Vikings Are Getting Upset About Hits On Justin Jefferson
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 06: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the game at FedExField on November 6, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Justin Jefferson endured some punishment while leading the Minnesota Vikings to an epic comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts.
While leaving his feet to make a catch in the fourth quarter, the star wide receiver got hit hard by Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell suggested that's part of a troubling pattern of opponents going after Jefferson.
"I think it's about the fifth or sixth week in a row he took a type of hit that drew a flag," O'Connell said. "Clearly, there's an emphasis on the teams we're playing that some of those hits, they don't just seem to be by accident at times."
Gilmore received a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness, and officials made a frustrated Jefferson leave the game to clear the concussion protocol. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the "livid" Vikings sideline wanted Gilmore ejected.
Jefferson got the last laugh, helping the Vikings erase a 33-point halftime deficit with 123 receiving yards and a touchdown. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he caught six of eight targets for 57 yards and a score when lined up against the All-Pro defensive back.
Defenses haven't found another effective way to slow down Jefferson, who trails Calvin Johnson's single-season receiving record by 341 yards with three games remaining. The 23-year-old has exceeded 100 yards in nine games this season and scored five touchdowns in his last seven contests.
The New York Giants will try to figure out how to slow down Jefferson in a potential first-round playoff preview this Saturday.
