Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) looks on before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
There are almost no games in Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson plays where he doesn’t make an impact.
The reality is that he’s the best player on the planet at the position, and it doesn’t really matter who is throwing him the ball. Sam Darnold has done great to develop quick chemistry with his star this year, and Sunday will bring another new milestone.
If you haven’t been keeping up, Justin Jefferson has continued to ascend the ranks among the greatest Vikings wide receivers in history. He has his eyes first set on Randy Moss and then eventually Cris Carter. After a 137-yard output last weekend, he finds himself tied at 6,682 yards with Adam Thielen. That makes him fourth all-time in franchise history, and he will almost certainly pass Anthony Carter next season.
The pace Jefferson is on remains otherworldly. Of course, the game was less about airing it out years ago than it is today. That doesn’t change the fact that Jefferson is seemingly always open, and he constantly gives Darnold an opportunity to make an impact down the field.
Few teams on the Minnesota Vikings schedule will be worse defensively than the Jacksonville Jaguars. That could have head coach Kevin O’Connell looking to get ahead early and shut things down. It could also mean that Jefferson goes off for a career-high output and once again puts the league on notice.
Jefferson currently leads the league in receiving yardage despite playing a game less than both of his two closest competitors. He hasn’t had a jaw-dropping game in the box score yet this year, but that only further substantiates how pedestrian it is for him to go out and put up triple-digit yardage. The Vikings have gotten three 100-plus yard games from Jefferson this season, but outside of Week 1, he hasn’t been held to less than 80 yards either.
It’s crazy just how quickly Jefferson will pass the threshold Thielen established. It’s also crazy how quickly he could have both Moss and then, eventually, Carter in his sights as well. The NFL hasn’t seen a wide receiver this talented, maybe ever, and being able to produce during a time period in which the passing game is as vital as ever has been fun to see.
The Vikings won’t care that Jefferson isn’t continuing to climb the franchise leaderboard at home as long as they win. By the time they return home in a few weeks, his stats may look even more gaudy.
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.