Jan 3, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) gestures after a first down against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports.
This is shaping up to be a big weekend for the Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver. Justin Jefferson has just three games left to keep Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill at bay. He has that same amount to track down Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson’s single-season record. On Saturday, there are a few hurdles he could clear.
Despite the Minnesota Vikings needing an otherworldly comeback against the Indianapolis Colts last weekend, Justin Jefferson’s production largely flew under the radar. He still put up 123 yards, but third wideout K.J. Osborn stole the show with a breakout game. That’s no problem for Jefferson, who remains on track to break records, and the first of many could fall this weekend.
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When he steps on the field against the New York Giants, Jefferson will trail Minnesota legend Randy Moss by just nine yards for the most receiving yards in a single season. Moss accomplished that mark across 16 games during the 2003 season. Jefferson will surpass it and then some in just 15 games this year. It has been Moss that Jefferson has tracked since entering the league, and it will be a special moment to etch his name at the top of Minnesota’s leaderboard.
Concerning who he’s trying to keep behind him, Jefferson has a 94-yard lead over the Dolphins Tyreek Hill. Miami hosts the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, but Hill will likely be shadowed by standout cornerback Jaire Alexander throughout the contest. The Dolphins don’t have the easiest schedule the rest of the way, and Hill will also be trying to make up the deficit he’s currently looking at.
For Jefferson, the goal is a clear one; chase down Johnson. He trails the Hall of Famer by 341 yards or an average of 113.6 per game. Funny enough, Jefferson’s yards per game this year check in just above that, at 115.9. It is a worthy question if head coach Kevin O’Connell would put his wideout on the field in the cold against the Chicago Bears if Week 18 is meaningless, but you can bet the competitor in Jefferson will want a crack at the record.
No wide receiver in history has ever eclipsed 2,000 yards in a season, and Jefferson is just 377 yards from that feat. On a per-game basis, that comes out to just over 125 yards. He has topped that tally multiple times this season, and exploiting a beatable Giants defense could go a long way to set it up as a possibility.
It’s not just yardage for Jefferson anymore, however, and his targets have been monstrous, topping double-digits in each of the past four games. With 111 receptions to his credit this year, he’s even with Moss’ best season in 2003. He’s just two behind Adam Thielen for second-most all-time in a Vikings uniform, and Cris Carter’s 122 (done twice) represent the barometer there. With another three games left, that too looks like another accolade that could be added to Jefferson’s career stat line.
A season ago, the Los Angeles Rams, of which O’Connell coached the offense, saw Cooper Kupp put up 1,947 yards on a whopping 145 receptions. Jefferson likely won’t need the reception total to get there, and he’ll probably fall short of that usage. Being able to stretch the field as he does, however, there’s little reason why O’Connell can’t coach back-to-back receiving yardage leaders.
This weekend can go a long way to set up the ultimate outcome for Jefferson. He’s already looking ahead, not worrying about Hill, but it might depend on what happens Saturday if he wants to chase down Johnson.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.