Analysis: Vikings finding ways to free Justin Jefferson in split-safety coverage

SEATTLE The play that produced Justin Jeffersons game-winning touchdown at Lumen Field on Sunday wasnt necessarily meant to go to him.

The Vikings lined up with Jefferson as one of three receivers on the left side of the formation, before motioning Jalen Nailor and Jordan Addison to the right side and leaving Jefferson alone.

Coach Kevin OConnell had talked with quarterback Sam Darnold about how the ball could go to Addison or T.J.

Hockenson on the front side of the play, if the Seahawks wanted to shove coverage over to Jefferson.

That was kind of a first on a pretty standard concept with a little window dressing or sauce on it, to make things look the same, OConnell said Sunday in Seattle after the Vikings 27-24 victory .

Justin has an innate feel for open grass and to go find it and to be so decisive with it that the quarterback feels it as he climbs the pocket, and you need a guy that can make that throw on the move in the pocket.

To place it where he did, what a moment.

Jefferson got such a clean, good release on the inside of cornerback Riq Woolen, and drove his route toward the sideline, away from safety Julian Love (whod turned his hips toward the middle of the field).

Darnold saw the same thing, and put the ball toward the sideline without setting his feet while he evaded pressure.

Jets is doing a great job of feeling that zone, and feeling the cloud [corner], to get a little bit of width to get away from the safety, Darnold said.

I felt like I needed to give him a shot, put it on his back hip and let him do the rest.

The play produced the game-winning 39-yard touchdown, delivered the VIkings first victory in Seattle since 2006 and kept them in line for home-field advantage in the NFC if they win their final two games.

It also stood out as an example of the Vikings ability to find answers against the split-safety coverage teams use to take Jefferson away.

Save for a five-yard reception in the red zone, Jefferson caught all of his passes against split-safety coverage, posting 139 yards and scoring twice on nine catches where the Seahawks kept two safeties deep, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Entering Week 16, hed posted 70 of his 82 catches against zone coverage (the third-most in the league, according to Next Gen Stats).

In his last four games, hes caught 31 passes for 448 yards, and scored five touchdowns in the past three games.

During Jeffersons Offensive Player of the Year season in 2022, OConnell raved about routes like the one the receiver ran for a touchdown in a Week 16 win over the Giants, where he snapped off a route in front of safety Jason Pinnock for a key fourth-quarter score.

Against the Falcons two weeks ago, he split two defenders off motion and beat Dee Alford for a 12-yard score that started his TD run.

Over three years of being defended so many different ways, hes seen it all at this point, OConnell said Monday at TCO Performance Center.

[The plays are] not just lines on paper anymore.

Theres an organic adjustment to some of the things were doing that has opened up part of the field for us.

Sometimes were attacking it, other times were not.

But when we need that play, we can stack all the information gathered that day on top of the thousands upon thousands of reps of building that rapport, so those guys can make those plays in those moments.

On Sunday, it was clear Jefferson had the connection with Darnold to counter how the Seahawks wanted to defend him.

Darnold hit Jefferson for a 27-yard gain on a deep crossing route, drifting to his left and throwing an on-the-move strike to Jefferson, who beat Josh Jobe across the field after Jalen Nailors pre-snap motion changed the Seahawks coverage rules and gave Jefferson inside leverage on Jobe while Jordan Addisons deep route occupied the safeties.

And the 39-yard score, Darnold said, was the result of the skills the Vikings defense forces him and Jefferson to practice.

The range of the Vikings coverages means Darnold and Jefferson spend plenty of time trying to decipher coverage together and make sure theyre seeing things the same way.

OConnell said Sunday he wants Darnold and Jefferson to have some freedom in those moments, especially, to extrapolate beyond a play design based on what theyre getting from defenses.

Their adjustments, though, arent backyard football.

Their practice time is spent making sure Jefferson can adjust his route to a coverage without Darnold having to scrap the timing of a play.

Its got to be something where theres freedom and theres some nuances to Justin being able to do the things he does, but at the same time, its got to fit with the progression and the eyes of the quarterback, OConnell said Monday.

And thats where weve tried to grow.

Whether its a core concept and were just making little tweaks to it, or its a brand new concept for the week, nothing doesnt go through the filter of, Is this going to be playable? Because thats my number one pet peeve: to go back to that moment and say, with the clicker [reviewing the film] this morning, Hey, why didnt you throw it here or there? I just dont believe in that.

On Sunday, the Vikings careful adaptations produced season highs for Jefferson in catches and yards, to go with his second two-TD game in three weeks.

A month after the receiver seemed to tire of questions about what defenses had done to limit him, the Vikings appear to have found the answers.

Were coming together, Jefferson said Sunday.

Were finding different ways to overcome adversity, overcome the different stuff that defenses have been throwing towards us.

Sam has done a great job leading our offense.

Its the coaches calling plays, and us just making something work..

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