After a game in which Cincinnati’s Ja-Marr Chase caught 16 passes for 161 yards, the best receiver in the game is probably still the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson.
It’s only Week 7 and both the Eagles and Vikings are facing a crossroads game. The Eagles have been outgained in each of their six games this season, and Minnesota does not have a much better productive offense than the Eagles, who are No. 30 in offense (ave. 274.5/per game) while the Vikings are No. 25.
What the Vikings do have and what the Eagles do not is Jefferson, who is No. 7 in the NFL in receiving, with 449 yards receiving, hauling in 29 passes on 42 targets.
The Eagles enter Sunday’s game at 1 p.m. against Minnesota, floundering with a two-game losing streak and in danger of their season teetering over a cliff. The Vikings have won two of their last three, with their loss coming up short in a 24-21 loss to Pittsburgh. In that setback, Jefferson caught a season-high 10 passes for another season-high 126 yards.
Minnesota will likely use back-up quarterback Carson Wentz, replacing the injured J.J. McCarthy, who practiced this week after missing three games with a knee injury. In his place, Wentz, the former Eagles’ No. 2 overall draft pick who is now with his sixth different team, and fifth different team in five years, is 2-1 this season with the Vikings with a 99.5 passer rating.
Asked what difference it makes if McCarthy or Wentz starts for Minnesota, Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said, “They are similar. They’re both athletic,” Fangio said. “They both do a good job running this offense. This is a good offense we’re going against. It’s a good scheme. It’s packaged well together. They do a good job of calling plays. It’s a tough offense.”
Eagles shutdown cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was a full participant in Thursday’s practice, an encouraging sign considering how the New York Giants blatantly targeted any receiver being covered last Thursday night by Kelee Ringo, who was torched by the Giants’ Lil’Jordan Humphrey on a third-and-12 at the Eagles’ 22 in the opening quarter. Humphrey high-pointed the ball, and Ringo was right there with him, and could do little to stop it. Ringo could not stop anything the Giants’ Jaxson Dart threw in his direction. Dart had not completed a pass for over 20 yards this season.
In the first quarter alone against the Eagles’ depleted secondary, Dart completed three passes for over 20 yards. Two of those three completions came against Ringo, who was the Giants’ pigeon. On a third-and-six from the Giants’ 37 on their last drive of the first half, Dart hit Humphrey again with a nine-yard pass and a first down. It was obvious what New York’s intentions were: Find No. 7 in Eagles’ white and attack. Ringo was later called for defensive holding on Humphrey early in the third quarter. On a third-and-eight, Ringo’s interference call with 9:47 to play all but ended the game for the Eagles. It led to Cam Skattebo’s third touchdown and a commanding 34-17 Giants’ lead with 9:41 left to play.
Just imagine what Jefferson will do if Mitchell is not available to play. If Mitchell is out, do you really think the combination of Adoree’ Jackson, whose play this season had been shoddy at best, and Ringo can stop Jefferson?
Compound that with edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, the Eagles’ leading edge rusher with 1.5 sacks, announced his retirement on Monday. With Smith’s departure, who will the Eagles turn to on the edge, possibly move rookie Jihaad Campbell to the edge? The Eagles need answers. Jefferson only presents more headaches to a listing team.