Justin Jefferson strives to get back in ‘savage mode’ to give lagging Vikings offense a boost

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson still draws constant double coverage. He’s made plenty of clutch catches this year. The Minnesota Vikings continue to keep him as the heart of their entire offensive scheme.

Over the first half of the season, though, Jefferson hasn’t been the same high-impact player. His averages of 13.5 yards per reception and 76.2 yards per game are both career lows for the two-time All-Pro wide receiver.

The transition to a developmental quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, and the five-game switch to Carson Wentz while McCarthy recovered from a sprained ankle, has predictably been a factor. But Jefferson acknowledged this week that he hasn’t felt like his usual self, smiling as he said he’s seeking to return to the “savage mode” he has previously played in.

“Just different things going on in my life,” Jefferson said, without elaborating when asked during his regular interview session with reporters why he’s been missing that extra edge. “Just wanting to get back to that kid phase of overly loving football and overly loving just being out there on Sundays and making the big plays and just being a part of this great organization.”

For all the route-running clinics he’s put on and highlight-reel catches Jefferson has produced, the relentless competitor in him has made just as much of an impact on the team over his six seasons. During the third-to-last game of the 2023 season against Detroit, with the playoffs nearly out of reach, Jefferson sprinted 20 yards to recover a fumble by quarterback Nick Mullens and keep a last-ditch drive alive, a play that coach Kevin O’Connell has frequently cited in his praise of Jefferson.

Jefferson, too, has always been keenly self-aware. Without directly addressing the rare online criticism that went his way for a lackluster performance in the 27-19 loss to Baltimore last Sunday, he made clear the perception — fair or not — that he failed to give full effort to pursue the defenders after two different passes to him from McCarthy were intercepted didn’t sit well with him. He said essentially that the frustration with those plays going against the Vikings in another game in which the offense had substandard production overrode in those situations his instinct to immediately chase after the ball.

“Emotionally things get heated sometimes, and things weren’t going our way at that moment. Just wanting a better outcome and of course with the offense that we have I feel like we should be playing better than we are,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson was on social media on Thursday when he spotted a post highlighting the anniversary of the one-handed catch he made on fourth-and-18 to help Minnesota win at Buffalo during the 2022 season after which he was voted as Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year. The highlight clip stirred in him that competitive desire to get back to “Year 3 Jets,” referencing his nickname and that award-winning 2022 performance.

“I love the job and I love being here with these guys and being here with this organization, so there’s definitely a lot of great things to be grateful for and to be happy about,” Jefferson said. “I’m just an ultra-competitor, and I hate to lose at the end of the day.”

The Vikings host Chicago this Sunday.

“And nobody will lead the charge more than Justin,” O’Connell said.

Kelly keeps making progress

The Vikings ruled center Ryan Kelly out for Sunday, after designating him for return from injured reserve by opening his 21-day practice window on Wednesday. Though the 10-year veteran will miss his sixth straight game since his latest concussion prompted O’Connell to shut him down for the short term to make sure he could fully recover, Kelly said after Friday after his third straight practice that he felt better than he thought he was going to.

“I felt better about the decision knowing I don’t have to rush back,” Kelly said. “It’s certainly frustrating. You never want to go on IR, but I think in the grand scheme of things it was the best option to give me time to see specialists and do what I needed to do, so I’m grateful he had the foresight to do it.”

Kelly’s prior history with concussions was at the heart of O’Connell’s caution.

“He’s in a great place right now,” O’Connell said. “I’m really happy with the week he had, and we’ll pick that back up next week in our preparation.”

The Vikings ruled out edge rusher Jonathan Greenard for Sunday with a shoulder injury they’re still assessing day-to-day, but tight end Josh Oliver (foot) and safety Theo Jackson (concussion) will return this week from their injury absences.

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