Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) runs after the catch against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
When the Minnesota Vikings faced off against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field a couple of weeks ago, superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson was held in check. Head coach Matt Eberflus made his defense key on the talented wideout, but he got burned by everyone else in the process. It remains to be seen if Thomas Brown will operate the same way, but the Vikings wideout would prefer a better game.
Jefferson has openly stated that he understands if teams focus on him, then everyone else will eat. He also knows former teammate Ja’Marr Chase is the only one ahead of him in receiving yardage. The Bengals wideout comes into the weekend with a 149-yard advantage. Jefferson has work to do if he’s going to catch him.
The Bengals have gone to Chase early and often. He has 20 more targets, turning them into 18 more receptions than Jefferson. The Vikings have been at their best when quarterback Sam Darnold has avoided forcing the ball to his best option. It has been clear that Darnold now understands just how good Jordan Addison is, too. Minnesota’s second wide receiver would be a top option on multiple squads. However, that takes away from some of Jefferson’s production.
It’s possible that Jefferson doesn’t catch Chase. The deficit will be difficult to make up, and the Cincinnati Bengals, given their overall record, have substantially less to play for. If he is going to crawl back atop the leaderboard, though, it starts with generating a better result against the Chicago Bears.
Jefferson did nothing to hurt Minnesota in game one against Chicago. His attention gave Darnold better windows with which to work. He can be counted on to do that again if the Bears are going to shadow him with safety help over the top. If they switch things up, there’s next to no chance they’ll be able to keep him in check.
The reality is that Minnesota is a seven-point favorite for a reason. It’s a sizable margin that reflects how much better the Vikings are.
It’s not shocking to have no answer for Justin Jefferson, but the Vikings wideout would like to exploit that much more than he was able to last time around.
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.