Misplaced in Minnesota making an attempt to kick their followers within the junk once more Thursday evening like they’ve so many instances this season — or final — was the efficiency of Vikings vast receiver Justin Jefferson.
His stats — 79 yards, sevens catches and a landing — don’t stand out in a lead-your-piece-with-it form of manner, however once you have a look at what he may’ve finished, it may’ve been the form of eye-popping, primetime efficiency that makes you perceive why he’s hitting marks that solely Randy Moss and Odell Beckham Jr. reached within the first two years of their careers.
Yeah, he dropped a type of, and a pair extra hit his fingers, however being on the opposite finish of passes from Kirk Cousins is like being on the pool along with your brother and also you inform him to throw you dangerous passes so you’ll be able to dive to catch them. The video games when Cousins is feeling it, which do occur, have led to huge days for Jefferson, which is why he’s hit 1,250 yards receiving in every of his first two seasons, and is just the third receiver to try this together with, you guessed it, Moss and Beckham.
I may discover extra stats and numbers and receivers to check him with, however I need to deal with Moss and Beckham due to the overlap in every participant’s profession, and the way Jefferson can keep away from Moss and OBJ’s Blue Interval — or, for these of you unfamiliar with Pablo Picasso, their miserable stints with the Raiders and Browns (to not be confused with Odell’s Huge Blue Interval).
Jefferson, like Beckham, performed at LSU, and has the same recreation and body, as properly. Jefferson, like Moss, began his profession in Minnesota, is excelling and doesn’t precisely cover his frustration. He isn’t the feeling these two had been, although. Moss was transcendent the second he stepped on the sector, and Beckham had 1,300-plus yards in 12 video games as a rookie, 1,450 yards in 15 video games his second season, and that Sunday evening three-finger catch in opposition to Dallas his rookie 12 months.
I don’t know if Jefferson is the form of man who would overstay his welcome the best way Moss and Beckham did, however vast receivers have a historical past of volatility, and Stephon Diggs already pressured his manner out of Minnesota due to Cousins. I don’t need to see that occur with Jefferson, as a result of Vikings followers deserve higher — like all followers of cursed or depressing groups deserve higher.
And to make sure, the wideout has heard rumors of a rift between him and his QB as a result of we’ve seen and heard his reactions to dangerous misses from Cousins, however he attributed that to his aggressive fireplace and remained skilled when requested concerning the alleged rift not too long ago (through Heavy.com).
“It’s simply all about realizing who you actually are. Lots of people on this constructing know what kind of particular person I’m. So me ‘being a diva’ or ‘wanting an excessive amount of’ that’s not in my character that’s not who I’m. I simply like to win, like to compete and like to be part of this recreation.
“I don’t fear about an excessive amount of of the skin noise. These guys on this [locker] room know what’s happening within the huddle and the performs being known as. It’s actually all of the reference to me and Kirk. On the finish of the day, so long as we’re on the identical web page, then we’re all good.”
Jefferson’s willingness to nonetheless work with Cousins is nice as a result of not each Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins finds their Josh Allen or Kyler Murray, respectively, and a variety of instances it appears extra like Moss in Oakland or Beckham in Cleveland. Even scarier than that thought is there might not be a second prime like Moss had in New England as a result of, as seems to be the case for Beckham, not all our bodies final lengthy sufficient to reap the benefits of a number of alternatives.
I hate to be so forward-writing and detrimental in a bit that’s celebrating how fucking good Jefferson is, so permit me to say this, it’s no marvel the LSU staff that had him, Joe Burrow, and Ja’marr Chase waltzed to the nationwide title. I imply, good lord, that’s not solely three Professional Bowlers however possibly three Corridor of Famers. If Jefferson had Burrow throwing to him like Chase has, this might be the full-blown puff piece it needs to be.
Right here’s some extra highlights as a result of it’s not as a result of he’s taking part in for a 6-7 staff that has their followers sending me, “Right here it comes. I’ve seen this tons of of instances” texts earlier than Pittsburgh’s closing drive Thursday. Despite the fact that they had been in a position to cease the Steelers on the final play of the sport from the Vikings’ 12-yard line, it nonetheless acquired to that time after they’d a 29-0 lead late within the third quarter.
These early Vikings groups with Moss had been good, and people early Giants groups with Beckham in New York had been as properly, so that they acquired the flowers they deserved. Jefferson had 182 yards and a landing on 11 catches in that Lions recreation. I don’t need to see him frowning for just a few seasons on a bench in Jacksonville, or Vikings followers frowning as a result of they’re left with Cousins.
Can we please get this man some higher PR and quarterback and coach? Or how about only a good quarterback? There must be a Matt Stafford-type commerce on the market.
An excellent quarterback is all we ever really need for excellent vast receivers — and fewer than two years into his profession, Jefferson positively qualifies as an excellent vast receiver.
