Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson spoke about the state of the offense when he met with the media on Wednesday afternoon. He gave a very diplomatic answer about how he believes the team could improve the unit moving forward. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported this.
Jefferson has 23 catches for 302 yards and a touchdown so far this season. He is coming off a game against the Indianapolis Colts that saw him record four receptions on seven targets for 44 yards. A 21-yard grab was his longest of the afternoon.
Despite the lack of production and targets, Jefferson took a diplomatic approach when it came to answering questions about the state of the offense.
“What we’re doing right now is working. Obviously there’s things to do better and things to fix on the offensive side of things, but all in all, it’s coming together and we’re doing things to win games.”
Justin Jefferson Has Had Interesting Year
It’s certainly fair to question the offensive unit, given that it has struggled at times this season. The struggles of the offense are also directly apparent in Jefferson’s numbers. Things started off solidly for him at the beginning of the season, as he put on a show against the Green Bay Packers in the season opener. He recorded eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Things looked optimistic there.
He followed that up with a solid performance against the Bears. He had three receptions for 55 yards on six targets. The playmaker averaged 18.3 yards per reception. That being said, the contest against the Bears represented a difficult trend for the wide receiver.
Jefferson has recorded only one touchdown since the season opener. That came on October 11 against the New Orleans Saints. He had six receptions on seven targets for 79 yards and a touchdown in that game, as the Vikings were able to get a victory. The LSU playmaker was able to showcase his talents in the homecoming game.
Vikings Offense Has Delivered Mixed Results
Beyond Jefferson’s numbers however, the offensive unit has been a problem spot for the Vikings. They ranked 23rd in points, with 125. That averages out to 20.8 per game. They have accumulated 1,690 total offensive yards, averaging out to 281.7 per game. That number puts them 29th in the league. In terms of passing yards, things are much better. They only have 974 yards on the season, averaging 162.3 yards per game. That is last in the league.
With that being said, they are a bit better running the football. They have 716 total rushing yards, averaging 119.3 per game. That puts them 17th in the league.
There are some positives to what the Vikings offense has been able to bring to the table. The running game is undoubtedly one of them. It will certainly be interesting to see if this Vikings offense is sustainable throughout the rest of the season.
Perhaps even more impressive is Jefferson’s approach to this. In a day and age where wide receivers can often be upset about the state of an offense, Jefferson is a breath of fresh air.
Vikings Star Makes Statement About Offense Amid Push for Wins