Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in football. It’s a statement that’s become less and less disputable since he broke into the league in 2020. The Justin Jefferson injury he suffered Week 5 against Kansas City means that for the first time in four years, Kirk Cousins and the Vikings will have to find a new focal point for the offense.
Through their first game without Jefferson on the field, things haven’t gone smoothly. The offense sputtered its way to a 19-13 win over Chicago, a score that included a defensive touchdown. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell’s unit just couldn’t get anything going against a very torchable defense. If the Vikings offense is going to turn it around and start to thrive in a world without Jefferson, there are a few key characteristics of what such an offense would look like:
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1. Kirk Cousins Spreads the Ball Around Effectively
Justin Jefferson dominated the target share for the Vikings through the first five weeks. While there are some solid options in the passing game for Cousins to work with, frankly nobody can one for one replace Jefferson. The best option for the offense would be for Cousins to get comfortable spreading the ball around in his absence.
That blueprint is one that Cousins has been comfortable with throughout his career in Washington. However, it’s unfortunately never been one that’s led to great team success. In Washington Desean Jackson or Jordan Reed were arguably Cousins’ best targets during his time there. Neither could really be called a true #1 target at that point in their career, forcing Cousins to spread the ball around. Cousins never had a record better than 9-7 in his years with Washington.
Cousins has enjoyed a plethora of top targets in Minnesota, between Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Jefferson. Without Jefferson, Cousins has to rediscover his Washington methods of moving the ball and learning to win with them. In Chicago he looked completely out of rhythm, struggling to quickly go through his reads. He did manage to get six receivers involved but for a paltry 181 passing yards. Hopefully, after a second week of practice, Cousins is more comfortable distributing to his updated cast.
2. Receivers not Named Justin Jefferson Become Reliable
The lack of production through the air against the Bears without Justin Jefferson was not solely Cousins’ fault. The receivers didn’t do a great job consistently getting open or catching the ball when delivered. Receivers Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn both have the pedigree to reasonably expect increased production. Osborn has been a solid contributor the last few seasons and Addison is a first-round rookie. Both looked okay at times on Sunday, but neither showed the ability to consistently break open. Without Jefferson, they’re undoubtedly going to continue to get more attention from the defense, so it’s something they’ll need to figure out quickly.
The most disappointing of Minnesota’s targets has without a doubt been tight end T.J. Hockenson. His struggles go back well before the Jefferson injury. After a strong Week 1 against Tampa Bay, he has been a non-factor in the offense since. If anything, his propensity to drop crucial passes and barely miss big plays has been a team hindrance. After getting a huge payday this offseason, Hockenson was expected to continue his role of safety blanket. He’ll need to rediscover the confidence and form he had a season ago for the Vikings to find success.
Can these guys all get on track to save Minnesota’s season without Justin Jefferson? A perfect day for Minnesota against San Francisco would showcase Cousins getting the ball out of his hands quickly and finding a rapport with all three of his primary targets. Addison, Hockenson, and Osborn all have the required talent to make it happen. They just need to get in sync with Cousins and stay in sync to keep the passing game viable.
3. The Offensive Line and Running Game Find Consistency
The offensive line has been pretty banged up for the Vikings early this season. For the first time since Week 1, Minnesota finally went into a game with the entire unit healthy. Then right on cue they lost starting left guard Ezra Cleveland. It’s still unclear if Cleveland is going to miss time, but it’s a continuation of what this season has been for Minnesota’s line. When they have been healthy, they’ve been for the most part stellar. It just hasn’t been often this year and Cousins and the running game have paid the price.
From a running back perspective, Alexander Mattison has actually looked okay picking up yards when the holes have presented themselves. The big issue for Mattison this year has been his propensity to put the ball on the ground. The Vikings have lost an astounding number of fumbles this season, with Mattison leading the way. His inconsistency was a big reason they traded for equally inconsistent back Cam Akers from the Rams. Whether it ends up being Mattison, Akers, or both, the Vikings running game has to find a way to consistently make an impact.
It’s going to be tough sledding for Minnesota’s whole offense against one of the best defenses in the league. If their record was 4-2 instead of 2-4, they might be able to survive a loss. Unfortunately, the Vikings are going to need every element of their offense to be clicking. If they can’t find out how to make that happen sans the Justin Jefferson injury, their playoff hopes could be completely dashed Monday night.
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Main Photo Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
