Justin Jefferson Passes Odell Beckham Jr. for Most Receiving Yards in 1st 2 Seasons
Dec 26, 2021
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) runs up field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
No wide receiver has been more prolific through his first two NFL seasons than Justin Jefferson.
With eight catches for 116 yards in Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Minnesota Vikings star moved ahead of Odell Beckham Jr. for the most receiving yards through the first two years of a player's career.
Per Stathead, Beckham (2,755) entered the day as the all-time leader. He had a 20-yard edge on Jefferson.
Jefferson knew the stakes Sunday going into the contest.
"Need 21 yards," he told reporters in reference to Beckham's mark. "Definitely been keeping the tabs for that."
The two-time Pro Bowler is probably savoring the fact he leapfrogged his friend and fellow LSU alumnus, thus giving him bragging rights in perpetuity.
Beyond the yardage record, Jefferson said he was "excited" to matchup against Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who's widely regarded as one of the best at his position.
"I feel like I live for these moments, ever since I was a kid, just going up against that top guy," he said. "I’m a natural competitor. … To me, it’s a statement game for me considering myself one of the top receivers in the league and solidifying myself. Definitely ready for it."
Jefferson certainly made the most of Sunday's game.
When the Vikings traded Stefon Diggs away in March 2020, it was fair to raise concerns about the state of their passing game going forward. But they used one of the draft picks they received from the Buffalo Bills to take Jefferson at No. 22 overall in the 2020 NFL draft.
So far, things have worked out well in Minnesota.
Some Vikings fans might be wondering whether Jefferson might have another level to reach, too, if a quarterback other than Kirk Cousins is running the offense in 2022 and beyond.
Eric Kendricks Fined $10.3K for Hit on Justin Fields During Vikings' Win vs. Bears
Dec 26, 2021
Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker Eric Kendricks hits Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields after Fields gave himself up during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, in Chicago. Eric Kendricks was ejected from the game. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks was fined $10,300 for his hit on Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields that resulted in his ejection from the Week 15 contest.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the fine, which is standard when a player draws a late hit penalty.
Kendricks lowered his head and hit Fields in the helmet after the Bears quarterback slid to the ground in the fourth quarter of Monday's 17-9 Vikings victory.
Fields was not injured on the play.
Kendricks said he found the ejection "harsh" but understood being penalized.
"Obviously, I did make contact," Kendricks told reporters Wednesday. "I get the penalty. Try to keep him safe. But at the same time, I felt the ejection was a little harsh. I tried to get out of the way. I did hit him, so I do understand the penalty. But the ejection was harsh."
The NFL has put several rules into place in recent years to protect defenseless players—particularly when it involves contact to their head. While Kendricks may have disagreed with his ejection, he clearly lowered his head and made contact with the head of a defenseless player. It was a textbook ejection.
If the NFL wants to better police these types of dangerous hits, the league may want to look into stiffer fines. Kendricks was fined the same amount as the standard fine for taunting.
Adam Thielen Reportedly Expected to Return From Injury, Play for Vikings vs. Rams
Dec 26, 2021
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 05: Adam Thielen #19 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on from the sidelines in the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 05, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is expected to return from an ankle injury for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Thielen has been sidelined since injuring his ankle in a 29-27 Week 13 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters after Week 13 that Thielen suffered a sprained ankle against Detroit. The two-time Pro Bowler went down on Minnesota's first drive of the game when he was tackled after catching a pass on third down.
Thielen has been Minnesota's second-best receiver behind Justin Jefferson, catching 64 passes for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. Jefferson leads the team with 89 catches for 1,335 yards and nine scores.
Thielen has spent his entire eight-year career with the Vikings, though he didn't emerge as one of the team's top receivers until 2016. Since then, he has recorded two 1,000-plus yard seasons and had a career-high 14 touchdowns in 2020.
When Thielen was sidelined, the Vikings turned to second-year receiver K.J. Osborn, and he did not disappoint. In Weeks 13-15, the 24-year-old caught 10 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He has 41 catches for 516 yards and four scores in 14 games.
Thielen is returning at the perfect time as the Vikings, who are 7-7, need all the help they can get. While Minnesota has a 34 percent chance of making the playoffs, that number would jump to 54 percent with a win over the Rams.
Alexander Mattison's Fantasy Playoffs Outlook After Dalvin Cook Placed on COVID List
Dec 23, 2021
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 09: Alexander Mattison #25 of the Minnesota Vikings walks off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 9, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was placed on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, calling into question whether he'll be available for Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
If he can't, fantasy players will have to turn to Alexander Mattison or Kene Nwangwu.
Mattison is one of fantasy's best handcuffs. In the three games Cook has missed this season, Mattison has rushed 73 times for 315 yards and a touchdown, while adding 16 receptions for 133 yards and a score.
Even against a solid Rams defense, Mattison is a borderline RB1 if he's the team starter, and a definite RB2. The Rams give up 19.7 fantasy points per week to opposing running backs, per Yahoo Sports, 18th in the NFL, so the matchup shouldn't give you any pause.
If you have Mattison and Cook is out, you start him, no questions asked.
