They beat the San Francisco 49ers without him – granted, they still had Kirk Cousins at that point.
They’re one game above .500 and they’ve won four straight.
They’re the Minnesota Vikings, of course, and somehow or other, they’ve done all this without their best player, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who went on injured reserve with a hamstring he injured on Oct. 8, when things were bleak.
He comes back and the Vikings – well, things aren’t bleak, really, mathematically, because they’re only two games back from NFC North-leading Detroit (6-2). But the Vikings did lose Cousins for the season to a torn Achilles, and Jefferson will have a new quarterback (Joshua Dobbs).
Jefferson himself will exercise caution, he says (Vikings begin transition of bringing Jefferson back; he’ll wait to play until he’s fully healed ), in his return.
“A hamstring is a difficult injury because it lingers and it comes back from time to time if you don’t put the right treatment into it,” Jefferson said. “I don’t want to go out there 80 or 90% and have the chance of hurting it again.”
Vikings fans shouldn’t expect to see Jefferson on the field Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but maybe not after their week 13 open date, either. Coach Kevin O’Connell has said they’ll observe Jefferson closely, and when he’s ready, he’ll be on the field.
Jefferson did resume practice this week.
So far this season, last year’s offensive player of the year has 36 catches for 571 yards and three touchdowns.
His new quarterback, Dobbs, started the season with the Arizona Cardinals, and was traded to the Vikings this past week, helping them to beat Atlanta. Dobbs has completed 63 percent of his passes this season for 1,727 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
