Justin Jefferson Appears Very Frustrated As Vikings’ Qb Woes Continue

Just erstwhile you thought things couldn’t get worse astatine backmost for wide receiver Justin Jefferson and nan Vikings, they did.

With J.J. McCarthy sidelined successful concussion protocol, Minnesota turned to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer to make his first profession start Sunday against nan Seahawks astatine Lumen Field. Battling nan Seahawks’ defense has been a reliable task for immoderate backmost this season, but for an inexperienced 24-year-old who played conscionable 1 play astatine nan FBS level, it looked for illustration a adjacent intolerable task.

Brosmer threw for 126 yards, nary touchdowns and 4 interceptions connected 19-of-30 passing, adding up to a dismal 32.8 passer standing successful nan Vikings’ 26–0 loss. It was nan encore to McCarthy’s dud nan erstwhile week successful Minnesota’s 23–6 nonaccomplishment to nan Packers successful which he threw for conscionable 87 yards and 2 interceptions connected 12-of-19 passing.

Justin Jefferson, arguably nan champion wide receiver successful each of football, vanished nan crippled pinch 2 receptions for a career-low 4 yards connected six targets. In nan 4th quarter, nan Fox Sports broadcast showed Jefferson sitting unsocial connected nan Vikings’ chair pinch a towel connected his face, looking beyond disappointment arsenic his squad was getting unopen out.

After nan game, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted that Jefferson near nan locker room and did not speak pinch nan media, nan first clip he has done truthful successful astatine slightest 4 years.

Of course, cipher would blasted Jefferson for being frustrated. Jefferson has grounded to log complete 50 receiving yards successful 3 of his past 4 games, and though location person been a mates of uncharacteristic drops successful that span, it mostly has fallen connected nan mediocre backmost play.

Carson Wentz didn’t look awesome arsenic nan Vikings’ starter earlier undergoing season-ending surgery, but successful his 5 starts, Jefferson averaged 6.8 receptions connected 95.4 yards per game. In nan Vikings’ different 7 games—six started by McCarthy and 1 by Brosmer—Jefferson averaged 4 catches for 46 yards.

For nan record, Jefferson has said each nan correct things each year. He has many times defended McCarthy from critics during interviews—and did truthful arsenic precocious arsenic this week erstwhile nan second-year backmost had a historically bad capacity against Green Bay. Jefferson besides talked up Brosmer starring up to his NFL debut.

But connected Sunday, Jefferson’s backmost couldn’t get him nan shot while his backmost from past year, Sam Darnold, conducted nan Seahawks’ discourtesy to its ninth triumph this season.

That’s difficult for immoderate receiver to swallow, particularly 1 of nan NFL’s best.

More NFL connected Sports Illustrated