Sounds like Cook is out this week. Mattison leaps back to RB1 status https://t.co/PEQH7N1P6b
As for Nwangwu, he looks like a talent for the future, though he hasn't shown enough to be on your fantasy radar just yet. With only seven carries for 49 yards this year, the rookie fourth-rounder is clearly below Mattison on the depth chart.
Even in the deepest leagues, Nwangwu probably isn't worth starting just yet. Perhaps in the future he'll carve out a bigger role—he's a promising player—but Mattison has traditionally been the clear starter when Cook sits.
The one thing you do want to monitor is any indication that the Vikings might not give Mattison a full workload, as he's just returning from the reserve/COVID-19 list. If they decide to platoon this pair, then Mattison's upside takes a dip, while Nwangwu's potential gets bumped.
But outside of that, expect Mattison to see the large majority of snaps and touches.
Dalvin Cook Ruled Out for Vikings vs. Rams After Being Placed on COVID-19 List
Dec 23, 2021
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) plays during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Running back Dalvin
Cook was among three Minnesota Vikings players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.
Of note, the Vikings (7-7) currently own the final spot in the NFC playoff race.
Minnesota recently had to play without Cook after he suffered a dislocated
left shoulder and torn labrum in the team's Week 12 loss to the San
Francisco 49ers. He made a quick recovery, however, and returned to
the lineup in time for a Week 14 clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 26-year-old Florida State product
is one of the league's top offensive playmakers when healthy. He's
recorded 1,288 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns in 11 games this season.
Alexander Mattison takes over atop the
Vikes' backfield depth chart with Cook sidelined.
Minnesota's offense is built on trying
to maintain a balanced attack, and that's always a tougher task when
Cook isn't available to lead the ground game.
Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson Connect for TD as Vikings Defeat Justin Fields, Bears
Dec 21, 2021
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his touchdown as teammate K.J. Osborn watches during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The Minnesota Vikings kept pace in the NFC playoff race with a 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Monday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for a 12-yard touchdown pass to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
Just another day at the office for the two-time Pro Bowler ✈️
That was about where Minnesota's offense peaked as it finished with 193 yards
With the win, the Vikings overtook the New Orleans Saints for the final wild-card spot, their only route into the postseason after the Green Bay Packers clinched the NFC North on Sunday.
Notable Performers
Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings: 12-of-24, 87 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; two carries, 10 yards
Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings: 28 carries, 89 yards; two receptions, two yards
Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings: four receptions, 47 yards, one touchdown
David Montgomery, RB, Bears: 18 carries, 60 yards; five receptions, 23 yards
An All Too Familiar Sight for the Vikings
Through the first half, the Vikings had 93 total yards of offense, and Cousins was responsible for one of the uglier interceptions you'll see all season.
Next Gen doesn't know what to do with this pass. It assigns it a --% probability of being completed. That seems generous. pic.twitter.com/SDJLGddaN9
Per ESPN Stats & Info (via Courtney Cronin of ESPN), Minnesota's five yards in the second quarter were the team's fewest in a single quarter since 2018. A sputtering offense failing to maximize its talent at the skill positions? This is nothing new for Vikings fans.
Every. Single. Vikings. Bears. Game. Is. Like. This.
Cousins broke the game open on a seven-yard touchdown pass Ihmir Smith-Marsette with 5:51 left in the third quarter, and Minnesota owed a debt of gratitude to the officiating crew for the score.
Teez Tabor drew a dubious low block penalty when he tackled Dalvin Cook to set up a fourth down early in the possession, and an unnecessary roughness flag on Trevis Gipson set the Vikings up at the Bears' 15-yard line.
When you're struggling to move the ball, you take all the help you can get.
In general, Minnesota didn't so much win as it was the less bad team in Chicago.
Kirk Cousins is averaging 3.4 YPA against a team playing without its entire starting secondary, and the Vikings are winning.
There isn't anything more to say about the 2021 Vikings that wouldn't have described the franchise over the last few years. There are a number of issues holding Minnesota back from being a Super Bowl contender, and all of them won't be resolved between now and the playoffs.
The Nagy Era Lurches Toward the End
Monday night provided the full Justin Fields spectrum.
The rookie was effective through the air and prolonged plays with his legs, displaying the tools that can help him become a productive quarterback for a long time. He also made some critical errors that were totally avoidable.
Inside the final two minutes of the second quarter, a 1st-and-10 at the Vikings' 13-yard line became 2nd-and-24 at the 27 because Fields failed to get rid of the ball on a running back screen.
Some passers go from college to the pros and don't have much trouble adjusting to the increased speed of the NFL. For Fields, that acclimation isn't coming easily.
Fields with a fast processor and literally no other changes to his game would be killing the Vikings right now
Fields' development is unlikely to get on track until someone other than Matt Nagy is calling the plays.
CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported Sunday the Bears and Houston Texans "are heavily mulling launching a coach search in the coming weeks." La Canfora added that "many" of Chicago's assistants are already weighing their next move.
