D.J. Reed
Do you know when someone tries to slip something into a conversation unchallenged, as a matter of fact? That happened to Justin Jefferson on Sunday.
New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed defended Jefferson for most of the afternoon, losing to Jefferson’s Vikings 27-22 in a rollercoaster game.
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And after the game, apparently for vibes and self-assurance, Reed applauded his own effort against the two-time Pro Bowler Jefferson, claiming he was “in Jefferson’s sh-t all day.”
Reed also asserted he did a “great job” and “held his own” versus Jefferson. Here’s the full video from Reed:
Jefferson was limited to 7 receptions for 45 yards and a game-pivoting touchdown. But the odd part about Reed’s synopsis? Reed had held from the Jets safeties all afternoon.
Accordingly, Jefferson seized on Reed’s soliloquy, explaining that Reed didn’t do it alone. Jefferson retweeted the Reed video stating, “In what shit ??. You can’t talk having safety help…call me when yo coach trust you to go 1v1.”
Here’s Jefferson’s tweet in the flesh:
Reed is the NFL’s 19th-best cornerback per Pro Football Focus through 13 weeks. So, he is neither personally a clown nor a pushover on the field. Jefferson has notched 1,277 receiving yards in 12 games and is second in the league per the metric behind Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill. After Week 13, Hill leads the receiving-yards sprint by 102 yards.
Not many CBs will battle Jefferson one-on-one for an entire afternoon anymore. Since seizing the league and making it his own, Jefferson has commanded respect from defensive coordinators, almost mandating help from the back end of the defense by safeties.
And that’s what happened during Vikings-Jets. Jefferson’s tweet sought to inform Reed, 26, that the victory lap wasn’t without an asterisk.
The Vikings travel to Detroit on Sunday and are early one-point favorites over the Lions.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).