Vikings value Jefferson’s impact in rocky season, despite his lagging production

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson has just four receptions for a paltry 15 yards over the last two games, putting even a modest 1,000-yard season in jeopardy for the two-time All-Pro whose first six years in the NFL have been as productive and prolific as anyone to ever play the position.

The Minnesota Vikings have never been more impressed by — or appreciative of — his presence.

The rocky debut for quarterback J.J. McCarthy this season, including six games missed for injuries, has largely kept the entire offense out of sync. But Jefferson, who has only been to the playoffs twice and has yet to experience a win there, has never voiced a hint of criticism toward McCarthy or the coaching staff or expression of unhappiness with being in Minnesota.

With the Vikings (5-8) all but eliminated from playoff contention, national pundits have started to ask whether Jefferson’s prime years are being squandered.

“I wouldn’t say wasted. Obviously it’s a difficult season, probably one of the most difficult seasons just off of the circumstances,” Jefferson said. “It’s just one of those years. Not every year is going to be a top-tier year for me. It’s really a part of the game, so it’s just all on me to really expect a lot from these guys and to improve on anything that we need to improve on.”

The Vikings finally played the way they expected to with a 31-0 victory over Washington on Sunday. During a 19-play, 98-yard, 12:01 drive that was the team’s longest this century, McCarthy moved the chains on third-and-long with a perfectly placed 21-yard pass to Jordan Addison in the void in the coverage on a corner route near the sideline.

Jefferson, who was the first read on a shorter out route, immediately turned toward McCarthy with an affirmative fist pump. For a player whose number of targets per game is the lowest it’s been since his rookie year, the show of support — rather than frustration with the persistent pattern of not getting the ball — was yet another snapshot of his impact beyond the box score.

“He has been elite from a leadership standpoint and character standpoint, being one of our captains and guys that drives this organization,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I can’t say enough about him.”

Jefferson has made a particular effort to connect with McCarthy, realizing the importance of their chemistry. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, has been nothing but grateful. McCarthy specifically mentioned this week the impact Jefferson has made on his progress with nuanced feedback between possessions on the sideline about how certain wrinkles in his routes could beat a particular coverage the next time they see it.

“He sees the game completely different than I do,” McCarthy said.

For all the skill Jefferson has with route-running, speed, strength and simply catching the ball, his combination of intelligence and unselfishness has continued to draw praise from the Vikings. Before tight end T.J. Hockenson caught a touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal on Sunday, Jefferson cleared the necessary space for him by widening his release from the line on a fade route once he saw the coverage and realized he was no longer the primary target of the play.

His goal for the rest of the season? Jefferson said on Thursday he’s plenty motivated to hit the 1,000-yard mark, needing 190 yards over four games to get there. But he is also keeping perspective, valuing every last screen pass or quick out in a year when the high-impact plays have been infrequent.

“When that ball is up in the air, I’ve got to make the most of my opportunities,” Jefferson said.

The Vikings play at Dallas on Sunday night, with a chance to change some of the perceptions about them during the league’s showcase broadcast. The Vikings are 1-7 on the road and 5-10 overall in prime time under O’Connell.

“I always love those prime-time games. Just history-wise, we haven’t been good in those type of games and we haven’t shown up the way we should’ve shown up,” Jefferson said. “So it’s just time for things to change, time for us to go out there with that mentality and just kill it, no matter the play that’s called, no matter what’s going on throughout the game.”

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