Against the Steelers, Jefferson caught five passes on the first drive, and had another erased by penalty. He had eight official catches in the first half, but caught just two in the second half, even as the Vikings were desperate to erase the Steelers’ lead.
Asked whether the Vikings’ plan was to get the ball to him early and quickly, or whether the defense dictated the early burst, Jefferson said:
“A little mixture of both, just depending on how the defense plays me, and if they have a double [team]. ... Sometimes you get me the ball early and let me just work off just getting the ball in my hands — apparently, a lot of good things happen. Just continuing on, just trying to stack up the yards after the catch and trying to get open for my quarterback."
How much does quarterback play matter?
Jefferson’s former LSU teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, got to play with a healthy Joe Burrow (another former LSU teammate) in 2024, and won the receiving triple crown, leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17).
This year, with Burrow injuring his foot during the season’s second game, Chase is on pace for 111 catches for 1,122 yards and four touchdowns — and those projections include the one-game-plus in which Chase was able to play with Burrow, one of the NFL’s best passers.