MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Justin Jefferson has hardly been admired more by the Minnesota Vikings than during this season of frustration for their once-potent offense, despite production by the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver that has lagged well behind his remarkable standard.
Helping him hit the 1,000-yard mark — against the rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday — would be at least be a nice parting gift.
“I want to leave this year off with a good note,” said Jefferson, who has the most yards receiving in NFL history over a player's first six seasons.
The Vikings were eliminated from contention for the playoffs before they took the field in Week 15, their earliest exit from the race since 2014, with a predictably rocky debut for quarterback J.J. McCarthy the primary reason. Backups Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer have also taken their turns struggling to keep afloat the down-field passing attack that has revolved around Jefferson since coach Kevin O'Connell his arrival in 2022.
Jefferson's averages of 12.5 yards per reception and 59.2 yards per game are by far career lows, even though he has run his routes as well as ever and stayed healthy all season. But he has lived up to his role as a captain by never complaining, doing his best to encourage the developing McCarthy despite one of his prime years being squandered.
“It means a lot just to go out there and continue to compete, continue to give it my all and just show the effort,” said Jefferson, who needs 53 yards against the Packers to become the third receiver in league history to log 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons after Randy Moss and Mike Evans.
McCarthy, who missed the last game with a hand injury, will make just his 10th career start. His first one against the Packers on Nov. 23, was one of his worst.
“It starts with that offseason work and building that connection and eliminating those habits that he had that we felt hindered him throughout the season,” Jefferson said this week, publicly expressing his desire to have McCarthy as the starter again in 2026. "He still has learning to do and growing to do, so that’s all part of the game, but it’s up to me to require more of him and to work with him more.”
With Jordan Love playing it safe on the sideline after a concussion two weeks ago and backup Malik Willis dealing with injuries, Clayton Tune will start at quarterback for Green Bay.
His only other NFL start came as a rookie in 2023 with Arizona, when he was sacked seven times and threw two interceptions in a 27-0 loss to Cleveland.
“Obviously in practice you try to prepare for the game as much as you can, but once you’re in it for real, that’s when you get the full sense of it,” said Tune, who was a fifth-round draft pick out of Houston. "I’m excited to be in there and trust the training I’ve put in.”
The Packers, who are locked into the last wild-card spot for the NFC playoffs for the third straight time, had a remote chance of bettering the No. 7 seed entering the regular-season finale last year when they lost to Chicago and lost wide receiver Christian Watson to a torn ACL.
With the injuries to vital players taking their toll this season, the Packers can't afford to lose another one and will likely hold more healthy starters out beyond Love. But they would also prefer not to take a fourth straight loss into the playoffs.
According to Sportradar, only three teams in NFL history – the Jets (1986), the Lions (1999) and the Steelers (2024) — have entered the postseason with a four-game losing streak or longer. Only the Jets won their first playoff game from that group.
“That’s what practice is all there for, and I think we’ve done a great job of amping it up this week,” Love said. “Guys have been flying around at practice. We’ve been doing a great job.”
Not only will McCarthy and the Vikings' offense not have to face star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL last month, but the Packers are hurting at cornerback, too.
Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine haven’t played particularly well during this late-season slump, and backups Kamal Hadden and Nate Hobbs went on injured reserve this week.
The Packers claimed Trevon Diggs off waivers from Dallas this week, with the possibility the two-time Pro Bowl pick will play Sunday after just a few days of orientation.
“The same coverages are same coverages,” said Diggs, who led the NFL with 11 interceptions in an All-Pro season in 2021. "It’s just different languages and different terminology. I feel like that’s just going to be the tough part.”
Another option at cornerback for Green Bay could be wide receiver Bo Melton, who has worked on defense in practice this season though all of his game action has been on offense and special teams.
“I’m not going to take any opportunity and make it bigger than what it is — even though it could be, could not be," Melton said. "At the end of the day, I’m going to go out there and be me.”
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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee contributed.
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