Packers cornerback says Justin Jefferson’s dominant Week 1 performance against Green Bay was a ‘fluke’

The Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson might be the perfect broad receiver within the Nationwide Soccer League.

He presently leads the NFL with 123 receptions and 1,756 receiving yards, and can very probably break Calvin “Megatron” Johnson’s single-season document of 1,964 yards throughout the subsequent two video games — and will even accomplish it this Sunday (he wants 209 yards to take action).

His magical marketing campaign began with an elite efficiency in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, the place he had 9 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. That was only a preview of what was to come back for the remainder of the season.

However do not inform that to Jaire Alexander. 

The Packers nook is not shopping for into the hype heading into their matchup on Sunday.

“You’ve got simply acquired to be actual: He do not soar in no tremendous swimsuit and dress and soar exterior, you hear me?” Alexander stated, by way of ESPN. “I do not both, typically. However he [is] human, is what I am saying. We ain’t placing an excessive amount of on no person.

“He is a very good receiver. However on the finish of the day, I am a very good nook. We have actually good corners, we have got actually good linebackers, D-line, no matter it’s. You do not need to put an excessive amount of deal with that one individual as a result of it is, like, the primary recreation — that was a fluke.”

Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled by Jaire Alexander of the Inexperienced Bay Packers through the second quarter of a recreation at Lambeau Discipline in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, on Nov. 1, 2020.
(Stacy Revere/Getty Photos)

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That is fairly the daring assertion — whereas Jefferson’s 2022 marketing campaign is probably going not repeatable, the LSU product was a second-team All-Professional receiver in his first two NFL seasons. He additionally broke Randy Moss’ document for many receiving yards in a participant’s first three seasons again in Week 12. Even when he one way or the other comes up in need of Megatron, he’ll be a first-teamer and should even get some MVP consideration.

Nevertheless, Alexander does have a slight case, at the least by way of what Jefferson has carried out in opposition to the Packers. 

In his NFL debut, which got here in opposition to Inexperienced Bay in 2020, he was held to 2 catches for 26 yards. Six weeks later, he had solely three receptions for a similar quantity of yards. 

Nevertheless, in two video games in opposition to the Packers the next season, he mixed for 14 catches for 227 yards and two scores. Reminder: His Week 1 numbers this season alone had been fairly near that.

Certain, the Vikings and Packers represent an intriguing NFC North rivalry, however Sunday is as near a must-win for Inexperienced Bay because it may get: They are going to be eradicated from playoff rivalry with a loss together with a win by both the Detroit Lions or the Washington Commanders.

Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings appears on throughout pregame warmups earlier than taking part in the New York Giants at U.S. Financial institution Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday.
(David Berding/Getty Photos)

Alexander must again up his discuss if his crew has any hope of staying alive in Week 18.