Chargers prioritizing defending Justin Jefferson, Vikings’ potent passing offense

If the Chargers want to come away with their first win this Sunday, the primary focus will be slowing the Vikings and their prolific passing offense.

Through two weeks, Minnesota ranks No. 2, averaging 337 yards per game through the first two weeks of the season.

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Kirk Cousins is tied for the most passing touchdowns (6) and has the second-most explosive pass plays (17), per Pro Football Focus.

Arguably the most significant factor in their success is star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who leads the NFL in receiving yards (309) and has the second-most targets (25) and catches (20) through two games.

“Justin’s very talented. He’s a long guy, has really good body control,” defensive coordinator Derick Ansley said about Jefferson. “He’s kind of limber, where his body can do things in the air that most people can’t.

“It’s going to be a really good challenge for us,” Ansley added. “We got a lot of respect for him … They got a really good bunch over there, so we got to do a really good job of doing our part and stopping them.”

It will take a collaborative effort from cornerbacks J.C. Jackson, Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. to limit Jefferson as much as possible.

The Vikings’ weapons don’t stop there, however. They have WR Jordan Addison, who is off to a stellar rookie campaign. Addison has seven catches for 133 yards, with an average of 19 yards per reception and two scores.

Additionally, tight end T.J. Hockenson, the highest-paid at his position, is coming off a two-touchdown performance and has already seen 17 targets.

This will be a tall task for a Chargers defense that ranks dead last against the pass through the first two weeks, but they’re motivated to overcome their obvious flaws.

“Getting back to our technique and playing how we play,” cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor said, per the Chargers official website. “These first two weeks, that’s not the product we’ve been working toward.

“This week, we’ll get back to what we’ve been putting our hard work into and hopefully put out a great performance,” Taylor added.