Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is set to return home with the team after a visit to a local hospital for evaluation following a chest injury sustained in the first half of their 3-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, addressing the situation after the game, explained that Jefferson was sent for further assessment to rule out any serious internal injuries resulting from a hit by Raiders safety Marcus Epps. Although Jefferson returned to Allegiant Field by the end of the game, his readiness to play in the upcoming match against the Cincinnati Bengals next Saturday is yet to be determined.
O’Connell provided some reassurance, stating, “It looks like we avoided any significant issues there.”
Justin Jefferson’s absence played a significant role in the Minnesota Vikings’ struggle to score until Greg Joseph kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining in the game. This low-scoring affair marked the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history and the first to end 3-0 since 2007.
The winning drive for the Vikings was orchestrated by backup quarterback Nick Mullens, who took over from Josh Dobbs midway through the fourth quarter. Coach Kevin O’Connell refrained from naming a starting quarterback for future games, emphasizing the need to evaluate other injuries sustained during the game, including those to Jefferson, right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), and running back Alexander Mattison (ankle). Minnesota Vikings receiver
Jefferson’s injury occurred with 9:54 remaining in the second quarter when he leaped to catch a high pass from Dobbs and was forcefully hit by Epps after a 15-yard reception. Jefferson immediately left the field, grabbing his lower back. In total, he caught two passes on three targets for 27 yards while playing 13 snaps.
This game marked Jefferson’s return since suffering a right hamstring injury in Week 5, causing him to miss seven games. Although he did not start on Sunday, he joined the field for the second play of the game.
At the beginning of the season, Jefferson set a blazing pace, averaging an NFL-high 135.8 yards per game during the first four weeks, a rate that threatened to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yardage record. However, Jefferson had been stuck at 571 yards since the hamstring injury. The Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill (1,481 yards) is now the player with the best chance of breaking Johnson’s record this season.
Jefferson had adjusted his season goal to finish with 1,000 yards, but achieving that target may be challenging after this latest injury setback. Reflecting on the challenges, he said last week, “It’s been hard to adjust those goals honestly… It’s a little tough to see Tyreek going crazy every single week, to see different people throughout the whole league doing tremendous things. It’s been tough because it’s the first season that I’ve been hurt since I’ve been into the league.”