Justin Jefferson became Minnesota's No. 1 receiving threat and saw double-digit targets (13) for the third time this season. And he had his second multi-touchdown day, with seven catches for 70 yards and two scores.
Related players: Adam Thielen
Of course Thielen is out of the lineup and on the COVID list, but Jefferson is showing he can step in. The story said Jefferson's longest reception of the day was 18 yards, a departure from the deep shots off play-action that usually come his way. The added attention is something Jefferson has been anticipating for weeks, working to perfect different releases and footwork to keep defenses guessing. Recently, we had a story about how teams are beginning to treat Jefferson as the Vikings WR1. With Thielen out of the lineup, Jefferson is showing he can deal with that kind of role and attention from defenses.