Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in football. It\u2019s a statement that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Through their first game without Jefferson on the field, things haven\u2019t gone smoothly. The offense sputtered its way to a 19-13 win<\/a> over Chicago, a score that included a defensive touchdown. Head Coach Kevin O\u2019Connell\u2019s unit just couldn\u2019t 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:<\/p>\n [cta id=4013 type=cta]<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n That blueprint is one that Cousins has been comfortable with throughout his career in Washington. However, it\u2019s unfortunately never been one that\u2019s led to great team success<\/a>. In Washington<\/a> Desean Jackson or Jordan Reed were arguably Cousins\u2019 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.<\/p>\n Cousins has enjoyed a plethora of top targets in Minnesota, between Adam Thielen<\/a>, Stefon Diggs<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n The lack of production through the air against the Bears without Justin Jefferson was not solely Cousins\u2019 fault. The receivers didn\u2019t do a great job consistently getting open or catching the ball when delivered. Receivers Jordan Addison<\/a> and K.J. Osborn<\/a> 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\u2019re undoubtedly going to continue to get more attention from the defense, so it\u2019s something they\u2019ll need to figure out quickly.<\/p>\n The most disappointing of Minnesota\u2019s 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<\/a> this offseason, Hockenson was expected to continue his role of safety blanket. He\u2019ll need to rediscover the confidence and form he had a season ago for the Vikings to find success.<\/p>\n Can these guys all get on track to save Minnesota\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. It\u2019s still unclear if Cleveland is going to miss time, but it\u2019s a continuation of what this season has been for Minnesota\u2019s line. When they have been healthy, they\u2019ve been for the most part stellar. It just hasn\u2019t been often this year and Cousins and the running game have paid the price.<\/p>\n1. Kirk Cousins Spreads the Ball Around Effectively<\/strong><\/h2>\n
2. Receivers not Named Justin Jefferson Become Reliable<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. The Offensive Line and Running Game Find Consistency<\/strong><\/h2>\n