Firing Nagy now probably wouldn't achieve much this late into the season, but it's becoming apparent after a performance like this that his departure is inevitable.
if Matt Nagy is going to make increasingly bad play calls he has to get increasingly mad and aggressive towards the refs to distract people from the plays
Anything short of a totally clean slate across the coaching staff and front office may not be enough to turn the organization in the right direction.
What's Next?
The Vikings host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in another matchup that could have playoff implications. The Bears hit the road to face off with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Vikings LB Eric Kendricks Ejected for High Hit on Bears' Justin Fields
Dec 21, 2021
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 31: Eric Kendricks #54 of the Minnesota Vikings talks to teammates on the sidelines in the second quarter the game against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks was ejected from Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears after a late hit on quarterback Justin Fields.
The rookie had scrambled to pick up a short gain, and as he went to slide, Kendricks hit him high and his helmet bounced off the ground.
The hit occurred early in the fourth quarter with Chicago trailing 17-3. Kendricks threw his arms up as if to signify that he wasn't aiming for Fields' helmet. Fields laid on the field for a second before popping up and jogging toward the huddle.
The penalty on Kendricks resulted in the Bears getting the ball on the Minnesota 7-yard line, but they failed to punch it in and the drive ended with a turnover on downs.
Kendricks had seven tackles and one tackle for loss at the time of his ejection. The Vikings had been dominating on defense with three sacks by D.J. Wonnum and three fumble recoveries.
Entering Monday's game, Kendricks led Minnesota with 120 tackles and tied for second on the team with five sacks. The 2015 second-round draft pick has spent his entire career with the Vikings and has totaled over 100 tackles in each of the last six seasons. Kendricks was named to the Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2019.
The Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over Chicago to improve to 7-7.
Bashaud Breeland Waived by Vikings; Started All 13 Games This Season
Dec 18, 2021
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Bashaud Breeland (21) in action during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 36-28. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
The Minnesota Vikings made a surprise move Saturday when they waived cornerback Bashaud Breeland.
Breeland, who started all 13 games for the Vikings this season, seemingly addressed the decision on Twitter:
Per ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said earlier in the day that Breeland was questionable for Monday's game against the Chicago Bears because of a non-injury-related personal matter.
Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, Breeland "got into a verbal altercation today at practice with coaches, took off his cleats and got into it with multiple teammates who were trying to calm the situation" before being waived.
Minnesota signed Breeland to a one-year contract in June after he spent the previous two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Breeland hasn't had the positive impact on the Vikings secondary that was hoped when he signed. He was tied for the team lead with two interceptions and ranked fourth with five passes defensed.
Per Pro Football Focus (h/t Eric Thompson of the Daily Norseman), Breeland ranks 117th out of 120 qualified cornerbacks in coverage grade this season.
A fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Breeland spent the first four seasons of his career with the Washington Football Team. He played one year with the Green Bay Packers before joining the Chiefs in 2019.
Pass defense in general has been an issue for the Vikings. They are tied for the fourth-most touchdown passes allowed (24) and are allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game (251.9) heading into Week 15.
The Vikings are 6-7 and tied with four other teams vying for the final playoff spot in the NFC.
The Minnesota Vikings almost invented a new way to lose on Thursday night. The Vikings came close to blowing a 29-point lead against the Pittsburgh Steelers inside U.S. Bank Stadium...
Report: Injured Dalvin Cook to Play for Vikings vs. Steelers Despite Shoulder Injury
Dec 9, 2021
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 28: Dalvin Cook #33 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook reportedly will be in the lineup Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Cook will play with a brace on his injured shoulder.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Cook is trending toward playing after suffering a dislocated shoulder against the San Francisco 49ers less than two weeks ago. Cook reportedly has gotten first-team reps in practice and "wants to give it a go" Thursday.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler later reported that Cook "will play barring pregame setback."
Source said Cook has passed tests on his shoulder and will play barring pregame setback. Incredibly quick turn from dislocated shoulder. https://t.co/ygr9XGJzfx
Pelissero also reported that while the Vikes initially didn't expect Cook back until Dec. 20 against the Chicago Bears, Cook underwent "intense" rehab to regain strength and range of motion in his shoulder.
In addition to the shoulder keeping him out this week, an ankle injury cost Cook two games earlier this season.
Cook has struggled with injuries dating back to his rookie season. He appeared in just four games during the 2017 campaign before tearing his ACL, and he missed five games in 2018 with a hamstring injury. He also missed two games in 2019 with a shoulder ailment.
When healthy, Cook is dominant. In nine games this season, he has rushed for 773 yards and four touchdowns, in addition to 27 catches for 202 yards.
He was also fantastic last season, rushing for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns in 14 games.
When Cook is sidelined, Minnesota relies on Alexander Mattison, who is also highly talented. He has rushed for 405yards and two touchdowns in 12 games this year, including 90 yards and a touchdown in a start against the Detroit Lions last week.
Mattison will get the start against Pittsburgh if something changes with Cook's status, but if Cook does indeed play, he will likely be the bell-cow back as usual.
Cook potentially playing is significant since the Vikings will be without one of their top offensive weapons in Thielen (ankle) and are one game out of a playoff spot in the NFC.
