making plays when he has to. For example, when the Vikings needed a hero to increase the lead late against the Packers, Kevin O’Connell drew up the plays for Jefferson, and he single-handedly brought the team into field goal range.
The feeling of a Jefferson breakout game has been in the air for weeks, and a player of his caliber can’t be denied a prolific stat line forever. His next chance will be on Thursday when the Vikings meet the Rams, a team that has allowed an average of 211 passing yards per game, ranking them in the middle of the league.
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