Justin Jefferson put the NFL on notice this summer, when he declared it was his intention to be considered the league’s top wide receiver by the end of the season. Jefferson quickly took a stride toward accomplishing that goal by catching nine of 11 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-7 victory over Green Bay in the opener.
But if the Packers failed to take Jefferson seriously enough on Sept. 11, the Vikings’ next two opponents, Philadelphia and Detroit, weren’t about to make the same mistake. The Eagles put Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay on Jefferson in Week 2 and held him to six catches for 48 yards on 12 targets in a 24-7 loss.
