The Minnesota Vikings entered victory formation after a blistering fourth quarter in their win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. As Nick Mullens kneeled to kill the clock, Sam Darnold emphatically waved his towel for the home crowd in response to their MVP chants. The crowd felt the buzz and couldn’t help but wonder what sort of timeline they had entered.
Minnesota and Atlanta were tied 21-21 in the fourth quarter. In a proper masterclass display from the historic wide receiver duo, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison ensured no late-game anxieties in the crowd as the Vikings advanced to 11-2.
Addison finished with eight receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns, a career high. Meanwhile, Jefferson finished with seven catches for 132 yards and two scores. The combined stat lines marked the first time in franchise history that a wide receiver duo went for more than 125 yards and two touchdowns each, including the legendary Randy Moss and Cris Carter.
Also worth noting: Justin Jefferson became the first player in NFL history to reach 7,000 receiving yards in his first five seasons. The numbers are impressive, and Jefferson and Addison’s level of play makes opposing defenses pick their poison.
The similarities between Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Jordan Addison, and Justin Jefferson are uncanny 25 years later. Their aesthetics and what each one commands on the field are staggeringly similar. Moss and Jefferson demand respect from defenses regarding the big play, while Carter and Addison take advantage of one-on-one coverage with precise route running and contested catches.
Carter scored 110 touchdowns in his time with Moss. He’s still the franchise record-holder for most receiving touchdowns. Taking advantage of a defense that had to respect the SuperFreak lined up on the other end was occasionally too easy for Carter.
We are seeing the exact pattern repeat with Addison. He’s tied with Jefferson in receiving touchdowns this year with seven. When you look at the game tape, No. 3 always looks open. Considering his big-play ability, he can beat man coverage, which is a recipe for success.
the gravity of Justin Jefferson gets Jessie Bates to lean to his side as the deep safety.
Sam Darnold keeps Bates over there with the eyes and that combination creates the space and an opportunity for Jordan Addison to make a great catch on the inside. pic.twitter.com/WUQBaZVtvX
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 9, 2024
Granted, it was an incompletion with a pass interference penalty attached; watch what Addison does on this go concept. After beating his defender outright, even when old friend Mike Hughes was playing 10 yards off, his ball-tracking IQ to spare steps for the ball to drop where it needs to be is second to none. What would have been one of the most challenging catches of the season turns into an easy pass interference penalty on the Falcons.
watch addison on the go here. see how he lets off the gas just a little bit when the ball gets thrown? Had to coast a bit to not outrun the ball but still positions perfect to keep the DB stacked and all he can do is tackle you at the catch point pic.twitter.com/uM1nOHtotM
— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) December 10, 2024
Jefferson runs a deep crosser on the same play, which forces safety Jessie Bates to come downhill, leaving nobody over the top to help on Addison. Plays like this allow Darnold to push the ball downfield. A game where both playmakers benefit from the attention the other generates creates a genuine symbiotic relationship between the numbers.
From 1998 to 2000, the Vikings were known for their explosive offense in the passing game. Moss nearly averaged a touchdown a game, while Carter averaged just above 13 yards per reception. Before his touchdown drought this season, Jefferson averaged a touchdown a game, while Addison is currently averaging 16 yards per reception. One could argue that this duo is arguably more explosive when Kevin O’Connell‘s spread offense is firing on all cylinders.
A key difference in today’s wide receiver play compared to the late 1990s is the use of motion to create opportunistic matchups. In the video below, Jefferson goes into a double motion from a bunch formation. That leads Atlanta’s secondary to switch Dee Alford on him because of A.J. Terrell’s position pre-snap.
Jefferson’s nuance takes over with his keen sense of leverage. Starting with [outside leverage](http://Wide Receiver 101 Part VI: Stemming Routes WordPress.com https://competitivedrivetraining.wordpress.com › wide-r...), he effectively [stacks](http://Learn To Stem & Stack At Wide Receiver - vIQtory Sports) Alford enough before getting skinny between defenders, leading to enough separation at the top of the route to break into the post.
A TD beauty from the Vikings on a Double Post variation, a redzone classic.
Bunch formation and back-and-forth motion with Justin Jefferson catches the Falcons coverage. Getting Alford on Jefferson (instead of Terrell) and with outside leverage.
Great route. Great throw. TD. pic.twitter.com/rOTIQFpPMB
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 9, 2024
After the game, Kevin O’Connell said that the team “grew up” offensively. Everyone who follows Minnesota knew Jefferson and Addison could play like they did against Atlanta, and it allowed the Vikings to blow out a team for the first time since the Houston Texans in Week 3.
The Vikings franchise has had multiple pairs of outstanding wide receiver duos. Moss and Carter led the way, and now it’s the JJ and JA show. Their work will be cut out for them in this final four-game stretch, with three of those games going against top-12 secondaries in the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions.