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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson returned in excellent form in the game against the San Francisco 49ers, helping the Vikings win the contest 23-17, which was a good beginning for the season for the Vikings.
Jefferson suffered a quad contusion during the match, and while he battled through this, he still managed to record a 97-yard touchdown reception, which was the longest in both his and quarterback Sam Darnold’s careers.
This greatly improved the Vikings’ game prospects at that point. Jefferson had a front-row SMS of their game two against the same rivals last season. In this specific encounter, he did not register any game action because he suffered a hamstring injury while the rest of the team managed to upset the 49ers.
This time, however, he made an impact with four catches for 133 yards, including one on a 97 yard attempt. According to Next Gen Stats, this run not only wowed the crowd but increased the chances of victory by 21.3% among all additional plays made during this run.
This interval comprised what appeared to be an Alexander of the second quarter, using the dynamism of Jefferson to justify such a plan. "It was a great, great ball by Sam to really trust the double team and for me to run right through it," Jefferson recalled via the Vikings' team website. "As soon as I caught that ball and saw all that open space, I thought, 'I can't get tackled.'
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Jefferson Downplays Injury
Even though Jefferson returned to the locker room earlier than expected because of his injury, he tried calming supporters and reporters about his condition after the match. "Just a little thigh bruise, contusion, whatever you want to call it.
Something that happens a lot during football," Jefferson said. "I've just got to get it feeling well and be ready to go next week." Now, his attention is only on recovery and getting ready for the next rounds, and there’s no use bulking up without a reason when there is work to be done.
Vikings fans remain hopeful that their star player will recover quickly, as reviled head coach Kevin O’Connell has referred to Jefferson as 'day-to-day.' Of particular merit, though, was Jefferson's addition of 49ers game to his legacy, clocking over 6,000 career receiving yards and 5th tied with NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most 100-yard games during the first five seasons of a career in the league.
The Vikings’ success in this match means they have improved their record to two wins in two games for the first time since twenty sixteen, thus building evidence of being promising for the rest of the season. "I'm feeling good.
We played tremendous ball all-in-all," Jefferson said. "At the end of the day, all that matters is winning, and I'm not seriously injured. That's the main, important thing, so it's all about getting to the training room, making sure my body is right for next week."
English (US)