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Yesterday, the NFL showcased the primary version of Professional Bowl Verzuz that includes Titans vast receiver AJ Brown and Vikings rookie phenom Justin Jefferson. For many who didn’t get an opportunity to observe, you’ll be able to test it out here. The present is hosted by Deion Sanders and Maurice Jones-Drew, pitting two Professional Bowl gamers in opposition to one another to make their case for who had the higher season, higher celebrations, and so forth.
To start out, the 2 spent a couple of minutes going forwards and backwards about whose season was extra spectacular, on condition that they each play in run-first offenses. In the course of the alternate, Jefferson identified that he had way more yards in his rookie season than Brown did. Nicely, that is true. Nonetheless, Brown clapped again saying that had he gotten “10 targets a recreation” he would have had extra yards, too.
Whereas saying Jefferson obtained 10 targets per recreation is a little bit of a hyperbole (it’s nearer to seven or eight), Brown does have some extent. Jefferson obtained 125 targets in his rookie season whereas Brown was solely thrown to 84 instances final yr in his rookie marketing campaign.
Jefferson ended the yr with a slash line of 88/1400/7. Brown’s rookie season ended at 52/1051/8. Jefferson’s numbers look extra spectacular, however Brown does have a case right here. If he had gotten extra targets, he actually would have put up greater numbers.
That mentioned, I’ve two arguments to make. The primary is easy. If he wished extra targets, not solely ought to he have gotten open extra usually, however he additionally ought to have been extra environment friendly as a receiver.
Brown’s catch fee, per Professional-Soccer-Reference, of 61.9% throughout his rookie season was not something to jot down house about and was a lot decrease than Jefferson’s fee of 70.4% this yr. If you’d like extra targets, make higher use of those you’ve been given. To his credit score, Brown was far more environment friendly this season and obtained extra balls thrown his means, catching 66% of his 106 targets.
Secondly, to all of the Vikings followers on the market, don’t be upset about Brown’s try to knock Jefferson’s stats by mentioning his variety of targets. To start with, it’s a weak argument to start with. Second of all, be joyful as a result of this solely signifies that Jefferson was correctly utilized on this offense.
Stefon Diggs was upset in 2019 as a result of he felt he was not being given sufficient of a task within the offense. This finally led to his commerce to Buffalo the place he obtained his want and led the NFL in targets this yr with 166.
Jefferson can not make an argument in opposition to his function, which exhibits Minnesota is studying from the Diggs’ scenario. Jefferson’s rookie season was historic. He was given the tenth-most targets all-time for a rookie receiver, forward of fellows like Michael Thomas, Larry Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson. When it comes to this season, he sat proper behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and DK Metcalf, each of whom are primary choices of their offenses.
Closing Ideas
The fundamental premise of this text: don’t fret Vikings followers. The truth that Jefferson could be known as out for getting so many targets must be an excellent factor. It exhibits that not solely is Minnesota studying from previous experiences, however they’re additionally discovering methods to contain a number of star receivers inside an offense.
Whereas it may appear a simple factor to do, there is just one ball to go round, so it may be troublesome to seek out methods to provide everybody their share. That’s particularly the case when one of many stars is new and unfamiliar to the quarterback. Minnesota, whereas nonetheless needing to improve some things, is beginning to determine the way to just do that. This bodes effectively for Jefferson’s relationship with the Vikings transferring ahead, and it ought to have followers excited.
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