The question made Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson legitimately laugh out loud. Most likely because he knew the answer was so obvious.
Does he like playing against Detroit Lions?
“I don’t know what it is about them,” Jefferson said with a smirk. “I’ve been making a couple of plays here and there.”
That’s an understatement. Since being selected with the No. 22 pick in 2020 draft, Jefferson has had an incredible amount of success whenever the Vikings have played the Lions. A reporter suggested that maybe he simply matches up well against them.
“I’m not sure,” Jefferson said with another smirk. “I guess I do.”
The stats speak for themselves as Jefferson has recorded 62 catches for 1,073 yards against the Lions in his career. The production is absolutely staggering when comparing the splits. The next closest team when looking at those stat categories are the 41 catches he has recorded against the Chicago Bears and the 622 yards he has recorded against the Green Bay Backers.
It makes sense that Jefferson has been most prolific against from the NFC North considering he has played those teams more than anybody else. That said, Jefferson seems to be at the peak of his powers whenever the Vikings go to battle with the Lions.
That bodes well for the Vikings as they prepare for a very important game against the Lions on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“I always love these type of games that we need the most,” Jefferson said. “Whenever they are in front of me, I like to make the most of it.”
The only problem for Jefferson as of late is, as good as he has been, the Vikings haven’t been able to beat the Lions.
Just looking at the past few meetings, in particular, Jefferson recorded 11 catches for 223 yards in a 34-23 loss on Dec. 11, 2022, six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 30-24 loss on Dec. 24, 2023, and 12 catches for 192 yards and a touchdown in a 30-20 loss on Jan. 7, 2024.
“The way I’ve been playing we’ve sadly still been taking the loss,” Jefferson said. “That’s the tough thing about it.”
Asked about his preparation for the matchup, Jefferson acknowledged that he’s probably going to need to battle through some contact. It’s no secret that the Lions like to be extremely physical in the secondary, getting hands on at the point of attack, and almost daring the officials to throw a flag.
“It comes with the game,” Jefferson said. “You just have to be a little bit more physical than normal and a little bit more techinally sound.”
That has worked wonders for Jefferson in the past as he has consistently gotten the best of whoever is lined up across from him. Not that he’s too concerned with his individual performance. He knows the gaudy numbers don’t mean anything unless the Vikings can find a way to beat the Lions.
“Just trying to be the best that I can be for this team,” Jefferson said. “I’ve definitely got to come out with the win this time.”
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson makes a catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
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