Vikings receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison make their case for ‘best duo’ in the NFL

The Vikings offense started slowly. They were initially undone by an aggressive Falcons approach that brought some blitzes and sacked quarterback Sam Darnold three times in the first half.

But Atlanta’s attacking style on defense would prove to be their undoing during the Vikings’ 42-21 win on Sunday, when receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison had their biggest day together so far: 15 catches, 265 yards and five touchdowns. In the franchise’s 64-year history, they’re also the first duo to each catch two touchdowns while surpassing 100 receiving yards.

“We always say we’re the best duo in the league,” Jefferson said. “Today we had the opportunity to show the world that we’re the best duo. … That’s the type of targets we want.”

They can thank an accurate and mobile Darnold, as well as Falcons head coach Raheem Morris for OK’ing a plan that left Jefferson or Addison in single coverage so often.

That’s not what the Vikings had seen from Atlanta entering Sunday.

“They’d been playing a lot of [two-high] safety coverages,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said. “Maybe they thought we were ready for it and our game plan was ready for it. They did some different stuff than they’d done on tape, which we were able to execute and take advantage of.”

Instead, the Falcons often played Cover 3, according to Hockenson, which drops a safety into the box where they can help load up against the run, cover over-the-middle routes, or blitz the passer.

The problem is that Cover 3 leaves only one safety deep to help the corners. And Falcons cornerback Dee Alford needed more help when Jefferson broke free for a 12-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. Jefferson’s score ended his personal six-game touchdown drought. After the catch, he clasped his hands in prayer and looked toward the sky.

“After getting the double and triple teams early in the season, and on that play getting single coverage, it felt great,” said Jefferson, who caught seven passes for 132 yards and two scores. “It felt great, for real.”

Addison scored first on a 49-yard broken play. Darnold’s arm was hit while throwing a deep ball to Addison, who saw it before defenders did and cut back toward the high-arcing throw.

Addison’s second touchdown was a direct result of Jefferson’s first.

Coach Kevin O’Connell said the Vikings anticipated a Falcons change. During Jefferson’s previous score, the Falcons let Alford, the slot corner, follow Jefferson in man-to-man coverage during a presnap motion.

This time, O’Connell said the Vikings anticipated outside cornerback A.J. Terrell – Atlanta’s best cover man – following Jefferson. When Terrell motioned with Jefferson before the snap, Darnold immediately threw the out route to Addison, who had good positioning on Alford.

“They keep [Terrell] locked on him there,” O’Connell said, “and opens up pretty good leverage for Jordan.”

Addison finished with eight catches for 133 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

But he doesn’t expect a defense to give him those looks again.

“Yeah, I’m surprised,” Addison said. “I feel like we’re going to see a lot more two-high [safeties] now.”

With 265 combined yards, Jefferson and Addison put together the kind of game reminiscent of Vikings legends Randy Moss and Cris Carter. That Hall of Fame pairing beat 265 yards together three times, topping out at a combined 345 yards during a 1999 overtime win at Chicago.

But Darnold deserves much of the credit for Jefferson’s second touchdown.

A Falcons blitz nearly took down Darnold when he evaded pressure and threw a 52-yard score while running to his right. Jefferson, who was wide open, gave a quick wave of his right arm to get his quarterback’s attention.

“I did see [Jefferson] wave his arm,” Darnold said, “and that’s kind of one of the first signs as a quarterback, I should probably throw this to him. … I heard on the sideline that if I would have had time, he absolutely cooked the dude on the route.”

After his career-high fifth touchdown pass, Darnold enjoyed time on the jumbotron and waved a towel at the crowd from the Vikings sideline.

Right tackle Brian O’Neill said the only thing surprising about Addison’s performance would have been if the mild-mannered receiver had joined Darnold in the revelry.

“If he was jumping around waving a towel, that might surprise me,” O’Neill said. “You won’t get a ton of emotion out of him. We’re working on it, though. He’s coming out of his shell a little bit.”

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