Of course. Jefferson declared, “I wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t.” “That was the main focus into getting back on the field, is to having that same explosion, having that same power, having that same speed as I did before the injury.”
Before the bye, Jefferson claimed to have been almost 100% ahead of the Chicago game; however, in order to prevent a setback, it was decided to proceed cautiously. As Jefferson put it, they weren’t entirely sure he wouldn’t pull his
hamstring in the event that he needed to “use that extra gear to run away from someone”.
The Vikings still had the sixth-most passing yards in the league despite Jefferson missing eight games due to injury. However, the explosive element that the passing game lacked is brought back by his return. Jefferson had 14 receptions of 20 yards or more and was averaging 15.9 yards per catch before he was hurt on October 5 against the Chiefs.
Jefferson will finish the season with 72 catches for 1,142 yards if he maintains his pre-injury average of 7.2 catches for 114.2 yards per game. It will be a fantastic season, but well short of his target of nearly 2,000 yards.
Sincerely, Jefferson said, “it’s been difficult to modify those goals, especially on the pace that I was going before the injury.” Seeing [Tyreek Hill] go bonkers every week and witnessing other players throughout the league accomplish amazing feats is a little depressing.
With 1,481 receiving yards, Hill led the NFL and was on pace to gain 2,098 yards. In NFL history, no receiver has ever surpassed 2,000 yards in a single season.
“It was my intention to reach at least nearly 2,000, but since I became ill, my new objective is 1,000. “Every year, I want to finish with more than 1,000 yards,” Jefferson declared.
