Justin Jefferson Can Play Superman on Sunday
The Minnesota Vikings go into a pivotal matchup against the Detroit Lions without two playmakers. It seems plausible that neither T.J. Hockenson nor Aaron Jones will be active in the contest. That’s unfortunate, but Justin Jefferson still plays for the same team. If there’s a time for him to have a breakout game, it’s now.
Justin Jefferson Can Play Superman on Sunday
Justin Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in football. He has put up a solid season to this point, and that is while facing immense pressure from opposing defenses. What the Detroit Lions don’t have is a talented defense. The unit just suffered a significant blow in losing Aidan Hutchinson for the year as well.
As Sam Darnold will face a weakened pass rush, and he was already in for a lackluster secondary, it’s time for the quarterback and his top wide receiver to play pitch and catch. Kevin O’Connell has been an offensive-minded coach from the jump for the Minnesota Vikings. He has always leaned more heavily on his passing game. Utilizing Darnold for a substantial amount of throws may not have traditionally been ideal, but this is an opportunity for him to air it out.
Facing a Lions defense that can give up points in bunches, Jefferson and Jordan Addison present a duo unlike anything that Detroit has seen this year. Jefferson is capable of going off for triple-digit yardage at the drop of a hat, and something threatening a career-high this weekend wouldn’t be shocking.
The more Minnesota can get through the air, specifically on the back of Jefferson, the less of a focus the running game will be. That could open things up for the recently acquired Cam Akers or backup Ty Chandler. For the first time this season, though, force-feeding Jefferson the rock for as much as he can handle makes a good deal of sense.
We’ll see how the Vikings play things once the opening kick is sent flying. Maybe O’Connell will remain somewhat committed to a balanced offense.
Darnold has proven to be a capable quarterback this year, though, and Jefferson is the shiny toy waiting to be fully unleashed in 2024.
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 daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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