Mike Florio expects Justin Jefferson’s Vikings to drop a big one against Jalen Hurts' Eagles - “Good luck”
Justin Jefferson might be on top of the fantasy football world, but his team is not. Already 0-1, Minnesota Vikings is a fourth of the way to matching their losing total from a season ago when they went 13-4.
Now, they have to face the Super Bowl runner-up Jalen Hurts. Speaking on Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio expressed doubts about Kirk Cousins' ability to beat Jalen Hurts in his building. He said:
"You put the Eagles' roster up against the Vikings and you start checking boxes... Good luck, Vikings. Good luck tonight in Philadelphia for their home opener where they are the superior team on paper."
One thing going for the Minnesota Vikings even if they drop this game, they still own most of the pieces of the squad and also the record for the biggest comeback in NFL history. If they can do it in a single game, perhaps they can have a comeback over the course of the season as well.
Revisiting Justin Jefferson's key role in biggest comeback of all time
In a game against the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, the Minnesota Vikings trailed 33-0 going into halftime. They outscored the opposition, 39-3 in the second half and won the game by a score of 39-36. In the game, Justin Jefferson caught an eight-yard touchdown that proved to be one of the key scores allowing for the win.
In the game, Kirk Cousins completed 34 of 54 passes for 460 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Jefferson hauled in 12 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Most agree that the Vikings will not be able to repeat a deficit of even half of the 33 points they were down against the Colts. The Colts were 4-9-1 at the time and the Super Bowl runner-up Eagles are 1-0.
Who will be Justin Jefferson's biggest matchup on Thursday Night Football?
Eagles cornerback star Darius Slay is expected by most to be the first line of defense against Justin Jefferson's explosive ability. Slay is coming off a season in which he earned a 73.1 PFF grade and had 55 combined tackles and three interceptions. This year, through one game, he has three tackles and an interception. PFF has him rated at 70.9 overall, so he's close to the same level as last season.
Inching toward his 33-year-old season, however, he might need some extra safety help to lock down the wide receiver. This might make it easier for Jordan Addison to break open and could put both on equal footing in terms of production. In other words, Slay is Jefferson's biggest competition on the other team, while Addison is his biggest competition on the team.
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