Justin Jefferson still searching for huge yardage day: 'It's right there'

It's only a matter of time before Jefferson has one of his classic explosive games.

Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

It feels weird to say that a player who's fifth in the league in receiving and on pace for a 1,500-yard season has gotten off to a bit of a quiet start, but that's the kind of unprecedented standard Justin Jefferson has set for himself over the last four years.

Jefferson has 531 yards and five touchdowns in six games, an 88.5-yard average that most players can only dream of. He's had at least 80 yards in each of the Vikings' last five games. But we're talking about the all-time NFL leader in receiving yards per game at 97.4 — a superstar who averaged 113.1 yards in 25 full games (excluding two where he left due to injury) between 2022 and '23.

Across his career, Jefferson has 30 games of 100-plus yards in 66 total appearances, including 20 with at least 130. The last of those came in Week 2 against the 49ers, when 97 of his 133 yards came on one incredible play. Since then, Jefferson has hovered between 81 and 92 in each of the last four games. That's nice and all, but he's looking to get back above the century mark in Thursday night's game against the Rams, and perhaps have one of his classic huge performances.

"Oh yeah, it's right there," he said on Tuesday. "It's right there. I'm definitely sick of having these 80, 90-yard games. I definitely gotta get over that hump of 100 yards."

The easiest way to rack up yards is through big plays. Six games into the season, the Vikings have just five completions of at least 30 yards, which is tied for 23rd-most in the league. Two of those came in last week's game against the Lions, via Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor. Jefferson has only two on the season, and none since the 97-yarder in Week 2. For a guy who had six such receptions in the first four games last season and 14 of them in 2022, that's unusual.

But he thinks they're coming. Watching the tape, Jefferson believes the opportunities for explosive plays in the passing game are right there if the Vikings can execute a little better.

"If you see it on tape, the explosive plays are all over the field," he said. "Not just me. We just gotta be dialed in, all 11, to execute those plays and give Sam a little bit more time. It's going to be one of these games that we're gonna show the world what we're really capable of. Hopefully it's Thursday night."

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