TJ Hockenson proves to be the X-Factor vs. Giants
MINNEAPOLIS — From the first week TJ Hockenson arrived in Minnesota — in which he played 63 snaps against Washington after showing up via trade from the Lions that Tuesday — the Pro Bowl tight end has improved the Vikings’ offense. On Christmas Eve at US Bank Stadium, he became the X-Factor.
Hockenson caught 13 passes for 109 yards in the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the New York Giants. His performance ranks amongst the best in franchise history by a tight end. No other Vikings tight end has cleared 11 catches before and he racked up the seventh most receiving yards by a tight end in franchise history.
In fact, there have only been 26 games in which a tight end caught 13 or more passes in NFL history. No tight end has done it in the last two years.
Hockenson also scored two touchdowns, the second being a spectacular catch on third down that put the Vikings ahead 17-13 late in the third quarter.
“On the second touchdown, we got the look we wanted, felt like I just needed to hold the safety for a second, then put the ball out there to him and then he did the rest,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “He's got great movement skills, great hands. He's a smart football player. Then I think our coaches have done a great job of the scheme to make sure that he's able to put his skills to use.”
Hockenson has become the perfect compliment to Justin Jefferson, who did typical Justin Jefferson things on Saturday, clearing Randy Moss’s single-season receiving record and catching three third-down passes late in the game, one for a touchdown and one to put them in field goal position for Greg Joseph to win the game. But Jefferson can’t do it all. Hockenson being a security blanket and mismatch makes it easier for the Vikings to take advantage when the opposing team puts all of their effort into stopping Jefferson.
“He was able to really make some hay underneath [the Giants’] coverage,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “A lot of roll coverage to Justin, playing a lot of split safety. Able to get Justin and him kind of working the middle of the field at different times….the red zone, the way he showed up on that first touchdown, kind of that designed play. His second one, as well. Just really sharp by T.J. Continues to find a real role for us in our offense.”
Teammates can feel Hockenson gaining confidence in the offense as the weeks go by and the Vikings ramp up for the postseason.
“He’s starting to settle in and get reps of things that he’s going to run in the games in practice,” tackle Brian O’Neill said. “The first couple of weeks, the first time he had ever run certain plays were in the games which is pretty hard to do and he’s just getting more comfortable.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES
— The Vikings are now 11-0 in one-score games and Kirk Cousins has eight game-winning drives.
“I think they're prepared in those moments to find a way,” O’Connell said. “Whatever phase that is, understanding the importance of stepping on the grass, no matter how much time, no matter the urgency, no matter the situation, hopefully we've repped it, talked about it, practiced is. Acknowledged the difficulty and accept the challenge to go get it done. I think that's what our team has done a lot this year in those moments.”
— Greg Joseph’s 61-yard game-winning kick was the longest made field goal in Vikings history.
“So much credit goes to him,” O’Connell said. “All the preparation he does when no one's watching for moments exactly like that. Really proud of Greg. I think our whole team, you could kind of feel it in the locker room, how proud everyone was of him.”
— O’Connell said that Jefferson’s catch to take a 24-16 lead late in the game was one of the best routes he’s seen him run.
“I told him after the third down catch in the red zone, it's a pleasure and honor to coach a player like that, that can show up in those biggest moments,” the Vikings’ head coach said. “One of his best routes quite honestly that I've seen him run. He's ran a lot of great ones, a lot of ones that end up on social media. But the type of coverage he was facing in that moment, the detail, his ability to separate in an absolutely huge, critical moment, let's just call it a less-than-ideal look. I just told him he's a special player. I just absolutely love him to death.”
— The aggressive Giants caused problems for the Vikings’ protection, sacking Cousins four times and hitting him seven times. With 44 times sacked, Cousins cleared his career high in a single season.
— The Vikings defense allowed Daniel Jones to pass for 334 yards, his second highest total of the season and only the second time he’s cleared 230 yards. But they sacked Jones twice, registered nine QB hits and picked him off.
“I thought Ed (Donatell) was aggressive in spots and continues to kind of make adjustments in game to give ourselves a chance,” O’Connell said. “They held them under 30% on third down, forced some turnovers there, and offensively we were able to not have any turnovers. When you win that battle, although sometimes it can feel like a grind against that team, you play clean enough, you'll give yourself a chance to win in the end.”
— With the Giants, Detroit, Seattle and Washington losing, the FiveThirtyEight playoff odds now list the Giants at 91%, Lions 25%, Commanders 33% and Seahawks 38%. The Packers’ odds only go up to 27% with a win over Miami on Sunday.
